Escape from Alcatraz

Frank Morris

Warden

Doc

Clarence Anglin

John Anglin

English

Charley Butts

Wolf

Litmus

Johnson

Wagner

Zimmerman

Fight Guard

Medical Technical Assistant

Exam Guard

Beck

Cellblock Captain

Bobs

Cranston

Stone

Lucy

Associate Warden

English's Daughter

Police Sgt.

Exam Guard

Weston

Helicopter Pilot

Visitors' Guard

Guard

Guard

Guard

Guard

Guard

Guard

Guard

Guard

Guard

Guard

Guard (as Joseph Knowland)

Guard

Guard

Guard

Guard

Guard (as Gary F. Warren)

Guard (as Joe Whipp)

Guard

Guard

Inmate

Inmate

Inmate

Inmate

Inmate

Inmate

Inmate

Minor Role (uncredited)

Director Don Siegel had previously visited the Alcatraz Prison when it was still operational in order to do research for his earlier film Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954) made and released about twenty-five years earlier.

It is alleged, in the actual 1962 escape, that Morris and the Anglin brothers were picked up by a motor launch during their swim. Coast Guard records state that a motorboat without running lights did exit the Golden Gate on the night of the escape. Also, several months after the escape, one of the guards in the Anglin brothers' cell block supposedly received a blank postcard from Brazil. However, this escape scenario is very unlikely. As shown in the film, when prisoners received visitors at Alcatraz, the prison guards were listening in on prisoner/visitor conversations, to prevent escape attempts being discussed. All prisoner mail was read and censored before it was mailed from the prison. Therefore, it would have been next to impossible for Morris and the Anglin brothers to arrange for a launch to pick them up without the guards discovering their escape plan. A week after the 1962 escape, a sea freighter coming into San Francisco spotted a dead body floating in the Pacific Ocean, wearing an Alcatraz prison uniform. It is likely that none of the three escapees survived the attempt.

During filming, tourists were still allowed onto the island, and a new boatload would arrive every half-hour. They became so much of a distraction that the majority of filming was moved to night shoots.

When Doc chops his fingers off, a brief close-up on the severed hand and fingers reveal that they are clearly made of prosthetics, and there are no fingernails on the rubber parts.

The cell occupied by Frank's blockmate Charlie Butts.

In the final scene when the warden is looking around Angel Island (after the escape) on a shot of San Francisco from Angel Island, you can see the Pyramid Building or Trans-America Pyramid, not built until the 1970s.

Litmus: I'm Litmus. Like Litmus paper. When it gets cold, my face gets blue. And when it's hot, my face gets red.

Prison Guard: Do you like the Hole Wolf? Because you are going to rot in there for a long time. Is this interesting? Interesting? Yes No | Share this Share this: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Permalink Hide options Frank Morris: Goodbye, boy.

English: [after Doc chopped off his fingers] I heard about Doc, and I know why he did it. Somebody took away his painting privileges.