American Hostage is an Amazon original and Criminal content production starring John Hamm, Carla
Guccino, Joe Perino, Dylan Baker, and Becky Ann Baker. Directed by
Sean Christiansen. This podcast is based on a true story of a hostage crisis
that took place in Indianapolis in nineteen seventy seven. Listener discretion is advised.
Episode one, The Man with the Gun. The seven second delay for live
television was introduced in nineteen seventy five by NBC so that Richard Pryor could host
Saturday Night Live without the network getting fined for all of his obscenities. The
delay would also be useful, we discovered if a man were to be shot
point blank in the head live on national television. Fred Dues of the Days,
two Days, tell you what Annapolis? Nine one one? What's your
emergency? Yes? This the police? This is nine one one, dispatches
Lieutenant Collins. There, No, sir, he's not on disape with who
you got there? Who you got there or anked high enough to take this
call? I can help you, sir, if you can tell me what
you're Yes, you stand up? Do you think I don't do what?
You stupid s sir, all right, all right, I'm gonna tell you
now, and you're gonna listen good, and I don't repeat myself, so
you listen up now, you understand. Yes, I'm listening all right.
I've done a thing, a real serious statment, the kind of thing you
aren't used to hearing about. I bet I've taken a prisoner and I've got
him. You're a wired shotgun val strapped to the back of his head,
and they sain't no crank call. You understand me, yes, sir,
yes, sir, I understand. But you say you've got some of them
wired up a shot I've got a real deal, twelve games shotgun, wired
up to the back of his head, and anything happens to me, it
goes off, and if he moves, it goes off. And I gotta
so there's a hundred ways it goes off and only one way it don't,
and that's keeping me alive. And good, you understand. I understand.
And they say't no crank call, Yes, sir, this is not a
crank. I don't ever have much for anyone to take, and these motherfuckers
find some way to take it all. And a mads Heale I swear to
God, he's almost as good as dead. He's never been closer to dead
and he is right now. Can you please talk to me and lower the
gud How I am talking to you, sir? And I ain't lower your
gun? Tell me how many people you've got with you? Just got one?
One's all I wanted. And the call is who I got the some
of the bitch, sir, sir. Now I'm a mad, mean motherfucker
lady. I understand. I'm the real deal. Yes, sir, I
understand the real deal. Sorry, I gotta bother you all like this,
but it ain't you. Please tell me where are you on twenty nine Canton
Street, Canton? He said, One twenty nine Canton Street on the fourth
floor and the Calls office. And I'm gonna tell you again the way you
got this wired is you kill me. You kill him. My hand goes
back and my fingers go limp, and he's eating shocked and shells out at
the back of his head. I swear to God, I understand. So
we're gonna send over some of our fellows and see what we can do.
Well, please don't kill him, and we're sending police on their way.
Got damn fucking right Radio Indiana wi DC. For me, there are three
tenants of journalism. One don't make it personal, two don't pick a side,
and three don't become the story. I broke all three of those in
the span of a single phone call. Good morning, I'm Fred Heckman.
Tuesday, Ebry eighth, nineteen seventy seven. A burst water man on Stanwood
Drive shuts down a hardware store and a family restaurant, and the Pacers see
a win against the Chicago Bulls as they adapt to their first year in the
National Basketball League. We'll speak with Slick Leonard as the team prepares to face
off with the New York Knicks tomorrow night, and speaking of special occasions to
take, Gary Wilcox will be coming in to finish up this program while the
station kicks me out to celebrate my wedding anniversary. J. J. Hill
was nice enough to let me come in and keep my perfect attendance record,
and he's also nice enough to keep my marriage afloat. So Barbara, Honey,
I'm coming home. We'll be right back with Gary Wilcox. More news,
the weather, and sports from myself, Fred Heckman at the WIBC studio.
I hope you all have a terrific day, and I look forward to
talking with you tomorrow. W YBC News editor Lou Bamer gave the seven o'clock
News, bringing for them a kind of order out of the chaos. Ronnie,
you know, I hear they make ties in different colors? Are you
doing? Garyny? Sleep serves us all still burns bright day? Okay?
