Jon Hamm is bringing one of WIBC’s most infamous moments to the screen in a new crime drama based on real events. American Hostage recounts the 1977 Indianapolis standoff that kept a mortgage officer captive for 63 hours.
What We Know: American Hostage is an eight-episode limited series streaming on MGM+. The series debuted late last month and dramatizes the hostage situation involving former car salesman Ton Kiritsis. During the standoff, Kiritsis demanded to speak with WIBC personality Fred Heckman for an on-air interview. Hamm portrays Heckman, while Giovanni Ribisi plays Kiritsis. The series explores the hostage crisis and the role local radio played as the situation unfolded across Indianapolis.
What They Said: “It’s phenomenally well done. Really gets the sense of the ’70s and what life was like back then, and the community that local radio inspired. I grew up in St. Louis in the 70s. We had KMOX Radio for the news. We all listened to KSHE 95 for rock and roll. There was a shorthand that you had just because of the radio, and that was certainly the case with WIBC. I had a lot of friends that grew up in Indy. I had a lot of friends that went to IU, so it was very, very close to my heart in many ways. And I thought we did a great job of relating that wonderful story.” -Jon Hamm
What Remains Unclear: The limited series has dramatized the events surrounding the 1977 hostage crisis, though it remains unclear how closely every element of the eight episodes follows the historical record. Hamm discussed the project with Hammer & Nigel on 93 WIBC while promoting the series.
What It Means: American Hostage puts WIBC and local radio at the center of a nationally notable Indianapolis crime story. Moreover, Hamm’s involvement could introduce a new audience to the station’s role in one of the city’s most unusual hostage situations.
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