"Dick Tracy": The First Story Trivia Quiz

Answer: Chester Gould

Chester Gould was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma in 1900. Moving to the Chicago area, he wrote a few unsucessful humorous comic strips in the late 20's before conceiving the idea of "Plainclothes Tracy" from the rampant crime and the depression of the early thirties.

The strip was renamed "Dick Tracy" and made its debut on October 12, 1931, gaining an instant audience. He retired from the strip in 1977.

Answer: Delicatessen

Emil Trueheart didn't trust banks due to previous losses, and kept his money in a safe under the bed, but lurking in the shadows across the street were crooks, who somehow knew where the money was kept.

Answer: Crutch

Crutch was just one of many small time crooks working under Big Boy's orders. When Emil Trueheart tried to stop Crutch and his accomplice from robbing him, Crutch shot him. Dick Tracy was knocked unconscious twice during the robbery and kidnapping. He vowed to avenge the death of Tess' father and to get her back, thus beginning his fight against crime.

Answer: Ribs Mocco

Tracy takes a room in a dirty motel, and soon is befriended by Ribs and another unnamed crook. Soon, they reveal to him a payroll robbery and offer to cut him in. Ribs is one of the very few criminals in "Dick Tracy" who, although shot up and jailed for a short time, is never brought to justice.

Answer: Al Capone

Chester Gould used present day news stories to make his strip more realistic. In this story, Al Capone and his machine became Big Boy and his thugs.

Answer: Sliding wall which revealed stairs to the outside

After shooting several times through the door, Big Boy left his girlfriend, Texie Garcia holding the smoking gun to take the rap for him, however, he left his cigar smoldering in the room which tipped off Tracy. One of the policemen found the sliding wall.

Answer: Thanksgiving

A pretty typical comment from Tracy. In the space of six weeks, the first villain, although a small time one, had been dispatched. Ribs Mocco had also been wounded in the gun-play, and spent time in the hospital.

Answer: Pat Patton

Poor Pat, although on the plainclothes squad before Tracy, he went through years of injuries and hospital stays before he was promoted to Chief of Police. He did, however, see Big Boy through the keyhole in the door and passed the information on to Tracy from his hospital bed.

Answer: To drive a getaway car after a robbery

"Police are less apt to be suspicious of a dame!" Ribs Mocco gloats to Dick Tracy, bragging about Big Boys brains. Tracy, of course, foils the payroll robbery, captures a few gang members, and gets Tess back during the botched robbery attempt. This was Chester Gould's answer to the seemingly unstoppable crime in the country, especially Chicago.

Answer: He packs his bags and runs

Big Boy occasionally showed cowardice, and this is one of those times. The heat was on, and he packed up and "hauled hips" out of town for awhile. Of course he returned...