Martin Swayzak

Martin "Marty" Swayzak is a character in the 1991 film "Backdraft". He is the main antagonist in the film.

He was portrayed by the late J.T. Walsh

About Swayzak
Martin Swayzak is a corrupt, arrogant Mayoral candidate who works for Chicago's City Council and hopes to defeat Richard Daley (who was Mayor of Chicago from 1989 to 2011). Swayzak secretly hires three men to create a fake manpower study for the fire department, but all three end up getting killed in backdrafts. The three men are Alan Seagrave, Donald Cosgrove and Jeffrey Holcomb. Swayzak is curious to know whether his henchmen were killed in accidental fires or arson fires (but, he is aware that all three of his henchmen were killed in backdraft explosions). Swayzak is also notorious for closing firehouses and converting them into community centers. The main reason he closed the firehouses was to make money off of firefighters dying and that angers the entire department and infuriates the longest serving firefighter (and secondary to main villain in the film), John Adcox.

Swayzak's house catches fire
After Brian shows Donald Rimgale (the fire investigator) the fake manpower study. Donald decides to go over to Swayzak's house and confront him. But, while Brian and Donald are inside Swayzak's house catches on fire. Donald smells gas and tells Brian to check. Sure enough, it is gas! Brian tries to shut the gas off, but is brutally beaten by a man wearing a ski mask, heavy jacket and holding a flashlight. Brian pushes the man back towards a sparking outlet. The unidentified intruder screams in pain as he is pushed back against the sparking outlet. Swayzak is found unconscious and is bleeding heavily. Then Swayzak is gets taken out by Brian and Donald. Much later, it turns out that the intruder is John Adcox.

Swayzak exposed
After the funeral was held for Firefighter John Adcox (the firefighter who had a grudge against Swayzak and his henchmen) and Lieutenant Stephen McCaffrey. Brian and Donald have the police help them crash Swayzak's press conference. Donald tells Swayzak that the police would like to know why he hired all three of his henchmen (Seagrave, Cosgrove and Holcomb) to create a fake manpower study and make money off of firefighters dying (including Stephen and John). Brian then tells Swayzak, "You see that glow flashing in the corner of your eye? That's your career dissipation light. It just went into high gear!" The press continue to ask questions and Swayzak states, "I'll have my aides look into it as soon as they possibly can. Thank you!" Then, a man announces, "The Alderman has no further comment at this time. This press conference is now over." And that was the end of Swayzak's hopes and dreams.