List of recurring characters in Dick Tracy

The comic strip "Dick Tracy" has introduced numerous characters.

Allies

Tracy family

* Dick Tracy - The title character of the strip. Born 1909 (eight years after Creator Chester Gould). In 1931, before even joining the Police, he had captured his first villain Pinkie the Stabber. While leading a posse against The Arsons and Cutie Diamond, Tracy is seen in a Police uniform and not his regular plainclothes. He served as a lieutenant (senior grade) in US Navy Intelligence during World War II.
* Tess Trueheart - The detective's love interest and later wife. When she was first introduced, she was kidnapped by Big Boy Caprice's men after they robbed and shot her father Emil Truhart. Served as a WAC in the 1940s, later on opened up her own photography agency. She is the mother of Bonnie Braids Tracy, Joseph Flintheart Tracy, and adoptive mother of Junior Tracy. Temporarily divorced her husband back in the 90's, but the two have gotten back together.
* Junior Tracy - The adopted son of Dick Tracy and later a police forensic artist. First appears in a Steve the Tramp episode. In 1937 The Blank episode he is 10 years old. It was eventually learned that he was originally named John "Jackie" Steele, and that his birth father was wealthy prospector Hank Steele.
* Moon Maid - first wife of Junior Tracy, a visitor from the moon who had a hard time fitting in on Earth, fell in love with Junior and took him back to the moon on Diet Smith's Space Coupe, returned to Earth to live her life with her husband. She and Junior had a beautiful daughter named Honeymoon. Unfortunately, she was later accidentally killed by car bomb by electronics expert Little Littel who was trying to collect on a Million-dollar contract on Tracy's life, set up by Big Boy Caprice before he died.
* Sparkle Plenty - Second wife of Junior Tracy. In 1949 she is three years old.
* Bonnie Braids (Sometimes spelled Bonny) - Daughter of Dick Tracy and Tess Trueheart. Born in the back of a squad car May 4, 1951.
* Joseph Flintheart Tracy The youngest son of Dick Tracy and Tess Trueheart, named after Vitamin Flintheart for his bravery in saving both Tess and Joseph.
* Honeymoon Tracy Daughter of Moon Maid and Junior, born in outer space. When she was very young, she witnessed her mother get blown up by a car bomb set by a man who was trying to collect on a contract on Tracy set up by Big Boy Caprice to kill Tracy. She was later adopted by Sparkle Plenty when she and Junior got married. Half-sister of Sparkle Penty Jr.
* Sparkle Plenty Jr. Daughter of Junior Tracy and Sparkle Plenty, grandaughter of Dick Tracy and Tess Trueheart and B.O. Plenty and Gravel Gertie. Half sister of Honeymoon Tracy.

Professional comrades

* Chief Brandon - The first Chief of Police in the strip; retired after the murder of Brilliant, an inventor who was under the department's protection. After retirement he became the owner a hardware business named "Lawn Order" (a pun on "Law "and" Order").
* Pat Patton - Tracy's long-time partner and later was appointed Brandon's successor as Chief of Police. Formerly a steel worker. He served as Tracy's sidekick until he was eventually replaced by Sam Catchem. He was also the comic relief as an inexperienced detective although that role eventually was reduced as his various adventures allowed him to grow into his profession. The introduction of B.O. Plenty/Gravel Gertie and Vitamin Flintheart would later supplant him for humor. However, with Patton's ascension to Police Chief, his character took on a much more serious tone (although still slightly bumbling). Has "Irish temper". Recently retired as chief.
* Sam Catchem - (a pun on "Catch (th) em") Tracy's current partner since Pat Patton was appointed chief. The 1990 film, "Dick Tracy," features both Pat Patton and Sam Catchem as Dick Tracy's partners.
* Lizz - A former nightclub photographer turned police officer with a particular talent for hand to hand combat. Currently Chief of Police. Her sister was murdered by Joe Period in the 50's.
* Jim Trailer- federal agent who worked with Dick Tracy on several cases.
* Diet Smith - An industrialist who supplied advanced equipment for Tracy and the police department. Responsible for the creation of the Space Coupe, The Wrist Radio, Wrist TV, Wrist Computer, and Wrist Genee. Originally suspected of murdering his partner in 1946 in his first appearance.
* Brilliant - Son of Diet Smith, inventor of two-way Wrist radio; his murder at the hands of Mob leader Big Frost leads to Chief Brandon's retirement and advancement of Pat Patton as Chief.
* J. Scotland Bumstead- A British detective, assigned to the "European Secret Police", brother of mob attorney Giorgio Spaldoni.
* Detective Hemlock Holmes (a British bulldog) and the Retouchables-appeared on Dick tracy cartoon series, a parody of Sherlock Holmes! See article Cheater Gunsmoke.
* Detective Adonis - Hunky, mustachioed detective in a Magnum P.I. model. Appeared in the strip in the 1980s.
* Patrolman Dawson- Uniformed beat patrolman who went with Tracy and Patton to investigate "Schultze Innis" death.
* Patrolman Ferris - Highway patrolman murdered by Mumbles gang when he tried to stop them for driving a stolen car; although Tracy has to release Mumbles gang, subsequent events lead to gang's downfall. (Note-last picture of this episode shows Mumbles' apparent doom although he is later "brought" back as a recurring character at least twice)
* Patrolman Grant-Highway Patrolman seen in 1944 "The Brow" episode.
* Patrolman Groovy Groove - Uniformed beat Patrolman and the fiancé, and briefly husband, of Lizz. Fatally wounded in the line of duty, Patrolman Groove married Lizz while he was on his deathbed, so that she would receive the "widow's benefits" traditionally paid to the spouse of a police officer killed while on duty.
* Patrolman Jenson-Unseen patrol officer who finds block message left by "The Blank" in dime store.
* Patrolman Milligan- Stock character of Irish Uniformed beat patrolman who figured in many of the earliest stories (and died on several occasions). Nearly had neck broken when Pop Warner's son tried to break out of jail cell; life saved by Dick Tracy.
* Patrolman Murphy - Stock character of Irish uniformed beat patrolman who appears in several episodes such as Flattop Jones and The Brow. (Two continuity errors: in "Flattop Jones" has Murphy shot in head by Flattop while escaping from police - yet succeeding frames show Murphy without even a head wound. In "Summer Sisters" episode Murphy survives a fall into river from bridge from wrecked taxi, although such a fall would have resulted in fatal injuries.) Although first appeared in 1930's-had late appearance such as "Piggy Butcher" case.
* Officer Dennis O'Copper - Stock character of Irish uniformed cop; a State Trooper who appeared in Pruneface episode.
* Patrolman O'Malley - Stock character of Irish Uniformed beat Patrolman sent in plainclothes by Tracy to contact B.B.Eyes gang. B.B. Eyes delivers "hot Tires" and O'Malley's body to Tracy. His murder by B.B.Eyes gang in 1942 would literally lead to B.B.Eyes's downfall and fatal doom.
* Nolan - Police Clerk who helps Tracy trace ownership of Arthur "Nip" Dalton's wrecked car.
* Chief Yellow Pony-Stock character of Native American who formed posse with Dick Tracy and Pat Patton to track down Arson siblings and Cutie Diamond. Based on the Pawnee Chief Yellow Horse.
* Mugg - Boxer Dog who helped Dick Tracy bring down his own particular enemy Pear-Shape.
* Captain Bowline - US Navy Intelligence Tracy's superior. He appears in episodes of Flattop Jones and The Brow.
* Lt. Marks - US Navy Intelligence officer (plainclothes) - helped Tracy; appears in episode of The Brow.
* Special Agent Jim Trailer - An FBI who helped Tracy in the Famon Brothers case and the Black Pearl episode. Also appears years later in further episodes, assigned to work with Tracy on the kidnapping of Diet Smith, and in other cases like Freez-Dri and the return of Pruneface.
* Cal Bullet (Sr) - Highway Police Chief who was murdered by his own son Cal Bullet (Jr) when the father discovered his son's treasonable involvement with Pruneface. The accidental discovery of his body by Dick Tracy leads to Pruneface's capture and Cal Bullet Jr death at the hands of his own deadly poison gas.
* Frizzeltop - One armed woman friend of Dick Tracy and Junior Tracy; after Clara is captured, Frizzeltop impersonates Clara to trick Cal Bullet Jr into leading law to Pruneface.
* Lottie Latte - First appears on 4/8/06 as the criminal associate of Al Kinda in a plot to con The Plentys out of their lottery winnings. Lottie appears to either be a male transvestite or a transgender person. After turning the tables on Al Kinda, it is revealed that Lottie is in fact the FBI's top undercover agent and "best marksperson in the department".
* Unnamed City Patrolmen{1939} three killed by Scardol
* Unnamed City Patrolman{1941} killed by Littleface Finny in escape attempt with stolen police revolver
* Unnamed City Patrolman{1990} killed by "Flattop Jones" in Dick Tracy (film) after he accidentally comes close to discovering death of crime boss "Lips Manlis".
* Unnamed Highway Patrolmen(1937) seen in "The Blank" episode.
* Unnamed Highway Patrolmen(1944) seen in "The Brow" episode.
* Unnamed Highway Patrolmen(1947) seen in "Mumbles" episode.
* Unnamed Western Sheriff (1940)-seen in "Mamma and the Midget" episode. Drove Dick Tracy to Mountain top lodge hideaway of Midget (Jerome Trohs)
* Unnamed Midwest Sheriff (1945)-seen in "B.O. Plenty" episode after B.O. Plenty escapes from County Jail.

