{"product_id":"capones-vault-the-real-story-of-the-biggest-disaster-in-television-history-9798216370079","title":"Capone's Vault: The Real Story of the Biggest Disaster in Television History","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCoinciding with the 40th anniversary of the broadcast, an inside look at the historic televised reveal of Al Capone's vaults that would define Geraldo Rivera's career and change television forever.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In 1986, more people watched\u003ci\u003e The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults\u003c\/i\u003e than either the Super Bowl or David Frost's interview with Richard Nixon. It was a high-wire, high-reward, high-disaster broadcast that was meant to be a comeback for journalist Geraldo Rivera, who had been fired from ABC after fifteen years. On April 21,1986, at 9:15pm Eastern, Geraldo gave the signal at the midpoint of the broadcast to blow open with dynamite the subterranean vaults of the Lexington Hotel, ready to reveal to thirty million viewers at home the great secrets and treasures of legendary gangster Al Capone-but the live broadcast didn't go to plan. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In \u003ci\u003eCapone's Vault: The Real Story of the Biggest Disaster in Television History\u003c\/i\u003e, William Elliott Hazelgrove weaves together the stories of Geraldo Rivera's career and the history of Al Capone, leading to the development of the infamous \u003ci\u003eThe Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults \u003c\/i\u003ebroadcast. These stories merge on the night of the show with a play-by-play recalling of the disastrous two-hour program and its aftermath. The broadcast was a simple bet that Geraldo Rivera would open a vault in the basement of a nineteenth-century hotel and show the world something from Al Capone, but it would instead reveal basic truths about television that persist today. This is a wild and captivating true story for readers both new to the mystery and for those ready to relive what would be a crazy night that has defined live television for forty years.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWilliam Elliott Hazelgrove \u003c\/b\u003eis the national bestselling author of ten novels and fourteen narrative nonfiction titles. His books have received starred reviews in \u003ci\u003ePublisher Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e, Book of the Month Selections, Distinguished Book Award, ALA Editor's Choice Awards Junior Library Guild Selections, Literary Guild Selections, History Book Club Selections, and optioned for the movies. He was the Ernest Hemingway Writer in Residence where he wrote in the attic of Ernest Hemingway's birthplace. He has written articles and reviews for \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Smithsonian Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail UK\u003c\/i\u003e, and other publications and has been featured on NPR's \u003ci\u003eAll Things Considered\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eLA Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eChicago Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e, CSPAN, \u003ci\u003eVariety\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e have all covered his books with features. His books \u003ci\u003eTobacco Sticks\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Pitcher\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eReal Santa\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eMadam President \u003c\/i\u003ehave been optioned for screen and television rights. Most recently, \u003ci\u003eDead Air: The Night Orson Welles Terrified America\u003c\/i\u003e (Rowman \u0026amp; Littlefield) received a \u003ci\u003eBooklist \u003c\/i\u003estarred review and reviews in \u003ci\u003ePublisher's Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Review of Books\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAssociated Press\u003c\/i\u003e, and more. He resides in Illinois.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Academic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52175531901202,"sku":"9798216370079","price":32.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_eae07604-224b-43d4-bfc0-48827fa6c394.jpg?v=1775559118","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/capones-vault-the-real-story-of-the-biggest-disaster-in-television-history-9798216370079","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}