CHICAGO, IL, April 08, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Forty years after The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults captivated more than 30 million viewers, author William Elliott Hazelgrove will recreate the legendary vault opening live in Chicago on April 21, marking the 40th anniversary of the broadcast that changed television history.

Timed to the anniversary, Hazelgrove's new book, Capone's Vault (April 16), explores the behind-the-scenes story of the 1986 event—and how an "empty vault" helped usher in the era of modern reality television.

The April 21 live event will take place near the site of the original vault and will feature a full-scale visual recreation of the opening, offering media a compelling on-location segment tied to a major cultural milestone.

A Citywide Media Build to the Anniversary

Leading up to the live vault reveal, Hazelgrove will appear across Chicago and national media, building momentum toward the anniversary:

Broadcast & Radio Appearances

WGN Radio (Bob Sirott) — March 30
WCPT Chicago — April 13 (6:30 PM)
WGN-TV Chicago — April 16 (9:05 AM, release day)
Moody Radio (Janet Parshall, full hour, national) — April 16 (6 PM ET)
KZIM — April 17
WGN Radio (John Landecker) — April 20 (7:35 PM)

Events & Features

LIVE Capone's Vault Reveal — April 21 (40th anniversary)
Chicago Public Library event — April 22
Chicago Magazine — Feature interview
A Television Moment That Changed Everything

When Geraldo Rivera hosted the original broadcast in 1986, anticipation reached a national fever pitch. Though the vault itself yielded little, the event became a defining moment in television history—demonstrating the power of live, unscripted spectacle and paving the way for today's reality programming.

"People remember what wasn't in the vault," Hazelgrove said. "But what came out of it was something much bigger—the future of television."

Media Opportunities

The April 21 live event offers:

A highly visual, on-location segment tied to a major anniversary
A compelling media history and pop culture story
Access to archival context and original participant interviews
A unique opportunity to revisit one of the most-watched television events ever

Hazelgrove is available for live, remote, and in-studio interviews in the lead-up to and on the day of the anniversary.

William Hazelgrove is the National Bestselling author of ten novels and fourteen nonfiction titles. His books have received starred reviews in Publisher Weekly Kirkus, Booklist, Book of the Month Selections, ALA Editors Choice Awards Junior Library Guild Selections, Literary Guild Selections, History Book Club Selections, History Book Club Bestsellers, Distinguished Book Award. and optioned for the movies. He was the Ernest Hemingway Writer in Residence where he wrote in the attic of Ernest Hemingway's birthplace. He has written articles and reviews for USA Today, The Smithsonian Magazine, Daily Mail and other publications and has been featured on NPR All Things Considered. The New York Times, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, CSPAN, USA Today, World News Tonight have all covered his books with features. He has two forthcoming books, Capones Vault and Swept Away.

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