The Pinkertons became the most famous detective company in the U.S. But were they noble or notorious? We get to the bottom of it all in today's episode.
AI Summary
This episode dives into the wild, complicated history of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, from founder Allan Pinkerton's origins as a Scottish immigrant and abolitionist to the agency's dramatic rise as America's premier crime-fighting force. You'll hear about their role protecting Abraham Lincoln, pioneering female detectives, chasing legendary Wild West outlaws like the Reno Gang and Jesse James, and the innovations that shaped modern criminal investigation—plus a few missteps that started to tarnish their heroic reputation.
Movies Discussed
Black Doves
"Well you led me down the right path with Black Dove so I'll give it a shot. — Josh mentions this show as a prior recommendation from Chuck during their tangent about TV shows."
— Josh
Deadwood
"They were in Deadwood. — Chuck lists Deadwood as one of the shows/movies where the Pinkertons appear."
— Chuck
Lincoln
"It was very shocking still when everyone saw Lincoln and Daniel Day-Lewis came out like this. — Chuck references Daniel Day-Lewis's portrayal of Lincoln while discussing Lincoln's height and appearance."
— Chuck
Monsieur Spade
"I cannot recommend enough the limited series, Monsieur Spade. — Chuck recommends this limited series starring Clive Owen as a tangent related to Sam Spade-style detectives."
— Chuck
Red Dead Redemption: The Man from Blackwater
"Apparently, they're bad guys in the video game Red Dead Redemption 2. — Chuck notes that the Pinkertons appear as antagonists in this video game, though it's actually a video game not a movie/TV show."
— Chuck
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
"Paul Schneider, was in the great, great movie from 2007, The Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford. — Chuck highlights this film as featuring the Pinkertons prominently and praises it as a great movie."
— Chuck
The Blues Brothers
"protecting Steven Spielberg. From the Blues Brothers. — Chuck references a scene from The Blues Brothers involving the Cook County Assessor's Office while discussing Pinkerton's career."
— Chuck
The Long Riders
"They were in The Long Riders in the 80s. — Chuck mentions this film as another example of Pinkertons appearing in movies."
— Chuck
The Wild Bunch
"They had Gatling guns, like, as demonstrated at the end of the Wild Bunch. — Josh references the famous finale of The Wild Bunch to illustrate the use of Gatling guns during the Homestead strike battle."
— Josh
Twin Peaks
"The first was John Reno, not Jean Reno from Twin Peaks. — Chuck makes a joke comparing the Reno gang member's name to actor Jean Reno, mistakenly referencing Twin Peaks."
— Chuck
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