Flattop Jones Sr. (real name Floyd) was a contract killer from Cookson Hills, Oklahoma. After his death, a newspaper headline referred to him as an "Ace Killer", as he had apparently committed five known contract murders.
Flattop was a slim man with dark hair and thick eyebrows. His most-defining physical characteristic was the flat top of his head (hence his alias). He had puckered lips and freckles.
According to his older brother Sharptop Jones, Flattop spent some of his formative years working on the farm of a church-going aunt and uncle. This uncle was apparently physically abusive of Flattop.
Sharptop later described Flattop as a "product of his environment. He also claimed that Flattop had been very intelligent, and could have been a great success if he'd set his mind to something other than crime and violence.
He married his wife Stiletta Jones while they were both in their late teens and the couple had two children before separating. Stiletta joined a circus touring in Europe, and Flattop had little interaction with his children.
Flattop was close with his older brother Blowtop Jones, working with him on bank robberies. Flattop was not close with his other brother Sharptop. His father Poptop Jones used to take him hunting when he was young, but Flattop was later disowned by his father along with most of the rest of his family.
One of Flattop's most notorious acts was during the Kansas City Massacre when he killed an unknown number of Federal Agents. He was also part of a Nazi espionage ring in WWII.
A flashback storyline depicted Flattop and Blowtop involved in a simple bank robbery that took place before Tracy joined the plainclothes unit. Flattop demonstrated an uncommon level of loyalty for his fellow gang members, criticizing Blowtop for abandoning them to the police. Flattop also commented on Blowtop's lack of a resemblance to the rest of their family. Flattop considering asking their mother why Blowtop looks different, indicating that she was alive at the time if this story and had some contact with her son(s).
Encounter with Dick Tracy
Flattop was hired by Black Marketeers to eliminate Dick Tracy, a job that would pay $5,000 {5 times his usual rate}. Flattop and his top gunner Ed D. Edd (aka "Machine Gun" Eddie) lured Tracy into a cab where introductions were made. Flattop was about to pull the trigger, but decided to postpone the deed. Setting up in a hotel, Flattop made Tracy comfortable and contacted Black Marketeer Zolla and demanded ten times the pay or would set Tracy free-with the names of the men who had hired him. Unknown to him, Tracy had sent an SOS to the WAC girl downstairs which drew Pat Patton and the police to Flattop's location. Right when Flattop was about to pull the trigger, Tracy grabbed for the gun and Ed was killed by the bullet meant for him. In a gunfight Flattop's other two goons were killed - Charlie was killed by Flattop's gun by accident and a third unnamed member lost a machine gun duel with Dick Tracy. After the struggle, Flattop escaped after shooting Officer Murphy (January 19, 1944) and Tracy was rescued.
On the run, Flattop sought refuge in the house of Bud Jenkins, a boy who had attempted to pick Flattop's pocket on a train. Bud found out who Flattop really was and blackmailed him for $50.00 bills in exchange for his silence. Flattop hid his $50,000 in an old family album in the Jenkins' home for sake-keeping. Bud drowned after falling through the ice while using ice-skates he had bought with Flattop's money (February 6th, 1944) and the police needed a photo for the papers. Tracy and the police found Flattop's money, but Flattop evaded capture by hiding in the chimney of the duplex.
After Flattop was pulled out of the chimney by a neighbor, he escaped and killed a street vendor named Hawker Davis who had recognized him. Flattop planted his I.D. on Davis' body to make it look like he himself had been killed. However, Tracy was not fooled, and the manhunt for Flattop continued.
Running afoul of Vitamin Flintheart, Flattop stole a disguise and hid in a theater. After a shootout outside the theater, Flattop was seriously wounded with a gunshot through the throat (March 19, 1944). He was taken into custody.
Escape and Death
Flattop subsequently escaped, thanks to the unwitting assistance of Vitamin Flintheart, who had been arrested for accidentally shooting a bartender with Flattop's gun. They hid on a replica of the Santa Maria in the city lagoon. Attempting to escape the police, Flattop tried to swim through the under-pilings of the replica, but was caught on a rusty nail and drowned (May 14th, 1944). A plaque was planted next to the lagoon marking Flattop's death site.
The Legacy of Flattop
During the 1950s, Tracy crossed paths with Flattop's brother Blowtop, and later with Flattop's son Flattop Jr.
In 1978, Flattop's death site was vandalized by a mysterious woman and the plaque was thrown into the lagoon. This woman turned out to be his daughter Angelica who was in town along with her boyfriend, the Brow'sSon, to get revenge on Tracy and Policewoman Lizz for the deaths of their fathers and her brother Flattop Jr.
