Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story is a 1980 American miniseries about Clarence Carnes, the youngest ever inmate of Alcatraz Prison. It screened over two nights on NBC. It was written and co-produced by Ernest Tidyman.
| Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Action Crime Drama |
| Based on | Clarence Carnes (based on a story by) Don DeNevi (based on a story by) |
| Written by | Ernest Tidyman |
| Directed by | Paul Krasny |
| Starring | Michael Beck Art Carney Alex Karras Telly Savalas |
| Theme music composer | Jerrold Immel |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Pierre Cossette |
| Producers | James H. Brown Ernest Tidyman (co-producer) |
| Production locations | Alcatraz San Francisco |
| Cinematography | Robert B. Hauser |
| Editors | Les Green Donald R. Rode |
| Running time | 196 min. |
| Production company | Pierre Cossette Enterprises |
| Distributor | NBC |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Picture format | Color |
| Audio format | Mono |
| Original release | November 5, 1980 |
Plot
Part one details the early life and imprisonment of Clarence Carnes, climaxing with the Battle of Alcatraz. Part two focuses on Carnes as a veteran prisoner, his friendship with Robert Stroud, and his involvement in the escape attempt of Frank Morris.
Cast
- Michael Beck as Clarence Carnes
- Art Carney as Robert Stroud
- Alex Karras as Jughead Miller
- Telly Savalas as Joseph Paul Cretzer
- Will Sampson as Clarence's Father
- Ronny Cox as Bernard Coy
- Richard Lynch as Sam Shockley
- Robert Davi as Hubbard
- John Amos as Bumpy Johnson
- James MacArthur as Walt Stomer
- Ed Lauter as Frank Morris
- Joe Pantoliano as Ray Neal
- Louis Giambalvo as Clarence Anglin
- Antony Ponzini as John Anglin
- Jeffrey Tambor as Dankworth
- Paul Mantee as Ordway
Production
The production was partly shot on location in Alcatraz.[1]
Reception
The Los Angeles Times called it "the prison story to end all prison stories".[1]
The New York Times was harsher saying "ordinarily foolproof material is presented at such length that dramatic tension drains away... Mr. Beck is adequate... Mr. Savalas is almost the only member of the large cast who looks even a little like the sort of case-hardened criminals that used to end up at Alcatraz. The others look like tourists who caught the wrong ferry at Fisherman's Wharf... the writing... and the direction... are dedicated more to simplicity and economy than to drama."[2]