Dictionary of Ichthyology  

Charlie the Tuna = a cartoon tuna, used as the mascot for the product StarKist tuna from the early 1960s. Charlie had a beret and glasses, believed he had good taste and so was just right for the StarKist company. He was always rejected because the company was looking for tuna that tastes good. The rejection came in the form of a note attached to a hook saying "Sorry, Charlie", which became an American catchphrase (pun unintentional).

Starkist cannery in Atu‘u, American Samoa from Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Charlie_Tuna_AmSamoa.JPG

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