John Dillinger Public Enemy No I: GREAT CRIMES AND TRIALS

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Discover the story behind a man who turned to crime out of boredom but then found it too addictive to give up. John Dillinger blazed a trail of crime across the States, robbing banks with a violent and authoritative ease.

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John Dillinger
born: 22-06-1903
birth place: Indiana, USA
died: 22-07-1934

John Dillinger has gone down in history as a pseudo ‘Robin Hood’ character, a gangster with charm and style who was more idolised by the public than reviled. His life has been recounted in many movies, particularly the film-noir gangster films of the 40’s. In a case of life imitating art-imitating life, Dillinger, who is said to have modelled himself on Hollywood stars like Errol Flynn – for instance leaping over counters- was himself a character whose eventful life influenced the pictures, especially as the archetypal good-guy hood.

But the truth about Dillinger is more prosaic; that he was simply criminal intent on making as much money illegally rather than having been pre-occupied with Joe public during the Depression years. Gunned down by the FBI while leaving a Biograph cinema, even his death has helped fuel a mythology about this good looking, charismatic crook, who is as famous for his love life as he is for the banks he fleeced.

John Herbert Dillinger was born on June 22, 1903, in Indianapolis. His parents John and Mollie, ran a small grocery store. Sadly Mollie died when the infant John was just three. Older sister Audrey, who was fourteen years John’s senior, took care of him. Eventually Johnnie Dillinger re married when the cheeky, cheerful boy was nine.

Dillinger’s father appeared to oscillate between being a caring father to one who regularly handed out corporal punishment. One moment he was disciplining his son with a barrel stave and the next spoiling him by buying him sweets. Despite Dillinger Jnr appearing to be a generally law abiding and pleasant youngster, he had a darker side to him that revealed itself in his desire to roam around at night and get in with the wrong crowd. The young Dillinger was never too far from trouble and even led a neighbourhood gang called ‘The Dirty Dozen’.

The gang’s main criminal preoccupation was pilfering coal from railroad freight cars.

By the time he was 16, Dillinger dropped out of school and began working at a machine shop. He appeared to be a hard working by day, but played the dispossessed James Dean role to a father he seemed to despise. Returning home late, there would usually be scenes between him and his exasperated father.

When Dillinger snr sold his Indianapolis property in 1920 to retire to a farm in Mooresville, Indiana, he was most likely hoping that life in the country would tame his wild boy. Instead Dillinger kept his job in Indianapolis, commuting nearly twenty miles on his motorcycle. He also kept quiet about his night-time activities, which apart from drinking and fighting also included frequent visits to prostitutes.

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