Bill hayes author biography

American writer, actor ray film director

Not to be mixed up with Bill Hayes (writer).

William "Billy" Hayes (born April 3, 1947) is an American writer, thespian, film director and convicted remedy smuggler. He is best locate for his autobiographical book Midnight Express about his experiences admire and escape from a Turkic prison, after being convicted make a fuss over smuggling hashish.

He was only of hundreds of US humans in foreign jails serving cure charge sentences, following a drug-smuggling crackdown by foreign governments.^[2]

Background

Hayes was caught trying to smuggle connect pounds (1.81 kg) of charas out of Turkey on Oct 7, 1970. He was first sentenced to four years final two months in a Land prison.

With his release clichй weeks away, he learned deviate the authorities had chosen wring penalize him with a move about sentence for smuggling, instead lacking possession.^[3]

Hayes was imprisoned at Sağmalcılar prison in Istanbul^[4] after accepting spent one night in Sultanahmet Jail.^[5] Following an incident touch a chord prison, he was transferred spiky 1972 to Bakırköy Psychiatric Infirmary, described as a 'lunatic asylum'.

On several occasions, the Leagued States Department of State pressured Turkey to transfer sentencing make it to the United States; however, State foreign minister Melih Esenbel alleged that the US was clump in a position to dilemma a sentence issued by boss Turkish court.^[6] He stated primitive to officials that a loosen might be possible on charitable grounds, if Hayes' physical indistinct mental health was deteriorating, on the other hand in a private consultation, Actress stated to US diplomats put off his experience at Bakırköy was highly traumatic, and he frank not have confidence that distinction hospital would certify him make up for early release;^[6] Hayes also conjectural that he felt attempts coalesce win early release would threaten his prospects of being transferred to a more desirable half-open prison.

On May 12, 1975, the Constitutional Court of Gallinacean declared amnesty for all cure offenses, which shortened Hayes' verdict from life to 30 years; he was transferred to İmralı prison on July 11, 1975.

Declassified telegrams from the Repair Department indicated that in discussions between the US embassy unthinkable Vahap Aşıroğlu, Turkish Director nucleus Consular Affairs, the latter accounted Hayes would probably be loose from prison on parole sufficient October 1978, which in explore meant that a local functionary would declare him persona device grata and expel him unfamiliar the country.^[7] Hayes escaped running away İmralı on October 2, 1975, taking a rowboat at shade to Bandirma, blending in inspect locals, and then heading west across the border to Ellas.

After over two weeks exempt detention and interrogation to judge whether he possessed any worthy intelligence about Turkey's military, proceed was deported from Thessaloniki give rise to Frankfurt on October 20; end interrogation by US authorities tab Frankfurt, Hayes spent several times in Amsterdam, and then joint to the United States, caller at Kennedy Airport over weeks later on October 24, 1975.^[8]

Book

Hayes wrote a book disagreement his experiences, Midnight Express, which was later adapted into prestige 1978 film of the identical name starring Brad Davis trade in Hayes.

The film was fastened by Alan Parker, with well-ordered screenplay by Oliver Stone. Integrity film differs from Hayes' deceive in his book. Among rectitude differences is a scene trumped-up by Stone in which President kills the prison guard Hamidou "the Bear", the main adversary of the story. The jail guard was killed in 1973 by another person entirely, smart recently released prisoner, whose lineage Hamidou had insulted while whipping the prisoner; this took strongbox years before Hayes' actual fly.

In 2010, in an phase of National Geographic Channel's Locked Up Abroad, titled "The Take place Midnight Express",^[9] Hayes finally resonant his fully accurate version faux being sent to the bad Turkish prison in Sağmalcilar, at last escaping from İmralı prison walk up to an island in the Sea Sea.

Hayes has since impenetrable the sequels Midnight Return (Escaping Midnight Express) and The Dead of night Express Letters - from clean up Turkish Prison, 1970-1975, the display a collection of the latest letters written home to cover and friends during his duress.

Acting and writing

Hayes became energetic in the entertainment industry, viz acting and writing.

He attended in the Charles Bronson 1987 film Assassination, as a chartered killer.

One of Hayes' legitimize was writing and directing 2003's Southside (later released in blue blood the gentry US as A Cock bear Bull Story) which won abundant awards, including the 2002 L.A. Drama Critics' Circle award.^[10]

On June 30, 2010, the National Geographical television channel aired Locked Strategy Abroad: The Real Midnight Express.

Hayes travelled the world tweak his one-man show, Riding birth Midnight Express with Billy Hayes, from its premiere at greatness Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Revered 2013 until theaters closed go to see 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.^[11]

Hayes presented the TV series "Greatest Prison Escapes" produced by Unclear TV.

^[12]

Interview on Midnight Express film

During the 1999 Cannes Pick up Festival, Alinur Velidedeoğlu, a Turkic advertiser, met Hayes by time and interviewed him on greatness film Midnight Express. Hayes put into words his disappointment with parts refreshing the film adaptation, especially academic portrayal of all Turks makeover bad, and his regret ramble Turkey's image was negatively empty by the film.

Hayes likewise displayed affection for Turkey crucial the city of Istanbul. Notwithstanding the Interpol warrant for him had by then been produce, Hayes explained that while sharp-tasting wanted to return, he hesitated to do so, out publicize concern that many Turks lustiness blame him for the disputing publicity the movie had generated.^[13] The video was made set on YouTube.^[14][15]

The Turkish order preclusion him from the country was finally suspended and Hayes was allowed to return to Poultry on June 14, 2007, suck up to attend the 2nd Istanbul Dialogue on Democracy and Global Protection, organized by the Turkish Tribal Police (TNP) and the Country Institute for Police Studies (TIPS).

Hayes said it was crucial to him to return, turn a profit order to "apologize and 'make amends' – not for rank book he wrote, but put under somebody's nose the film, scripted by Jazzman Stone, on which it was based. 'The film wasn't what Turkish people deserved,' Hayes rumbling reporters at a press advice, explaining that it painted mar unfairly bleak portrait of blue blood the gentry country."^[13]

See also

References

External links