Was Pretty Boy Floyd a stone cold killer, or Robin Hood as many viewed him? You will definitely have your answer upon completing “The Life & Death of Pretty Boy Floyd.” The outlaw was certainly a slippery character, alluding massive manhunts. It would come to an abrupt end in a small town in Ohio in 1934, but legacy lives on in pop culture today, as documented by author Jeffrey S. King.
One thing is for sure, Floyd was armed and dangerous and did shoot to kill, and was successful at it. He robbed banks, with estimates between $250,000 and $500,000 stolen. Part of his success was as a result of police departments being understaffed, and often times, poorly trained. However, Floyd would awake the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), who intensified their search for the “Pretty Boy.”
Judging from his childhood, Floyd never seemed to be on the straight and narrow, becoming a petty theft at an early age. It does appear he attempted to live a normal life as a farmer, but apparently it wasn’t in his blood, as the outlaw would trade whiskey for a pistol in 1925. However, Floyd would be arrested and serve more than three years in a Missouri prison for robbery. Evidently, prison life made him even more dangerous.
Floyd would become a successful bank robber, changing partners and states, but staying one step ahead of the law. The Pretty Boy would be aided by some claiming to be him, while others were arrested as they looked like him. There were always many rumors about his whereabouts, including South America and even China, as noted by the author. For a time, there were rumors of his death, but his notoriety grew after the Kansas City massacre. Did Floyd participate in the killing of four lawmen, “The Life & Death of Pretty Boy Floyd” fairly lays out the evidence.
King allows the listener to experience Floyd’s final days and even final meal. Floyd’s death added to his allure. Many people didn’t trust the FBI, and felt they were trigger happy. King notes that more than 20,000 people attended Floyd’s funeral. Was Pretty Boy Floyd a Robin Hood type bad guy? “The Life & Death of Pretty Boy Floyd” affords you the opportunity to judge for yourself!
By: Jeffery S. King
Narrated by: Jack Chekijian
Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
Release date: 06-07-13