Personal acquaintances

* Bob Oscar "B.O." Plenty - In his first appearance he is a bachelor farmer who chews tobacco, lives in a mess of a house, wears torn clothes which he buys on "account"; and hasn't left his farm for thirty years; former criminal and later personal friend of the Tracys; after Shaky's body was discovered by his stepdaughter Breathless Mahoney, Breathless then stole his estate money from her mother and met "B.O." on the run. "B.O." is noted for having a rather "musky" scent that follows him around. Unable to pronounce Tracy's name correctly (usually calling him Macy or some variant thereof). He and Gertie are the parents of Sparkle Plenty, who is now married to Junior Tracy.
* Gravel Gertie - former criminal and now wife of B.O. Plenty. Introduced in The Brow episode. She is a widow for thirty years after her first husband sold her farm rights for a gravel pit and then died when his car backed into gravel pit. Tried to hide the Brow from the police after she found him in wrecked car; arrested when her hair from her clothes brush matched gray hair found near burning car. In a comic relief the Brow flees in terror when he catches his first glimpse of his "guardian angel". In his struggle to escape an old fashioned lamp is knocked over; her shack burns down and her long hair is burned off. Later married B.O. Plenty and became mother of Sparkle Plenty. In a later continuity, it was established that Gertie had spent part of her childhood in an orphanage; while she was there, criminals shaved her head and tattooed onto her bald pate a treasure map showing the location of their buried loot, then allowed her hair to regrow to conceal the map ... which was belatedly rediscovered well into Gertie's adulthood.
* Vera Alldid - First husband of Sparkle Plenty, unilaterally divorced her. Cartoonist of "The Invisible Tribe" - Native American tribe who speak but are never seen.
* Emile Trueheart - his robbery and murder by Big Boy's gangster "Crutch" (see below) would lead to Dick Tracy's vow to fight crime; father of Tess Trueheart.
* Mrs. Trueheart - mother of Tess Trueheart; although wounded by Pruneface, her photograph of the villain helped lead to his downfall - she also makes cameo appearances in Flattop Jones and The Brow episodes.
* Vitamin Flintheart - formerly motion picture thespian - now just a hypochondriac ham actor who quotes William Shakespeare. Husband of Snowflake Falls, he first appeared in Flattop Jones episode age 50 years old; also appears in episodes of The Brow and Shaky. His medicine bottle brings about Flattop Jones's doom while his fur coat also brings about Shaky's doom as well. Both Vitamin and Snowflake make cameo appearance in Freez-Dri and Pruneface episode. It has been established that one of Vitamin's film appearances was in "The Bowery Boys Meet the Bard", presumably as the Bard.
* Buddy Rogers- Son of Wealthy parents who is kidnapped by "Big Boy Caprice" and woman accomplice who try to escape aboard an ocean liner. Chased by Dick Tracy, Caprice tries to kill Tracy by throwing him overboard (Tracy survives) and later when Caprice is cornered by Tracy, Caprice throws his accomplice overboard and is stopped by Tracy from throwing Buddy Rogers overboard as well. After Rogers is returned, this leads to Alec Penn's exposure as a forger. (Based on Lindbergh kidnapping?)
* Hank Steele Sr - Blind silver miner and biological father of Junior Tracy; murdered by Stooge Viller while trying to protect his son.
* Mary Steele-mother of Junior Tracy; united with her son in 1935; instrumental in capturing Boris Arson; is seen briefly in the 1937 "The Blank" episode.
* Mary X (1940) (aka Luella Sunny) amnesia victim who (at first) could only lead Dick Tracy to the body of Freez. After Mason tried to kill her twice, the second attempt restored her memory. She becomes singer with Rudy Seton's band
* Rudy Seton-Big Bandleader and friend of Dick Tracy. (His name "Seton" spelled backward is "Notes", as in musical notes.)
* Peanutbutter Bailey {1972} 10 year old scientific genius and smart-alec addicted to peanut butter sandwiches who proves to be both a help and a comic relief bane to Dick Tracy.

Enemies

Dick Tracy rogues gallery (alphabetically)