What was I looking for? I got that? Okay, Oh there is
you are out of here? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear you,
Jim. That was that was quite the sign off, friend. Now
my wife's gonna ask where her proclamation of love is. Well, it's not
like she was listening. I'm sure she would appreciate it. Well, I
think after thirty two years, she's heard everything I have to say. Now,
you're a workaholic friend that takes a toll on other things. It's been
a slow year, it's been a fast decade. You got Swede Savage,
the ABA Championship, you got Elvis Fregan Pressley on the phone, and you're
going home to tell your wife I love you. You are my everything.
Nothing is more important than you. You hear me? Yeah, all right,
I'll see you to Mark to market com enrichment's been written save Minnesota Bastion
parent company, Paper Valley. When I started working at WIBC, America was
rapidly changing. I was doing stories on McCarthyism, the counterculture, the riots,
the oil crisis, Vietnam. But by nineteen seventy seven, if you
tuned into WIBC and heard Fred Heckman, you didn't get the news. You've
got stories about leaky ceilings or lost kittens, maybe the occasional corporate misconduct.
I don't know if the news lost me or I lost the news, but
something was missing. Jim, Yes, come in and Pat, Jim,
did you hear about the thing? No, we got something developed in downtown,
something developing, like something big. It's I mean it's not small.
Well, whatever it is, keep it away from Fred. He's still in
the building. Something away from Fred. I mean it's a hostage situation down
he's going to find out Dick Hall, the mortgage guy. Yeah, that
guy's got a gun strapped to his head. I sent Paul, I said
Tom, I sent every time five mile radios. All right, Fred is
out this morning. He's gonna want to chase his story. Just keep it
between us. Jim. It's kind of a thing. I mean, he's
gonna find out. Just don't tell him. Let's just say, hypothetically I
bump into him. I don't care. Send him to me, all right,
A Dan, turn on Wish Ronnie, get Gary out here and wrap
him on the new copy Well eight for commercial and then prep him on coffee.
Barb barb wow. I don't believe it. The last miracle of Jim
Hilliard. And before eight pm, I'll have to send him a fruit basket.
You'll think you're calling him a basket case. Oh my, you look
terrific. You smell terrific. I'm trying something new. Oh soap, No,
no, itch, you have to be nice to me today. I'll
be nice if you're nice. Evidently you made a bad riddle estate deal.
You're Did he come in with a shot? How did you know who's that?
I've heard ten different pronunciations today, Tony curtzystems something. I'm just letting
him wander around that side gun right out in the open. I've never seen
anything like it. They say, what this guy wants him? Yeah,
I don't know it, manly, I don't know. They get any closer.
He's going to shoot that man's head off. Isn't that Dick Hall's place?
Looks like it? Oh, I'll be right back. Confirmation that police
haven't greef to give Tony Curtz police cruiser. God, they're giving him a
car? What they're giving him a squad car? They're gonna let him drive
around in one of their cruisers. That's what happened in New York. Right,
they drove that guy at the airport. Who is this guy? Caught
him there? Huh? I don't know where you're talking about the movie about
the bank robbery? Oh right, yeah, Jane, Jane, can you
get Jim on for me? What do you mean he's out? I hear
him in the background. Jane, you're the worst liar. What's this thing
downtown? This hostage situation? It's Dick Hall. I mean we know this
guy. Do we have anyone on this? Gary? Are you kidding me?
Okay? Thanks Jane. Richard Hall just burying into the cruiser with Richard
Hall in the driver's seat. Carinus has not lowered his gun. Funny looking
a little fellow, isn't he You're like the troll or another storybook. Looks
like he was never taught to smile. Here. Wait, we're exchanging now.
You know I don't like waiting. Well, better be a pearl necklace.
Just open it. Oh honey, this yeah, this is tremendous.
You like it all right? Elgin's been out of business for near ten years.
