Imagine if Lifetime continued the show after Stack's death. Do you think anyone could have filled his shoes?


Here are a few people that might have done well. Forgetting any contractual restraints and assuming that everyone was free to host UM. AJ and CC host Bill Kurtis could have been a logical choice. He has excellent narraration with a degree of compassion for the individuals involved in the stories. Furthermore, he has the stage prescence of law enforcement that commands authority like Stack had.

This is an off the wall choice but Christianne Amanpour of CNN could have done well. She does well in hosting CNN Documentries especially involving terrorism. Amanpour has a clear distinctive british accent that makes following segments easy. In addition, her middle eastern heritage adds a degree of mystery to her prescence. This would be ideal for ancient legends as stonehenge, pyramids, and mummies etc.

Mitch Pileggi host of in search of, horror actor, and various TV shows could have potentially done it. He has both a creepy voice and appearance that could have added a scary feel to the show. Mitch also has good vocal inflection and possibly could have added younger audiences that the advertisers always seem to want.

Anyway, I just throw this ideal out since many UM fans wanted the show to continue without Stack.

Just out of curiosity, was the title of the thread meant to imply that you were asking if they discontinued the show because they couldn't find someone to take Robert Stack's place as an UM host? :confused: If that's the case, the answer is: I doubt it. Apparently, continuing the show without Stack was very difficult to consider, so Lifetime pulled the plug. The UM crew had no choice but to accept the network's decision, even if it doesn't sit well with them. :(

Admittedly, the debate on whether UM should come back with a new host is a very sensitive one. Although three years have passed Robert Stack died, his death remains a wound that still hasn't healed.

By the way, if anyone else has ideas for possible UM hosts, write to Lifetime and UM about your suggestions and try to find out what they think about your ideas. If they respond, let us know what they said.

What about Bill Kurtis? He hosts numerous documentaries and shows on A & E and would probably have the voice for it.....:confused:

What about Bill Kurtis? He hosts numerous documentaries and shows on A & E and would probably have the voice for it.....:confused:

He does enough shows, I think. Hahaha.

But really, he has a good voice and all for crime shows, but Unsolved is more than that.

I may have mentioned this before but I think William Shatner would do a good job. He has a great voice and is a good dramatic actor. He did a good job narrating "Rescue 911" although I don't know if he ever appeared on camera for that show. Plus he has a very recognizable name which couldn't hurt.

He does enough shows, I think. Hahaha.

Actually, I agree on that. He does no less than three TV shows (Investigative Reports, Cold Case Files, and American Justice). So even if he were a logical choice, he would be too busy to commit to UM. Plus, with a Bill Kurtis-hosted-UM, it would only be a matter of time before the series became hopelessly confused with Kurtis' own shows.

In the past, I have suggested Gary Sinise. But I've also been recently toying with two other ideas: Joe Mantegna and Ray Liotta. The former has played gangsters; the latter has been known to play law enforcement officers (in addition to playing a member of the Mafia in Goodfellas).

I may have mentioned this before but I think William Shatner would do a good job. He has a great voice and is a good dramatic actor. He did a good job narrating "Rescue 911" although I don't know if he ever appeared on camera for that show. Plus he has a very recognizable name which couldn't hurt.

I used to watch Rescue 911 and he did appear on camera. Probably about as often as Stack appears on camera in UM. I imagine Shatner is pretty busy now that he is playing Denny Crane on Boston Legal.

[QUOTE=Kane]Actually, I agree on that. He does no less than three TV shows (Investigative Reports, Cold Case Files, and American Justice). So even if he were a logical choice, he would be too busy to commit to UM. Plus, with a Bill Kurtis-hosted-UM, it would only be a matter of time before the series became hopelessly confused with Kurtis' own shows.[QUOTE]

Sorry, I've never thought about it from that end.....I do agree that when I'm flipping through the channels and come to his voice, at first I don't know one show from the other at times. UM might, as you said, become confused with Kurtis's shows.

My second choice would be Leonard Nimoy...
He stared in the 'In Search of' Series in the late seventies. Good voice inflection.

I may have mentioned this before but I think William Shatner would do a good job. He has a great voice and is a good dramatic actor. He did a good job narrating "Rescue 911" although I don't know if he ever appeared on camera for that show. Plus he has a very recognizable name which couldn't hurt.

Yeah, but right now he's got more of a comedic feel, via the offbeat commercials and the roles he's been getting. I'm not sure he would be ideal to transition to a show based on true crime, nor would he probably want to at this stage. Hard to believe but he's 75 years old.

Andre Agassi needs something to do.

Maybe they should bring 94 year old Karl Malden out of retirement? Michael Douglas seems like he would be good. But he is too big of a star to take a weekly tv job.

In the past, I and a few other posters have suggested John Goodman, and I still think that would be a fine choice. Like Shatner, John has displayed that he can do comedy (Roseanne, Saturday Night Live) but can subsequently do serious roles as well. I've seen him on some shows for the Children's Miracle Network (I believe it was) and there's no doubt there was sympathy and compassion in that voice. And that would be a big plus if they ever sought of a new UM host. For the most part, all actors have to have versatility, so I don't think that doing comedy in the past would necessarily disqualify someone for UM host.

