Mastermind Plots His Escape from Max Security Prison | Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman (Season 1)

For the first time on camera, Nuno Pontes recalls his high stakes escape from Western State Penitentiary, in this clip from Season 1, "Conquering The Wall."

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Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman is an eight-part series from The HISTORY® Channel hosted and executive produced by Morgan Freeman. The five-time Academy Award nominee and one-time Academy Award-winning actor has appeared in hundreds of films and television roles. One of his most famous and beloved performances was in Shawshank Redemption, a film focusing on the exploits of a group of inmates inside the fictional Shawshank State Penitentiary.

In the series, Morgan will explore real-life prison breaks that have captured the attention of the public. It’s an up close and personal view of what the prisoners are faced with in executing their break outs. Famous escapes from Alcatraz, Dannemora, Pittsburgh State Penitentiary and other locations are recreated with actors playing KEY roles and interviews from some of the prisoners themselves, their families, their cell mates and from the guards and prison employees that tried to prevent the escapes. Along with the interviews and recreations, the series will utilizeS new software technology called Unreal Engine to recreate—with great verisimilitude—the prisons themselves.

HISTORY® is the leading destination for award-winning original series and specials that connect viewers with history in an informative, immersive, and entertaining manner across all platforms. The network’s all-original programming slate features a roster of hit series, premium documentaries, and scripted event programming.

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Watch all new episodes of Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman, Tuesdays at 10/9c, and stay up to date on all of your favorite The HISTORY Channel shows at history.com/schedule.

[stacielivinthedream]

Everything is better with Morgan Freeman narrating! 🥳❤🥰😇😊

[SamSam-jnrw]

If they made Alexa with Morgan’s voice that would be amazing!

[davidlancaster]

Morgan Freeman is a treasure. Always good work. Thanks for sharing this. Lvya

[jimmystevens]

Morgan Freeman is the man when it comes to narrating like pretty much anything. He could talk about anything and I'd listen.... LOL

[arealone]

This prison is less than a mile from my house. Been closed a long time. When I was a kid we used to fish in the river that ran along its back. I remember prisoners yelling "Guido!" All the time when I was little. I always wondered who that was.

[saltysoldier]

Can you do a how to guide for FEMA camp next please? Thankyou

[diarmuidquigley]

Literally the first season of prison break

[KingLucero_]

This sounds totally the same as the show prison break 😱

[Christian-ucqi]

A few years back, I read about Nuno Pontes, his trials and tribulations. Crime doesn't pay, nor should it. However, it seemed as though Mr. Pontes received a very long sentence for his initial crimes. I don't think he would have participated in this escape otherwise. I am hopeful that his life works out for him. May the Lord bless him and his family.

[jntctpx]

I've watched the first 8 episodes. I really hope Morgan Freeman is going to talk about Yoshie Shiratori. The most famous Japanese escape artist EVER!!

[TheBmco]

Freeman is looking old just about the best storyteller there is love to listen to him tell these stories never long enough 👍

[qrisemrc]

These days, the History Channel is more interesting than the Discovery Channel.😁😁😁

[stevenbigelow]

I worked with Kevin Billingsley after he got out on parole. His dad taught me everything I know about underground mining.

[SID_]

Only they can tell what freedom actually feels like! You know, after enduring years of incarceration & emotional torture.

[valerieshook]

Andrew Hiem the Car Thief was the youngest easily influenced/coincidentally didn’t have much more time to serve. Ended up with an extended stay after capture. He was not a hardened criminal but a young misdirected youth. He grew up in our Neighborhood/ was friends with my little brother at one time. I’m sad to say that he committed suicide like his older brother David, maybe 10 yrs or less after his release. I believe drugs influenced some of his behavior that lead him to prison. He was quite/ kind to those of us that knew him. So many young people with rough upbringings get caught up in the drug game when they really need help with mental health issues. I think of how his life could have been so different/ almost was .

[frankietherattttttt]

My acting teacher plays Nuno Pontes in this! We 🩷 u Nicoli!!!

[alexfrank]

My farther was one of guards who took them back to the prison from Pittsburgh international after a they escaped

[chinoman]

I lived & played right near that prison & the county jail in the city was built around the same time & looks just like it

[sbzsocommitted]

This sounds like the Alcatraz escape 😂