I know a guy. Honey, it's perfect. It's it's just absolutely
perfect. Came here, m all right your turn? Let me uh hold
on it. Uh, don't give me that look. It exists, I
promise, and I get a whole show too. Hang on, I have
it. It's here. I know it's somewhere and was allegedly barricaded into Damn,
it's in my desk. You can get it tomorrow. No, I
can get it right now. Fred, I'll be I'll be right back.
I won't be twenty minutes. We got uh what time of the reservations,
plenty of time. I'll be right back. You look amazing. I'll be
right back. Well, I I've been trouble with him my whole life.
All I ever wanted was the story, the big one, the one that
puts you on the map, the one that takes the country by storm and
hits the national zeitgeist, capturing America's it's and minds. That was the dream,
my dream. And then one day, like a turbocharged V eight the
Indy five hundred, the dream finally hit me. And all I can say
to that is be careful what you wish for now? Holding Grinchard Hall Hoptach
in his own apartment, which he plays his wire to blow. Jim,
we're holding Garry. Are okay? Gank you, Jim? Eventually we need
our news director Mark Gary can handle it, all right, Jim. If
I see him, I'm not gonna lie on. Oh God, he's coming
in. Oh Jesus, he's coming back in the door. I'm out of
im out, I'm at my hands clean. I'm not I'm not gonna lie
on. Jim. What's the story, Jim, it's it's it's nothing story,
Jim. What are you? What are you doing back? Why is
the entire IPD parked outside Esterhouse mortgage? Well, there there's a bit of
a story developing. But what kind of story? Jim? All right,
what do you want me to say? It is a bit of a situation,
Jim. That's a hostage crisis. Yeah, it's a bit of a
hostage crisis. When did this start earlier? This morning, some guy burst
into esterhouse with a shotgun and he's holding Richard Hall as hostage. Jesus Christ,
he's got something he calls a dead man's line. What it's some kind
of murderous contraption that binds him to Hall. The police shoot him and Hall
dies too, so he's basically handcuffed himself to his hostage. I was just
about to call Chief Gallagher for confirmation. I'll call him what and No,
this is important, so is your anniversary. Don't be like that, so
I suggest either way, go home. We got Gary in prep right now.
Gary? Yeah, Gary, heavier guy, enviable hair. I think
you hired him, Gary, Are you kidding? I'm here. I'm staying.
Gary can handle it. Bullshit. It's a hostage situation, not a
centenarian's birthday the nursing. Look. Look, I don't care if you stay
or go. Fred. You want to stay here, that's on you.
Come on. You can't expect me to ignore a story like this. I
don't expect you to do anything, but as your friend, I advise you
to place your family first. I'll go down to the scene, introduce the
story, and then zip right home. Fred. This job is a promise.
Now, it's a promise to the American people that I'll be here for
them when a story breaks, to guide them through the noise and tell them
the truth. The only thing you've promised the American people is that you're going
home to your wife. But it's your day off. We pay Gary to
cover the news. It happened on his watch, Jim, why are you
even back here? Well, Barbara's gift is in my office. Well that
sounds just a tad convenient, Fred, Oh, don't give me that.
Either way, I suggest you get the gift and go home. Fucking Gary,
Are you kidding me? Fred? It could be over in five minutes
or it could be five days. Either way. I'm sure you'll be covering
it at some point. But Gary is down there, and that's the way
it is. You know, you're a real asshole. Sometimes being an asshole
doesn't keep me up at night. It's fucking up the job that does.
Yeah, get whatever you headed in to get and then get out of here.
Tell Gary not to get comfortable. All right, where did I put
it? Huh? All right? As a journalist, my code is simple.
Always take the call. A ringing phone doesn't sound the same to an
ordinary person as it does to a journalist. If a phone rings in a
room with a reporter and they don't pick it up, they're not a reporter.
Simple as that. You always take the call. Fred Heckman, w
IBC. Yes, mister Heckman, say Sheila Smith with the Indiana Belle Telephone
Company. Yes, ma'am. What can I do for you? Well,
I am calling because a man named Anthony Curitzis has been attempting to ring into
the WIBC offices and he's been asking for you, specifically Curitzus. He said,
yes, sir, keep the man on the news, Yes, ma'am.
