Two years later came midnight express, based on his book, starring brad davis as a narcissistic, selfcentered hayes, and translating the story into a passion play of violence, sexuality, morality and indignation. Billy moved to hollywood and found work as an actor, writer and director, but his ordeal remains a central part of his life. In october 1975, billy made a brazen escape from imrali island prison by rowing 17 miles across the sea of marmara in a raging storm. Soundtrack to alan parkers 1978 columbia pictures movie midnight express starring brad davis, irene miracle, john hurt and billy hayes. All of which is chronicled in a new documentary, midnight return. West coast premiere of riding the midnight express with billy hayes billy hayes recounts the true story of his arrest in 1970 at the istanbul airport with two kilos of hashish taped to his body. Sagmalcilar to imrali, an island prison 17 miles offshore in the sea of marmara. Oct 08, 2014 five years later, he escaped from imrali island prison in the dead of night rowing 17 miles across the sea of marmara in a raging storm. The real billy hayes was arrested by turkey in 1970, were told, and imprisoned on a charge of trying to smuggle hashish out of the country.
With the added boost of a movie tiein paperback, midnight express rapidly. The highest peak is turk tepesi at an altitude of 217 metres above sea level. Billy hayes leapt from prison isolation to international notoriety when the book about his five years in and escape from a turkish prison became a worldwide bestseller, and an academy awardwinning film. And of course, as everyone knows, hollywood comes calling and his book is turned into a motion picture starring brad davis as hayes. Billy hayesbilly hayes is an american writer, actor, and film director. A classic story of survival and human endurance, told with humor, honesty, and heart, it became the academy awardwinning blockbuster film of the same name. Billy hayes, american author, who wrote the book midnight express and was the subject of locked up abroad. Mar 22, 2019 five years later, billy escaped from imrali island prison in the dead of night rowing 17 miles across the sea of marmara in a raging storm. The group started in the early 1980s with dennis condrey and randy rose and originally norvell austin. The story of billy hayes and turkey, which recently played at the cannes film festival, marking billys return there, 39 years after midnight express.
Midnight express 1977 is a classic memoir of hayes time in a turkish prison, during which he was beaten, had a mental breakdown, and saw his sentence increased from a young william hayes did not think about that, the downside was years in a turkish prison the upside is this book. Transferred to imrali, an island prison, he started work on his escape, which. On his return to the us, hayes wrote midnight express. Oct 21, 2015 billy hayes was a 23yearold us student who was caught attempting to smuggle hashish out of turkey in 1970.
The ten most daring great escapes in history itv news. Now live on stage performed by the man who lived it. Survivor tells the real story behind shocking cinema classic midnight express. Oct 04, 2010 after his escape four years later, he told his story in the bestselling book midnight express, which oliver stone and alan parker turned into an oscarwinning film starring brad davis as hayes. The show helps bring all that togetherand from a 67yearolds perspective.
At the cannes premiere of the movie, billy met his wife wendy and they have been together ever since. The turkish high court sentenced him to life in prison. Apr 26, 2011 in 1970, billy hayes, a 23yearold new york student, was caught attempting to smuggle hashish out of turkey. In 1977, hayes wrote the book midnight express about his ordeal. Billy hayes writer, born 1947 william hayes born april 3, 1947 is an american writer, actor, and film director. Midnight express first he wrote the bestselling book. Billy hayes talks about visiting istanbul after being the most hated. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Five years later, billy escaped from imrali island prison in the dead of night rowing 17 miles across the sea of marmara in a raging storm.
What the filmmakers hadnt anticipated was just how deeply they had offended the turkish. Survivor tells the real story behind shocking cinema classic. Midnight express is a 1978 prison neo noir drama film directed by alan parker, produced by david puttnam and written by oliver stone, based on billy hayes 1977 nonfiction book midnight express. Hello select your address best sellers todays deals new releases books electronics gift ideas customer service home computers sell todays deals. It measures 8 kilometres 5 miles in the northsouth direction with a width of 3 kilometres 2 miles, and has an area of 9. Published in 18 languages, the book was an instant bestseller.
Imrali island and the midnight express top 10 prison escapes time. Jun 06, 1976 according to the son, he escaped from imrali island prison by rowboat at 11 p. Five years later, he escaped from imrali island prison in the dead of night rowing 17 miles across the sea of marmara in a raging storm. It is currently a prison island, so it is prohibited to fly over the island or fish near its shores.
His experiences of turkish prisons, including the one on imrali island from which he escaped in 1975, inspired his 1977 book midnight express, later filmed by alan parker. Billy hayes is an american writer, actor, and film director. Based on a true story of bill hayes, from the same titled book by billy hayes and william hoffer. Billy used to hang out around bluepoint and sayville long island and drugs were everywhere. The midnight express was a professional wrestling tag team of changing members, mostly under the management of jim cornette. The new yorker became famous in the 70s for midnight express, his.
When his sentence was weeks from ending, hayes received an extended sentence of 30 years. Midnight express tells the gutwrenching true story of a young mans incarceration and escape from a turkish prison. Burning the midnight express oil with billy hayes a. Billy hayes brad davis is an american tourist visiting turkey. He was sentenced at first to imprisonment of three to five years, but then the turkish authorities decided to try him on a more serious charge. Oct 02, 2008 buy midnight express by hayes, billy, hoffer, william isbn. The message of midnight express isnt dont go to turkey, he said recently. How a hippie hash runner from long island escaped from. Convicted drug smuggler tells the true story behind midnight express the 1978 film made billy hayes, jailed in turkey for attempting to smuggle hash.
