| As a teen runaway, Frank Abagnale passed bad checks and convincingly pretended he was a Pan American pilot. Growing tired of that gig, he decided to impersonate a doctor, then a lawyer and - near the end of his hoodwinking days - a sociology professor.
A former police chief from Houston, Texas once observed: “Frank Abagnale could write a check on toilet paper, drawn on the Confederate States Treasury, sign it ‘U.R. Hooked,’ and cash it at any bank in town, using a Hong Kong driver’s license for identification.”
As his criminal skills grew, so did his ambitions. He learned all about The Art of the Steal from firsthand experience. Although his parents didn’t know it for a long time, Abagnale had become a notorious thief.
In this story behind the film, meet Frank Abagnale (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and the real “Carl Hanratty” (played by Tom Hanks). Watch a video as Frank talks about his life. Learn how he changed his ways, from being a notorious con man to a trusted FBI instructor.
Visit the places in Europe where he was caught (Montpellier, France) and spent time behind bars (Perpignan, France and Malmo, Sweden). Discover how - and why - a Swedish judge gave him a second chance. Learn what Abagnale now values most, and uncover the reason why Stephen Spielberg decided to make a movie about his life.
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