He was convicted of his first robbery in 1924, for which he served nine years in prison. He almost immediately returned to crime after being released, and over the next year or so, was accused of robbing over 20 banks and four police stations. During this time, he was captured twice, but managed to escape both times. During this time, the media painted him as a kind of folk hero, due to his boldness and colorful personality. Dillinger was eventually wounded after a series of shootouts, but continued to evade further capture until July 22, 1934, when he was shot and killed outside a movie theater by Bureau of Investigation (the predecessor to the FBI) agents. He was 31 years old.
He was married to Beryl Hovious and was in a common law relationship with Evelyn Frechette.
Media
Live Action Film- Dillinger (1945)
- Dillinger (1973)
- High Sierra: He was played by Humphrey Bogart.
- Public Enemies: Dillinger was played by Johnny Depp.
Literature
- The Illuminatus! Trilogy: John Dillinger is not just one man, but a set of Quintuplets.
- Thunder At Noon: He is the main character in the book.