Billy hayes, author of midnight express, which was made into a feature. Riding the midnight express nyc discount theatre tickets. In 1970, billy hayes, a 23yearold new york student, was caught attempting to smuggle hashish out of turkey. Survivor tells the real story behind shocking cinema. When i speak with him now, billy is preparing to leave for beirut, where he will be performing his oneman show. When hayes, only 54 days short of his promised freedom, is given a new 30year sentence. Imrali island and the midnight express top 10 prison. According to the son, he escaped from imrali island prison by rowboat at 11 p. The unbelievable true story of the worlds most infamous. Smith, randy quaid, norbert weisser, peter jeffrey and john hurt. Jan 21, 2015 from imrali island prison in the dead of night rowing 17 miles across the sea of marmara in a raging storm. May 16, 2016 midnight express 1978, produced by david puttnam, won two oscars and very quickly assumed cult status.
He was jailed in imrali island and in one of the most secured prisons, his. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He wrote a book about his ordeal entitled midnight express, which was later filmed starring brad davis and directed by alan parker the film is different from the true story in many respects, not least in that the turkish guards never raped him nor did he kill any of them. Billy hayes was a 23yearold us student who was caught attempting to smuggle hashish out of turkey in 1970.
Apr 24, 1977 midnight express, by billy hayes and william hoffer, published by e. About riding the midnight express with billy hayes. Now, following its critically acclaimed offbroadway run at the barrow street theatre. Imrali island and the midnight express top 10 prison escapes. Midnight return picks up where midnight express left off. The midnight express professional wrestling wikipedia. Hello select your address best sellers todays deals new releases books electronics gift ideas customer service home computers sell todays deals new releases books electronics gift ideas customer service home computers sell. Billy hayes, american writer, who wrote the book midnight express and the documentor of episode of locked up abroad. He was sentenced to just over four years in prison and was eventually transferred to imrali island in the bosphorus strait. How a hippie hash runner from long island escaped from turkey. It stars brad davis, irene miracle, bo hopkins, paolo bonacelli, paul l. Midnight express 1978, produced by david puttnam, won two oscars and very quickly assumed cult status. Riding the midnight express with billy hayes sets record.
Transferred to imrali, an island prison, he started work on his escape, which sounds like the plot of a movie in. Admittedly there are many better written books on turkey to peruse, including. Fascinating and compelling story of life after prison. Back home, billy writes a novel, midnight express the prison slang for escape about his arrest, imprisonment and escape from the turkish jail island. Midnight express by billy hayes, 1977, popular library edition, in english midnight express 1977 edition open library. Based on a true story of bill hayes, from the same titled book. The late 1980s saw a new incarnation, consisting of bobby eaton and stan lane, compete in jcp and wcw and briefly feuding with the original midnight express of. After his escape four years later, he told his story in the bestselling book midnight express, which oliver stone and alan parker turned into an oscarwinning film starring brad davis as hayes. Hayes arrived at kennedy international airport in new york on 24 october 1975. Jul 16, 20 midnight express was rereleased in march 20 along with a new book from billy hayes titled, the midnight express letters. Jan 24, 2020 if they read my book, midnight express, its something else. Its dont be an idiot like i was, and try to smuggle drugs. Burning the midnight express oil with billy hayes a 420.
It was a stormy night and he rowed for seven hours in choppy waters before landing near the village of. Billy hayes born april 3, 1947 is an american writer, actor, and film director. Midnight express, by billy hayes and william hoffer, published by e. Riding the midnight express, soho theatre a younger. Full of killings and sexual assault, the film became one of the biggest hits of the 70s.
The real billy hayes regrets midnight express cast all. If they read my book, midnight express, its something else. He is best known for his autobiographical book midnight express about his. Oct 03, 2010 survivor tells the real story behind shocking cinema classic midnight express. Apr 26, 2011 imrali island and the midnight express by frances romero in 1970, billy hayes, a 23yearold new york student, was caught attempting to smuggle hashish out of turkey. Midnight express tells the gutwrenching true story of a young ma. Aug 17, 2014 in october 1975, billy made a brazen escape from imrali island prison by rowing 17 miles across the sea of marmara in a raging storm. A classic story of survival and human endurance, told with humor, honesty, and heart, it became a worldwide bestseller and the academy awardwinning blockbuster film of the same name. However on the 2nd october 1975, hayes took advantage of his guards lack of attention and managed to steal a boat and row to the coast. Buy midnight express by hayes, billy, hoffer, william isbn. He was jailed for four years and was transferred to imrali island in the bosphorus. He wrote up his experiences in the book midnight express, which was then adapted into the movie in 1978.
And of course, as everyone knows, hollywood comes calling and his book is turned into a motion picture starring brad davis as. Oh and the distance between imrali island and the turkish mainland which. The bastille in paris used to be a very heavily guarded prison. In 1970 billy hayes was an english major who left college in search of. Giorgio moroder midnight express music from the original. Riding the midnight express at joburg theatre youtube. Midnight express tale hits the stage in riding the midnight express, billy hayes, who grew up in north babylon, retells the story of his imprisonment in turkey and subsequent escape. He recounted his escape in his book the midnight express which was adapted into a film in 1978. Oct 05, 2015 five years later, billy escaped from imrali island prison in the dead of night rowing 17 miles across the sea of marmara in a raging storm. He is best known for his autobiographical book midnight express about his experiences in and escape from a turkish prison after being convicted of smuggling hashish.
It measures 8 kilometres in the northsouth direction with a width of 3 kilometres, and has an area of 9. After captivating audiences at the edinburgh fringe festival, now for the first time on the new york stage, billy hayes recounts his time in a turkish. How a hippie hash runner from long island escaped from turkeys alcatraz and inspired midnight express by. Imrali island and the midnight express by frances romero in 1970, billy hayes, a 23yearold new york student, was caught attempting to smuggle hashish out of turkey.
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