(Work in Progress)
* Alec Penn (1932) Had metal plate in skull after being shot while trying to desert from British Army in World War I; his postwar career included being a "Don Juan" thief, killer of wealthy women under the alias "Count Gordon", and forging stocks and bonds certificates. The forgeries came to light after Buddy Rogers was rescued by Dick Tracy. "Penn" is an abbreviation for "Penman" (i.e. a forger.)
* Al Kinda (2006) First tried to swindle the Plentys out of their winnings by kidnapping them (they get away) and then tries to blow up U.S. Capitol building until shot and killed by Lotte Latte.
* Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice (1931) Thug/Crime boss, after numerous attempts to kill Tracy, Caprice and Tracy go one-on-one alone after Buddy Rogers' rescue, and Caprice, who is exposed as a cowardly thug who hides behind Hired guns, gets the worst of it. Years after being caught and imprisoned by Dick Tracy for kidnapping Buddy Rogers, Caprice dies raging with only one wish unfulfilled-to kill and outlive Dick Tracy. A caricature of Al Capone. In the 1990 movie Dick Tracy (film) "Big Boy" {played by Al Pacino} resembled "Sketch Paree" then the caricature drawn by Chester Gould.
* Angeltop Jones One of the first villains to appear in the strip following Gould's retirement. Angeltop was Flattop's daughter; her beautiful long blonde hair turned out to be a wig which concealed the hereditary flat cranium.
* Arsons, The (1935) (Boris and Nora Arson). Bank robbing and police killing brother and sister pair; she is killed and he is wounded and captured by Dick Tracy and a posse.
* Art Dekko (1980) Art forger and High class thief.
* Arthur "Nip" Dalton (1937) Slot Machine Crime Lord killed by the Blank and found by Tracy in trunk of his own car after train wreck. Member of 1926 Redrum Gang.
* B.B. Eyes (1942) Tire bootlegger, kidnapper, and head of car and truck thieves who killed Patrolman O'Malley and tried to kill Dick Tracy and Pat Patton; trying to escape from the police he drowns in garbage scow and ends up on bottom of bay trapped in an old tire. His trademark is unusually small eyes, which looklike B.B. pellets. Brother of B.D. Eyes and Jacques.
* B.D. Eyes (1983) - Brother of B.B. Eyes and Jaques. Teamed up with Itchy Oliver's kid brother Twitchy in order to scare Stephanie Queen, horror author, out of the same house in which Itchy met his fate, for they coveted $100,000 which their older brothers hid in the house years earlier. ("Stephanie Queen" may be a spoof of horror author Stephen King.) "B.D." is a pun on "beady eyes".
* Belle (1932) Broadway Bates Gang moll; accidentally shot her own gang member in a fight between Bates and Dick Tracy; later arrested.
* Black Pearl (1940) Gov't blueprint gang thief who nearly killed Dick Tracy and Pat Patton; captured with Horance by Jim Trailer.
* Blank, The (1937) (aka Faceless Redrum-see below)
* Big Frost (1948) - Modeled after Gould's publisher Joseph Patterson, murdered Brilliant which prompted Chief Brandon to resign
* Blowtop Jones (1950) - Brother of Flattop, who tried to kill Dick Tracy by blowing up Tracy's house as an act of revenge for the death his brother; also tried to kill Vitamin Flintheart; captured after being caught in a barbed wire fence.
* B.O. Plenty (1945) (See above)
* Boss Jim Herod (1933) Old time political city boss and politician who was secretly allied to thug "Big Boy" Caprice; killed by Police in gunfight.
* Breathless Mahoney (1945) Stepdaughter of Shaky who finds his body and after inquest steals his strong-box keys; takes $50,000 hidden in strong box and on the run meets B.O.Plenty. Captured by Dick Tracy she poisons Tracy and Plenty and is again on the run after she kills her landlady who was going to the police. Accidentally meets with B.O.Plenty who nearly succeeds in strangling her and takes the money from her. Later she dies in hospital. (Inspired by Veronica Lake?) (A continuity error has Breathless shot through left shoulder by own mother and acting as if wound was only "aching". Actually her arm bone would probably been broken and she would have been susceptible to pneumonia as well.)
* Broadway Bates (1932) Looked like Batman villain Penguin; kidnapped Dick Tracy for ransom money; after jumping bail he tried to kill Tracy on a train in the woods but ended up with gang members thrown off the train and stranded in middle of nowhere.
* Brow, The (1944) German spy ring master who captured the "Summer Sisters" and tried to blackmail them into working for him by torturing one sister and forcing the other sister to collect his spy reports. One sister shot both of his henchmen yet the Brow escaped; he later killed both sisters and a cab driver and ended up fleeing into the welcome arms of "Gravel Girty". Tracked down, beaten up in hand to hand combat by Tracy before being arrested, Brow was later involved in another fight with Tracy in which Brow fell through a window and is impaled on a flagpole. (Two continuity errors are the Brow talking in a normal conversation as if he has ears (reportedly people without ears can only hear when their mouths are open); and has the Brow still alive after accidentally driving a stolen car over a gravel pit edge, but without seatbelts he probably would have gone through the windshield.) His trademarks are his prominent brow ridges and lack of ears. His son later worked with Angeltop Jones to get revenge on Tracy in the 80's, turned out to be a disappointment.
* Bud Jenkins (1943) 10 year old pickpocket and Blackmailer of Flattop Jones ("evil twin" counterpart of Junior Tracy)-drowned in park pond after falling through ice after buying expensive skates with Flattop's hush money. (Ironically this is same pond in which Flattop also drowns trying to escape Dick Tracy)
* Mrs. Jenkins Widowed Mother of Bud Jenkins-who works nights in defense plant and is heartbroken at her son's death because of Flattop Jones.
* Cal Bullet, Jr (1942) (See Above)
* Charlie (1944) Flattop Gang member killed in gun battle between Flattop and Dick Tracy
* Charlie Yenom (1941) (Yenom=Money) Cold storage worker who saved Littleface Finny from icy death-for $10,000 in exchange.
* Cheater Gunsmoke {See article}
* Chuck Hole (1960's) Appeared in a Dick Tracy Mini, comic in Reader's Digest, when Dick Tracy was also a spokesman for an auto shocks and car battery manufacturer. He was the smuggler who was carrying counterfeit shock absorbers. Tracy and Catchem stopped his truck with a dynamite charge and arrested "Chuck Hole". Tracy had figured out which truck in a convoy was carrying counterfeits by timing the speed between telephone poles, the truck with the lightest load (counterfeits) was the fastest vehicle between two poles. Hole's trademark is a "hole" in the top of his head. (Possibly inspired by Elvis Presley)
* Clara (1942) Juke box operator who was part of Pruneface sabotage ring.
* The Claw (1947) From "Dick Tracy" movie Dick Tracy's Dilemma. Stock character villain with a hook for a hand who, after robbing fur warehouse, kills a night watchman, a fake blind peddler and his two accomplices before electrocuting himself with his hook trying to kill Dick Tracy.
* Coffyhead (1947) Killed by Chief Brandon while trying to escape from prison. He is shown constantly drinking coffee, and his head is shaped like a coffee pot.
* Crewy Lou (1951) A professional portrait photographer and criminal. Sported a crew cut hair style with combined braids. Inadvertently kidnapped Bonnie Braids while being pursued by Tracy. Later died falling from the window of an observation tower after Tracy threw tear gas into it, in her last breath she told Tracy where the baby was.
* Crutch (1931) Big Boy gangster who killed Mr. Trueheart. First criminal killed by Dick Tracy November 26, 1931.
* Cueball (1946) From Dick Tracy Movie "Dick Tracy vs. Cueball" Bald thug who kills a diamond courier, a fence and an extortionist saloon owner before he is killed by a train trying to escape from Dick Tracy. (Trivia: the underground workshop movie set in this movie was also used in movie "Confessions of Boston Blackie". Ironically enough, the hero in the Boston Blackie movie series is a former jewelry thief turned private detective.)
* Cutie Diamond (1935) Bank robber and cop killer; accomplice of Boris and Zora Arson; he hid in a cave guarded by wildcats; killed by Dick Tracy and posse.
* Dan "The Squealer" Mucelli (1932) In charge, along with Texie Garcia, of the city's narcotics traffic, apparently as part of Big Boy's organization. Cousin of Ribs Mocco.
* Dan Supena (1937)
* Deafy Sweetfellow (1940)
* Debbie Thorndike (1942) Socialite girl secretly married to Jacques; in comic relief she is bane to Dick Tracy when Tracy, who is leaving Thorndike house, breaks his leg on ice. She reopens, With Boyfriend "Sailor" Mann, "Bird Club". Nearly killed with Dick Tracy by former brother-in-law B.B. Eyes.
* "Dippy" McDoogan {1933} Thugish accomplice of "Steve the Tramp" when Brogan was on the run after kidnapping Junior Tracy {for a reward from Blind Hank Steele looking for his lost son}. Brogan and McDoogan hijacked a railroad section hand car from two railroad workers to get away from Tracy. Too late they find themselves on a railroad trestle with a locomotive engine bearing down on them. Junior and Brogan dive to safety into a river-but the train hits the handcar and McDoogan is killed. {Plot hole are diving over 100 feet in a shallow river-and not being injured? and also a train hitting an obstruction on a railroad and not being damgaed!}.
* Dirks (1937) Supena Thug who tried to kill Junior Tracy but was killed by The Blank. Member of Old Redrum Gang.
* Doc (1944) Brow's henchman who helped him kill the Summer sisters and a cab driver; later killed in car accident while trying to flee from the police.
* Doc Hump (1934) Killed by one of the dogs he was experimenting on.
* Dr. Freezdri (1983) Brings Pruneface back to life from freezing. Together with Pruneface tries to sell secret of "immortality" so as to set up a new Fourth Reich & also take revenge on Dick Tracy for the death of Mrs. Pruneface. Freezdri was killed in the explosion of his own laboratory.
* Dr. Lunquist (1944) Physician who decided to treat "Shaky's" hand after spotting a concealed gun held by a gang member. (Pistol was partly exposed -just in case doctor decided not to "cooperate" in treating Shaky.)
* Dr. Plain (1951)
* Dr. Rex (1942) He recognized Pruneface after Pruneface killed his dog in order to steal the dog's sweater to disguise himself after breaking his leg. Managed to leave a clue for Police leading to Pruneface's capture.
* Dr. (?) (1941) Unnamed physician called in by Charley Yenom to save Littleface Finny's life from frostbite; saved Finny's hands but amputated Finny's ears.
* Dubbs (1931)
* Duke (1941) aka "Duke the Dip". Pickpocket; almost succeeded in killing Dick Tracy; kidnapper and armed car robber murdered by the Mole. (Apparently member of Mole's old gang). After the body was found by police, the trail leads to Mole. (A continuity error is when Gould drew Duke's gun in one frame as an automatic pistol and in the next frame as a revolver.)
* Ed D. Edd aka Machine Gun Eddy (1943) Flattop Gang Member before and after the kidnapping of Jim Trailer and Rolac Bard. Was killed in gun battle between Flattop and Dick Tracy.
* Eddy (1944) Shaky Gang Member; killed by jumping to the ground in panic from apartment fire; continuity error is that Gould used this name for either one or two of Shaky's henchmen.
* Edward Nuremoh (1939) (Nuremoh=HOME RUN) A former pro baseball player, Nuremoh seriously dated Tess during the period when she was supposedly "going steady" with Tracy but Tess was annoyed that Tracy showed no signs of proposing marriage. Nuremoh dazzled Junior with his ability to hit a small target with a thrown baseball from an extreme distance, but Junior became disillusioned when he learned about Nuremoh's criminal activities.
