The Amazing Mr. Nordill - Film about 1850's counterfeiter

WillieBoyd2

"The Amazing Mr. Nordill" is a 1947 10 minute short film produced by the MGM motion picture company. It was part of the series of short films by producer John Nesbitt called "Passing Parade".

The story of Mr. Nordill, a counterfeiter of United States currency in the 1850's, is supposedly based in part on a true story. (Has anyone heard of him other than from the film?)

Title

From 1933 to 1960 there was a United States Treasury Department regulation prohibiting the showing of United States notes and coins in motion pictures without permission from the Department. The regulation was repealed in 1960.

Treasury Department notice

The film is about an Everett Nordill who in the 1850's is an expert counterfeiter. He even trains his three young daughters as his assistants in engraving.

Mr. Norvill approves of his daughter's work

The film shows some 1850's notes:

United States notes

Mr. Norvill eventually gets caught.

cinch

Thanks, I enjoyed reading this post!

I wonder if the banknotes pictured here came from the collection held by the Smithsonian.

Randomly enough, Turner Classic Movies played this film at 7:45am on Feb 4th of this year. Is that how you found it?

From time to time while researching, I run across short newspaper stories about counterfeiters in the 19th century. As any obsolete collector surely knows, they certainly were prolific!

Here's one example: Sergt. Webb Goes Among the Counterfeiters, and Gets Into a Cell.