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Unsolved Mysteries

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This article is about a television show. For conjectures or open problems in various fields, see Unsolved problems.

Unsolved Mysteries
Genre
Created by
  • John Cosgrove
  • Terry Dunn Meurer
Presented by
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons17
No. of episodes611 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • John Cosgrove
  • Terry Dunn Meurer
Producers
  • Raymond Bridgers
  • Stuart Schwartz
  • Jim Lindsay
Running time
  • 42 minutes (1987–2010)
  • 36–53 minutes (2020–present)
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseJanuary 20, 1987 (1987-01-20) –
August 8, 1997 (1997-08-08)
NetworkCBS
ReleaseNovember 13, 1997 (1997-11-13) –
June 11, 1999 (1999-06-11)
NetworkLifetime
ReleaseJuly 2, 2001 (2001-07-02) –
September 20, 2002 (2002-09-20)
NetworkSpike
ReleaseOctober 13, 2008 (2008-10-13) –
April 27, 2010 (2010-04-27)
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseJuly 1, 2020 (2020-07-01) –
present (present)

Unsolved Mysteries is an American mystery documentary television series, created by John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer. Documenting cold cases and paranormal phenomena, it began as a series of seven specials, presented by Raymond Burr, Karl Malden, and Robert Stack, beginning on NBC on January 20, 1987, becoming a full-fledged series on October 5, 1988, hosted by Stack. After nine seasons on NBC, the series moved to CBS for its 10th season on November 13, 1997. After adding Virginia Madsen as a co-host during season 11 failed to boost slipping ratings, CBS canceled the series after only a two-season, 12-episode run on June 11, 1999. The series was revived by Lifetime in 2000, with season 12 beginning on July 2, 2001. Unsolved Mysteries aired 103 episodes on Lifetime, before ending on September 20, 2002, an end that coincided with Stack's illness and eventual death.

After a six-year absence, the series was resurrected by Spike in 2007, and began airing on October 13, 2008. This new, revived version was hosted by Dennis Farina, who mainly tied together repackaged segments from the original episodes. Farina hosted 175 episodes before the series ended again on April 27, 2010. Cosgrove-Meurer Productions maintains a website for the show, featuring popular accounts and ongoing cold cases (murder or missing persons), with a link to an online form should a viewer have information on an unsolved crime. As of 2017, the show maintains a YouTube page where viewers can submit their own mysteries. If accepted, Unsolved Mysteries posts a video of the viewer describing the mystery. That same year, FilmRise acquired worldwide digital distribution rights to the series and announced its intent to release updated versions of its episodes. These shows are currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Tubi TV, and on its own dedicated channel on Pluto TV in the United States and the United Kingdom.[1][2] Since February 2017, the Spike episodes have been officially posted on YouTube, split into eight seasons.[3] In July 2017, the series began streaming on Hulu in the United States.[4] Between February and March 2019, FilmRise began posting digitally restored and re-edited episodes, hosted by Stack, on YouTube.[5]

On June 22, 2018, Terror Vision Records released the official soundtrack for the series.[6] In 2017, the show's creators expressed interest in reviving the series.[7] On January 18, 2019, Netflix picked up a reboot of the series[8] which premiered on July 1, 2020. The first season of the reboot was split into two volumes containing six episodes each.[9] In September 2022, Netflix announced that a third volume of new episodes would begin streaming in October 2022.[10] In February 2024, it was announced that a fourth volume would begin streaming in 2024.[11] It was confirmed that the fourth volume would begin streaming in July 2024.[12] A fifth volume, consisting of four episodes, was announced on July 31, 2024. It is set to premiere in October the same year. [13]

Overview

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Host Robert Stack (left, waving) defined the tone of Unsolved Mysteries.

Unsolved Mysteries used a documentary format to profile real-life mysteries[14] and featured re-enactments of unsolved crimes, missing persons cases, conspiracy theories and unexplained paranormal phenomena (alien abductions, ghosts, UFOs, and "secret history" theories).

