The Loan Shark was a staple bad guy of the movies of the 1940’s and 1950’s. He was that shady guy with the nice clothes and fancy house that lived in the seedy side of town. And when you needed money fast, and the bank turned you down, there was only one other person who could help: the Loan Shark.
The Loan Shark was a criminal who made his money by preying on the poor. Perhaps they were out of work, about to be evicted, or needed the money for hospital bills. He would loa…