Nothing is known the criminal known who adopted the nom du crime "Red Domino" prior to his appearance in the winter of 1949.  The character was the subject of a theatrical production in Gotham City but whether this was a known criminal or whether the criminal that emerged as the Red Domino was a copycat is unclear.  What is known is that when a local Gotham theatre produced a play based on the Red Domino, Green Lantern agreed to play himself in the production and when he did, two local robberies took place, each leaving a Red Domino as a calling card.

   Serendipitously, a new crime expert named Dr. Cypher appeared a local Analysts Club, a social group of armchair detectives solving local crimes and puzzle.  Advertising himself as the "Puzzle King", Cypher claimed his method of deduction could solve any mystery.   He brazenly claimed that his method had solved on of the greatest of Gotham's puzzles:  The secret identity of Green Lantern and that it was famous broadcaster Alan Scott, another member of the Analysts Club.  He challenged the club to watch and he proved his theory.

    Later that evening, Doiby Dickles was winding up his day when he spied the Red Domino and his gang entering a theater. As the gang collected the previous night's receipts, Dickles ambushed them a wrench but was quickly overpowered.  The Green Lantern arrived quickly but he too was soon KO'd by the Red Domino.  The villains promptly escaped into the night.

   The following day, the Red Domino's gang burst into the offices of WXYZ and take Alan Scott and Doiby Dickles hostage.  The evening, the papers report the brazen kidnapping as Dr. Cypher takes the dias at the Analysts Club.  He points out the news that Scott had been kidnapped and the Green Lantern was no where to be seen.  As the members began to doubt, the Green Lantern brazenly appears and challenges Cypher.  When Cypher resists, Green Lantern uses his ring to blast away his outer clothing, revealing the uniform of the Red Domino.  Cypher had staged his antics as a distraction from his life of crime as a costumed criminal.  He was quickly subdued and carted off to jail by the Green Lantern (Green Lantern #36).

Whether Cypher was all he appeared to be is unclear.  His appearance suggested an older man but the Red Domino was athletic enough to subdue the Green Lantern, at least indirectly.  Whether he used the Red Domino identity going forward or if he was simply miming a fictional character is unknown.  Additional findings include evidence for the late in 1949 when a new younger Dr. Cypher appeared, claiming to also be the Puzzle King and staging a series of crimes while claiming he could prove the Green Lantern's identity.  Whether this individual was the same, an inheritor or a copy cat criminal is unknown (Unpublished Golden Age Green Lantern from Alter Ego #12).