The concept was created in a series of three specials produced by John Cosgrove and Terry-Dunn Meurer, which were pitched to NBC in 1985 and shown in 1986 with the title, "Missing... Have You Seen This Person?" The success of the specials led Cosgrove and Meurer to broaden the series to include mysteries of all kinds.

The pilot of what eventually became Unsolved Mysteries was a special that aired on NBC on January 20, 1987, with Raymond Burr as host/narrator. Throughout the 1987–88 television season, six more specials aired, the first two hosted by Karl Malden and the final four by Robert Stack. Because of the incorporation of paranormal mysteries, NBC News disowned the series when the network aired on NBC and required that a disclaimer aired before each show clarify that it was "not a news broadcast."

In 1988, the show debuted as a weekly program on NBC. Ratings steadily dropped after the 1993–94 season. Until 2002, it was hosted by Stack. In its second season on CBS in 1999, Stack was joined by co-host Virginia Madsen. Episodes released between 1995 and 1997 featured journalist Keely Shaye Smith and television host Lu Hanessian as correspondents in the show's "phone center", where they provided updates on previous stories as information for "special bulletin" segments. A March 14, 1997, episode featured journalist Cathy Scott in the reenactment of rapper Tupac Shakur's 1996 unsolved murder.[15] This broadcast was one week after the murder of Biggie Smalls. In 2002, the series was canceled by Lifetime. In 2008, television network Spike revived the series with Dennis Farina as its host; the Spike revival ended in 2010.

The show was known for its eerie theme song composed by Michael Boyd and Gary Remal Malkin, and for Stack's grim presence and ominous narration. The theme music was changed seven times, in 1993, 1995,[16][17] 1997, 1999, 2001, 2008, and 2020. The 2020 version of the theme was arranged, performed, and recorded by West Dylan Thordson.

Updates

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Viewers were occasionally given updates on success stories, where suspects were brought to justice and loved ones were reunited.

The show itself has been credited for bringing increased attention to certain cases and thus allowing them to be solved. One episode featured a video of an arsonist filming an unidentified house being burned down while he was giving strange commentary. Once it had been featured on the show, viewers were able to identify the house involved, and two suspects were arrested.[18]

Broadcast history

[edit]

NBC (1987–1997)

[edit]

The show first aired on NBC from 1987 to 1997. The pilot episode was hosted by actor Raymond Burr. Karl Malden and Robert Stack were also hired to host further specials. When the series became a full-fledged television program in 1988, Stack became the full-time host. Unsolved Mysteries was also one of the few prime-time shows of its era to appeal to fans of the supernatural and used effective special effects to enhance tales of the unexplained. In 1992, NBC aired a short-lived dramatized court show spin-off program called Final Appeal: From the Files of Unsolved Mysteries, also hosted by Stack. The premise of this program was to try to give the unjustly accused a final appeal for help, with the debut episode taking an in-depth look at the Jeffrey MacDonald case. The program was canceled after only a few episodes due to poor ratings.

CBS (1997–1999)

[edit]

The ratings for Unsolved Mysteries had been steadily declining ever since it was moved from its original Wednesday evening timeslot to Friday evenings in the fall of 1994. At the end of the 1996–97 season, it was canceled by NBC. Upon the cancelation from NBC, CBS picked up the series for a tenth season. The first episode aired in November 1997 as an Unsolved Mysteries special. When CBS canceled its Block Party line-up in the spring of 1998, the network moved the show to its Friday 9:00 pm timeslot. During the show's run on CBS, the series was limited to only six-episode seasons, and was airing only on a sporadic schedule. Reruns aired during the summer of 1998 with heavy promotion of the return of the NFL on CBS with the upcoming 1998 NFL season. When the series returned for its abbreviated 11th season in the spring of 1999, Stack was joined by actress Virginia Madsen for hosting duties in an attempt to boost its female audience.[19] The effort failed, and CBS canceled the show soon afterwards. Later cable reruns of segments originally narrated by Madsen were re-dubbed with Stack's voice.

