![]() They were convicts who had committed a series of bank robberies. The Anglin Brothers were convicted felons who broke out of Alcatraz Prison in 1962. It was an epic ruse as it fooled the guards who made frequent patrols past their cells for more than a month as the trio took turns working on top of the cellblock. Also, reminiscent of Willie Sutton’s famed 1940s escape from Eastern State Penitentiary, the convicts fabricated life-like dummy heads for use as decoys in their beds. The escape had been in planning for months, and it involved crafting lifejackets and a raft stitched and glued together from more than fifty raincoats. Petty crimes ultimately progressed to bank robbery, and all of them would land a 5’x9′ cell on Alcatraz for their infamous status as elite escape artists.ĭuring its tenure as a federal prison, Alcatraz was hyped as the most secure federal prison ever built and was a powerful symbol of the government’s war on crime. Listen to Jolene describe firsthand what it was like to live on the island, including convict interactions during that time.įrank Morris, along with the Anglin Brothers, had criminal pasts that stretched way back into their youths. Jolene Babyak was the daughter of a warden who lived on the island twice with her family, including the 1962 escape. But what really happened? Did they survive? Did they drown in the chilly waters of San Francisco Bay? What is the real evidence? Why is there such a debate? Will we ever know the truth? These are the questions that have been debated. They have become legendary figures, and it is their story that helps draw more than a million visitors each year to see firsthand the scene of the crime. Clint Eastwood can take a lot of credit for making the men folk heroes as he brought the story to life in his 1978 epic film Escape from Alcatraz.Įastwood, who portrayed Frank Morris in the film, conveyed a riveting (but Hollywood -style) story that still intrigues all of us more than a half-century after the dozen escape artists disappeared under the cover of night. People don’t need to call them by name…whenever the question comes up, it’s clear that “they” is the tacit reference to Frank Morris and brothers John & Clarence Anglin and their epic great escape from Alcatraz. While there were other prisoners who disappeared following their break from “The Rock”, it is this 1962 escape that captured the imaginations of the public. Early entry would have seen them swept out to sea, but when they went into the water at eleven in the night, they had a better chance of making it to land. The key to their success was knowing the right time to enter the water. They knew the nature of ocean currents and the conditions they faced in open water. Because they lived in Tampa Bay, the brothers were used to swimming in turbulent waters. ![]() The escape was reportedly possible due to the Anglins’ skill at swimming. The film showed a photograph of the brothers, allegedly inked by Clarence Anglin, that his family had received three years following their escape. HISTORY special, “Alcatraz: Search for the Truth,” aired on History Channel in 2015. But now, a film has helped shed light on the case. ![]() The brothers and their uncles have been missing since. Their alleged escape from Alcatraz in 1975 has long baffled authorities. The Anglin Brothers Escape is one of the most infamous disappearances in American history. Where is Al Capone’s cell? Where was the Birdman’s cell? Where’s the restroom? Was Whitey Bulger really on Alcatraz? And… The big one… Do you think they really made it (referring to the Anglin Brothers escape)? ![]() If you were to gather a group of National Park Rangers who work on Alcatraz and ask them to write down the most common questions they receive, you could probably nail them down to about five (give or take). ![]()
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