I watched Unsolved Mysteries as a child when I was 8, 9 and 10 here in Australia and it was on Channel Ten I remember. I don't remember how often it was on but I was always fascinated by it.

The first case I watched as a child was the Dave Bocks/NLO story, I still remember that scene where Dave spoke to his collegue and said "I'm just putting my tools away" and Dave walking off and that still image of him on the screen.

When I got back into UM in 2008 after a long time the first case I saw was the Boys on the train tracks. Watching the show after a 12-13 year wait was great, it still was fantastic TV as it was back in it's heyday.

I'm pretty sure the first Unsolved Mysteries episode I ever saw featured the Ann Sigmin, Rogest Cain and Missing Time segments and I would have been 8 or 9 at the time. The Missing Time segment managed to get me hooked on the show and freak me out at the same time, but did that mean I wasn't going to tune in again next week? Hell, no!

I believe the first UM episode I ever taped featured the Dave Davis, Aileen Conway, Dottie Caylor and Glen & Betsy Hyde cases, a great episode which I watched over and over again. I also remember have taped versions of the Alcatraz special and the first Halloween ghosts special (featuring the Queen Mary, Tallman's Ghost, etc.), which I must have worn out after constant viewings.

The first UM case I watched was the Stanley Gryziec case. It piqued my interest because it occurred in a town(Rome, NY),that is about 15 minutes away from my current residence. After watching the Gryziec case on UM, I became a fan for life!

I began watching the show in March of 1989. The first episode I saw was the one that included segments on the 1988 murder of Lisa Marie Kimmell and the 1956 murder of Thomas Hotard and disappearance of his lover Audrey Moate.

I started watching when it started reruning on Lifetime in the 90s - I remember the first one I saw was the bigfoot in the everglades one :crazy:

I was 7 years old, so let's go with the first one I remember, the freakin HAUNTED BUNKBED. Nightmares for DAYS.

The one where the robbers break into a woman's house and she has to protect her grandchildren. I was 9 years old and became TERRIFIED that someone would break into the house. The SHC one was also in the segment and made me scared of randomly setting on fire. Resurrection Mary's blacked out face also scared me and made me think this hat in my closet looked like her for some reason. Creeepy. Through middle school and high school, my mom would TAPE the show for me so we could watch when I got home. That was when lifetime played the classic show back to back.
Now I have CD's DVDs and YT to rely on whenever I visit home ^_^
The "DUH DUH!" update music still makes me uneasy when alone.

My aunt was babysitting and let me watch the Yeti episode with her. I was absolutely terrified. My mom still talks about how I refused to sleep for three days.

I was probably in high school before I felt brave enough to watch again.

First one I ever saw was when NBC did a two-hour special. First case was the radio station guy in West Virginia who said he was seeing UFO's. Also on that show was the bank robber with a sweet tooth, the RFK assassination, and the Ohio truck stop murders.

The first ones I can remember are Robert Leads and Dave Davis. Was pretty much a fan of the show from the first.

I'm pretty sure the first Unsolved Mysteries episode I ever saw featured the Ann Sigmin, Rogest Cain and Missing Time segments and I would have been 8 or 9 at the time. The Missing Time segment managed to get me hooked on the show and freak me out at the same time, but did that mean I wasn't going to tune in again next week? Hell, no!

We must be about the same age and watching the same night lol. I remember my grandparents watching the missing time segment, and I walked into the room and was hooked after only a minute or two. It became a weekly event after that. Some of my fondest memories (thats a scary thought) of me and my grandparents.

I don't remember when I first started watching - would have been the late 80s when I was in middle school and kept watching until I went off to college - which was, if memory serves, when they moved it from Wednesday to Friday. I don't ever remember watching it on CBS.

One of the first episodes I remember, and I'm not actually sure if it was a UM, was a special on Area 51 and alien abductions - I could swear Robert Stack hosted; I remember they interviewed people in shadow with their voices distorted. Ring a bell with anyone?

I remember watching the Wendy Camp segment when it aired originally. I was 5 at the time. I remember asking "Mommy, what's wrong with that lady's arm?" and my mom explained that she had a disease called MS and that she couldn't move her arm out of that position.

The Swedish hitchhikers.

I remember watching the story about the killer who would signal to women on the highway to pull over because something was wrong with their car, and then he would give them rides (sometimes actually driving the woman to a service station), and then kill them. Scared the hell out of me, considering I was about 6 or 7 at the time and this guy was active around Virginia and I live in Maryland...so I would freak out and I remember telling my mother to never pull over no matter what while we were watching the segment.

