Chicago / Prison Break, USA
Airing Date: Jul 17th, 2006
Engineer Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) installs himself in a prison he helped design in order to help his brother Lincoln Burrows, (Dominic Purcell) a death-row inmate, escape.
This is the exciting premise for the hit TV show "Prison Break" - filmed in part at Chicago's Joliet Prison with Aussie actor Dominic Purcell who shows us some of the city's "institutional" locations.
At the age of two, Dominic and his family moved from England to Sydney's Bondi and then moved to the Western Suburbs. After becoming a landscape gardener he soon tired of the profession and, whilst watching the war movie "Platoon", he decided to become an actor. After various film and television roles, Dominic scored a role in the hit show Prison Break.
Many of the scenes are filmed on location in the actual cell that housed John Wayne Gacy - one of Chicago's notorious criminals. Thanks to budget cutbacks, Joliet Correctional Facility closed down three years ago.
Andrew tours what's left of the original building, and parts of the new set. Chicago is widely known as the home of blues and jazz - a visit to Chicago just wouldn't be complete without visiting one of its blues bars or jazz lounges.
The Green Mill Cocktail Lounge is the oldest, continuously running jazz club in the country. Andrew also visits the The Green Mil, a famous Jazz club in Chicago, open during prohibition.
Rather than being closed by the dry spell, it was instead leased to gangsters such as Jack "Machine Gun" McGurn who owned a quarter stake in the club. McGurn was a henchman for Al Capone, who held the Green Mill as his favourite of speakeasies.
FURTHER INFORMATION
United Airlines return to Chicago from: $1504 ex Melbourne, $1516 ex Sydney, $1521 ex Brisbane, $1654 ex Adelaide, $2039 ex Perth. Prices include surcharges, fees & taxes, subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply. Prices correct at 17/7/06.
Travel 01/11/06 - 09/12/06. United Airlines - Ph: 131 777.
Car hire from $472 a week. Includes taxes, fees & surcharges. Conditions apply. Based on Pontiac Sunfire 1.2 litre vehicle.Prices correct at 17/7/06. DriveAway Holidays - Ph: 1300 363 500