* 88 Keyes (1943) (88 Keyes=number of Piano keyboard keys) Piano player and secret head of murder gang for hire; killed his own gang member "Jenny the Girl Singer" when she found out he was going to double cross her; eloped with Mrs A.B. Helmet and killed her for insurance money. Killed accomplice "Red Bluff"; discovery of Bluff's body by police led to Keyes' own death in a railroad shed in a gunbattle with Dick Tracy. In the movie, he was the piano player for Big Boy at the club Ritz, and with the help of the Blank, framed Tracy for the murder of D.A. Fletcher.
* Empty Williams (1951)
* Faceless Redrum (1937) (Redrum is murder spelled backward.) Real name is Frankie Redrum. 1926 Slot machine gang leader and killer who escaped from Prison in 1927; killed nearly all his old gang in revenge in 1937 because they thought he wasn't good enough for them. Tried to kill Dick Tracy, Pat Patton and Stud Brozen by blowing up Brozen's boat. Later tried to kill Tracy and Brozen on Brozen's other boat; Patton knocked out Redrum and later Tracy removed Redrum's mask to reveal the disfigured face of Redrum. In the 1990 movie Dick Tracy (film), The Blank wasn't actually Frank Redrum. It was revealed that the Blank was manipulating both Tracy and Big Boy, ending up to be none other than nightclub singer Breathless Mahoney, who was killed by Big boy before he himself met his own demise at the hands of Tracy.
* Flattop (1943) (Aka Flattop Jones) Paid $5,000 to murder Dick Tracy. Came from Chester Gould's home state Oklahoma.
* Flattop Jones Jr. (1956) The son of Flattop, who strongly resembled him, was a talented artist and mechanical genius. A borderline juvenile delinquent, he lived in his "hot rod" car, which he modified by installing various electrical devices (including a stove) connected to the dashboard's cigarette lighter.
* Flyface (1959)
* Gargles (1946) Killer of Themesong's mother, driver of glass truck, and a few henchmen, and was finally caught in a glass store where Dick Tracy used a panel of bulletproof glass to walk towards him as he wasted all of his bullets, then fell off of a platform, and was impaled and dismembered by several falling shards of broken glass. Gargles profited illegally by manufacturing and bottling large quantities of ineffective mouthwash (water, sugar and a few drops of mint oil), which he and his strong-arm boys would bully druggists into purchasing as merchandise. Gargles had the habit of constantly gargling with mouthwash ... but always made a point of using a legitimate brand, rather than his own worthless product.
* Giorgio Spaldoni (1934) Corrupt lawyer and Big Boy's mouthpiece. Made a last stand against Tracy in an abandoned refinery, and was subsequently killed by Tracy.
* Gravel Girtie (1944) (See above)
* Gruesome (1947) From Dick Tracy movie Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome. Thuggish killer in a bank holdup who kills a kidnapped scientist, his boss and boss's girlfriend before being killed by Dick Tracy. Gruesome was played by Boris Karloff. (The scene at end where the killer's body is almost destroyed in a furnace is a parody of the film Frankenstein where the monster, played by Karloff, is burned in a windmill fire.)
* Hans aka Agent 12 (1944) (Brow gunman killed by June Summers)
* Hawker Davis (1943) Conman and Street hawker murdered by Flattop
* "Heels" Beals (1948) was a midget who wore platform shoes with hollow built-up heels, in which he concealed stolen jewels. Beals eluded Tracy by hiding inside a giant soda bottle that was intended for use as part of an advertising billboard; while Beals was inside the bottle, workmen attached it to the billboard several hundred feet above the ground. Beals called for help but was unheard, and died slowly from thirst and exposure. His name is a joke on the well-known expression of amazement: "Hells Bells!".
* Hed Hedges (1949) Pear Shape gang-part of Jewelry swindle ring; bitten by Mugg the dog and captured by Dick Tracy.
* Hightop Jones (1991) (Descendant of Flattop, involved in a young urban gang notorious for killing an inner-city kid (Tim Vick, a pun on "victim") for his sneakers. Sported a high-top afro hairstyle popular in the 90's)
* Horace (1940) (Black Pearl gang) Stock Charather thug-captured by Jim Trailer
* Hy Habeas (1931)
* Influence (1946) - Used special colored contact lenses to mind control his victims. Was brought back thirty years later, reformed and working for the FBI.
* Irma (1946)
* Itchell "Itchy" Oliver (1945) - Gangster with a skin condition which caused him to consistently scratch, hence his sobriquet. Shakey's friend, was introduced by Mrs. Shakey, who hoped to recover her late husband's money. Shot dead by Tracy on December 23, 1945; both Itchy and Mrs. B-B Eyes had attempted to starve Tracy to death in Mrs. B-B Eyes' basement as a means of revenge for her husband's demise. Killed by Tracy in self-defense. Brother Twitchy would later go on to face Tracy with another brother of BB Eyes.
* J.C. (1941) Littleface Finny gang member who was burned by Finny on chest after he used monogrammed handkerchief to commit robbery.
* Jacques (1941) Owner of Bird Club. Tried to kill Dick Tracy with a boulder; later killed by Dick Tracy when he tried to kill his wife Debbie Thorndike. Brother of B.B. Eyes and B.D. Eyes.
* Jenny the girl Singer (1943) Part of 88 Keyes gang; murdered by 88 Keyes when she discovered he planned to double cross her and Piano Turner. After her body is found by Dick Tracy, Piano Turner confesses.
* Jerome Trohs and Mama (1940) (Trohs is "short" spelled backards. See also Mamma and the Midget). Public Lawyer and sadistic secret gang leader who abandons his girlfriend "Mamma" to the Police. AKA "Joe Atom" in Wild West Rodeo Comic relief of story; swindles old couple out of Mountaintop Lodge; Trohs dies when scalded by "Mamma" in an outdoor shower.
* Jim Pistol (1949) Health Spa and exercise owner appears as comic relief in P.S. Tone episode; reappears years later with Tone as assistant.
* Joe (Last name Turtle?) (1944) Brow spy henchman, killed by June Summer
* Joe Period (1955) Partner to Flattop Jr. during city wide crime wave, responsible for the murder of Nothing Yonsen and the sister of Policewoman Lizz.
* Johnny Ramm (1938)
* John Lavir (1939)
* Johnny Scorn (1971) Partner of "Pouch" and "Molene". His trademark is an addiction to popcorn. He keeps a movie-style popcorn machine in his residence, with a jumbo-size salt shaker and paper bags, and offers freshly-popped popcorn to his visitors.
* JoJo Nidle (1938) (Nidle is a homophone for needle)
* Junky Doolb (1940) (Doolb=Blood) Gang leader who killed Fred Mason. Later killed by Police after he is tricked by Jerome Trohs into escaping from Jail with empty gun.
* Karpse (1938)
* Kenneth Grebb (1932) Blackmailer who ended up being buried alive in landslide
* The King (1951) Powerful organized crime figure in Crewy Lou continuity who is, apparently, Big Boy's successor as boss of the city's mobs.
* Kiss Andtel (1947) (A pun on "kiss and tell".) A blonde singer engaged to Mumbles until she found out he was a thief during concert gigs; in revenge Mumbles stole her car which resulted in the death of Highway Patrolman (see above.) Later she was forced to sing with his old group after he threatened to blind her. At sea in a cabin cruiser Mumbles tied her up and sent up a bomb-which Dick Tracy threw overboard at last minute. She later becomes a singing star.
* Krome (1940)
* Laffy (1943) Dies "Laughing" in jail cell when he accidentally cuts his wrist on broken ether bottle; his brother Lt. Kirk Smith is a hero who goes back to fighting in the China-Burma-India theater with the US Army Air Forces.
* Larceny Lu (1932) Leader of a gang of automobile thieves-until Tracy breaks up their racket. In a comic relief episode Tracy is engaged in a gun battle with a member of Lu's gang in a small town police station; the other cops who are also trapped-tell Tracy in a stage whisper that there is more ammunition for his pistol in a dresser drawer. The thug opens the drawer and drops via a trapdoor into a pickle barrel in the basement where he is captured.
* Lee Ting (1938)
* Lips Manlis [aka Bob Honor] (1936). In the Dick Tracy (film) Manlis {played by Paul Sorvino} is kidnapped by "Big Boy"; forced to sign over his crime "assets" and then killed by "Flattop Jones" who puts Manlis into concrete overshoes and dumps Manlis into lake.
* Littleface Finny (1941) Gang leader/murderer/car and taxi hijacker/kidnapper who tried to escape from Dick Tracy after nearly drowning in pond. He was recaptured by Tracy only after losing both his ears to frostbite trapped in a freezer. His face is covered with bee stings. (A continuity error has Finny still alive after cutting an artery in his ankle from kicking a glass Taxi partition, with a cut artery he would have bled to death.) His trademark is an unusually small face with large ears.
* Mamma (1940) Overweight thuggish and sadistic girlfriend of Jerome Trohs who crushed Dick Tracy's Hand; escaped from prison and became a truck and car hijacker; scalded Trohs to death in an outdoor shower. In hand to hand combat, Tracy used the sling from his injured hand to subdue "Mamma" by nearly strangling her; she ended up handcuffed and back in prison.
* Mar, The (1946)
* Marty (1944) Shaky gang member shot through hand and captured by Dick Tracy.
* Fred Mason (1940) Factory owner who tried to kill Mary X because she was a witness to the murder of his partner Freez; murdered by Junky Doolb in revenge after Mason failed to deliver rigged gambling equipment to Doolb gang.
* Max (1931) (Big Boy Gangster)
* May and June Summer (1944) Pickpocket country girls who came to the city to break into Radio; got mixed up with The Brow who murdered them and their cab driver. After Tracy found their bodies, his investigation of their deaths led to Brow's capture.
* Measles (1945) (Trademark is red spots on face)
* Micky (1941) Trolley driver part of Littleface Gang who was killed in hospital by henchman J.C. and his accomplice as he was confessing his part in robbery gang.
* Micky (1942) BB Eyes gang member-knocked out by his escaping boss and captured by police.
* Mole, The (1941) Counterfeiter who was thought to have been killed by own gang in 1926; literally brought from underground from collapsed tunnel and captured by Dick Tracy. Confessed that he saved his own life by promising his gang a permanent hideout as long as he lived free of charge-instead killed them and took their money (see Duke the Dip above). The Mole reappeared 30 years later -- reformed and stricken with arthritis -- in cameo concerning his granddaughter Molene, Johnny Scorn and Pouch. During this continuity, Tracy confided to his wife Tess that he had "always liked the Mole" ... an astonishing statement, since -- when Tracy and the Mole first met -- the Mole was a homicidal psychopath.
* Molene (1971) Granddaughter of "The Mole"; trapped in an underground munitions bunker by the police, she grabbed a hand grenade from an accomplice and blew up herself, the bunker and an accomplice. She looked like a female version of the Mole, but usually kept her face veiled. Her partner Johnny Scorn escaped via a secret escape tunnel. All that is ever found of "Molene" is her hairnet on a bush.
* Momma and the Midget (1940)-see Jerome Trohs and Mamma above
* Morgancoin Aka Agent 62 (1942) Pruneface accomplice who was trapped by Police in house after he tried to escape from Pruneface; killed by Pruneface; body carried out by Dr. Rex to Police.
* Moron Plenty Father of B.O.Plenty
* Mousey (1949) Shoplifter who created distractions by letting mice loose in shops. After serving her sentence, she reforms and opens up a pet store.
* Mr. Bribery (1965) Perhaps the most gruesome of Tracy's villains, Mr. Bribery decapitated people and shrunk their heads. He wanted Dick Tracy to be part of his collection, and set out to kill him. He also had a cigar smoking cat and maintains discipline in his gang by branding them.