Did he did? He say what he wanted. He says that he
needs to talk to you because you will understand all the goddamn shit I have
to say. That's a direct quote. I see, okay, And how
many calls has he made? Fourteen in the past hour? Fourteen? You
said, yes, sir, fourteen? I see, yeah, right,
Well, I'll tell you what. If you could give me that number,
I think I might be able to take him off your hands for you,
Miss Smith, of course. Okay, are you ready? It's five five
zero nine is one er and I need one? Thank you? Ma'am.
Thank you, sir. Would you like me to tell him that you'll be
calling if he calls back? Uh? You know what, why don't you?
You can tell him that I have his number? All right, all
right, have a good day, sir. You do the same. Oh
Christ, mm hmm, I don't know. I have none of that shit
anymore. You'll hear me, I swear the Christ that there is just more
bullshit lawyer talk. I'll chuck his head out the windows. So goddamn fast
work, and I will be asked for autograph. Hello. Hello, this
is Fred Heckman with w IBC boshit. No, sir, this is Fred
Heckman. This is really Fred Heckman. Yes, is this mister Kurtzis Yes,
sir, Yes, sir, you can. You can call me Tony,
sir. I called so many times. I thought I broke your phone.
That's what they've been telling. Yeah. I listened to you every morning,
sir, every morning, but I wasn't able to today. Well that's
that's you know, that's very flattering, Tony. We tried to. It's
important to us that we do our best for our listeners. Well, now
it's your turn to listen, sir, Okay, you're gonna help me straighten
this shit out for me, mister Heckman. You know I trust you,
just man to man. I want to say, I've been listening to you
from your twenty years and I really respect you and how you distinguish yourself from
the other newscaster, so you know there's no fucking fluff with you, and
I respect that because I'm fucking sick and tired of listening to the radio and
here were nothing but fucking fluffing rod start. I'm fucking sick of rodster rots
filled themselves. Okay, well, thank you for the compliment, Tony.
What is it that do you think I can do for you. I've been
talking to these dumb motherfuckers and cops and lawyers all day now and they just
can't keep up with me and they can't get anything right. And I figure
out if I'm going to get out where I need to get out, I
have to invest my story in the proper fucking channels. And that means you,
mister Heckman. I see, I want an interview. I want to
give you an exclusive something live for all the people at home so they get
it and they fucking know just what happened because I don't trust anyone else to
get it out. You know, I've been watching the news reports on the
TV all day and the things they've been saying, so many things are bullshit,
and the record has got to be set straight right fucking quick. You
know, I've seen that they put my mukshout on TV, and I don't
know where in the hell they got that. I don't think I ever looked
worse. But what they're doing right now is straight up character assassination. And
I need the record set straight right now. And you're that avenue, mister
Heckman. They trust you, and I trust you, and what you say
might as well be gospel. So you're gonna help me. I see you
want an interview, yes, but I'm going to tell you right now.
I don't like repeating myself, mister Heckman, like repeating myself, so don't
make me repeat myself. Tony. I think that I think I can understand
your perspective and that you might be worried about what everyone is saying about Satan,
what they're lying about, because it's all lies. I've been maligned with
no defense whatsoever. Okay, is mister Hall with you? Yes? Sir,
Yes, sir, he is. I've got him here tied up to
the ass end of a twelve gage. And the way it works is I
go down. If those pigs shoot me, then the gun goes off.
I got Dick calling a dead man's line me to myself, and he goes
where I go. And that's the same for heaven or hill. I see.
Can I talk to him? Why? Well, I'm a reporter,
Tony. I like to get the full story, and that means I have
to check in on the other person involved in all this. Well, he's
not going to give you the proper account. You can't trust to some of
them as far as you can throw him. Well, it makes me feel
better to know that I've covered my bases. It seems to me that you're
someone who can understand why a man would think it's important he do all of
his job and not just half of it. Yeah, nope, that's right.
So if it's okay with you, I I'd like to speak with him.
Okay, here he isn't now. It's Fred Hickman from the radio.
