Geraldo Rivera reflects on Al Capone vault special 40 years later, reveals backstory

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• 🔥 Quick Facts
• The Spectacular Build-Up to Television’s Greatest Letdown
• When the Vault Doors Opened, Hope Died
• The Legacy and Lasting Impact of the Special
• Rivera’s Complex Emotions Forty Years Later
• What Does It Mean That Four Decades Later, People Still Remember?
  • Sources

Geraldo Rivera remains fascinated by his infamous 1986 Al Capone vault special, which aired exactly 40 years ago Tuesday. The broadcast drew 30 million viewers worldwide, making it a television phenomenon that defined an era of live television journalism and forever changed how networks approach compelling storytelling.

The Spectacular Build-Up to Television’s Greatest Letdown

The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vaults was billed as the television event of the decade. Rivera arrived by helicopter at Chicago’s Lexington Hotel where Capone once commanded his criminal empire from 1928 to 1931. The two-hour live special featured Rivera’s dramatic introduction: “Directly beneath me, in this hotel’s rubble-strewn basement, a massive concrete chamber has been discovered. And there is evidence to suggest that this vault once belonged to Al Capone, the richest, most powerful gangster of his time.”

Producers promised audiences Prohibition-era secrets, hidden treasure, weapons, and possibly human remains. A medical examiner stood ready. Demolition crews were prepared. CBS reporter John Drummond even compared the anticipated discovery to finding King Tut’s tomb. The hype was astronomical.

When the Vault Doors Opened, Hope Died

Rivera used live explosives to breach the concrete vault while cameras rolled continuously. Anticipation built as dust cleared and the moment arrived. Instead of gold, cash, or evidence of other crimes, the excavation team found only dirt, debris, and empty bottles. One bottle allegedly contained moonshine bathtub gin from the Prohibition era. That was it.

The broadcast became an instant punchline. “Al Capone’s Vault” soon became shorthand for an overhyped event that delivers nothing. Producer John Joslyn took the disappointment gracefully, telling Drummond, “Disappointment, of course, John. But it’s been a terrific adventure. I wouldn’t have passed it up for anything.”

The Legacy and Lasting Impact of the Special

Aspect	Details
Format	Live syndicated television special
Duration	Two hours of live, continuous coverage
Host	Geraldo Rivera, veteran broadcast journalist
Historical Significance	Launched reality television era

Author William Hazelgrove, who published “Capone’s Vault: The Real Story of the Biggest Disaster in Television History” this year, offers perspective on the special’s cultural impact. He told WGN-TV Chicago that Rivera’s program actually launched reality television. “What they realized was, you didn’t have to have a payoff. It was the ride. It was the ride that people loved,” Hazelgrove explained during the 40th anniversary celebrations.

“It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, when we opened the damn vault… the vault was empty. They’re still talking about it. I think that that’s an accomplishment, even if they inscribe it on my tombstone.”

— Geraldo Rivera, Broadcast Journalist

Rivera’s Complex Emotions Forty Years Later

Today, Geraldo Rivera serves as a correspondent-at-large for NewsNation. He looks back at the Al Capone vault special with mixed emotions, describing his feelings as “bemusement, some embarrassment,” and “a little bit of pride.” The broadcast actually beat the Super Bowl in ratings that year, an extraordinary feat given that Chicago was competing in the championship game itself.

When asked during a recent NewsNation Prime interview, Rivera reflected on the moment: “It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, when we opened the damn vault, the vault was empty. They’re still talking about it. I think that’s an accomplishment, even if they inscribe it on my tombstone.” His career continued after that night. He hosted his syndicated talk show until 1998, launched Rivera Live on CNBC in 1994, and eventually joined Fox News in 2001.

What Does It Mean That Four Decades Later, People Still Remember?

The Al Capone vault phenomenon transcended television to become part of American cultural vocabulary. Capone himself spent his final years in federal prison and Alcatraz before dying in Miami in 1947, never returning to Chicago after his arrest in 1931. He’s buried in a Catholic cemetery in the western suburb of Hillside. The Lexington Hotel itself was demolished in 1995. Yet the memory of that empty vault endures.

This 40th anniversary proves that sometimes the most memorable television moments aren’t about what you find, but about the collective experience of millions watching live as history unfolds. Rivera’s vault special remains one of the most iconic broadcasts ever attempted, not despite its emptiness, but perhaps because of it.

Sources

• NewsNation – Breaking news coverage of the 40th anniversary with Geraldo Rivera’s personal reflections
• History.com – Historical documentation of the April 21, 1986 special and its television impact
• WGN-TV Chicago – Anniversary interviews and analysis with author William Hazelgrove on the broadcast’s legacy