* Mr. Crime (1952) Powerful organized crime figure, apparently the King's successor as head of the city's (and possibly the nation's) mob. To all appearances a legitimate businessman named George Alpha, he is, in reality, the "boss of all crime in America." After being killed in a shootout with Tracy and Catchem, he is replaced briefly by Odds Zonn.
* Mr. Kroywen (1940)
* Mr. Natnus (1939) (Suntan spelled backwards.)
* Mrs. A.B. Hamlet (1943) Hired 88 Keyes gang to murder her wealthy husband for insurance money; she was murdered by 88 Keyes-who had been an old lover of hers.
* Mrs. Kincaid (1954)
* Mrs. Mahoney (1945) Fourth wife of Shaky and mother of Breathless Mahoney; tries to stop Breathless from leaving with Shaky's money by shooting Breathless in shoulder; taken into custody by police. Later hired Shoulders to recover the money. After wanting to go straight, she was talked into helping Itchy get the money from B.O. Plenty, was killed by Itchy when she betrayed him.
* Mrs. Pruneface (1943) The wife of Pruneface, tried to avenge him by killing Tracy, but later ended up getting stupidly drowned in a pool after killing a newly wedded man. It was later discovered that Pruneface was still alive, and Mrs. Pruneface had gotten herself killed for nothing at all.
* Mrs. Thorndike (1942) Mother of Debbie Thorndike; saves Dick Tracy and Debbie Thorndike's life twice-first by stopping runaway furnace (her late husband was a furnace contractor); and then by using her car to knock B.B.Eyes car into basement stairwell. (A plot hole is BB Eyes and Henchman still alive after car trapped; they would probably have been injured from hitting the dashboard and front car window.)
* Mrs. Van Hosen (1945) Wealthy recluse who appears briefly in Breathless Mahoney episode. Appears years later in same role on "Archie's TV-Funnies".
* Mrs. Volts (1948)
* Mumbles (1947) Guitar player of "Mumbles Quartet" singing band who also steals women's rings off their fingers; murderer and thief, later a blackmailer/extortionist, who keeps coming back after apparently being killed. His trademark is never speaking clearly-"mumbling". This was indicated in 1986 by letters being left out of his dialogue and third persons often asking "What did he say?" (A plot hole is Gould drawing Mumbles' guitar with secret door that opens either inward or outward.)
* Murky Depps (c. 1986) Involved in payola. Like Mumbles he doesn't speak clearly. This was indicated by just a squiggle in his dialogue balloons. His intent could be discerned by his close associates and they would echo what he had said.
* Mussell (1941) Littleface Finny gang member-captured by Dick Tracy with Littleface at end of episode.
* Nat the Fur King (1939)
* Neely (1937) Thug along with Dirks tried to murder Junior Tracy but was killed by The Blank-who gassed them in Dick Tracy's garage. Dirks and Neely were members of old Redrum Gang.
* Nellie Wharton (1943) Naive farm girl tricked by 88 Keyes into helping him escape from Dick Tracy and drive her father's stolen car. When she realized who he really was (after she sees him hold up and rob a country store), she wrecked the car to try and kill herself, 88 Keyes and Red Bluff. She survives car crash and returns to farm.
* Nellie the secretary (1949) (Pear Shape gang-part of diet swindle run by Pear-Shape; helped capture Sam Catchum but she was then captured by Dick Tracy.)
* Nilon Hoze (1946) (A pun on Nylon hose.)
* Nofel aka Agent 26 (1944) (Nofel is an anagram of felon.) An Axis spy in World War I and World War II and illegal alien who was the Brow's spy in a rooming house; captured by Dick Tracy. The Summer Sisters tried to pawn his field glasses and were captured by the Brow.
* Nothing Yonson (1955)
* Odds Zonn {1952} Successor to "Mr Crime". {A pun on phrase "Odds On"!}
* Oily (1941) Gas Station attendant and secret Accomplice of The Mole; After being murdered by Mole, the discovery of his body by the Police leads to hidden door so Tracy can escape Mole's Tunnel.
* Old Mike The Smuggler (1933) Tried to kill Chief Brandon and Junior Tracy by blowing his own ship up but only succeeded in killing himself.
* Oodles (1955)
* Open-Mind Monty (1954)
* Palmy (1942) Part of B.B.Eyes gang who helped kidnap Patrolman O'Malley; captured by Dick Tracy after gun battle.
* Pear-shape Tone (1949) Originally a pot-bellied man who operated a mail-order diet business (a swindle) and a hot jewelry ring as well. After serving his sentence, he became a genuine health fanatic, slimmed down, reformed, and returned to the strip in a brief cameo as an assistant to Jim Pistol. He is Chester Gould's caricature of himself.
* Pedro Gonzales (1949) (Pear Shape Gang-helicopter pilot who was blackmailed by Pear Shape for his part in robbery/murder of elderly widow Mrs Waldo; tried to leave Pear Shape to the lions in zoo)
* Piano Turner (1943) Part of 88 Keyes gang who murdered A.B.Hamlet for money; arrested by Dick Tracy; confessed about the gang's activities after Jenny the Girl Singer was murdered-claims A.B. Hamlet was gang's 4th killing.
* Piggy Butcher {1968} Murderer. His trademark is an addiction to a transistor radio with ear-plug.
* Pinkie the Stabber (1931) First criminal arrested by Dick Tracy, before Tracy even joined the Police force. Ex-boxer and stick up ace who tried to disguise himself as a woman in police custody but was tricked into revealing himself by Tracy with a left hook.
* Poptop Jones The father of Flattop, Auntie Flattop, Blowtop, and Sharptop made his only appearance during the Sharptop continuity. Poptop was a laid-back rural character, similar to B.O. Plenty, with a penchant for guzzling soda (or perhaps beer?) from an endless supply of cans with "pop-top" openers. The consumption of all that carbonated beverage caused Poptop to belch constantly.
* Pouch (1971) Accomplice of Molene and Johnny Scorn. Had a face vaguely resembling a kangaroo's. Pouch was originally an immensely fat man who exhibited himself in a freakshow. He drastically lost weight but his skin did not shrink; it formed a "dewlap" at his throat and similar pouches all over his body. Pouch had snap fasteners surgically implanted into these, and used the pouches to conceal contraband.
* Prof. Emirc (1939) (Emirc is crime spelled backwards.) Aided Stooge Viller after he got out of jail.
* Pruneface (1942, 1983) (aka Boche). German sabotage agent whose plans against America are unraveled when his accomplice Cal Bullet Jr comes under investigation for murder of his own father. Other accomplices are Tojo the spy; Clara the disk jockey and Morgancoin. He kills Cal Bullet Jr and tries to kill Dick Tracy and Patrolman O'Copper but ends up with a broken leg after trying to catch Junior Tracy who made off with sabotage device belonging to Pruneface. Cornered in a freezing house by Dick Tracy and Police, Pruneface is captured nearly frozen. Reappears years later with unrepentant Nazi Dr. Freezdri who unfroze Pruneface back to life. Pruneface again tries to kill Tracy-for the death of Mrs. Pruneface-by freezing. Tracy "dies" but is brought back to life by Sam Catchem. Pruneface is captured by an Israeli agent and taken to trial abroad for war crimes. (Years after his last appearance, the comic strip showed a movie version of Dick Tracy story being filmed which had actors playing Pruneface "and" Flattop Jones together firing machine guns at Dick Tracy.) His trademark is wrinkled lines down the sides of his cheeks. In 1990 "Dick Tracy" movie was killed by the Blank after the abduction of Police spy Bug Bailey.
* Prunella Daughter of Pruneface. Partnered with fellow villainous female offspring Angeltop and Quiver.
* Purdy Fallar appeared during the Moon continuity of the late 1960s which has since been maligned by fans of the strip. The very handsome Purdy Fallar (a pun on "pretty fellow") grew extremely long sharp fingernails on the first two fingers of his right hand; he used these legitimately to slice open "giant escargot" (the large snails native to the Moon) and to extract their meat. Purdy also kept in practice by slicing open grapefruits with his fingers. Purdy came to Tracy's attention when he used his fingernails to slice a man's throat. Purdy was later frozen in suspended animation.
* Putty-Puss (1986, 1990) Niav, Harley: A brilliant actor disfigured in a car "accident" created by a jealous colleague. Underwent an experimental surgical technique that allowed his face to become like putty, able to become any likeness but sagging after one hour. He decided to become a bank robber, using his skills and his face to impersonate David Letterman, Ronald Reagan, Albert Einstein and even Tracy himself. Eventually captured but has returned to plague Tracy several times.
* Queenie (2007) aka "Emerald Empress". Dresses like the "Queen of Diamonds" playing card. Held Dick Tracy at gunpoint until he throws (fake) diamond behind him off roof toward river; she leaps after it and both fake emerald and Queenie literally go down the working smokestack of a tugboat.
* Quiver (1984) Daughter of Shaky, and partner of Angeltop.
* Red Bluff (1943) Navy deserter killed by 88 Keyes; discovery of his body by Police led to 88 Keyes own death at the hands of Dick Tracy.
* Ribs Mocco (1931) Big Boy Gang member. Although first criminal-along with Spike-to be arrested by Dick Tracy for payroll robbery after Tracy becomes a policeman, he is a bane to Dick Tracy throughout the 1930s decade, not only in weekly but also in the early Sunday editions of Dick Tracy as well. (The early Sunday editions had separate Dick Tracy stories from the weekly plot.) One "plot hole" episode has Ribs accidentally being shot by .45 caliber bullets in the stomach by his own gang in a bungled ambush on Dick Tracy. The plot hole is that Ribs doesn't die, although in real life, as Sulfa drugs did not become available until the mid 1930's, Ribs would have died of peritonitis.
* Rhodent (1959) - Noted as one of the Tracy villains who openly acknowledged that he looked unusual. In the movie, was one of the five gansters killed by Flattop and Itchy at the beginning of the movie.
* Rod Bender (1960's) Appeared in a Dick Tracy Mini-comic in Reader's Digest when Dick Tracy was also a spokesman for an auto shocks and car battery manufacturer. Bender was an underworld "Torpedo" (killer) who with an accomplice tried to blow up Tracy's squad car-but was captured by Tracy. Bender's trademark is bending an automobile rod in his hands.
* Rughead (1955)
* "Sailor" Mann (1942) Boyfriend of Debbie Thorndike who was knocked unconscious when Debbie was kidnapped by "B.B. Eyes" gang in hijacked milk wagon. Both milkman and "Sailor" were found by Patrolman in the street.
* Sam "The Lever" Doty (1937) Ex-Member of "Redrum Gang" and only member of gang still in slot machine racket. Slot machine gang leader who was kidnapped by The Blank; tied up and thrown out of a speeding car by the Blank into police HQ; tricked by Tracy into revealing that Blank's mug shot is in police files. (A continuity error is Doty surviving being tossed out of car at 70 miles an hour, in reality he probably would have broken every bone in his body.)
* Scardol (1939) Stolen Car gang leader and Police killer gangster who kills three lawmen and who tried to bury Dick Tracy under wet concrete but ends up under concrete himself.
* Schultze Innis (1937) Gang leader killed by The Blank by being tossed out of airplane; body was found after it crashed through a farmhouse roof. (Part of old Redrum gang of 1926)
* Selbert DePool (1941)
