TOYS: Steve's No Role Model

Steve the Tramp is described as a "reeking piece of filth" and a "public enemy" who will "use and abuse any young helpless prey he comes across." Most amazing of all, Steve the Tramp is also a child's toy. The 5-in. figurine, manufactured by California-based Playmates Toys, depicts a ragged street character from Disney's hit movie Dick Tracy. But the Rev. Christopher Rose, an Episcopal priest in Hartford who works with his city's homeless, thought Steve the Tramp's grotesque villainy was a cruel attack on his unfortunate clients. Particularly incensed by the lurid resume that adorned Steve the Tramp's packaging, Rose launched a campaign to stamp out the tramp. He got his point across to Disney and Playmates, which have decided to drop the terrifying toy. But the move comes too late to recall the product from retailers' shelves before Christmas.