Joe Jitsu (Dick Tracy)

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.[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]

For The Beano comic strip, see Joe Jitsu.
Joe Jitsu
Publication information
PublisherTribune Media Services
First appearanceJanuary 1, 1961
The Dick Tracy Show
In-story information
Supporting character ofDick Tracy
AbilitiesMartial arts

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 Anglos (Hemlock Holmes and Heap O'Calorie), and that the Joe Jitsu character (Ju-Jitsu is a Japanese martial art) was a deliberate attempt to re-introduce a sympathetic Japanese character after the passions of the last war had died down.

References
  1. 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.
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