The Swami was a criminal in Dick Tracy's city. He had dark hair and a beard. He typically wore a turban and an elaborate suit.
The Swami hypnotized wealthy dowagers into revealing where they kept their valuables and then robbed them. He was willing to kill if he was discovered during the course of a robbery.
Sam Catchem followed one of the Swami's clients when she went to visit him. The Swami and his servant Fundo discovered Sam, then knocked him unconscious and tied him to a chair connected to a time bomb.
The Swami and Fundo prepared to flee, but Dick Tracy had tracked down their location and confronted them. The Swami was desperate to leave the building before the bomb went off and he tried to pull a gun on Tracy in order to escape. Tracy shot (and presumably killed) the Swami, then freed Sam and took Fundo into custody.
Notes[]
- The Swami is a character created for the 1950s Dick Tracy TV series. He was played by John Merton. Merton had previously appeared in the serials Dick Tracy Returns (1938) and Dick Tracy vs. Crime Inc. (1941).
- The Swami shares some traits with Yogee Yamma.
- The Swami identified himself by the name Swami del-Waya. It was not made clear if this was his real name or an alias.
- Unlike some of the other hypnotists and mystics depicted in various forms of Dick Tracy media, the Swami's abilities were apparently legitimate and he seemed to genuinely believe that he had a connection to the spiritual world. He was not a con artist.