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The Big House (1998-2003) Episode Guide

1 :01x01 - San Quentin

First aired: 1998

San Quentin, home of California's gas chamber, is profiled in this premiere episode.

2 :01x02 - Alcatraz

First aired: 1998

Alcatraz, nicknamed "the Rock", was the home of the nation's toughest and most incorrigible Federal prisoners from 1934 until its closure in 1963. Although numerous attempts were made, there was never a successful escape attempt from Alcatraz.

3 :01x03 - Sing Sing

First aired: 1998

The New York state prison located in Ossining on the Hudson River. Sing Sing inspired the infamous phrase "up the river." The prison's history is detailed in this episode.

4 :01x04 - Alderson Women's

First aired: 1998

Alderson Women's Prison was founded in the 1930's to house Federal female prisoners. This episode gives a history of the institution and some of its famous inmates.

5 :01x05 - Folsom

First aired: 1998

The California State Prison that gave Johnny Cash the blues is known as one of the toughest in the Golden State's penal system.

6 :01x06 - Leavenworth

First aired: 1998

Few prisons are more famous than Leavenworth which was the end of the line for such infamous characters as desperado George "Machine Gun" Kelly and mobster George "Bugs" Moran. Both men are buried behind its walls.

7 :01x07 - Eastern State

First aired: 1998

Eastern State Prison, located in Philadelphia, was one of the more infamous state prisons in the country. It was also one of the toughest but that didn't stop Al Capone from owning the joint when he did a stretch there in 1929.

8 :01x08 - Atlanta

First aired: 1998

Before Alcatraz was opened, Atlanta had the reputation of being the toughest prison in the Federal correctional system. Its reputation still thrives today.

9 :02x01 - Attica

First aired: Jan/11/2000

ATTICA! ATTICA! ATTICA! The history of Attica State Prison in New York is chronicled including the bloody riot that took place there in 1969.

10 :02x02 - McNeil Island

First aired: Jan/13/2000

The history of the Federal Prison at McNeil Island which has housed such famous convicts as Alvin Karpis, Charles Manson, and Ralph Capone (Al's brother).

11 :02x03 - Angola

First aired: Jan/14/2000

A history of the notorious Angola State Prison in Louisiana, nicknamed the Farm. Angola has long been considered one of the nation's toughest prisons.

12 :02x04 - Rahway

First aired: May/09/2000

East Jersey State Prison, more popularly known as Rahway, is the subject of this week's profile.

13 :03x01 - Jefferson City

First aired: Jan/17/2001

One of America's nastiest and most notorious prisons is the Missouri State Penitentiary located in Jefferson City, MO. It was from this prison that James Earl Ray escaped and later assassinated Dr. Martin Luther King.

14 :03x02 - Lewisburg

First aired: Jan/18/2001

Lewisburg Federal Prison in Lewisburg, PA is profiled in this installment of the series.

15 :03x03 - Raiford

First aired: Jan/19/2001

Florida's main prison located in Raiford, FL is the subject of this episode's profile.

16 :03x04 - Breakout from Alcatraz

First aired: Jan/25/2001

There were numerous attempts to escape from the notorious Alcatraz prison but none were successful. The story of some of these attempts is recounted here.

17 :03x05 - Escape from Colditz

First aired: Mar/01/2001

Colditz was a German POW camp during World War II that they billed as escape proof. Despite this billing, there were several successful escape attempts.

18 :03x06 - Maze Prison

First aired: Mar/15/2001

A profile of the notorious prison located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Included is the "blanket protest" of 1976 and the hunger strike of 1981.

19 :03x07 - Chain Gang Breakout

First aired: Jun/13/2001

The story of Robert E. Burns, who successfully escaped from a Georgia chain gang in 1921. Burns' story was later made into a best selling book and a popular movie starring Paul Muni.

20 :04x01 - Auburn

First aired: May/29/2003

The history of Auburn Prison in Central New York is chronicled.

21 :04x02 - Central Prison

First aired: May/30/2003

Central Prison, located in Raleigh NC, is the subject of this episode.

22 :04x03 - Parchman

First aired: May/31/2003

Parchman prison in Mississippi is one of the nation's most notorious. It was the setting for John Grisham's novel The Chamber and once counted Elvis Presley's father Vernon as one of its inmates.