Lemon Drop Kid

The Lemon Drop Kid is a fictional character created by journalist and writer Damon Runyon in his 1934 short story collection "More Than Somewhat." The character is a small-time swindler and gambler operating in the colorful underworld of New York City during the Prohibition era and beyond. In Runyon's witty, distinctive prose style—full of argot and street vernacular—the Lemon Drop Kid navigates schemes, cons, and dealings with other criminals and hustlers of Manhattan. The character exemplifies Runyon's affectionate portrayal of petty criminals and hustlers as flawed but resourceful characters trying to survive and prosper in the urban landscape. The Lemon Drop Kid was adapted into a 1951 film starring Bob Hope, which brought the character to a broader audience and became a classic comedy feature. Runyon's creation has endured as a representative figure of American popular fiction's romanticization of the confident con artist and the underdog schemer. The character's name itself—humorous and memorable—became iconic in mid-century American popular culture.