Alcatraz The Whole Shocking Story (1980)

Filmed on location at Alcatraz Island this twopart whole story actually concentrates on a handful of the denizens behind the cold grey walls of The Rock Michael Beck plays the reallife Clarence Carnes an Oklahoma Choctaw Indian said to be the youngest man ever incarcerated in the notorious maximum security prison Serving a 99year sentence for a gas station holdup and murder Carnes makes periodic attempts to escape the final attempt being the most violent Many of the subordinate characters are fictional as are most of the details concerning Carnes escape efforts the one exception is Robert Stroud the Birdman of Alcatraz here portrayed by Art Carney as a gentle kindly philosopher Telly Savalas a costar of the Burt Lancaster vehicle Birdman of Alcatraz also guest starred in the 1980 film Originally titled Alcatraz and Clarence Carnes this madeforTV movie wavers between gritty realism and Im bustin outta here artifice