Lifetime (2001–2002)

[edit]

Lifetime Television, which had been airing re-runs of the NBC episodes since the early 1990s, had ordered a two-season run of new episodes which began airing in 2001. Consisting of a mixture of new and old cases, these episodes were produced between 2001 and 2002, and usually aired on weekdays between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The program ceased producing new episodes when Stack was diagnosed with prostate cancer in late 2002. He died of heart failure in May 2003.[20]

After Stack's death, old episodes continued to run in syndication on several television networks in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. During some shows, callers gave tips to the telecenter. When the show was in active production, the Toll Free number was displayed on the bottom of the screen below the title logo at the end of each segment. When the show left active production following Stack's death and went into reruns, the number was removed and replaced with a P.O. box address.

Spike TV (2008–2010)

[edit]

According to Broadcasting & Cable, in 2007, HBO Distribution announced plans to bring back Unsolved Mysteries when the cable channel Lifetime's contract expired in 2008. The show featured a new set, a new logo, new music, and updates on old cases. In addition, actor Dennis Farina became the new host, as Stack had died five years earlier. The show debuted on Spike on October 13, 2008.[21]

This repackaged series run was criticized by fans for its presentation of past cases only, with no new case segments being produced. The existing segments were also edited to be shorter so the show could be expanded to present five cases in an hour rather than the four of the original series. Because the majority of the cases were now between 20 and 40 years old, the re-edited segments usually did not reference the years in which the events presented originally occurred. When updates for solved cases aired, Dennis Farina's voiceover would refer to cases "in a recent broadcast...", when the case may have already been solved during the show's original run or during the series' hiatus from 2002 onward. Unsolved Mysteries ended its run on Spike on April 27, 2010.

Netflix (2020–present)

[edit]

A 12-part reboot was announced by Deadline Hollywood on January 18, 2019. The series is being "refreshed" by Stranger Things executive producer Shawn Levy and his company 21 Laps Entertainment along with Cosgrove-Meurer Productions and Netflix. Cosgrove and Meurer are showrunners for the series, with Levy and Josh Barry being executive producers. Robert Wise is a co-executive producer, along with showrunner Dunn Meurer. Each episode focuses on a single mystery.[8] Cosgrove stated that the reboot would be "pure documentary style" and would have no host or narrator;[22] however, an image of longtime host Robert Stack can be seen in the title sequence for each episode as an homage to his impact on the show.[23] The first six episodes of the new season became available to stream starting July 1, 2020.[24] In August 2020, it was reported that 13.7% of subscribers had watched the series over its first month.[25] On September 1, 2021, Netflix formally announced that it had ordered an additional season of the series set to launch in the summer of 2022.[26] On September 6, 2022, Netflix announced a third volume of nine new episodes, billed as a "three-night event", would begin streaming October 18, October 25, and November 1, 2022.[10] Netflix announced in February 2024 that a fourth volume of episodes would air sometime that same year.[11] On June 20, 2024, it was announced that the fourth volume would begin streaming on July 31, 2024.[12] A fifth volume consisting of 4 episodes premiered in October 2024.[13]

Episodes

[edit]
Main article: List of Unsolved Mysteries episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast releasedNetwork
Specials7January 20, 1987 (1987-01-20)May 18, 1988 (1988-05-18)NBC
128October 5, 1988 (1988-10-05)September 13, 1989 (1989-09-13)
231September 20, 1989 (1989-09-20)September 12, 1990 (1990-09-12)
333September 19, 1990 (1990-09-19)September 11, 1991 (1991-09-11)
437September 18, 1991 (1991-09-18)September 9, 1992 (1992-09-09)
535September 16, 1992 (1992-09-16)September 15, 1993 (1993-09-15)
633September 22, 1993 (1993-09-22)September 18, 1994 (1994-09-18)
730September 25, 1994 (1994-09-25)August 30, 1995 (1995-08-30)
830October 20, 1995 (1995-10-20)September 13, 1996 (1996-09-13)
927September 20, 1996 (1996-09-20)August 8, 1997 (1997-08-08)
106November 13, 1997 (1997-11-13)May 29, 1998 (1998-05-29)CBS
116April 2, 1999 (1999-04-02)June 11, 1999 (1999-06-11)
1255July 2, 2001 (2001-07-02)April 29, 2002 (2002-04-29)Lifetime
1348June 10, 2002 (2002-06-10)September 20, 2002 (2002-09-20)
14175October 13, 2008 (2008-10-13)April 27, 2010 (2010-04-27)Spike
1512July 1, 2020 (2020-07-01)October 19, 2020 (2020-10-19)Netflix
169October 18, 2022 (2022-10-18)November 1, 2022 (2022-11-01)
179July 31, 2024 (2024-07-31)October 2, 2024 (2024-10-02)