The Xylon Plot
In 1985, reporter Wendy Wichel revealed to Dick Tracy that there was new information revealed about Flattop involving Tracy prior to his first documented encounter with Flattop. Tracy revealed Flattop's role in an espionage ring run by a Nazi spy code-named "Boche" (later revealed to be Pruneface) in which he hired Flattop to eliminate G-Man Jim Trailer and kidnap Professor Roloc Bard, the creator of the Xylon Bomb. It was also revealed by Pat Patton that Flattop was the man who killed an unspecified number of G-Men in the Kansas City Massacre. After Trailer revealed to Flattop that he (Flattop) was aiding the Nazis, Flattop turned on his employer and started an auction between Boche and the U.S. Government for the two prisoners. Flattop accepted Boche's offer of $50,000.
Trailer had spoken to Tracy and gave a hidden clue to where Flattop was holding them (the mention of Pearly Gates, referring to St. Peter's church). Tracy and Pat managed to drop in on Flattop before he could kill Trailer. Flattop managed to get away with the Professor and wound Trailer. The Professor was stashed on board the replica of the Santa Maria where Flattop would drown months later. Flattop collected his money from Boche, who warned Flattop that he would kill him if he crossed him again. Flattop left after telling Boche where the Professor was.
The Ghost of Flattop
Flattop's "ghost", in possession of his brother's body.
Years later, Flattop's "ghost" took over the body of his law-abiding brother Sharptop thanks to a Crystal Plenty, a New Age enthusiast niece of Gravel Gertie. The "ghost" compelled Sharptop to change his hair style and color to more closely resemble Flattop's appearance.
It is not known for certain if this was a genuinely supernatural occurrence, but Sharptop's mind was eventually freed of "Flattop's" control.
Appearances in Other Media
"Dick Tracy in B Flat"
Flattop was a character in the humorous radio play "Dick Tracy in B Flat", produced for Armed Forces Radio in February of 1945. He was played by Bob Hope.
In the program, Flattop kidnapped Snowflake Falls and attempted to woo her. He sang a parody of the popular Cole Porter tune "You're the Top".
"Dick Tracy in the Case of the Midnight Marauder"
Flattop was the villain in the audio story The Case of the Midnight Marauder, which was released as a double-78 rpm record set by Mercury Records in 1947. Flattop was played by Richard Rober.
In the story, Flattop was hired to kill Tracy in Miami, but was briefly delayed when Tracy (and Pat Patton) changed hotel rooms. After a brief encounter with Vitamin Flintheart, Flattop was able to capture Tracy but the detective escaped. Tracy and Flattop engaged in a showdown on ship in a nearby bay, where the detective shot and killed Flattop.
1950s Live-Action TV Series
Flattop appeared in Episode 15 of Season 1 of the 1950s "Dick Tracy" TV Series, starring Ralph Byrd. Flattop was played by actor John Cliff. He was not portrayed as deformed or unusual-looking, but wore a distinctive flat-topped hat.
The plot of the episode was similar to original Flattop story in the comic strip, with Flattop being commissioned to kidnap and kill Dick Tracy. Flattop (with the help of his heavily-accented henchman Mote) abducted Tracy from his home and took him to a hideout. There, Flattop decided to try to squeeze more money out the man who had hired him, Mr. Namgib ("Big man" spelt backwards). Tracy eventually escaped, shot Mote, and arrested Flattop.
1960s TV Cartoon
Flattop was one of the featured villains in the 1960s humorous cartoon version of "Dick Tracy". Flattop was often paired with B-B Eyes, and had a voice reminiscent of Peter Lorre provided by voice actor Mel Blanc and later Paul Frees. He did not interact with Tracy directly (save for the "Copped Copper Caper"), but was instead foiled by Tracy's "funny" subordinates.
Flattop also appeared in an episode of "The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo", produced by UPA, the same company that made the Dick Tracy cartoon. In the episode "Dick Tracy and the Mob", (original air-date Feb. 6 1965) he was part of the gang assembled by Pruneface that hired Squinty Eyes (a doppelganger of Mr. Magoo, played by Jim Backus) to kill Dick Tracy (voiced by Everett Sloane). In this incarnation Flattop has a more clipped, Chicago-accented voice, provided by actor Howard Morris.
1960s Live Action TV Series
In the 1960s, a pilot was produced for a live-action Dick Tracy TV series by William Dozier, who had also produced the 1960s Batman TV series. Flattop did not appear in the pilot, but a make-up test was prepared for a possible future episode with actor Leon Janney. in the role. The character's appearance closely resembled his depiction in the comic strip.
