China Jones

WARNING! This article contains content that may not be seen as age appropriate or upsetting for some readers. It may contain obsolete references to East Asian culture. Reader discretion is advised.

China Jones
Lobby card.
Production company	Warner Bros. Cartoons
Distributor	Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date	February 14, 1959
Run time	6:30
Starring	Mel Blanc
Producer(s)	Edward Selzer
Music composed by	Milt Franklyn
Story by	Tedd Pierce
Animation	Tom Ray George Grandpré Ted Bonnicksen Warren Batchelder
Director(s)	Robert McKimson
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Title card

China Jones is the three hundred and ninety-second Looney Tunes theatrical short. It was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and The Vitaphone Corporation on February 14, 1959. It was written by Tedd Pierce, produced by Edward Selzer, and directed by Robert McKimson.

Daffy is China Jones, an Irish detective working in Hong Kong. When he reads that a hostage is held captive in a Chinese bakery, he seeks the help of Charlie Chung in the search.

Memorable quotes

Charlie: Oh, excuse eh-p-p-p-p-please.
China: Sure now, your face looks familiar.
Charlie: Oh yes, Ch-ch-Ch-Charlie Chung.
China: Well, well. Charlie Chung, the plain clothesman.
Charlie: Oh yes, eh-p-p-p-plain clothes, fancy clothes are all s-s-s-same.
China: (to audience) Yeah, all the same. Trying to cut him in the reward!

China: Well now! And who might be, lovely little lotus? Rawr!
Dragon Lady: Me Dragon Lady.
China: Indeed, now. And why would the call you the Dragon Lady?
(The Dragon Lady spits fire on China Jones)
Dragon Lady: Is answer question?
China: Yes, is answer question... Yeesh!

China: Got anymore of your red hot tips?
Limey: Righto! I've got a tip; a tip to me wig to yas, Mr. China Jones! Eh-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
China: Well, you're... you're not Mrs. Limey Louie!
Limey: Not off, I ain't. And there ain't no rummy prisoner in no Chinese bakery! And you've had at me, cove!

China: Hey, Charlie Chung! You're a detective! Arrest Limey Louie! He's the killer!
Charlie: Oh e-excuse, p-p-please. Not Charlie Chung, detective. Charlie Chung, laundryman.
China: My laundryman?
Charlie: A s-s-s-small matter of large bill.
China: Bill? Heh, Confucius say, "Can't spill blood from turnip."
Charlie: Oh yes. Also say, "B-b-better you press shirt than press luck!"

China: (in mock Chinese) HELP! - I'M BEING HELD PRISONER IN A CHINESE LAUNDRY!

Characters

Legend
Character debut	Speaking debut	Ep. debut	No lines	Mentioned

In order of appearance:

Character	Actor
China Jones	Mel Blanc
Charlie Chung	Mel Blanc
Limey Louie	Mel Blanc
Dragon Lady	June Foray

Locations

• Earth
  • Hong Kong
    • Lo Down
    • Limey Louie's

Objects

• Fortune cookie

Music

The music was composed by Milt Franklyn.

Crew credits

• Layouts: Robert Gribbroek
• Backgrounds: William Butler
• Film Editor: Treg Brown

Release

Dates are in order of release:

• United States: February 14, 1959 in theatres

Behind the scenes

• The title and plot of this short are a parody of the 1950s TV detective series China Smith. Additionally, the title is another pun on one of WB's animating directors, Chuck Jones.
• The MPAA certificate number is 18945.
• Porky's identity as Charlie Chung is a spoof of Charlie Chan, a Chinese detective from a series of novels by Earl Derr Biggers.
• When Nickelodeon aired this short, the last scene involving China Jones imprisoned in a laundromat, while speaking faux Chinese, was cut for racial insensitivity concerns; it instead cuts with a iris-out after Charlie says "Better to press shirt than to press luck."
• It rarely airs on U.S. television networks due to the racial stereotypes depicted throughout.

Errors

• Contrary to popular belief at the time, fortune cookies are not commonplace in restaurants throughout Asia, and specifically in Hong Kong. They were simply imported in the U.S. by Japanese immigrants in the early 20th century.

Legacy

• The scene where China Jones greets himself to the Dragon Lady was reanimated in the Merrie Melodies short Mucho Locos.

In other languages

Language	Name	Meaning

Home availability

• In the United States:
  • Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 3