How Orson Welles War of the Worlds Led to Geraldo Rivera's Capones Vault

I have written two books on high risk high reward moments in media where boundaries were pushed and careers on the line and the result was that the mediums were changed forever and the men behind both events were pushed on to greater heights. At first glance there may seem to be no through line from Orson Welles to Geraldo Rievra but in fact for one night in both of their careers they were mirrors of a moment in time. My book Dead Air The Night Orson Welles Terrifed America tells the story of a twenty three year old boy genius who in 1938 put on a radio show that terrified the nation by telling people martians had invaded and were exterminating humans. Orson was growing tired of radio and was looking for a way out and it was in his DNA to push boundaries. His breaking news radio format had people convinced the human race was being exterminated. By the time it was revealed it wsa only a radio play that nation was in full blown panic. Orson was pilloried and received death threats.He was sure his career was over. But then at the last minute an editorial by Dorothy Thompson saved him and he was pushed onto Hollywood. The thinking was that anyone who could fool a nation could make a hell of a movie. Capones Vault tells the story of an unemployed edgy jounralist named Geraldo Rivera who became famous for opening a vault in the Lexington Hotel on the South Side of Chicago. This was to be Geraldos comeback after being fired from ABC.The two hour docutainment went on the air on April 21 1986 and for two hours crews blasted their way thorugh walls and brought down slabs to find only more dirt. It was quickly billed as the greatest disaster in television. Geraldo went and got drunk and knew his career was over. But the next day the ratings came out and Geraldo found out 30 million people watched The Mystery of Capones Vault. He had tweleve job offers and was given his own show. The opening of Capones Vault proved reality television had arrived as the networks realized that people didnt care about the payoff they just wanted the ride. In Orson Welles case radio was never the same. Dramatized news was forbidden by the FCC from then on which was the standard format. Only real news could be reported. So there you go. Orson and Geraldo were at the junction of change in two different mediums at two very different times but they were agents of change. High risk high reward moments that changed the lives of not only the men but radio and television forever.

Author of Capones Vault Says Capone's Missing Millions May Still Be Hidden--40 Years After the Mystery of Capones Vaults

CHICAGO — As the 40th anniversary of the famous live television event The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults approaches, National Bestselling author William ElliottHazelgrove says the legendary Chicago gangster's missing fortune may still be out there. On April 21, 1986, more than 30 million viewers tuned in to watch journalist Geraldo Rivera open a sealed vault beneath Chicago's Lexington Hotel in what became one of the most anticipated broadcasts in television history. The nationally syndicated special, The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults, remains the highest-rated syndicated television event ever aired. When the vault was finally opened live on television, however, the results stunned viewers. Instead of the rumored treasure, the vault appeared largely empty. But according to Hazelgrove, author of the new book Capone's Vault, the empty vault did not necessarily solve the mystery of Al Capone's missing fortune. "The vault was only one lead in a much larger mystery," Hazelgrove says. "Capone generated enormous amounts of cash during Prohibition, and much of that money was never accounted for. The empty vault actually deepened the legend rather than ending it." Hazelgrove's book examines the dramatic events behind the famous television special, including the planning of the broadcast, the intense public anticipation, and the aftermath of one of the most talked-about moments in television history. Based on extensive research and interviews with the producers of the program as well as Geraldo Rivera, the book explores how the broadcast helped usher in the era of modern reality television. Four decades later, the legend of Capone's hidden fortune still fascinates Chicagoans and historians alike. Stories of buried cash, secret hiding places, and lost mob money have circulated for decades, keeping the mystery alive long after the famous vault was opened.