The True Story Of Dog Day Afternoon: Inside The Wild Real-Life Bank Robbery That Inspired The Iconic Film
FBIJohn Wojtowiczs mugshot after being brought in by the FBI. Most people know Dog Day Afternoon as the 1975 crime film starring Al Pacino. It tells the story of a Brooklyn bank robbery that quickly collapses into a tense hostage standoff and ends in tragedy. But the film is based on a real event, and the true story of Dog Day Afternoon is even wilder than the movie. Indeed, the real-life bank robbery, which took place in 1972 Brooklyn, was a dramatic, freewheeling affair. Crowds gathered outside the bank while reporters delivered live updates and, at one point, the bank robbers threw money into the crowd. Gradually, the crime scene transformed into a circus.And it all centered around one man, John Wojtowicz, who believed he was on a noble mission. This is the true story of Dog Day Afternoon. The Man Behind The True Story Of Dog Day AfternoonThe real story of Dog Day Afternoon began on Aug. 22, 1972, when a lazy Tuesday in Brooklyn, New York, turned into one of the most infamous bank robberies in American history. Almost immediately, a failed heist at a Chase Manhattan Bank in the Gravesend neighborhood escalated into a 14-hour hostage standoff, watched by thousands and fueled by breathless coverage.However, the story didnt begin with crime. It began with love, loyalty, and a man named John Wojtowicz.Wojtowicz wasnt a professional criminal. He was a Vietnam veteran who had once worked at a bank, and had recently embraced his identity as a gay man. Though married to a woman named Carmen Bifulco, with whom he had two children, Wojtowicz had left his wife and thrown himself into the LGBTQ+ rights movement. In 1971, hed fallen in love with Elizabeth Eden, a trans woman born Ernest Aron. Drafthouse FilmsJohn Wojtowicz and Elizabeth Eden during their unofficial wedding ceremony.Though gay marriage was illegal, the couple had even had an unofficial wedding ceremony that December. But a point of tension in their relationship was Edens desire for gender-affirming surgery. Wojtowicz didnt think she should get it, and it was expensive and difficult to access. But in August 1972, Eden tried to die by suicide convincing Wojtowicz he needed to help her at any cost.And so, John Wojtowicz planned to rob a bank. A Bank Heist Which Quickly Fell ApartOn that summer day, John Wojtowicz teamed up with Salvatore Naturile and Robert Westenberg to rob a bank. There were multiple false starts. At one bank, they dropped a gun and it discharged; at another, a friend of Westenbergs mother recognized him and said hello. The trio took a break to watch The Godfather, then made their decision. They would rob a Chase Manhattan bank in Brooklyns Gravesend neighborhood. Though Westenberg had a change of heart and fled, Wojtowicz and Naturile marched inside and handed over a note that read: This is an offer you cant refuse. With that, the true story of Dog Day Afternoon began, and Wojtowicz and Naturile took the eight people in the bank hostage. But their plan collapsed almost immediately.Larry Fendrick/Wikimedia CommonsThe Chase Manhattan Bank in Brooklyn, the site of the 1972 robbery that inspired Dog Day Afternoon.The men had expected to find hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. Instead, they arrived after the days cash pickup and found only about $38,000 in cash and $175,000 in travelers checks, according to The New York Times. Whats more, a teller had been able to to trigger the banks alarm and, within minutes, police officers had surrounded the building. And so began a 14-hour standoff between Wojtowicz and Naturile, and the police.The Wild Real Story Of Dog Day AfternoonOutside the bank, the atmosphere became cinematic. Around 2,000 people gathered in the summer heat, treating the unfolding crisis like live entertainment. As one journalist later put it, That was a Brooklyn crowd that night. It was a full-blown show.Indeed, Wojtowicz began interacting with both the onlookers outside and people following the story on TV or the radio. According to NBC New York, he called radio stations and explained why he needed the money for Edens surgery and, on multiple occasions, stepped out of the bank and threw cash into the cheering crowd.According to FBI agent James Murphy, who was later selected to drive Wojtowicz to the airport: He probably came out six or seven times. It was his way of taking control and making fun of everything.Charles Ruppmann/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesJohn Wojtowicz looks through the bank window during the robbery.In this way, the true story of Dog Day Afternoon bears a strong similarity with the film. But in real life, Wojtowicz never led the crowd in a chant of Attica, a nod to the recent Attica Prison Riot. As Al Pacino told NPR, that line was improvised by the films assistant director, Burtt Harris.Meanwhile, inside the bank, some hostages began to see another side of Wojtowicz. He ordered pizza for them, joked with them, and openly explained why he was there, telling them about Eden. Bank teller Shirley Ball recalled, I realized that he was friendly had a purpose for robbing the bank he thought he would be in and out.How The Infamous Bank Heist Came To An EndAfter more than 14 hours, the authorities agreed to John Wojtowiczs demands. They brought Eden to the bank (though she refused to speak with Wojtowicz) and provided a vehicle to take him, his accomplice, and their hostages to John F. Kennedy Airport. However, the driver of the vehicle was an FBI agent James Murphy accompanied by dozens of patrol cars following behind. And the drive to the airport was not an escape; it was a setup. Once he had a chance, Murphy moved quickly. He killed Naturile, and Wojtowicz surrendered. Though Wojtowicz was sentenced to 20 years in prison, he served just five before his release in 1978. Meanwhile, Eden later underwent gender-affirming surgery, which Wojtowicz helped pay for after selling the rights to his story, which became Dog Day Afternoon in 1975. But sadly, Eden died from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1987.Warner Bros. Home EntertainmentAl Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon. John Wojtowicz outlived her by decades, dying of cancer on Jan. 2, 2006. But his story lives on. The 1972 Brooklyn bank robbery, the true story of Dog Day Afternoon, remains one of the strangest in American history. And Wojtowicz wouldnt have changed a thing about it. I consider myself a romantic, he once remarked. If I had a dream and in that dream I saw everything that happened, would I still go out and do it? Youre damn right Id still go out and do it.After reading about the true story behind Dog Day Afternoon, discover the chilling real-life events behind A Haunting In Connecticut. Or, discover the story of the real-life Von Trapp family, who inspired The Sound of Music.The post The True Story Of Dog Day Afternoon: Inside The Wild Real-Life Bank Robbery That Inspired The Iconic Film appeared first on All That's Interesting.
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