Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for May 26, 2022

Called it. ✨

Good morning™, everybody!

Finally, it’s confirmed that this is Mr. Memory, as a bunch of you figured out, but I didn’t clue into at first. He was the bad guy in the 1967 Dick Tracy TV show pilot episode that was never sold. I suppose that Mike Curtis has been just waiting for the right script to come along so he could use this guy.

He’s been… “away” — in prison I would imagine. Anyway, he and B.O. seem to be starting off on pretty good terms.

Mr. Memory’s seatbelt forgot to stay attached to the inside of the car!

Good morning™, annoying small talkers !

They appear to be “starting off on pretty good terms” but it looks to me that Memorex dude will be glad to offload the talkative hillbilly and the sooner the better. Mean time he will suck it up to keep from becoming too memorable to his rider. He is still scot free of suspicion on those fancy machine robberies.

Ummm… Let’s assume your name is Smith, do you introduce yourself to anyone as “I’m Mr. Smith”? Unless it is someone asking if you’re Mr. Smith, of course. (And unless, on second thought, you suspect a solicitor is looking for Mr. Smith… Then you may answer, “I’m Mr. Jones.”) Mr. Memory, in the pilot, may have been a few cards short of a deck. Are we hinting this Mr. Memory may be a few cards short of a deck by his unusual introduction of himself? I believe in the pilot it was a pseudonym (like Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot going by the pseudonym the Penguin) – is he still using his criminal alias? (Probably not a great idea, IMHO.) Was the strip dialog done on auto-pilot and the writer had him introduce himself by his pseudonym without thinking of possible implications?

“Please accept this fistful of pine tree shaped air fresheners, Mr. B.O. Feel free to hang the around your neck and open a few windows. Or ride in the trunk.”

“WhoooooooEEEEEEEEEE, all you hip cats and Super-Swell Swingers out there in Terrific Tracy Town! I’m Big, Bold, Bodacious BMBG deejay, JPuzzle The Whiz, here, and today, we’re taking a trip down Mr. Memory Lane! And I’ve got a classic from the past to share with you!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTu-I73hK5A

“Mr. Memory — What are the 39 Steps?!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddlbsgSh5ls

MOVIE QUOTE—-

“Oh,look,Emil.He’s shooting some of the creeps”.

Little old lady—-DEATH WISH 3—1985

Mr. Memory aged well while institutionalized. Must be the food

Mail Mr.Memory some earplugs—-B.O.Plenty is expert at talking your ear off;especially if he’s just met you.

Meanwhile,the owl and Sniffles are getting along splendidly.

1-B.O.: Anybody ever tell you you favor Victor Buono?

2-TRENCHY: He was my father.

3-B.O.: I guess that’s why then.

TRENCHY: Yep.

B.O.: Yep…

EDITOR: Did anyone spot the tribute to Hemingway’s blunt, choppy writing style in the above? Maybe even think Hemingway was back at the typewriter writing about the return of Nick Adams? SO DID I!

So in this instance, hitch hiking did pay off. Now unless Mr. Memory brings him back, how is B.O. supposed to get a replacement truck tire? Oh maybe Amazon will deliver to his address or Fed Ex. or UPS.

I have a feeling, the small talk between B.O. and Memory will be limited. What do they have in common?

Wouldn’t you love to see B.O. suddenly say, STOP – I’ll get off here! Anyone with a first name of “Mister” probably’s got trouble with Bracy!

And there are four of B.O.‘s brothers we haven’t even met yet!!

B.O. looks positively dwarfed by Mr. Memory, who looks like Victor Buono because he should, as he was played by him in that “lost Dick Tracy pilot” that Neil kindly linked for us. This adds a lot of clarity to what Mike Curtis and Shelley are doing, But I don’t think that Mr. Memory is still out to sink NATO. I’d guess his current nefarious scheme is a bit less ambitious and more localized in Tracyville, though we have yet to learn what he has in mind. For now, only Walter knows!…