Joe Jitsu (Dick Tracy)

Last updated
Joe Jitsu
Publication information
Publisher Tribune Media Services
First appearance January 1, 1961
The Dick Tracy Show
In-story information
Supporting character of Dick Tracy
Abilities Martial arts

Joe Jitsu is a fictional police officer, one of Dick Tracy 's crimefighters in the 1961 syndicated animated cartoon series of the popular comic strip. He has since been criticised as a Japanese stereotype. He is named after Ju-Jitsu, a Japanese martial art. [1] His method of subduing criminals was to grab them by the wrist, and exclaim "So solly!" and "Excuse, prease!" while repeatedly judo-flipping them on the ground violently. The voice for this character was provided by Benny Rubin. [2]

Both Joe Jitsu and Go-Go Gomez, a Mexican stereotype, have been edited out of some reruns of the Dick Tracy cartoon series. [1] Henry G. Saperstein, then the chairman of UPA, stated "It's just a cartoon, for goodness' sake." [3] Others pointed out that the 'stereotypes' included two Europeans (Hemlock Holmes and Heap O'Calorie, who are British and Irish respectively), and that the Joe Jitsu character was a deliberate attempt to re-introduce a sympathetic Japanese character after the passions of the last war had died down.

In other media

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References

  1. 1 2 Bernstein, Sharon (2 August 1990). "Stereotypes Removed From 'Tracy' Cartoons : Television: Joe Jitsu, Go Go Gomez edited out by cartoon producer for L.A., N.Y.markets, but KCAL declines to run series". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  2. Okuda, Ted and Mulqueen, Jack. The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television , p. 74 (Lake Claremont Press, 2004).
  3. Svetkey, Benjamin (1990-07-27). "Television News: News & Notes". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 2007-12-19.