Sabalom Glitz comes from Salostopus, in Andromeda. His has been a difficult life - the product of a broken home, Glitz turned to a life of crime, and as a result, spent a lot of time in prison. According to his prison psychiatrist, Glitz has a "deep-rooted maladjustment brought on by an infantile inability to come to terms with the more pertinent, concrete aspects of life" - a diagnosis given after Glitz attempted to kill him. Glitz is wanted in six galaxies for heinous crimes.
Clearly, Glitz is a man who will do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. He despises competition, and will readily wipe out anyone who stands in his way. But despite his sometimes homicidal tendencies, Glitz is not a bad person. His primary instinct is self-preservation; Glitz endeavors to get rich and keep himself alive, not to kill or steal simply for pleasure. To ensure this self-preservation, Glitz is never to be found without wearing his sturdy Mark 7 Postidion Life Preserver.
Glitz is very much the con man. Most of his schemes rely upon his being able to charm his way through, and pull the wool over people's eyes, rather than using force - although he will resort to such methods, if necessary. He is not above betraying his friends to save his own skin, but Glitz does form attachments, and may even grudgingly risk danger to save a friend. Belying Glitz's crude background, he seems to be fairly educated, and utilizes a very rich vocabulary.
Initially, Glitz and the Doctor are very much at odds, thanks to the Doctor's attempts to thwart his plans. But on their later meetings, Glitz and the Doctor share a mutual respect - and a faint disdain of the other's methods. They even begin to team up on expeditions.
After Glitz, the seventh Doctor, Mel and Ace had concluded their adventure on the planet Svartos, Mel parted company with the Doctor to travel with Glitz. Her stipulation - no more dodgy deals, a rule which Glitz will probably find very hard to obey.