Archie's TV Funnies
Flattop was a character in the "Dick Tracy" segments of the 1971 animated television series "Archie's TV Funnies", produced by Filmation Associates. Flattop's appearance closely resembled his depiction in the comic strip. He was portrayed as part of a large, international criminal organization. Flattop was one the villains featured in the show's opening and closing credits sequence.
Flattop was shown escaping from jail and later planning an elaborate jewel theft. He was stopped by Dick Tracy and Junior.
In another episode (featuring Pruneface), reference is made to Flattop having escaped from jail again.
Flattop was a lieutenant of Al "Big Boy" Caprice, and was feared by other members of the underworld. He often worked with Itchy and Mumbles.
Flattop was responsible for shooting 5 members of Lips Manlis' gang at the Seventh Street Garage, which was witnessed by The Kid. He was arrested on suspicion of the crime, but released due to a lack of evidence. He later aided in the kidnapping of Tracy and left him tied up in a basement with an overloaded boiler, expecting that Tracy would die in the explosion. Tracy was rescued by The Kid and resumed his war on crime.
Flattop was killed in the climactic New Year's Eve shootout at Club Ritz.
Flattop was also a character in the live stage show "Dick Tracy Starring in Diamond Double Cross" that was performed at Disney theme parks in conjunction with the movie's release (to which he was also a meet-and-greet character in Disneyland and MGM Studios). In the show, Flattop was portrayed as a member of Big Boy's gang (as in the movie) who conspired with Crewy Lou to steal the valuable Balonian diamond that is also sought by Big Boy and Breathless Mahoney. At the conclusion of the plot, Flattop was arrested along with his accomplices.
Notes
Unlike some other characters in the 1990 feature film, no attempt was made to establish Flattop's real name in any of the movie tie-in material (such as toys, trading cards, or books).
In the 2011 flashback storyline, Blowtop seems to address Flattop by the nickname "Moptop" during a brief discussion about their mother. On the GoComics discussion board for this day's strip, writer Mike Curtis posted that his wife had come up with a name for the Jones brothers' mother. Some readers have interpreted this as Curtis stating that "Moptop" is Mrs. Jones name or nickname, but this has not been confirmed or officially established within the strip's continuity (yet).
In 2012, Flattop's actual first name was revealed to be "Floyd". This was apparently inspired by the real-life criminal Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd, upon whom the character was partially-based. Flattop's real name of "Floyd" was established by writer Mike Curtis. He has confirmed that "Floyd" is also Flattop Jr's name, indicating that Poptop Jones must have a different first name.
Flattop is widely regarded as Dick Tracy's most famous nemesis, both within the strip and in the larger popular culture. In the world of Dick Tracy, he has the same level of name recognition and notoriety as John Dillinger or Al Capone.
Flattop's image was used as a model (alone with some other Tracy foes) for one of the 3-dimensional targets in the shooting range at Dick Tracy's local police academy. Flattop's face has also been made into a Halloween mask (in Tracy-world as well as in real life). Flattop was also one of the enemies of Dick Tracy whose appearance was re-created for the TV show "Make-Up Meltdown", which was disrupted by Putty Puss.
Flattop was one of several enemies that tormented Dick Tracy when his dreams were invaded by the Nightmare Machine.
During the Sharptop storyline in 1992, it was stated that Flattop had been hired by a group of corrupt politicians to kill Dick Tracy, not black marketeers. Some of them were still alive, and Flattop's "ghost" sought revenge for his perceived mistreatment at their hands.
Flattop was the villain featured on the cover of IDW's The Complete Dick Tracy Volume 9, though a significant part of his storyline had been included in Volume 8.
Stiletta Jones once mentioned to B-B Eyes that her husband always spoke highly of him, which may be a nod to the animated series (as described above) which often depicted the two criminals working together.
In The Celebrated Cases of Dick Tracy the storyline is only carried as far as Flattop's wounding and capture. The death of Flattop is not reprinted in the book.
In the Midnite Mirror series, Floyd is a reclusive private detective/police consultant known as "The Chalice". He wears a yellow trench coat (similar to Dick Tracy's). He is aided by his manservant Alfred (based on The Brow) and Bud Jenkins serves as his kid sidekick.
In the Midnite Mirror movie, "The Chalice" was played by an actor named Steve Forsythe, who was one of the two people who discovered a murder victim on the film's set. The surname was presumably inspired by William Forsythe, the actor who played Flattop in the 1990 feature film.
In a 1970's reprint of the entire Flattop storyline, the circumstances were altered slightly. In this version, Flattop tells Tracy that his $50,000 extortion demand is in the hands of unnamed "third party" who will pay it to the Flattop gang after Dick Tracy's body is discovered following the Black marketeers agreement to Flattop's demand.