* Shaky Trembly (1944) Extortionist who tried to use Snowflake Falls to extort money from banker; she broke his hand and tried to turn him over to the police, but he escaped and kidnapped her. He fractured her bones and nearly succeeded in freezing and drowning her; After stealing Vitamin Flintheart's fur coat it caught fire; Shaky killed fireman O'Brien and tried to escape Dick Tracy; however he only succeeded in being trapped in an ice coffin His body was discovered in 1945 by stepdaughter Breathless Mohoney; after inquest on Shaky's body, Breathless stole the strong box keys which were hidden in Shaky's shoe. (Two continuity errors are Shaky recovering from a large overdose of a nervous tonic medicine given him by Snowflake Falls when she escaped from him-it would have killed him. Another is Shaky and two gang members in apartment room fire still alive, they would have been overcome and killed by smoke within minutes.) His trademark is the continual "shaking" of his body.
* Sharptop Jones - Sharptop is Flattop's twin brother and exact double except for a distinctive cowlick which makes one strand of Sharptop's hair protrude straight upwards from the familiar flat cranium. Sharptop and Flattop were raised separately and had almost no contact with each other; whereas Flattop became a notorious criminal, Sharptop had a respected career as a college professor and refused to discuss his infamous brother, whom he claimed he barely knew. During a post-Gould continuity, Sharptop was apparently possessed by the spirit of his deceased brother, causing Sharptop (allegedly Flattop inhabiting Sharptop's body) to assemble a gang of henchmen and commit a crime wave. During his criminal activities, Sharptop used hair oil to slick down his cowlick, thus becoming a double of Flattop. Tracy was able to arrest him after Sharptop apparently managed to overcome the supernatural possession and evict Flattop's soul from his body. The strip never established whether a genuine supernatural occurrence had taken place, and Tracy himself refused to comment on it ... except to note that Sharptop's long respectable academic career would be taken into consideration by the district attorney.
* Shoulders (1946) Extremely broad-shouldered handsome thug hired by Mrs. Mahoney to recover Shaky's money. He acquired a brush salesman's sample case and used this to pose as a traveling salesman.
* Sketch Paree (1949) An insane clothing designer, responsible for the death of Talcum Freely, a rival clothing designer. Paree led Dick Tracy and Sam Catchem into a death trap in the river. Used a sponge mask to drown his victims. He also talked to a little doll named Babee. Later killed.
* Sleet (1948) Featured the first appearance of Sam Catchem as Tracy's new partner.
* Snowflake Falls (1944) Model used by Shaky in a scheme to extort money from banker; married Vitamin Flintheart despite 30 year difference in age; kidnapped, suffered fractured bones, and nearly froze to death after being tossed off pier by Shaky.
* Sphinx (1951) Accomplice of Crewy Lou, was rendered a mute after drinking poison meant for one of his enemies. Alias are "John Ren" and "Beaker".
* Spike (1931) (Big Boy gang thug) arrested by Dick Tracy along with Ribbs Mocco for payroll robbery.
* Splitface (1945) Dick Tracy movie Dick Tracy. Disfigured killer who kills two members of jury who sent him to prison and an extortionist "professor". Tess Trueheart is kidnapped and Junior Tracy leaves a trail for Tracy to follow and capture Splitface.
* Spots (1960)
* Steve The Tramp Brogan aka 27064 (1933) Started out as common thug guilty of assaults, prison escapes, and killing a US mailman; The Tramp tangled with Dick Tracy throughout 1933-1934 until he went back to prison in 1934. A reformed man, he was released in 1941 and opened up a fruit stand. He was framed by Duke for an armored car robbery, but was later freed by Dick Tracy. (A continuity error has "the Tramp" surviving a fall over a hundred foot cliff after a cliffhanger fight with Dick Tracy with only a broken leg (later amputated in Prison). In real life he probably would have broken every bone in his body.) It was revealed later on that he was the second husband of Mary Steel, and the step-father of Jackie Steel, AKA Junior Tracy, explaining how the both of them ended up together in their first appearance in the strip.
* Stooge Viller (1933) Pickpocket who almost succeeded in framing Dick Tracy for a crime. He's also a vehicle hijacker and prison escapee who teamed up with Steve the Tramp. He killed Blind Hank Steele Sr who was trying to protect his son John "Hank" Steele Jr (aka Junior Tracy). He was finally captured for good by Dick Tracy in late 1933. In comic relief he is in a fight with Steve the Tramp in prison after accidentally meeting his former partner (each blames the other for being in prison). (Based on Edward G. Robinson?). After getting out of prison in 1939, he started trouble again with Tracy and also tried in vain to get to know his little daughter Binnie Viller. After trying to kill Tracy, Stooge was accidentally shot by Binnie, later on dying in the hospital, not before coming to an understanding with Tracy, and asking him to watch over his daughter.
* Stud Bronzen (1937) He's the only member of the Redrum gang not killed or turned over to police by The Blank. Supposedly got out of rackets but actually operated human smuggling ring under the cover of a salvage operation. Bronzen initially escaped to continue his criminal activity, but Tracy managed track him down and kill him in a gun battle.
* Sugar (1941) Girlfriend of Duke the Dip. She was killed trying to escape from police in car accident.
* Texie Garcia (1931) The Big Boy's mistress/moll. Left holding the bag, when the Big Boy temporarily leaves town to get clear of Tracy's gangbusting activities. Later seen helping Dan "The Squealer" Mucelli operate the city's dope business. Modeled on night-club performer Texas Guinan.
* Tiger Lilly (1942)
* Tipp (1940) St. Bernard dog owned by Mamma and the Midget (above). After his capture by Dick Tracy, Jerome Trohs seized bag of money and "rode" his dog to escape.
* Tojo (1942) Japanese Spy associate of Pruneface. He was captured by Dick Tracy
* Tonsils (1952)
* Trigger Doom (1941)
* Tulza "Haf-and-Haf" Tuzon (1960s) Half of his face scarred by acid during World War II. Murdered his wife in order to marry his lover, circus trapeze artist Zelda the Great. When Zelda discovered that Tulza had indeed killed, rather than divorced, his first wife, her threats to go the police led Tulza to attempt her murder, from which Dick Tracy rescued her. The fleeing Tulza attempted to romance the blind dowager Kora Steel (who had let her husband's body rot in a hidden room in order to cheat the inheritance tax) in order to murder her and inherit her money, but Tracy thwarted him again. Years later, Tulza, released from prison after undergoing plastic surgery at the hands of Dr. Will Carver, attempted once again to kill Zelda by means of a poisonous snake, for which Tracy provided the antidote. In revenge, Zelda hurled acid in Tulza's face, restoring his disfigurement.
* Twitchell "Twitchy" Oliver (1983) - Itchy Oliver's equally nasty kid brother, who constantly twitched as a result of a nervous tic. Masterminded scheme with the late B.B. Eyes's brother B.D. Eyes to scare Stephanie Queen, horror author, out of the same house wherein Itchy met his fate, for they coveted $100,000 which their older brothers hid in the house years earlier.
* Unnamed Farmer (1944) Wounded by "The Brow" who hijacked his tractor after Brow was fleeing from Police after killing Summer sisters. Farmer found by Dick Tracy Posse.
* Unnamed gang Members (1931) Unknown number of members of the Caprice gang, who were killed when they tried to chase Dick Tracy and Tess Trueheart through city streets in wild car chase. The gangsters' car was hit by a train at a railroad crossing during the chase.
* Unnamed Gang Members (1932) Three of them with Bates tried to kill Dick Tracy on a train (See Above)
* Unnamed gang member (1939) Scardol Gang member who killed 2 policemen and captured Dick Tracy. He was captured by night watchman at soft concrete site.
* Unnamed gang members (1940) Doolb gang-members at least 4 to 5; "Mamma" hit one in the face with a box of chocolate pastries; only total of three are captured with "Mamma" and "Strohs" by Tracy.
* Unnamed gang members (1941) Littleface Finny gang; at least two; one is arrested after he tried to kill Dick Tracy on window washer's platform, another is briefly seen with Mussell.
* Unnamed Gang members (1942) B.B.Eyes-gang three; one is captured, and two are killed in gun battle with Dick Tracy.
* Unnamed Gang member (1943) Flattop gang killed in gun battle with Dick Tracy. A continuity error is that although Gang consists of Flattop and three members, Gould has Flattop and 2 gang members taking Tracy to Apartment and Flattop claiming that there are 4 additional gang members in apartment pointing machine guns at Tracy.
* Unnamed Gang Members (1944) of Brow's Spy ring. A continuity error shows at least two seen in one panel besides "Nofel"; "Hans"; "Joe" and "Doc" over a second radio set and never seen again.
* Unnamed Gang members (1944) Shaky's gang; two killed in gun battle with police; another killed in an apartment fire. (Gould used name "Eddy" in continuity error to refer to either of one of two gang members killed in fire in different parts of comic strip.
* Unnamed Gang members (1945) Mumbles' gang; three gangsters assisted in killing a Highway Patrolman and robbing a charity; ultimately captured by Dick Tracy
* Unnamed Gang member (1949) Part of Pear Shape's jewelry swindle gang; bitten by Mugg the dog and captured by Dick Tracy
* Unnamed Gardener (1945) Working for Mrs. Van Hosen, he discovered Shaky's money hidden by Breathless Mahoney. Breathless ended up stabbing him in the back with his own gardening shears. However, he was not killed as he was shown in one panel being revived by Pat Patton
* Unnamed Hunter (1943) A Comic relief country bumkin who is witness to 88 Keyes murder of Red Bluff. He flees to Police Posse and reports murder. He is later seen with police inspecting shed where 88 Keyes was killed.
* Unnamed Milkman (1942) who was knocked unconscious and his milkwagon hijacked by BB Eyes Gang; found by police in street
* Unnamed texi Driver {1931} killed in botched ambush on Dick Tracy by Big Boy gang and Ribbs Mocco
* Unnamed Taxi Driver (1941) Trapped Littleface Finny in his taxi when Finny tried to highjack his cab and was driving Finny to the police when Finny smashed glass partition with his foot; wounding driver in neck which causes him to wreck in park pond; saved by police from drowning.
* Unnamed Taxi Driver (1944) Killed along with Summer sisters when "The Brow" and "Doc" forced Taxi off bridge into park pond. Bodies recovered by Dick Tracy.
* Unnamed third party (1943) Held the $50,000 in extortion money which was supposed to have been paid to Flattop after Dick Tracy's body is discovered.
* Unnamed Truck Driver {1941} Helped Steve Brogan out of jail after frame-up by Duke the Dip for armored car robbery.
* Unnamed Waterfront Thug (1947) Secretly sold stolen dynamite to Mumbles; later picked up by Police and found to have been large roll of money from Charity robbery.
* Vitamin Flintheart (1944) (See Above)
* Wetwash Wally (1945) Laundry truck driver who tried to separate Breathless Mahoney from her money after she hid in his truck; Breathless knocked him out and met B O Plenty; Wally was revived and was picked up by Pat Patton
* Wormy Marron (1949-1950). One of the most grotesque villains in the entire history of the strip; Wormy's face looks as if it is made of live earthworms. He chained Dick Tracy to the back of his car and drove at top speed down a highway, intending to drag Tracy to death but merely injuring him.
* X-RAY (1947) Comic relief henchman in Dick Tracy Movie "Dick Tracy meets Gruesome". Captured by Dick Tracy. Played by Skelton Knaggs.
* Yogee Yamma (1940)
* Zola (1943) One of three blackmarketers who hired Flattop to kill Dick Tracy (the other two not named). All three ended up captured by Dick Tracy instead and lost their $55,000 as well.

