Tess Tracy is the sweetheart of Dick Tracy. She was an attractive blonde. She has worked in her family's delicatessen and served in the U.S. Army as a non-commissioned officer.

When Tess was still a young woman, she had her boyfriend over for a meal with her and her parents. While doing the dishes, Dick proposed to Tess and were about to tell her parents when two mobsters broke in and shot Emil Trueheart for money that he kept in his safe upstairs. Stealing the money, kidnapping Tess and knocking Tracy out, the thugs made their getaway. Mrs. Trueheart was placed in the hospital from shock and Tracy told Chief Brandon of the police department what happened. Seeing that Tracy had a vested interest in this case, Brandon asked him if he wanted to join the police department as a plainclothes detective, to which Tracy quickly responded "yes". (During the flashback story celebrating the strip's 80th anniversary, Tracy was shown to already be a member of the police force who Brandon had been observing as a potential plainclothesman.)

Tess had been kidnapped by the henchmen of the mob boss Big Boy. Tracy, posing as a gangster was taken into Big Boy's confidence and rescued Tess. Tess didn't know about her father's death for sure until she reunited with her mother in the hospital. Tess was one of the most vital characters in the early years of the strip, she was often kidnapped or nearly killed by mobsters and crooks that were gunning for Tracy. Tess soon also became a mother figure to Tracy's newly adopted son, Junior Tracy. Tess and Tracy now and then had their falling-outs, when for example; in January 1932, Tess accidentally told one of her girlfriends about Tracy's newest case and word had spread to Big Boy who got wise to the cops before they could make their move. Tracy got into a fight with Tess and he was busted down to a uniform officer on a temporary basis. Tess broke up with Tracy and threw his ring into the river. Tess later left a note under his door saying where to find the mobsters. Right after she left, she was clipped by a passing cab and put into the hospital. After the crooks were caught, Tracy was back in plainclothes and he and Tess reconciled in her hospital room.

When Tracy was framed for counterfeiting by Stooge Viller, Tess found it hard to believe Tracy's innocence and sadly broke up with him again. Viller had his sights on Tess and started dating her. Tess discovered evidence that Stooge had framed Tracy. Stooge panicked and shot Tess just as she was about to call police headquarters. Chief Brandon and Pat Patton found her in her apartment, the bullet having hit her in the arm. Before she passed out said that Tracy was framed and she had proof. Tracy and Junior apprehended Stooge and Tracy reconciled with Tess again. She recovered from her injury shortly thereafter.

Tess was kidnapped on multiple occasions during the 1930s, including as part of plots by Big Boy and Bookie Joe. She was always rescued or managed to escape relatively unharmed.

During the Tracy's encounter with the writer Jean Penfield, Penfield planted a story in the newspaper that she and Tracy were engaged to be married. Despite Tracy's objections, Tess believed the story and confronted Penfield. This dispute was later used by the lawyer Spaldoni to lure Tess to Penfield's home, where he shot Penfield and framed Tess for the murder. Tess was arrested, but was later freed when Spaldoni confessed.

* Dick Tracy (October 12th, 1931- July 14, 1946)

* Dick Tracy (1937, 15 chapters)
* Dick Tracy (1945)
* Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946)
* Dick Tracy's Dilemma (1947)
* Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947)

*The copyright to Tess Trueheart's first appearance in the October 12th, 1931 comic strip was not renewed 28 years later in [https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/cce/1958r.html 1958] or [https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/cce/1959r.html 1959].
*"Tess Trueheart" is still trademarked by Warren Beatty and Tribune, so her name has to be in the interior of any story.

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tess_Trueheart Wikipedia]
* [https://dicktracy.fandom.com/wiki/Tess_Tracy Dick Tracy Wiki]
* [https://comicvine.gamespot.com/tess-trueheart/4005-9227/ ComicVine]

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