Early Specials - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

benedict · 11-11-2004, 11:44 AM

Hi,

This is my first post here. I hope it works. I have been watching Unsolved Mysteries since it started rerunning on Lifetime in the early nineties and it fast became one of my favorite shows. I was reading in the episode guide about some of the early specials that aired before Unsolved Mysteries became a regular show. In all the years I've been watching it, I don't think I've ever seen the first three episodes that were not hosted by Robert Stack.
Has anyone here actually seen these episodes? Is there any reason why these episodes have apparently not been shown on Lifetime? Was the format similar to later episodes in the series, or was it completely different?

Thanks!
Rich

DK2 · 11-12-2004, 02:33 AM

I can't give any answers, but I too have wondered about those early specials. Have their story segments ever re-aired and re-narrated by Robert Stack (over Burr & Malden voicings)? Does anyone have these on tape? Or have they never been seen since? The only thing I can think of for Raymond Burr hosted
special is because he's deceased. Maybe they don't want
to pay his estate/family for his episode to ever air?

justins5256 · 11-12-2004, 11:35 AM

My best guess is that Lifetime does not want to have to pay royalties to Burr's estate and Malden himself every time they happen to show these episodes. As for re-shooting/re-narrating them, I don't believe this has been done. It is probably not economically feasible.

All three specials were rerun on NBC during that first "season", but I don't believe they have been shown since.

Hope this helps.

Justin

crystaldawn · 11-12-2004, 02:27 PM

I have also seen these 3 specials and have them on tape. They are basically the same format as UM is now, but of course pretty old and have a creepy feel to them. I don't think any of the stories have been re-narrated by Robert Stack. There is a story about the "unabomber" but it was done before he had been given that nickname. I think it was a completely different version when Robert Stack did it, but they probably used some of the same footage. Of course Robert Stack does a better job than Burr and Malden. Malden looks a little too happy as he's narrating.

rerungirl · 11-12-2004, 06:15 PM

I watched all 3 of these specials when they first aired and have often wished they would be shown again in some format (either on NBC or on Lifetime). One of the specials contained my all time favorite Unsolved Mysteries segment about a man who went missing while he was doing research on a book about Abraham Lincoln. Maybe someone else who has seen them can help me out on this...but wasn't there also a story about a woman who thought she was a long lost relative of the Dodge automobile family?

crystaldawn · 11-12-2004, 07:49 PM

Yes I think the story you are referring to is about Pat Mealbach. When I first read the description in the episode guide I thought it was a typo (who doesn't know that they're a "siamese twin"). She believes she was a daughter of John Dodge and possibly was a siamese twin who was separated at birth and given up for adoption. Her adopted father worked for John Dodge. I tend to believe the story and that she is an heir. It would be interesting to know if there was ever a resolution to this story. I'm not sure if she is still alive, she was in her 70's when this aired in the late 80's.

11-11-2004, 11:44 AM	#1
benedict Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Nov 11, 2004 Posts: 3	Early Specials Hi, This is my first post here. I hope it works. I have been watching Unsolved Mysteries since it started rerunning on Lifetime in the early nineties and it fast became one of my favorite shows. I was reading in the episode guide about some of the early specials that aired before Unsolved Mysteries became a regular show. In all the years I've been watching it, I don't think I've ever seen the first three episodes that were not hosted by Robert Stack. Has anyone here actually seen these episodes? Is there any reason why these episodes have apparently not been shown on Lifetime? Was the format similar to later episodes in the series, or was it completely different? Thanks! Rich

11-12-2004, 02:33 AM	#2
DK2 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 01, 2002 Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada Posts: 45	I can't give any answers, but I too have wondered about those early specials. Have their story segments ever re-aired and re-narrated by Robert Stack (over Burr & Malden voicings)? Does anyone have these on tape? Or have they never been seen since? The only thing I can think of for Raymond Burr hosted special is because he's deceased. Maybe they don't want to pay his estate/family for his episode to ever air?

11-12-2004, 11:35 AM	#3
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	My best guess is that Lifetime does not want to have to pay royalties to Burr's estate and Malden himself every time they happen to show these episodes. As for re-shooting/re-narrating them, I don't believe this has been done. It is probably not economically feasible. All three specials were rerun on NBC during that first "season", but I don't believe they have been shown since. Hope this helps. Justin

11-12-2004, 02:27 PM	#4
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	I have also seen these 3 specials and have them on tape. They are basically the same format as UM is now, but of course pretty old and have a creepy feel to them. I don't think any of the stories have been re-narrated by Robert Stack. There is a story about the "unabomber" but it was done before he had been given that nickname. I think it was a completely different version when Robert Stack did it, but they probably used some of the same footage. Of course Robert Stack does a better job than Burr and Malden. Malden looks a little too happy as he's narrating.

11-12-2004, 06:15 PM	#5
rerungirl Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 23, 2002 Location: Midwest Posts: 295	I watched all 3 of these specials when they first aired and have often wished they would be shown again in some format (either on NBC or on Lifetime). One of the specials contained my all time favorite Unsolved Mysteries segment about a man who went missing while he was doing research on a book about Abraham Lincoln. Maybe someone else who has seen them can help me out on this...but wasn't there also a story about a woman who thought she was a long lost relative of the Dodge automobile family?

11-12-2004, 07:49 PM	#6
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	Yes I think the story you are referring to is about Pat Mealbach. When I first read the description in the episode guide I thought it was a typo (who doesn't know that they're a "siamese twin"). She believes she was a daughter of John Dodge and possibly was a siamese twin who was separated at birth and given up for adoption. Her adopted father worked for John Dodge. I tend to believe the story and that she is an heir. It would be interesting to know if there was ever a resolution to this story. I'm not sure if she is still alive, she was in her 70's when this aired in the late 80's.