438: The Capone's Vault Fiasco w/ William Hazelgrove

438: The Capone's Vault Fiasco w/ William Hazelgrove

Author: Blue Ewe Media May 15, 2026 Duration: 53:16
In 1986, The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vaults drew a larger audience than the Super Bowl or David Frost’s interview with Richard Nixon. The special was intended as a comeback for journalist Geraldo Rivera, built around the dramatic opening of a "vault" beneath Chicago’s Lexington Hotel, rumored to contain Al Capone’s riches. But when the vault was finally opened live the moment didn’t deliver what millions of viewers were expecting. My guest is William Hazelgrove, author of Capone’s Vault: The Real Story of the Biggest Disaster in Television History. His book traces how the idea came together, combining Rivera’s career arc with the mythology of Capone’s hidden fortune, and reconstructs the broadcast itself along with its fallout, showing how the event became a defining example of live television gone wrong. The author's website: https://www.williamhazelgrove.com/ The author on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@williamhazelgrove 30% off sitewide at Batch! Go here and support the show: ⁠⁠⁠hellobatch.com/NOTORIOUS⁠⁠⁠ and use the code NOTORIOUS at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Step back in time and explore the darkest corners of the past with Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast. This isn't just another crime show; it's a deep dive into the historical context that shaped infamous acts and the figures behind them. From the ruthless gangsters of the Prohibition era to the chilling methods of Victorian-era murderers, each episode unpacks a story rooted in its specific moment in history. Host Erik Rivenes acts as your guide, conducting thoughtful interviews with authors and historians who have dedicated years to researching their subjects. These conversations move beyond sensational headlines to deliver nuanced narratives filled with detail and scholarly accuracy. You'll hear about forgotten tragedies, legendary outlaws, and societal disasters, all presented with a focus on understanding the why and how within the framework of the past. Tune in for a compelling blend of education and narrative, where every story is a piece of historical truth, often more fascinating and complex than fiction. This podcast from Blue Ewe Media connects the dots between crime and history, offering a rich, thoroughly researched listening experience for anyone curious about the shadows cast across different centuries.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast
Podcast Episodes
386:  America's Nazi POW Murders w/ William Geroux [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:21
The American government was faced with an unprecedented challenge: where to house the nearly 400,000 German prisoners of war plucked from the battlefield and shipped across the Atlantic. On orders from President Franklin…
385:  The 1870 Murder of A.P. Crittenden w/ Gary Krist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:03
Shortly before dusk on November 3, 1870, just as the ferryboat El Capitan was pulling away from its slip into San Francisco Bay, a woman clad in black emerged from the shadows and strode across the crowded deck. Reaching…
384:  The 1943 Murders of Dr. Roy & Mae Hunt w/ Christena Stephens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:56
On a nearly moonless night in October 1943, a single gunshot rang out in Littlefield, Texas. A prominent Texas doctor and his wife were found bound, shot, beaten, and murdered. The only witness: their five-year-old daugh…
MoNo Encore: The Murder of Carol Thompson w/ Bill Swanson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:51
(Original pub date: 3/11/20) While the Coen brothers refuse to confirm it, many believe that their movie "Fargo" was inspired by the Carol Thompson murder case. She was viciously killed in her comfortable Saint Paul home…
383: The Mysterious Disappearance  of Molly Zelko w/ Rod Kackley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:24
Molly Zelko was the crusading editor and publisher of the Spectator, a newspaper devoted to battling local gangsters operating slot machines and other rackets in Joliet, Illinois. In the late night hours of September 25,…
381: Alabama's Kilpatrick Shooting w/ Lesa Carnes Shaul [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:18
Close to midnight on May 17, 1951, four north Alabama lawmen drove to a bootlegger’s home to serve an arrest warrant. Before the clock struck twelve, the bootlegger lay dead in front of the house he shared with his wife…
380:  Murder in Blackout London w/ Amy Helen Bell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:57
My guest today is Dr. Amy Helen Bell, author of "Under Cover of Darkness: Murders in Blackout London". She shares accounts of the terror, tragedy and crime experienced by Londoners during the blackout and the blitz in 19…
379:  The Pan Am Flight 7 Seven Crash  w/ Ken Fortenberry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:37
My guest this week is award-winning journalist Ken Fortenberry, author of "Flight 7 Is Missing: The Search for My Father's Killer". He walks us through the ill-fated flight of Pan Am's luxurious "Romance of the Skies", a…