Al Capone Does My Shirts

Background and Intro

West Island College

Secondary I

Synopsis

• 1935

• Moose and his family move to Alcatraz

• His father is a prison guard

Alcatraz

• Also known as “The Rock”

• 1 mile from San Francisco

• Opened as a Federal prison in 1934

Break the rules and you go to prison.Break the prison rules and you go to Alcatraz…

Why Alcatraz?Fame:• Like today, in the 1930s some criminals were as famous as movie

stars. Alcatraz was created to make sure these criminals stayed out of the spotlight and received no special treatment.

Capone’s cell before Alcatraz:Capone’s cell at Alcatraz

Why Alcatraz?

Escape-proof:• Because of its geographic location and harsh

terrain, escaping from Alcatraz was close to impossible

• Alcatraz was the only prison at the time to offer hot showers to its prisoners. This was not meant to be a luxury; it was so that the prisoners would not become acclimatized to cold water and not be tempted to swim the frigid bay waters

Who was sent to Alcatraz?

• Problematic prisoners from other penitentiaries were sent to Alcatraz if they:

• Were considered a threat to other guards or prisoners

• Were suspected to attempt escape

• Were getting too much media attention

Al “Scarface” Capone

• Most famous criminal to enter Alcatraz

• Lost all special privileges and was reduced to the same status as all other inmates

• Bootlegger• Mafioso

George “Machine Gun” Kelly

• Kidnapped a wealthy oil tycoon

• Bank robber

• Was famous before entering Alcatraz

Robert “Birdman” Stroud

• Murderer• Once in prison, he

stabbed his cellmate, then killed a prison guard

• Sent to Alcatraz as final resort

• Became a bird expert while in Alcatraz