I can't remember which one was the first exactly (I was but a wee lad during UM's glory days, unfortunately), but I do remember seeing one at a young age that involved a shooting death. As part of an analysis of the crime scene, there was a visual of the victim slouched against a wall with a bullet hole behind him...and a bullet hole through his forehead. I think that was part of the re-enactment and not an actual crime scene photo, but nevertheless it scared the living bejesus out of me. UM always seemed to do a great job of throwing one or two visuals into an episode that would keep you awake for nights on end--ESPECIALLY if you were but a wee lad. ;)

Anyone happen to know which case I'm talking about? Sadly, that brief description of the bullet-hole visual is all I remember. It would have aired earlier in UM's run, probably between 1990-92.

I know the case you are talking about. Unfortunately I don't recall the man's full name. I believe his name was Danny. His death was ruled suicide even though the evidence said otherwise. He was found sitting up on his couch with a bullet hole in the wall behind him. 2 different types of blood were found at the scene including a type different from his own type inside his own pants pockets. His father found him at the scene. Very sad case. Sorry I can't remember his full name so it could be looked up easier. Other folks on the board are a little better with names than myself. I tend to remember details vs names in most cases. I hope that helps, and yes, the reenactment was rather creepy.

I remember being about nine or ten and I saw a case where there was some guy chasing a woman or something and yelling "ELANORE!!" But for the life of me, I can't recall which case this was (Anyone know?)

The theme music chilled me to my core and I was a fan ever since

God, no wonder I started drinking coffee at that age...

I remember the Su Ja Kim murder segement as well from the early 90's.

I can't remember which one was the first exactly (I was but a wee lad during UM's glory days, unfortunately), but I do remember seeing one at a young age that involved a shooting death. As part of an analysis of the crime scene, there was a visual of the victim slouched against a wall with a bullet hole behind him...and a bullet hole through his forehead.
Anyone happen to know which case I'm talking about? Sadly, that brief description of the bullet-hole visual is all I remember. It would have aired earlier in UM's run, probably between 1990-92.

Could it be Tommy Burkett or maybe Tony Lombardi?

I remember being about nine or ten and I saw a case where there was some guy chasing a woman or something and yelling "ELANORE!!" But for the life of me, I can't recall which case this was (Anyone know?)

I think her name may have been Eleanor Farber. IIRC, Karl Malden hosted that one and it was one of the pre-series episodes.

She had several kids and her boyfriend (who she didn't realize was married) chased her down with a shot gun when she left him. I think he was a school janitor.

He went on the lam for years and was found in another state. The murder happened in MI and I think they may have found him in PA. Officials were never certain of his real identity because he used so many aliases.

I know the case you are talking about. Unfortunately I don't recall the man's full name. I believe his name was Danny. His death was ruled suicide even though the evidence said otherwise. He was found sitting up on his couch with a bullet hole in the wall behind him. 2 different types of blood were found at the scene including a type different from his own type inside his own pants pockets. His father found him at the scene. Very sad case. Sorry I can't remember his full name so it could be looked up easier. Other folks on the board are a little better with names than myself. I tend to remember details vs names in most cases. I hope that helps, and yes, the reenactment was rather creepy.

YES that's it! And you gave me enough for a google search to find the victim's full name: Danny Williams. Thanks!

Even better, it's available for viewing on a certain website. I guess I'll be revisiting my childhood later today with hopefully less horrifying results. ;)

This thread brings back such good memories! As I mentioned, I didn't become a regular UM viewer until high school, but I caught an occasional episode in elementary school and junior high. I remember sitting on my bed watching, getting so scared that I was afraid to move. What an awesome show!

Originally posted by TracyLynnS I think her name may have been Eleanor Farber. IIRC, Karl Malden hosted that one and it was one of the pre-series episodes.


That's the one!!! THANK YOU!!! :)

Patricia Meehan's case. It was in 1993, at a local tv station here in Chile (channel 9).

It was so scary when she left the accident and she went into the open field, in the middle of the night... I have nightmares with her photo (the last one, taked by herself).

Patricia Meehan's case. It was in 1993, at a local tv station here in Chile (channel 9).

It was so scary when she left the accident and she went into the open field, in the middle of the night... I have nightmares with her photo (the last one, taked by herself).

That WAS a scary scene with her standing in the middle of that field. Thinking about that photo compelled me to sleep with the lights on for a couple of days, too.


The very first one I can remember seeing is the original airing of the Kevin Hughes segment in 1990, but as young as I was, all I can really recall is that chase scene.

The first one I actually saw and understood cognitively was the Laura Burbank segment (I was about six or so), and it scared me something awful.

I'm not sure if it's the very first episode I watched but it is certainly the first one that stands out in my mind and that is the Angela Hammond case in which she is abducted at a pay phone while on the phone with her boyfriend. The part that I remember most vividly is that he actually caught up to her in the truck and his transmission blew. When "Unsolved Mysteries" comes to mind, that is often the case that comes to mind with it for me.

The very first one I can remember seeing is the original airing of the Kevin Hughes segment in 1990, but as young as I was, all I can really recall is that chase scene.