I've only seen a little bit of Christine Amanpour, she seems to do a pretty good job from what I can tell. I'm not sure she would want to leave her current job, however.

Unfortuantely, I don't think there will be a point when crimes will stop being committed, so in that instance, there is always a need for a show like UM. I also think there will always be a place for the reruns as well. Who knows, it's entirely possible that someone missed the first several airings of a segment in the past, but just by chance might happen to see the latest airing of it and phone in with that crucial information. It has happened, and even if it happens infrequently, if we can still get a few scums off the streets that way, then it's worth it I think. Additionally, there will probably never be a shortage of ghost stories, UFO stories, lost loves and the like either.

Sorry, I've never thought about it from that end.....I do agree that when I'm flipping through the channels and come to his voice, at first I don't know one show from the other at times. UM might, as you said, become confused with Kurtis's shows.

You didn't have to apologize. But the apology is accepted anyway. ;)

I'm sure there have been times when UM has been mistaken for CCF and Kurtis' other shows (in addition other shows like America's Most Wanted and Forensic Files), and understandably so. They are all true-crime shows. So the idea of having the same person hosting UM as well as any number of other true-crime shows would only add to the confusion.

two suggestions-one younger, one older:

leonard nimoy
david duchovny

the both permeated similar vibes in their repsective shows (in search of, x files)

Stacy Keach and Richard Roundtree come to mind.

Ooh, I like Nimoy for it.

Stacy Keach and Richard Roundtree come to mind.

I agree soilentgreen. Stacy Keach did a syndicated show called "Missing: Reward" several years ago. It was similar to UM and profiled missing persons cases, unsolved murders, etc. It was really well done and Keach was a very good host. Hopefully he'd consider hosting a new UM if it ever comes back.

Okay, I just thought of someone else. Robert Forster has been playing cops and crooks since the 1960's. Lots of tv work, including a role in the short lived series "Karen Siscoe" a few years back. He was also in the movie Jackie Brown.

Amanpour is probably too stuffy (serious journalist stuff) to do ghost stories and ufo's... if we are thinking that way I suggest the guy who narrates the frontline documentaries (one of the best voices in the business).

Keith Morrison (NBC Dateline): Older I believe Canadian might take his own feature show but not be overly stuffy like Amanpour, does a I nice job narrating stories which he can do with a whimsical twist and I've seen other work where he's hosted round table type shows...

Keith David (City Confidential): he's no Paul Winfield but he can hold his own, serious but can do the lighter stories too, may be too busy with character acting work to host a regular show but does it with CC.

Keely Shaye Smith: "Thanks Bob" has got to have something left in the tank plus its the connection to the orignal show.

Stacy Keach (Missing Reward,Numerous Video Shows): A great suggestion seems like a logical fit.

George Takai (Star Trek): is younger than Nimoy and Shat, great voice but is he to busy with his "lifestyle" message to start hosting a show?

Malcom McDowell (actor, Clockwork Orange,Time Machine): Where has his career gone, might be able to hook him in for a show that could revive his career

Meridith Baxter(Family Ties): Fits in with Lifetime since they show the Betty Broderick story at least 4 times a year, career also on the downslide last seen doing insurance comercials, has the voice to do the serious stuff but also could add that lighter softer feeling for the Miracle Segements.

Just off the top of my head, might add more later

Maybe they should bring 94 year old Karl Malden out of retirement?.

I wonder if he has any animosity toward UM. He wasn't asked back afterall.

From Law and Order CI/SVU:

Mariska Hargitay - Benson on SVU. I think she would do a good job. Lifetime would probably like to have a female host.

Vincent D'Onofrio - Goren on CI. He's the detective I aspired to be.

I wonder if he has any animosity toward UM. He wasn't asked back afterall.

Well, it's not known whether it was a matter of him not being asked back (only the UM personnel and Karl Malden himself know for sure). But he could very well have decided that he just wasn't ready to commit to a possible long TV run. Some actors feel fit for it, some don't.

I would hope that Karl Malden has no ill feelings toward UM (and vice versa). But considering how well Robert Stack did on UM, bringing Karl Malden back would seem pointless.

I don't think there is any ill will or feelings between Karl and UM. In fact, Stack was good friends with both prior hosts Raymond Burr and Karl Malden. It is unlikely if Karl or the UM cast would have left in bad terms that Stack would consistently speak well about him in interviews. Stack was born into hollywood and he knew almost everyone.

I don't think there is any ill will or feelings between Karl and UM. In fact, Stack was good friends with both prior hosts Raymond Burr and Karl Malden. It is unlikely if Karl or the UM cast would have left in bad terms that Stack would consistently speak well about him in interviews. Stack was born into hollywood and he knew almost everyone.

Don't forget that Robert Stack also had friends in the political establishment, most notably actor-turned-U.S. President Ronald Reagan. In fact, he made monetary contributions to Reagan's presidential campaign.