American Hostage miniseries dramatizes 1977 hostage crisis

The miniseries ‘American Hostage’ explores the true story of Tony Kiritsis, an Indianapolis businessman who in February 1977 took mortgage broker Richard Hall hostage for 63 hours. Kiritsis utilized a ‘dead man’s line’—a homemade shotgun modification where a wire around the hostage's neck was connected to the trigger—to prevent police intervention.

Driven by a belief that he was being cheated in a real estate scheme, Kiritsis demanded $5 million, a public apology, and a radio interview. The event gained significant public sympathy at the time. The production stars Giovanni Ribisi as Kiritsis and Jon Hamm, serving as a dramatization of the events that inspired a 2022 podcast.