It was scary when Robert Stack mentioned that the killer ran in a strange way (like zig zag ?) and no one knows were the killers cap (with a WWII allusion) was made ....

I don't know why but I these two things scaried me a lot when I was 9-12 (I remember seeing Kevin 's segment at that age).

It was scary when Robert Stack mentioned that the killer ran in a strange way (like zig zag ?) and no one knows were the killers cap (with a WWII allusion) was made ....

I don't know why but I these two things scaried me a lot when I was 9-12 (I remember seeing Kevin 's segment at that age).

Yeah, both those things freaked me out too! Especially that weird run. :(

Fortunately, that strange run AND the cap were both used to track down Hughes' killer. He had had back surgery, causing him to limp, and hair conducive to a cat he owned at the time of the murders was found in or on that hat. Pretty cool.

The first ones I really clearly recall are Kathy Hobbs and Son of Sam, closely followed by the Baskin kids and Tara Calico. I can remember talking about the Tara Calico case in my 6th grade homeroom. I was about 10 when I started really watching UM (late 1988 - 1989), so a lot of those early cases really stuck with me.

The first case I remember watching was the Rick Church case.

For me, it was the Susan Laferte/Doreen Picard murder.

Charli-Ann

The first one that stuck with me was Angela Hammond. Never forgot that one.

Angela Hammond, The Bill Day case(the fact that his son DIED and his ex never told him still makes me mad to this day). The Baskin case always stuck with me too.

I dont remember exactly, but I think the Matthew Chase episode was one of the earliest episodes I watched.

The Pat Mealbach segment from pilot over 20 years ago. I'm pretty sure I missed all the other segments that night.

My first case was the Jill and Julie Hansen murders. Even at 8 years old, this case intrigued me and made me think about numerous scenarios. I became a dedicated fan after watching this one!

My first case was the Jill and Julie Hansen murders. Even at 8 years old, this case intrigued me and made me think about numerous scenarios. I became a dedicated fan after watching this one!

When I began watching UM again my freshman year of college (when it was still on Lifetime), this is the first one I remember researching on the internet. :cool:

Yeah the Angela Hammond has always stuck with me

The Elizabeth Carmichael "the Dale case" was the first i saw i think

I thought it was maybe the first special, but it was at least the original broadcast of the second special. I vividly remembered the Wanda Jean Mays case, and was especially creeped out (for some reason) by the end credits, showing her walking down a road (I would've been 7 years old). I've been hooked ever since, as you might imagine.

I think I remember kind of half-paying attention to some of the NBC episodes, starting in the early '90's (about 1991 or 1992).

I might have seen the Chaim Weiss segment during its original broadcast but the first one I really remember watching was the Kurt Sova segment on a Lifetime re-airing (I think in 1993) at about 1 AM or so. That was the first one that really creeped me out as I was watching it in my room in the middle of the night by myself. And then the next segment I remember well after that was Debra Poe, which I also saw in a re-airing on Lifetime at night, probably shortly after seeing the Sova segment.

I have been watching UM as far back as I can remember. I always loved it. When I was in 6th grade (12-13ish) I had mono and was stuck at home for 8 weeks and I remember the highlight of my day was the 2 hour block of UM on Lifetime (12-2 and then 1-3pm haha). Then I found the original series was still aring at this time too (on Fri nights I think...CBS?...late 90s). I didn't like the newer ones though as much as the older ones.

anyways...the one episode I remember most vividly scaring the (bleep) out of me was the philip fraser (sp?) case.....guy who was going ot med school and met up with hitchhiker.

the other one that used to freak me out the most was the one where the intruder broke into the family home about 5am and did a home invasion robbery.

UM has always been a big part of my life and I am excited to meet so many people on here who love it as much as I do....although since I have been reading through a lot of these threads, I clearly am not as knowledgeable as I thought I was...

anyway...thanks for the warm welcome and knowledge :happyface

:wave:

I'm pretty sure the first one or at least the first one I remember had to do with a kid dying in a fire that was set to I guess it was an abandoned shack/shed that the kids in the neighborhood played in.

Edit: The name of the little boy was Scott Johnson I just did some googling and found it listed under another thread about this segment.

I don't remember the actual first one I watched. But a couple of the first ones I've watched have stuck with me since childhood. One was the family in Nevada who moved into a haunted house and in the developed photos a man's face appeared inside the TV set. 'Samuel' I think the ghost's name was.

Another one was Maria Armstrong, the woman who murdered her boyfriend in Mesa, AZ then feld up north.

That 'Samuel' segment make me scared to sleep alone in the basement when I was a kid. I had a little TV and kept envisioning 'Samuel's' face showing up on my little TV set.

Although I can't say with absolute certainty, as I would have been 7, I think I saw the original broadcast of the infamous "Missing Time" segment.