Character Relationship Map: Killer Dill

Characters

• Judy Parker (played by Anne Gwynne) — protagonist

  Judy is Johnny's girlfriend at the beginning of the story, but she leaves him for his longtime friend, William. After Johnny is accused of killing Big Nick, she sees his courage and integrity more cle...

• William T. Allen (played by Frank Albertson) — supporting

  William is a charming lawyer and Johnny's longtime friend who wins Judy away from him and later defends Johnny at trial. Although he helps secure Johnny's acquittal, he has secretly worked for Maboose...

• Little Joe (played by Mike Mazurki) — supporting

  Little Joe is Big Nick's goon, sent to deal with Maboose but instead responsible for killing Big Nick in the gangster's apartment. He hides the body in one of Johnny's lingerie trunks, setting off the...

• Maboose (played by Milburn Stone) — supporting

  Maboose is a gangster and Big Nick's rival, known as public enemy number 24. Johnny seeks his protection after being labeled the killer, while Little Joe also negotiates with him about getting rid of...

• Millie Gardner (played by Dorothy Granger) — supporting

  Millie is Johnny's assistant. When Johnny takes her to a movie, she talks enthusiastically about the manly gangster hero, Big Nick Moronie. Her admiration leaves Johnny feeling that women want a diffe...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• William T. Allen → Maboose (Professional Employee) — William secretly serves Maboose while publicly acting as a respectable lawyer.

  The plot reveals that William has worked for Maboose all along.

• Judy Parker → William T. Allen (Romantic Fiancés) — Their engagement forms the initial romantic conflict and is later broken when Judy changes her feelings.

  The plot states that Judy Parker becomes engaged to William T. Allen after leaving her previous relationship.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Millie Gardner → Judy Parker (Unknown Romantic Rival) — Both women are connected to the protagonist's changing romantic prospects, although no direct interaction is described.

  The plot places Millie in the protagonist's romantic environment while Judy is the woman connected to the central romantic conflict.

• Maboose → Little Joe (Alliance Criminal Ally) — They cooperate through a criminal arrangement directed against a common threat.

  Little Joe makes a deal with Maboose to get rid of Maboose's rival.

Story Analysis

A romantic comedy of mistaken criminal identity in which an insecure salesman adopts a gangster image and unexpectedly proves his courage.

Plot Progression

1. A Failing Romantic Image — Judy Parker is engaged to William T. Allen, while the protagonist becomes discouraged by the appeal of gangster masculinity. Millie Gardner's movie comments encourage his attempt to reinvent himself.
2. The Body And The Blame — A killing leads to a body being hidden in a lingerie trunk. The protagonist's attempt to move it ends with a police chase and a public murder accusation.
3. Acquittal Without Freedom — William defends the accused protagonist at trial, producing a not-guilty verdict. However, public suspicion remains, forcing the protagonist to seek protection through criminal contacts.
4. Criminal Deals Collapse — The protection plan exposes William's hidden employment by Maboose. A toy-gun threat produces a written confession before Little Joe turns violently against the protagonist.