When the going got tough, these folks got rich

It's probably premature to trot out the Great Depression stories now, though they still make an interesting read during this rough economic period.

While nobody I know is striking it rich these days, it still happens here and there when times are tight.

During the Great Depression, when unemployment hovered around the 25 percent mark, some folks were actually making a killing. From MentalFloss, here's a list of 10 people that got rich during the Depression, plus how they did it.

Some highlights:

- Bank robber Dillinger managed to compile more than $3 million in '09 dollars.

- After the '29 Wall Street crash Howard Hughes used movie profits to start a company.

- Joseph Kennedy, Sr. invested in real estate, liquor, and movie studios.

- Band leader Glenn Miller made a salary of nearly $20k a week.

(Editor's note: None of this list constitutes an endorsement on my part. Of course, you already figured that out.)

Photo: Joseph P. Kennedy in 1938, with his son John F. Kennedy. Speculation, insider trading, and hooch put them on the map.