Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949)

Dan Duryea: Johnny Evans

Photos 

Quotes 

• Terry Stewart : [in Canada, while Johnny and Terry are dancing]  Where're you from, Johnny?

  Johnny Evans : The States - California.

  Terry Stewart : Ohh, California... you mean there's still a place where it's warm and got palm trees... and you can lie out in that lovely hot sun all the year round...

  Johnny Evans : I guess so. You know California?

  Terry Stewart : Uh-uh. Ah, I was brought up in Tucson - Arizona. Wish I'd never left it. Been in this dump for 2 years. The only time I've ever been warm was once I went to sleep with a cigarette and I set the bed on fire.

• Johnny Evans : [after Morton pulls a gun on him and demands he stay in the room]  What's the matter, copper? Nervous in the service?

• George Morton : [talking to Johnny after Johnny has found out his wife died due to narcotic addiction while he was in prison]  Do you know how they die, Johnny? You got any idea what it's like... what they go through from that first time they find they can't get along without it? How they have to have more and more until every cent they can lay hands on goes into it. Or they begin to hit the skids and they can't raise the money anymore. They'll do anything for it then, Johnny. Anything...

  Johnny Evans : Shut up!

  George Morton : They can't get enough now, and pretty soon every nerve in their body is screaming and they're tearing off their clothes and they're tearing at their skinny bodies with their nails and screaming... that's how they die, Johnny. Screaming.

  Johnny Evans : Shut up!

  George Morton : That's how *she* died.

  [Johnny slowly walks away]