Dick Tracy rogues gallery (chronologically)

(Work in Progress)

10-04-1931 Pinkie the Stabber
10-12-1931 Big Boy02-22-1932 Broadway Bates and Belle
04-11-1932 (Big Boy returns)05-30-1932 Alec Penn (alias Count Gordon)
08-01-1932 Kenneth Grebb09-08-1932 Steve "The Tramp" Brogan10-13-1932 Dan "The Squealer" Mucelli
11-28-1932 Larceny Lou
01-02-1933 "Stooge" Viller
03-02-1933 (Steve "The Tramp" returns)
08-03-1933 Old Mike "The Smuggler"
09-11-1933 Boss Jim Herrod
10-13-1933 (Big Boy returns)11-09-1933 "Truffa" Dolan12-09-1933 Jimmy White
02-25-1934 Giorgio Spaldoni
05-07-1934 Doc Hump
11-01-1934 Boris and Zora Arson
05-24-1935 "Bookie" Joe08-04-1935 The case of Toby Townley09-26-1935 "Cut" Famon
02-27-1936 "Lips" Manlis05-12-1936 Mimi and Toyee
09-21-1936 The Purple Cross Gang
03-08-1937 The case of Mintworth
10-07-1937 The Blank
01-07-1938 Stud Bronzen
05-10-1938 Johnny Ramm07-09-1938 Jojo Nidle09-09-1938 Karpse, The Mar, and Doc
12-06-1938 Rono "Nails" Wolley
03-11-1939 Scardol04-04-1939 Whip Chute
07-05-1939 Nuremoh and John Lavir
09-27-1939 Mr. Natnus
10-25-1939 Prof. Emirc
01-10-1940 Mr. Kroiwen
03-11-1940 Mason
03-11-1940 Junky Doolb
04-21-1940 Jerome Trohs and Mamma
07-14-1940 Yogee Yamma
09-18-1940 Black Pearl
10-04-1940 Deafy Sweetfellow
12-10-1940 Krome
02-25-1941 Selbert Depool
05-17-1941 Trigger Doom05-17-1941 Mike Rennis07-13-1941 "Little Face" Finny
09-17-1941 (Steve "the Tramp" returns)09-17-1941 Duke and Sugar09-17-1941 The Mole12-26-1941 Jacques
01-29-1942 B. B. Eyes
04-19-1942 Yollman and Clarke Van Dike
06-14-1942 Amard
07-08-1942 Tiger Lily
09-24-1942 Pruneface
02-04-1943 Nifty04-15-1943 88 Keyes
07-15-1943 Mrs. Pruneface
10-01-1943 "Laffy" Smith12-21-1943 Flattop
05-21-1944 The Brow
09-28-1944 Shakey01-21-1945 Measles
05-11-1945 Breathless Mahoney09-11-1945 "Itchy" Oliver12-25-1945 Irma
03-24-1946 Nilon Hoze
06-05-1946 Shoulders08-30-1946 Gargles11-15-1946 Influence03-06-1947 Hypo
07-10-1947 Coffyhead
10-16-1947 Mumbles12-11-1947 (Shoulders returns)
02-26-1948 Mrs. Volts05-01-1948 Brier Volts06-25-1948 Heels Beals09-16-1948 Big Frost01-01-1949 Sleet04-06-1949 Pearshape
07-05-1949 Sketch Paree
09-26-1949 Mousey Rattner
12-30-1949 Wormy Marrons
03-27-1950 Blowtop
07-13-1950 T.V. Wiggles
12-03-1950 Dr. Plain02-06-1951 Empty05-16-1951 Crewy Lou and Sphinx
11-12-1951 Spinner Record01-24-1952 Larry
03-28-1952 Tonsils and Dude
04-27-1952 Mr. Crime01-19-1953 Odds Zonn07-06-1953 3-D Magee and Pony
01-17-1954 Dewdrop and Sticks01-17-1954 Open-Mind Monty
07-17-1954 Rughead
03-18-1955 George Ozone and Cinn Ozone
03-18-1955 Mambo
08-03-1955 Oodles and Nothing Yonson01-01-1956 Joe Period and Flattop Jr.
09-30-1956 Ivy12-24-1956 The Kitten Sisters
04-10-1957 The Clipso Brothers
09-05-1957 Elsa Crystal
12-15-1957 Pantsy
03-18-1958 Miss Egghead, Cicory and The Dropper12-26-1958 Headache and Popsie
1959 E. Kent Hardly1959 Rhodent
1959 Willie the Fifth1959 Flyface
1960 Spots1960 Fresh and Burpie Upp

