" Ray agreed, since "Shoeless" Joe Jackson died in 1951, and was infamous for having been suspended from ""America""s past-time"" during the 1919 World Series scandal.They poured through and stampeded up the stairs to ""battle for"" first-come, first-serve mezzanine-balcony seats for the ballet performance that would begin in 45 minutes.It was much more serious than his previous ""Capra-corn"" comedic efforts, such asIt Happened One Night (1934)andYou Can""t Take It With You (1938).)Anti-hero Handley enters a cafe identified as serving "American Food - Home Cooking." The diner operator, a hunchback named Gus Minissi (James Whitmore), cooperatively hides Handley""s gun ("heater") for him in the luncheonette""s cash register just before the police enter and book the tall drifter as a vagrant.