Notable actors and celebrities

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Famous actors and celebrities have appeared on the show, both as role actors (before finding stardom) and also in episodes where they had a connection with the events being portrayed.

As role actors

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In 1992, Unsolved Mysteries filmed in Texas and cast Matthew McConaughey to play a murder victim. This was one of McConaughey's earliest on-screen roles.[27] Cheryl Hines, Stephnie Weir, Bill Moseley, Ned Bellamy, Scott Wilkinson, Daniel Dae Kim, David Ramsey, Diane Franklin, Steve Reevis, Donna Mitchell and Taran Killam also appeared on the program before receiving more notable work in Hollywood.[28][29][30] Hill Harper also appeared in an episode about a woman looking for a childhood friend whom she later discovered was indeed her sister.

Connections with episodes

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U.S. television ratings and awards

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Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of Unsolved Mysteries.

Note: U.S. network television seasons generally start in late September and end in late May, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps.

The figure reflected starting with the 1988–89 season and ending with the 1996–97 season represents the total number of households viewing the program. Starting with the 1997–98 season, the viewing figure is based on total number of viewers.

Season TV Season Rank Viewers
(in millions)
1 1988–89 #17[32] 15.7
2 1989–90 #11[33] 16.6
3 1990–91 #16[34] 14.6
4 1991–92 #13[35] 15.2
5 1992–93 #21[36] 13.2
6 1993–94 #36 12.0
7 1994–95 #75 9.0
8 1995–96 #59 9.4
9 1996–97 #53 8.6
10 1997–98 #86[37] 9.9
11 1998–99 #75[38] 9.7

The original NBC telecast was nominated six times for an Emmy Award for outstanding informational series in 1989–1993 and 1995.[39] The series won the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Award for Top TV Series twice, in 1992 and 1993; both times, the recipients were Michael Boyd and Gary Malkin for their work on the show's music theme.[40]

Home media

[edit]

First Look Studios released six theme-based DVD sets in Region 1 in 2004/2005. The sets were re-released on June 21, 2005 with a lower suggested retail price. On March 21, 2006, a compilation set called The Best of Unsolved Mysteries was released, which contained selected segments from each of the earlier DVD sets along with some previously unreleased-on-DVD content. A special boxed set featuring the first six sets along with the new content from the Best of collection was also produced.

