And what does this series have to do with the classic detective comic strip? Other than a couple of cameo appearances by the title character and watered-down versions of the strip's famous villains... absolutely nothing.The "Dick Tracy" comic has been around since 1931, and if you have ever read any of the strips, you would soon realize it was aimed at an adult audience. It was filled with grotesque criminals who often met their end in a gruesome manner such as a bullet through the head, impalement, or being burned alive. The creator, Chester Gould, had no qualms about visually depicting the grisly demise of these villains. It was definitely not for young children.So who thought Dick Tracy would make a great concept for a kids' show? Or what drugs were available in 1960 when this series was being developed? And why would Chester Gould allow his characters to be so trivialized? He is actually credited in the opening title sequence; if I were him I would have been embarrassed to have my name attached this horrible program.Yes, it is horrible. Minus the opening and closing credits, each episode runs less than four minutes, and Dick Tracy only appears for a total of about 30 to 50 seconds. We see him in the opening scene at his desk finishing up a phone call from his superior. "Okay, Chief, I'll get on it right away. Dick Tracy calling ________." This same footage and dialogue is recycled in every single episode. Yes, EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. Tracy assigns the case to one of four assistant detectives, then is not seen again until the wrap-up at the end. So, why is this called "The Dick Tracy Show"?"The Lame Assistant Detective Show" would be a better description. Other reviewers have commented on these pathetic characters, so I won't recap what they have already described. However, I will re-emphasize the fact that two of the detectives are racist stereotypes. That alone should be enough to make viewers want to avoid this series, but there is more.The animation is atrocious. There is a lot of reused footage, flopped (reversed) images and other cost-cutting measures that make it obvious this was made on an extremely limited budget. A handful of classic villains from the comic strip have been transformed into overly- cartoonish children's characters, and these same villains are used over and over. The dialogue is filled with groan-inducing puns that first- or second-grade schoolkids might find funny. Sight gags consist of tired overdone rehashes from other cartoons. The "Hold Everything!" joke (where a character in a predicament freezes the surrounding action) gets really old when it appears in every, yes EVERY, episode, although we do get to see an extra ten seconds of Dick Tracy on screen when the assistant detective calls for help.This series is available on DVD. Unbelievable. I can't see anyone actually spending money on such mind-numbing material.

We saw DICK TRACY creator,Chester Gould, as a guest on our CBS TV Affiliate's AT RANDOM Saturday's Late Night talk fest. The Show's host, Chicago Sun-Times Columnist Irv Kupcinet hosted and provided us with interesting, stimulating excursions into "The Lively Art of Conversation." At this time, either late 1960 or early '61, Mr. Gould announced that there had been a deal cut between his syndicator,The Chicago Tribune-N.Y.News Syndicate and United Productions of America (UPA for short)an Animation Studio, to produce a series of DICK TRACY animated cartoons for Television. He thought that they'd be on TV shortly, but ventured no further opinion.Well, that sure sounded good to this 14 year old's family. It's not that TRACY was a favourite, but we did get the Chicago Sunday Tribune and were familiar and could get much more closely acquainted.There had been Dick Tracy adaptations before. He sold a lot of Comic Books and Big Little Books. He was the starring in 4 1930's-40's Republic Pictures' Serials, 4 RKO Series "B" Movies and a short lived 1950's DICK TRACY live action Television Series. So, great, he would be welcomed with open arms! Well, to our surprise the Dick Tracy UPA Cartoons were just about an equivalent to their MR.MAGOO TV Cartoons(not the Theatrical releases). Of course there is nothing intrinsically evil or even dis likable about The MAGOO TV productions; but we never expected such similarities.Chester Gould's DICK TRACY(1931-Present)had long been called "the best written and worst drawn strip in the Newspapers." He made use of the bizarre, the crude, the evil in creating colorful foes for Tracy to battle. Bad Guy Characters had Names that were indicative of physical attributes and habitual behaviour. Hence we saw Prune Face, Flat Top, The Mole, Mumbles, The Brow, etc.* Most of these villainous foes were used in the cartoons, but in twosomes. The greatest divergence from the Strip was an army of Tracy Deputies such as Jaspanese Detective-"Joe Jitsu", Mexican Sleuth-"Go-Go Gomez", "Heap O'Calorie"-a human caricature obviously inspired by Actor/Funnyman Andy Divine and "Shemlock Sholmes"(a talking, cockney accented English Bulldog and his "Retouchables" an animated Keystone Kop Knockoff.There was surely no skimping on the acting talents assembled. The voices were provided by the cream of the Voice Actor Fraternity. Names like Mel Blanc, Paul Frees, Jerry Hausner and Johnny Coons** were numbered among the creative talents featured. They were joined by veteran screen Comedian and Dialectician Supreme, Benny Rubin. And the voice of Dick Tracy was provided by distinguished Actor, former member of Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre of the Air, Everett Sloane!(Honest, you can look it up yourself!)* Not only did the bad guys get such descriptive monikers. After Tracy's 1st partner, Pat Patton was promoted to Chief of Police, his 2nd partner was introduced, Sam Ketcham! 2 regular supporting characters, a man & woman Hobo pair were aptly named "B.O.Plenty & Gravel Gertie"and later after marriage, they had a daughter, "Sparkle Plenty." Others included Tracy's Girlfriend & later Wife, "Tess Trueheart" and Shakespearian Actor and Health Fanatic, the John Barrymoreesque, "Vitamin Flintheart". ** "Uncle"Johnny Coons had long been a top Kiddie TV Host/Performer in the Chicago Market. He had won the local Emmy and maybe even a Peabody(?) for Children's Television. It was he of the famous on air flub when, thinking he was off said the immortal words, "There, that out to hold the little bastards for another day!" He made a quick exit to the L.A area, working in TV, Commercials and in voice acting for people like UPA.

Way back in 1990, when I was still a kid, and when the live-action Dick Tracy was hitting theaters, one of my local TV stations decided to get into the act by re-running The Dick Tracy Show. I thought "Oh cool! Now I can see Dick Tracy animated!" I started watching an episode, and sure enough, there ol' Dick was there, but he was delegating all of the crime-fighting to his deputies, a badly-drawn rabble of ethnic stereotypes. It would seem the people at UPA had pulled "bait & switch" trick on the kids since this show first aired in 1961. I don't know for sure, but I suspect that the animators found that Dick Tracy himself too difficult (or too expensive) to animate using their particular limited-animation style. So, Tracy's relegated to the show's opening, which can be reused for each episode, the remainder of the show is devoted to Tracy's staff, all with far more simplified character designs.And to top it off, I don't even remember seeing any of the original Chester Gould villains in any of the episodes I saw.

This goes way back; I watched this in the very early 60's. It was quite faithful to the strip, as I remember. The episodes started out the same: Tracy calling one of his cops [Hemlock Holmes, more often than not] on his TV wristwatch. The episode would revolve around the not-too competent Hemlock and the Keystone Kops trying to get the bad guys, which they would invariably do. I still remember the final shot of the show, the timpani pounding out the theme, and a high overhead shot of a busy city intersection, looking at all the ant-like cars letting a police car go by...then continuing on their way as it passed.What made this show interesting were the voices. Everett Sloane [Citizen Kane] was Tracy...but it also had such greats as Mel Blanc and Paul Frees, Jerry Housner [I Love Lucy] and Benny Rubin [Citizen Kane]...I don't recall this show being shown since the mid-sixties. I hope they bring it back.