Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow are two of the most famous criminals that ever lived. Their wild actions that went down during the Great Depression left many people shaking their heads in awe. Do you really know the truth about Bonnie and Clyde? We’re here to debunk a few myths for you.
Myth: They always acted as Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde weren’t always sa duo. Many times, they acted with an entire gang. Clyde’s brother and sister-in-law were also a part of this gang, along with a few other people. Known as the Barrow gang, they often robbed people. The duo of Bonnie and Clyde were the only ones of the gang that actually were suspected of killing 13 people.
Myth: Bonnie was married to Clyde
Bonnie was married, but she wasn’t married to Clyde Barrow. She got married when she was 16 in Dallas, Texas. She needed a way out of her low-income household, so she got married. Her husband was a serial cheater and a thief. He finally was caught in the middle of one of his crimes and was sentenced to prison. Bonnie actually died while wearing her wedding ring.
Myth: The duo robbed banks all of the time
The media shows Bonnie and Clyde mainly robbing banks, but they did many other crimes. They robbed about a dozen banks in all, some more than once. They didn’t make much money when they robbed banks. Sometimes Clyde would rob banks with one of the others in their gang. They robbed these banks off and on for four years.
Myth: Bonnie and Clyde died with grace
The death of Bonnie and Clyde happened on May 23, 1934, in Louisiana. The two were ambushed then killed in broad daylight by police officers. The officers had been following the duo on their crime spree. The officers each had pistols and automatic rifles. They emptied these rounds into Bonnie and Clyde’s car. They never had a chance.
Myth: Bonnie smoked cigars
There is a famous photo of Bonnie holding a pistol in her hand and a cigar in her mouth. This was actually part of a series of photos that the duo took for fun. They were found on undeveloped film left behind at the gang’s hideout in Missouri. There is another one where Clyde is kissing Bonnie on the cheek.
Myth: Bonnie and Clyde wanted to be famous bank robbers
Clyde wanted to play guitar and sing. He was headed towards a future in music when his brother showed him that it was more fun to steal cars. Bonnie loved music and performing onstage. Ironically, she is now portrayed by some of the biggest movie stars of our time. Their fame skyrocketed due to their criminal activities instead of their musical talents.
Myth: Bonnie and Clyde weren’t close to their family members
Even though they were hard-core criminals, the duo made time for their family. They were very devoted to the ones that stayed close to them. They would often visit family on their crime sprees. Clyde would drive by his parents’ house and throw a bottle out with a note that contained directions of where to meet them. They would speak in code on the phone so no one would tip off their whereabouts.
Myth: The duo killed everyone that got in their way
Bonnie and Clyde actually let more people go than they hurt. Many times, Clyde did have to kill people because he didn’t want to get captured. Other times, he would abduct someone then release the person when he got far enough away from the police. People were on their side for their odd way of doing things until they murdered two motorcycle cops. The cops surprised Clyde and his buddy, Henry Methvin. Clyde wanted to kidnap them, but Henry didn’t understand his motive, so he started to shoot.