DVD Name No. of Ep. # Release Date
Volume 1: UFOs 26 September 7, 2004
Volume 2: Ghosts 34 September 14, 2004
Volume 3: Miracles 33 October 26, 2004
Volume 4: Incredible Psychics 28 January 25, 2005
Volume 5: Bizarre Murders 32 January 25, 2005
Volume 6: Strange Legends 27 February 15, 2005
Special Volume: Treasures & Ghosts 10 September 14, 2004
The Best of Unsolved Mysteries 33 March 21, 2006
Unsolved Mysteries: The Ultimate Collection 190 April 25, 2006
DVD Title/Volume Disc Episode/Segment Title Original Title Original Air Date Commentaries Special Features
UFOs 1 Bentwaters UFO Rendlesham Forest Incident September 18, 1991 Creator Introduction
Allagash Abductions The Allagash Abductions September 18, 1994 Allagash Abductions
Commentary by John Cosgrove & Raymond Bridgers
Crop Circles Canada Crop Circles August 8, 2002
Phoenix UFO Phoenix Lights May 29, 1998 Phoenix UFO
Commentary by David Vassar 		Behind the Scenes the 150th Solve
Nazca Lines November 10, 1995
Mexico UFO Mexico City UFO October 28, 1994 Robert Stack Tribute
Vancouver Lights December 12, 1990
UFOs 2 Roswell Roswell Crash September 20, 1989 Roswell
Commentary by Raymond Bridgers
Roswell/Area 51 Connection Area 51 September 18, 1994
Hudson Valley UFO Hudson River UFO September 16, 1992
Belgian UFO Belgium UFO November 20, 1991 Belgian UFO
Commentary by David Vassar
Falcon Lake UFO November 4, 1992
UFO Healing Lynne Plaskett April 25, 1997
UFOs 3 Australian UFO Frederick Valentich September 29, 1993
Missing Time Robert Matthews; Kristina Florence November 30, 1988 Missing Time
Commentary by Raymond Bridgers
Socorro Close Encounter Lonnie Zamora UFO Sighting December 1, 1995
Kecksburg UFO September 19, 1990
Texas UFO Betty Cash and Vickie Landrum February 6, 1991 Texas UFO
Commentary by John Cosgrove
Face on Mars February 1, 1989
UFOs 4 Men in Black April 18, 1997
Canadian UFO Guardian UFO February 3, 1993 Canadian UFO
Commentary by Bob Wise
Wheatfields Visitations United Kingdom Crop Circles January 31, 1990
Life on Mars November 1, 1996 Life on Mars
Commentary by David Vassar
Interceptors March 2, 1994
The Blob Oakville Blobs May 9, 1997
UFO Odyssey Wytheville UFO Sightings February 19, 1992
Ghosts 1 Friendly Ghost Pawley's Island October 31, 1990 Creator Introduction
Resurrection Mary Resurrection Cemetery February 9, 1994
Matchmaker Ghost Delta Queen Riverboat April 9, 1999
Queen Mary Ghosts The Queen Mary October 26, 1988 Queen Mary Ghosts
Commentary by John Cosgrove & Keva Rosenfeld 		Behind the Scenes the 200th Solve
Grace's Ghost Covewood Lodge January 5, 1996
Voice from the Grave Teresita Basa April 25, 1990
Ghosts Go To Court Loews Cottage April 16, 1999 Ghosts Go To Court
Commentary by David Vassar 		Robert Stack Tribute
The Entity Three Partners Ranch April 19, 1996
Ghost Boy Jones House July 25, 2001
Ghosts 2 Black Hope Curse Black Hope July 17, 2002 Black Hope Curse
Commentary by John Cosgrove
Tallman's Ghost Tallman House October 26, 1988
Ghost Blimp The Crew of the L-8 May 19, 1993
Gordy's Ghost Wyrick House October 21, 1994 Gordy's Ghost
Commentary by Bob Wise
Highway Vision Highway 50 Phantom February 21, 1997
Civil War Ghosts Drum Barracks October 28, 1992
Profiling the Paranormal HOPE June 11, 1999
Ghost Lights Marfa Lights October 25, 1989
Ghosts 3 Lizzie Borden's House Lizzie Borden House July 23, 2001
Tatum's Ghost Tatum House October 26, 1988
Ghostly Attraction Harden House October 30, 1991
Ghost Writer Margaret Wilson December 9, 1994
Mary Celeste December 2, 1994
Comedy Store Ghosts The Comedy Store February 23, 1996
Myrtles Plantation August 1, 2001 Myrtles Plantation
Commentary by David Vassar
