logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
38m 4s

Outlaws: John Dillinger | Public Enemy N...

History Hit
About this episode

What does it take to be the first person named as 'Public Enemy No.1' by the US Bureau of Investigation?


In this episode, we're going to find out. Don is joined by Elliott Gorn to find out about the rise and fall of John Dillinger, the man who took this title in 1934.


Elliott Gorn is the Joseph Gagliano Professor of American Urban History at Loyola University, Chicago. His books include 'Let the People See: The Story of Emmett Till' and 'Dillinger's Wild Ride: The Year That Made America's Public Enemy Number 1'.


Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Nick Thomson. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.


Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/ 


You can take part in our listener survey here.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
The Truth About Alexander Hamilton
We're rerunning a classic episodes today from a mini-series we did all about Alexander Hamilton. Who really was he, and what do we actually know about his life?A Founding Father, he fought in the Revolutionary War, founded the American financial system and was the first ever Secr ... Show More
44m 38s
Oct 15
The Boston Courthouse Bombing
On April 22, 1976 a bomb went off at Suffolk County Courthouse in Boston. 22 people were injured in the blast, but no one was ever tried for the crime.Kevin Galvin joins Don today to explore who bombed the courthouse, why they did it, and who was caught up in it.Kevin has been a ... Show More
32m 39s
Oct 12
Life Down a California Goldmine
In 1848, James Marshall's discovery of gold in California's American River kicked off one of the biggest Gold Rushes in U.S. history. But what was life really like in California's Gold Fields? Who was actually making money? And how did gold fever shape a nation?Our guest today is ... Show More
54m 43s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2022
John Dillinger Part 3: Public Enemy
John H. Dillinger is declared Public Enemy number 1! After his daring escape from Crown Point Jail the gang reorganises and doubles down on their criminal exploits - and every act is splashed across the nation’s newspapers. But the Feds have had enough. J. Edgar Hoover finds his ... Show More
42m 15s
Jul 2020
Public Enemy #1
July 22, 1934. John Dillinger, America's most famous outlaw, is gunned down by federal agents outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago. Dillinger's death is the final act in a crime spree that involved multiple prison breaks, dozens of bank robberies, and more than one violent sho ... Show More
23m 53s
Jul 2022
John Dillinger Part 1: Hard Time
It’s the 1930s and America is gripped by the Great Depression. Banks are going bust and taking people’s life savings with them… in this cruel period of history, an unlikely hero will emerge. Well, a hero to some anyway. An average guy from rural Indiana will burst onto the nation ... Show More
41m 25s
Jun 2020
John Dillinger Pt. 1
By the 1930s, John Dillinger pulled off 24 bank heists and three jailbreaks—making him Public Enemy Number One. He was one of the most famous celebrity criminals in history, until he was shot and killed by the FBI outside Chicago's Biograph Theater in 1934. Learn more about your ... Show More
46m 22s
Aug 2022
John Dillinger Part 2: The Dillinger Gang
The Dillinger craze sweeps the nation as Johnnie's infamous gang go on a freewheeling crime spree. They target the richest banks in the country, enacting the revenge of the everyday American. But as banks topple, their rise to national obsession will cause embarrassment to state ... Show More
44m 31s
Apr 2021
Kingpins: John Dillinger
Today’s quote is from notorious bank robber John Dillinger. Dillinger had no illusions of righteousness. He knew that robbing banks was not only a crime, but a very public one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
5m 52s
Jan 2024
119: The Petty Creep who led the FBI | The Dark History of J. Edgar Hoover
Hi friends, happy Wednesday!Welcome to the Dark History podcast. There’s always all this talk about who REALLY has the power in America. So I did a little digging, and discovered a not-so-great guy named J. Edgar Hoover–made famous for his 48-year racist reign over the FBI. And j ... Show More
38m 55s
Feb 2022
"John Dillinger and the Blind Magician" by Allison M. Dickson
Public Enemy Number One, John Dillinger, looks to escape the feds with the help of a cunning wizard. Content advisory: Gunfire Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. 
49m 25s