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The 30s, Gangster Style Trivia Quiz

The 1930s spawned depression, unemployment and some of the most recognizable bad guys in American history. How much do you know about them.

A multiple-choice quiz by Pick61. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Pick61

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
352,029

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
790

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. John Dillinger is a name that is synonomous with bank robbing, escaping jail, and evading the law. He robbed his first bank in July of 1933, at age 29. What had he been doing immediately prior to that? Hint

Working as a machinist

In the Navy

Farming

Serving a prison sentence for assault and robbery

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Question 2 of 10

2. John Dillinger's career as the most famous bad guy of his time in the U.S. lasted how long? Hint

fourteen months

four years

three years

two months

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Question 3 of 10

3. Chicago born Lester Gillis was a member of the Dillinger gang for a short time. He is better known by what name? Hint

Machine Gun Kelly

Baby Face Nelson

Harry Pierpont

Melvin Purvis

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Question 4 of 10

4. Charles Pretty Boy Floyd died in a hail of gunfire near East Liverpool, Ohio, in October of 1934. He was, among other things, accused of this sensational crime. Hint

Altoona, Pennsylvania bank bombing

Lindbergh kidnapping

Participating in the Kansas City Massacre

Brinks robbery

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Question 5 of 10

5. This pair of Texas outlaws preferred robbing grocery stores and filling stations rather than banks, but did venture into that area occasionally. Their careers included the murder of nine law officers, causing John Dillinger to quip "They're giving bank robbing a bad name". Hint

Amos 'n' Andy

Barker-Karpis Gang

Bonnie and Clyde

Purple Gang

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Question 6 of 10

6. Al Capone struggled with this rival gang leader for control of the Chicago rackets, which included bootlegging, prostitution and gambling. Hint

Eliot Ness

Bugs Moran

Frank Luccese

Able Jefferson

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Question 7 of 10

7. This woman traveled with, and took care of, her bank robbing, no goodnik sons. She was shot and killed by the FBI in a Florida shoot out. Hint

Etta Place

Billie Frechette

Ma Barker

Blanche Barrow

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Question 8 of 10

8. Late summer, 1933. John Dillinger is making Indiana authorities and the Federal Bureau of Investigation look pretty silly. The image conscious J. Edgar Hoover is outraged. He sends his best agent to Chicage to bring the desperado to justice. Name this super agent. Hint

Melvin Purvis

Matt Dillon

Elliott Ness

Frank Hamer

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Question 9 of 10

9. All of sixteen years old, this killer persuaded Clyde Barrow to let him join the gang. One day later, he participated in his first murder, a young family man who interrupted them while they were attempting to steal his car. Who was this juvenile criminal? Hint

W.D. Jones

L.Q. Jones

Harry Pierpont

J. James

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Question 10 of 10

10. Detroit hosted this bloodthirsty lot, who operated chiefly as bootleggers during prohibition. It is said they may have killed as many as five hundred members of rival gangs, and a good many of their own gang as a result of in fighting and power grabs. Hint

The Purple Gang

The Spats Columbo Gang

The Dion O'Banion Gang

The Lo Fat Cinese Tong

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Serving a prison sentence for assault and robbery

He actually was a skilled machinist and had deserted from the Navy. His father owned a farm in Moorsville, Indiana, but John just didn't like the rural life.

2. John Dillinger's career as the most famous bad guy of his time in the U.S. lasted how long?

Answer: fourteen months

From June, 1933 to July, 1934, he robbed banks, raided police stations for weapons, escaped jail, and generally made life miserable for the Indiana State Police and the FBI. The general public at the time had very little trust in, or sympathy for banks, and many regarded him as a Robin Hood like hero.

3. Chicago born Lester Gillis was a member of the Dillinger gang for a short time. He is better known by what name?

Answer: Baby Face Nelson

Nelson was by far the most violent member of the group, and therefore the rest of the gang viewed him as untrustworthy. He holds the distinction of killing more FBI agents in the line of duty than any other man in the 20th century.

4. Charles Pretty Boy Floyd died in a hail of gunfire near East Liverpool, Ohio, in October of 1934. He was, among other things, accused of this sensational crime.

Answer: Participating in the Kansas City Massacre

The Kansas City Massacre was an attempt to free bank robber Frank Nash from the custody of police and federal agents. It took place in a train station parking lot and resulted in six dead, including Nash and 5 officers. Floyd always denied that he had any part in it.

Answer: Bonnie and Clyde

Bonnie (Parker) and Clyde (Barrow). They were ambushed and killed in May, 1934, by former Texas Ranger Frank Hamer and 5 others. It is said that both Bonnie and Clyde had fifty or more bullet wounds.

6. Al Capone struggled with this rival gang leader for control of the Chicago rackets, which included bootlegging, prostitution and gambling.

Answer: Bugs Moran

Moran became gang leader of the North Side after the death of Weiss. Luccese was in New York, doing his thing. Capone wound up in Atlanta Federal Prison for tax evasion in May 1932, but not before causing the downfall of Moran and the deaths of most of his gang.

7. This woman traveled with, and took care of, her bank robbing, no goodnik sons. She was shot and killed by the FBI in a Florida shoot out.

Answer: Ma Barker

There is conjecture now that Ma, far from being the mastermind of the gang, as claimed by Hoover and the FBI, was basically a fiercely loyal, but mostly innocent mother. Frechette was one of John Dillinger's lady friends, Blanche Barrow was Clyde's sister in law and a member of the gang. Etta was the girlfriend of the Sundance Kid.

Answer: Melvin Purvis

Purvis eventually got his man, with the help of Romanian born Anna Sage, who was facing deportation. Dillinger was ambushed outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago, late July, 1934. Sage was double crossed and deported, anyway. A jealous Hoover demoted Purvis to outpost duty, and eventually out of the Bureau. So much for having a good work ethic.

Answer: W.D. Jones

Jones tired of life on the run very quickly and escaped the gang. He went home, was eventually arrested, tried and sentenced to fifteen years for 'Murder without Malice'. Jones died in 1974, broke and in ill health from a bullet lodged in his chest.

Answer: The Purple Gang

Composed chiefly of Jewish immigrants, the gang imported most of their illegal booze across the Detroit river from Canada. Their territory extended from near Chicago, all along the Great Lakes, to around Toledo.

Source: Author Pick61

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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