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What Is "Yellow Kid" Weil's Real Name? The Story Behind the Name He/Him
"Yellow Kid" Weil → Joseph Weil
"Yellow Kid" Weil's real name is Joseph Weil.
- Known as
- "Yellow Kid" Weil
- Real name
- Joseph Weil
- Category
- Con Artists
"Yellow Kid" was the nickname of Joseph Weil (1875–1976), one of the best-known American con men of his era. He was reputed to have stolen more than $8 million.
How they got the name
The nickname first stuck around 1903. It came from the newspaper comic "Hogan's Alley and the Yellow Kid," linked to Weil through his work with a grifter named Frank Hogan. Weil later denied the colorful legend that he dressed head to toe in yellow, writing that he "had no beard." (Wikipedia: Joseph Weil)
Amazing facts
- As a teenager he worked as a collector in Chicago's loan-sharking trade, then learned short cons selling "Meriwether's Elixir" in the 1890s. Its main ingredient was rainwater. (Wikipedia: Joseph Weil)
- Among his claimed schemes were selling "talking" dogs and selling oil land he didn't own. He also claimed to have swindled Benito Mussolini out of $2 million. That claim comes from Weil himself, so treat it as his own story, not established fact. (Wikipedia: Joseph Weil)
- For all his schemes, he spent a total of just six years behind bars, part of it at Leavenworth. (Wikipedia: Joseph Weil)
- He lived to 100 and died in Chicago in 1976. His autobiography came out in 1948. (Wikipedia: Joseph Weil)
FAQ
What was the Yellow Kid's real name?
Joseph Weil.
Where did the nickname Yellow Kid come from?
From the comic strip "Hogan's Alley and the Yellow Kid," around 1903.
Did Yellow Kid Weil go to prison?
Yes, for a total of about six years, including time at Leavenworth.