Archie tie-ins

In the 1970s, "Archie's TV Funnies" had cartoon "shorts" of Dick Tracy episodes. Guest villains included: B.B. Eyes; The Brow; 88 Keys; the Mole; Mumbles; P.S. Tone; Shaky; Shoulders; Sketch Paree. Cameos included appearances by Tess Trueheart; B.O. Plenty, Mrs. Van Hoosen, Liz the Policewoman, Sam Catchem and Chief Patton. Likewise an episode (1/8) of the "Josie and the Pussycats" cartoon had an episode in which the musicians are chased by a "Blank" (faceless) criminal called "Mastermind".

References

The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 1 And 2 [cite book
last =Gould
first =Chester
title =The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 1 And 2 Slipcase Edition
publisher =IDW Publishing
date =2007
pages =704
url =http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Chester-Goulds-Tracy-Slipcase/dp/1600101399/ref=pd_bbs_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199146864&sr=8-5
isbn =1600101399 ]

The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 3 [cite book
last =Gould
first =Chester
title =The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 3
publisher =IDW Publishing
date =2007
pages =352
url =http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Chester-Goulds-Dick-Tracy/dp/1600100384/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b
isbn =1600100384 ]

The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 4 [cite book
last =Gould
first =Chester
title =The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 4
publisher =IDW Publishing
date =2008
pages =352
url =http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Chester-Goulds-Dick-Tracy/dp/1600100384/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b
isbn =1600100392 ]

The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 5 [cite book
last =Gould
first =Chester
title =The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 5
publisher =IDW Publishing
date =2008
pages =352
url =http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Chester-Goulds-Dick-Tracy/dp/1600102018/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b
isbn =1600102018 ]