He wants to talk to you, mister Heckman. I'm here. Everything he's
saying is true. He's gotten me all wired up. Don't tell you're a
son of a bitch. I'm a son of a bitch now, you know
I am playing mister Hickman. No, no, no, I don't think
you're playing, Tony. You see you seem like a very serious man.
Goddamn right, goddamn seriously as it gets now, I'm a mad, mean,
motherfucker baby, and I don't never have much frighten went to take and
these motherfuckers they find some way, they find some way to take it all
in the man as hell. I swear to god, he's almost as good
as that. He's never been closer to the than he is. Right now,
Okay, okay, let's let's just hang on now, Tony, let's
let's you and me talk. Why don't Why don't we talk? Okay,
you got me here on the phone. We just let's You're just gonna have
to give me a second adjust to the situation. Can you can you do
that for me? Tony? Hey, I can do that. Look,
I just I've never done anything like this before, So I I hope you
can find a way to be patient with me. I've been patient with this
motherfucker for four years. I got patience for you, mister Kman. I
know you're not gonna do all that psycho mumbo jumbo horse shit they've been trying
to pull on me all day. Well, I'm gonna do my best to
get you what you need. Tony. I really appreciate that, sir.
I got a lot of respect for you, mister Aikman. I really appreciate
just how upright you are and all that. Well, thank you, Tony.
Now, when are we doing this interview? Well, Tony, I'll
tell you what I think we might be able to work thing. I'll need
to talk to my producer Jim to get everything squared up. You can be
a bit of a process to get everything together. But I do want to
help Tony. Okay, let me ask you something, mister Eckman, go
ahead. You know I'm a serious man. I certainly do you think I'm
going to do it? And I don't mean if I have the potential to
do it. I mean I want to know if you know I'm gonna do
it. Well, Tony, I think you are mad enough about this that
to you it would make sense to do it now. I don't know exactly
what you're mad about yet, and I think that we can get to the
bottom of this without anyone getting hurt. So my answer to your question is
I don't know. I do know that I want to get to know you.
I want to hear your side of all this, and that way,
it's a question we don't need to answer, Tony. Tony, I like
you, mister Heckman, But if you don't have an answer for me about
that interview, in one hour, I'm blowing Dick Call's head off, and
I'm sending you the parts. Oh my god, next time on American hostage.
What in the hell do you mean you've already talked to him. Three
are Dick Hall's best shot at survival. You can't go down there. The
news says he's got his apartment building wire to blow the whole corporation. I
know how to ring up a shotgun, and I know how to ring up
a box. Not a single one of your predecessors would have sat on this.
They're making yourself the story. Frand you have a wife and family,
Fred, I'm sure do you know you're talking to me? Tony? Was
I always a part of your plan? Here? Call me soon, Fred,
Now leave me waiting out. You are American Hostage is an Amazon Original
and criminal content production written by C. D. Carpenter, directed by Sean
Christiansen, produced by Adam Volerich and Brendan Hubbard. Executive produced by John Hamm,
Sean Christiansen and Gabriel Mason, starring John Hamm, Carla Gugino, Joe
Perino, and Dylan Baker, with additional performances by Sean Christiansen, James O'Connor,
Christina Brucado, Robert Rowe. Sound designed by Brandon Jones, composed by
Darren Morsey, Editing by Thomas Beach, Sean Christiansen and Adam Voleriche. Recording
and engineering by Dave Williams, Mixing, mastering and additional editing by Nick Messidi.
I d Reads by Natalie Prass for Amazon Music. Executive producers are Morgan
Jones and Dave Easton. Senior producer is Eliza Mills. Special thanks to Jacob
Braunstein, Phil Sanchez, Chris Davis, Jack Parker, Marcellino, b Elpondo,
Stephanie Walknein, Blad Norman Vanessa Rebert, Sam Petherbridge, Cale Bittner,
Alice Zoe, Trevor McNeil ty, Jacobson, Rich Sherman Marshall, Louie w
IBC, Wish TV, and Creative Artists Agency