I've noticed the last couple of days, the Lifetime episodes have had an extended version of the opening credits. Both times the "solved" pictures were different. When the show was on NBC, were the credits different in length and content each week, or this just a lifetime thing?
Thanks

What you are seeing is the unedited full length version of the opening credits as first seen on NBC. Obviously, a few episodes that Lifetime airs, has the original uncut version still intact, thankfully!

Before I hit the sack I wanted to comment on something about the opening credits. The first set of opening credits they used for the first two specials featured some interesting footage that they shot but were apparently were not from segments but shot just for the purpose of the opening credits.

These include among others a woman running with flames billowing behind her, a man lying spread eagle on the floor (apparently dead), a large cache of money, a man taking aim with a shotgun etc. These all fall in against the traditional UM backdrop like a jigsaw puzzle coming into place before the UM logo comes up. Just various interesting and creepy shots. Just thought I'd mention that here since the topic of the opening credits has come up.

Is that a Terri Welles avatar?

Wow you got a good eye! - I didn't think anyone would get that one!

Wow you got a good eye! - I didn't think anyone would get that one!

Well, not exactly difficult to remember gorgeous Terri Welles. I saw her at LA Kings games in the '80s when I was in college. She was married to one of the Kings players.

A girl in one of my journalism classes, Joann, was a "Kings Queen," one of the shapely girls who the Kings hired to dress in tiny shorts and escort fans to their seats. One game Joann took me on a circuitous route to my seat, but insisted I'd thank her for it. Next thing I know she walks me past one of the most incredible women I'd ever seen. It was double take and try not to fall down. Joann whispers in my ear, "That's Terri Welles. She was Playmate of the Year a few years ago. She's married to Charlie Simmer."

I don't think the marriage lasted very long beyond that. But I won't be forgetting my mental images of Terri Welles any time soon. She looked even better than your avatar.

Wow you got a good eye! - I didn't think anyone would get that one!

I guess Electra Woman couldn't hack it for long, huh Dante......:p

Wow it must be hard being a brunette huh Heather? ;)

Before I hit the sack I wanted to comment on something about the opening credits. The first set of opening credits they used for the first two specials featured some interesting footage that they shot but were apparently were not from segments but shot just for the purpose of the opening credits.

These include among others a woman running with flames billowing behind her, a man lying spread eagle on the floor (apparently dead), a large cache of money, a man taking aim with a shotgun etc. These all fall in against the traditional UM backdrop like a jigsaw puzzle coming into place before the UM logo comes up. Just various interesting and creepy shots. Just thought I'd mention that here since the topic of the opening credits has come up.

I noticed that too.

I am very fortunate to have DVR and was able to record the full length intro when it was shown on Lifetime. If I'm not mistaken, hasn't Lifetime shown at least three different versions of the full length open?

I have only seen two personally and they might be the same one looking back on it.

1) The one with Ann Sigmin performing her rituals

2) The one with a bunch of footage gleaned from the Leo Koury episode including "stocking man" and the masked men busting into the Mailbox resturant.

Wow it must be hard being a brunette huh Heather? ;)

Who is Heather?

Wow it must be hard being a brunette huh Heather? ;)

Getting pretty ornery in your old age there DD.....

:birthday:

I do really enjoy the lengthy opening credits. I can usually tell which segments the clips are from. I know one with the men in ski masks is the segment about grocery robbers in the Northwest and I don't believe that segment ever aired on Lifetime.

I think Justin mentioned it was Leo Koury - I always though it was the "pizza bandits" but haven't seen that one in a long time.

My birthday is Saturday Heather but thanks for the early wishes (I sent ya an email)

I have some episodes from the first (or second?) season, and there are a few scenes in the opening montage that I don't recognize.

1. A stocky guy in a blue shirt and jeans raises a rifle and takes aim at the camera. There appears to be a mobile home in the background, and it looks like the scene was shot at night. The guy resembles the photo of John Carr (from Son of Sam case).

2. A biker dude with long hair and a black leather jacket runs around the side of a building and is stopped by cops brandishing handguns.

3. A guy having his mugshot taken. He is old (sixties or seventies) and has grey hair. He kind of resembles Boris Karloff.

I realize these descriptions aren't the greatest, but if anyone knows what stories they go with, I would like to know. If I have the time, I may post some screen captures of these scenes.

3. A guy having his mugshot taken. He is old (sixties or seventies) and has grey hair. He kind of resembles Boris Karloff.

I think that one is Arthur Frankfort. They showed a scene like that with him and he definitely resembles Boris Karloff.

All right, hands down to those who want to know how was the NBC
opening version was like.

Basically, in the fall of 1988 - Unsolved Mysteries became a weekly-run. This is the low-down.

First, a male voice (Danny Dark) would read the opening disclaimer ("This program is about unsolved mysteries......"). Then, the UM logo zooms into the screen with purplish rays and goes through the word "mysteries". After that point, Robert Stack tells us what we will be seeing on this particular episode with the segment clips. After that, they show Stack, he says "Join me. Perhaps you may be able to help solve a mystery", and ths screen fades to black with the 6 purple bars coming from the bottom. The topics of the show like (wanted, unexplained death, etc.) roll down the bars, then, I think, they rotate around for a little while until something zooms into the screen, saying the word "solved". After that, they show clips of stories that have been solved, then the bars come from the bottom, but this time, they just rotate until they go to the center of the screen. The black background turns to black marble, the "unsolved" letters light up, and a cloud inside the 6 bars forms the word "mysteries". After this happens, it just says "hosted by Robert Stack". Note for the Lifetime version, they cut the "solved" montage and go right to when the bars just rotate until they go to the center of the screen. The black background turns to black marble, the "unsolved" letters light up, and a cloud inside the 6 bars forms the word "mysteries". After this happens, it just says "hosted by Robert Stack". Lifetime sometimes had this happen, but rarely used throughout the time on Lifetime's rerun of older episodes.
But hey! Unsolved Mysteries will come back in 2008 on HBO where we can only hope it will return the scary original theme and creepy segments.