America Remembers presents the Edward G. Robinson
Tribute Pistol. This pistol pays tribute to the classic film icon,
Edward G. Robinson.
The “Roaring Twenties” was the era of Prohibition and jazz, but it
was also the Golden Age of the American Gangster. Former street toughs
like Al Capone, Lucky Luciano and Dutch Schultz became outlaw
entrepreneurs throughout the gangster eras of the 1920s and 1930s.
Lawmakers saw the gangsters as public enemies, but there were plenty
of regular folks who saw them as outsiders fighting against the system.
As rebels, villains and underdogs they proved the perfect subject for
Hollywood. No actor captured their essence like Edward G. Robinson.
In the breakthrough 1931 film, “Little Caesar,”
Edward G. Robinson virtually
invented the rough-talking, sharp-dressing gangster. He starred as
Caesar Enrico Bandello, stylish in a tailored suit and snap brim fedora
but deadly with a sidearm and more than willing to use it. With his
unique look and distinct voice, Edward G. Robinson stunned audiences as the
streetwise mobster whose quick rise to power was rivaled only by his
tragic fall. Based loosely on the life of notorious Chicago kingpin Al
Capone, the film helped launch the gangster genre and made Edward G.
Robinson a box-office superstar.
“Some people have youth,
some have beauty –
I have menace.”
~ Edward G. Robinson |
Edward G. Robinson© Licensed by Francesca Robinson Sanchez.
|
For audiences in the 1930s, part of the huge appeal of gangster
movies was the colorful villain, usually with a distinctive voice, a
great deal of charm and a special girlfriend who accompanied him
throughout each film. Edward G. Robinson was a master at portraying this
new breed of Hollywood bad guy—a cold-blooded gangster with ambition and
more than a dash of charm.
This Edward G. Robinson
Tribute Pistol is issued exclusively through America Remembers and with
authorization from the Family of Edward G. Robinson. We are honored for
the opportunity to celebrate and pay tribute to such a memorable film
icon. For the Tribute we selected a classic American firearm from the
Gangster era: the Colt® Government Model® .45 Pistol. This handsome
Tribute pistol commemorates the post-World War I, Prohibition era, which
was shaping America in the late 1920s to early 1930s, along with Edward
G. Robinson, who unforgettably embodied the persona of the gangsters
from this tumultuous era in American history.
A
Classic American Sidearm
Each Edward G. Robinson Tribute in this edition is a working Colt® Government Model® .45
Pistol, an American icon that many of its owners consider one of the
finest pistols ever made. In choosing an appropriate canvas for The
Edward G. Robinson Tribute, we wanted a firearm that remained true to
the gangster era. When it came to firepower, the classic Model 1911 was
often a criminal’s best friend… and worst enemy in the hands of lawmen.
The most powerful pistol of the day was
a vital part of the gangster’s arsenal. In fact, many of the
Prohibition-era’s most notorious criminals were already familiar with
the Model 1911 pistol following World War I. They knew the classic military Model
1911 as a reliable and accurate battlefield sidearm, and found it just
as effective when taking care of business on the mean streets of New
York and Chicago.
Craftsmen commissioned specifically by America Remembers decorate
each Tribute in stunning 24-karat gold and nickel with a lustrous blued
background to highlight the details of the artwork, honoring this iconic
Hollywood legend.
The left side prominently features a banner with the name “Edward G.
Robinson.”Also featured on the left are three images of Robinson as the
tough guy gangster, a persona he made so famous on the big screen. The
portrait on the left shows him brandishing his trusted handgun, with his
trademark wool fedora hat tilted sideways.
To the right, Robinson is shown ready for action behind a door, waiting
to get the drop on a rival trigger man. The third image shows the
mobster in a lighter mood with a sly smile and his hat turned upward.
The right side features another classic portrait of Edward G. Robinson
and an authentic reproduction of Edward G. Robinson’s signature.
Featured in the center is a highly detailed scene portraying
Robinson as a gangster with his pistol drawn, making a getaway from a
downtown bank job. Sweeping through the scene is a banner that reads:
“To Last You Need To Be Real.” This quote from Robinson serves as both
an explanation for his lasting success onscreen and a personal motto. At
the muzzle end of the barrel, Robinson is featured as a villain
steadying his sidearm at a target.
