Samuel Byck

Samuel Joseph Byck (January 30, 1930 – February 22, 1974) was an unemployed tire salesman who attempted to hijack a plane from Baltimore-Washington International Airport on February 22, 1974. He intended to crash into the White House in hopes of killing U.S. President Richard M. Nixon.

Aftermath

It was subsequently discovered that Byck had sent a tape recording detailing his plan, which he called "Operation Pandora's Box", to news columnist Jack Anderson. A review of records disclosed that Byck had been arrested twice for protesting in front of the White House without a permit, and that he later dressed in a Santa suit for another protest. The flight's captain recovered and resumed flying airliners five years later. The co-pilot died shortly after the hijacking.

Related Topics:
Pandora's Box - Jack Anderson - Santa

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After Byck's failed assassination attempt and subsequent death, Byck faded into obscurity. While the news media reported on Byck's actions, they did not disclose why Byck attempted to hijack the plane. As a result, Byck and his assassination plot remained relatively unknown until a movie based on his story, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, was released in 2004, starring Sean Penn as Bicke (the spelling was changed to avoid offending living relatives). The History Channel then aired a special on Byck's attempt to assassinate Nixon. Byck is also one of the (failed) assassins portrayed in Sondheim's and Weidman's musical Assassins (1991), which, like the movie that followed, also focused exclusively on the tapes to Leonard Bernstein.

Related Topics:
News media - The Assassination of Richard Nixon - 2004 - Sean Penn - Sondheim - Weidman - Assassins - 1991

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