The big news is the filming of Public Enemies in our state, but even more exciting is John Dillinger's real life Wisconsin connection.
Michael Bie of ClassicWisconsin.com cites the most notorious John Dillinger incident that took place in the Northwoods.
"The shootout at Little Bohemia up north in Manitowish Waters, this is an event that you really can't underestimate the magnitude of it. It was covered in newspaper headlines worldwide.
Bie says innocent bystanders were accidentally killed in that shootout, allegedly by FBI, and Dillinger's gang ultimately escaped. Bie says it's hard to find a place in our state which DOESN'T have stories of gangs and mobsters. In fact, Al Capone (Scarface) had a cottage in Couderay. Bie explains, Dillinger was so bad, even Adolf Hitler criticized him!
"Adolf Hitler, Germany put out a statement regarding the lawlessness in America compared to what was taking place in Nazi Germany."
Law enforcement did manage to catch Dillinger once, but he broke out of that Indiana jail. Bie says when the girlfriends of the mobsters were brought to Madison to be arraigned, there was absolute panic.
"The local officials were convinced that here was a guy who shot his way and made his way out of any number of bank robberies, jails, police arsenals and of course getting into the jail to free their girlfriends would be a cinch compared to getting out, and they were convinced he was gonna do that."
The Governor this week confirmed that Universal Pictures will in fact shoot part of the major Hollywood production right here in the Badger State.
Michael Bie is also the author of "It Happened in Wisconsin."
(Mitch Henck, WIBA, contributed to this story.)
AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report (1:41 MP3)