General Wayne's Inn The General Wayne Inn October 26, 1988 General Wayne's Inn
Commentary by John Cosgrove & Keva Rosenfeld
Devil's Backbone The Devil's Backbone January 12, 1996
Ghosts 4 Gettysburg Ghosts Gettysburg National Military Park March 15, 1996 Gettysburg Ghosts
Commentary by John Cosgrove & Raymond Bridgers
Frightened Family Smith Home April 4, 1997
Moss Beach Ghost Moss Beach Distillery October 28, 1992
Lady in Black Robert Davidson May 3, 1996
Bullock Deadwood Hotel Bullock December 9, 1992
Lake Wales Haunting Mann House October 27, 1993
Mystery Hum E.L.F. May 19, 1995 Mystery Hum
Commentary by Bob Wise
Always, Karen Karen Walker October 21, 1994
Miracles 1 Lucky School Cokeville Elementary School Explosion December 13, 1996 Creator Introduction
Miracle of Lourdes February 16, 1994
Fertility Statues October 18, 1996
Shroud of Turin The Shroud of Turin October 2, 1991
Ice Woman Jean Hilliard February 9, 1996 Ice Woman
Commentary by David Vassar 		Robert Stack Tribute
Lucky Choir West End Baptist Church January 3, 1990 Lucky Choir
Commentary by John Cosgrove & Keva Rosenfeld
Coma Healer Audrey Santo April 2, 1999
Angels Janie Halliday; Estela Vera May 25, 1994
Miracles 2 Miracle of Fatima November 3, 1993 Miracle of Fatima
Commentary by Bob Wise
Baby's Breath Logan Carroll November 3, 1995
Healing from the Grave Charlene Richard June 11, 1999 Healing From The Grave
Commentary by John Cosgrove
Power of Prayer Kathleen Burghardt; Eric Danowski May 5, 1995
Candy and Roxy April 4, 1997
Trisha's Miracle Trisha Zemba September 20, 1996
Father Solanus Casey October 9, 1994
Christmas Miracle Chucky McGivern December 23, 1992
Miracles 3 Medjugorje Miracles February 5, 1992
Police Woman Savior Saviors of Doris Smith May 28, 1999
Healing Touch Michael Ziegler; George and Marie April 13, 1994
Miracle Staircase Loretto Chapel November 21, 1990 Miracle Staircase
Commentary by John Cosgrove
Miracle Child Kristina Smith April 4, 1990
Kentucky Visions Valley Hill Lights October 27, 1995
Life Saving Pets Mia; Shadow July 15, 2002 Life Saving Pets
Commentary by David Vassar
Miracle Buffalo Miracle the White Buffalo December 8, 1995
Coma Recovery Don Hamilton November 15, 1989
Miracles 4 Image of Guadalupe April 7, 1993
Car Crash Lazarus David Shublak May 9, 1997
MS Miracle Mary Clamser March 29, 1996 MS Miracle
Commentary by David Vassar
Padre Pio January 20, 1995
Christmas Miracle Baby Teryn Hedlund December 23, 1994
Miracle Cross Blinking Crucifix September 27, 1989 Miracle Cross
Commentary by Stuart Schwartz
Signs from Heaven Joe McCarthy; Herman Stegos; Michael Landon November 13, 1997
Money from Heaven Matt and Wendy Jameson April 26, 1996
Incredible Psychics 1 Life After Lightning Dannion Brinkley October 21, 1994
Pix of the Dead Coral Polge November 28, 1990 Pix of the Dead
Commentary by Mike Mathis
Rainboy Don Decker February 10, 1993 Rainboy
Commentary by David Vassar
Reincarnated Submariner Bruce Kelly September 22, 1993
James Van Praagh February 3, 1995
Epilepsy Pooches Victoria Doroshenko November 14, 1990
Plateau Vision Milly McGregor May 17, 1996
Incredible Psychics 2 George Anderson November 18, 1992
Twins Mark S. Newman and Gerald I. Levy; Donald M. and Louis G. Keith; Lavona and Lavelda Rowe-Richardson May 2, 1990 Twins
Commentary by David Vassar
Suddenly Psychic John Holland; Elizabeth Joyce April 16, 1999
Bible Code Michael Drosnin April 3, 1998
Storm In Hell Howard Storm November 15, 1996
POW Dream Joe O' Brien October 20, 1995 Gulf POW Dream
Commentary by Mike Mathis
Murder Premonition Etta Smith February 3, 1995
Lottery Miracle Sam Zelikson October 25, 1996
Incredible Psychics 3 Electric Lady Jeanine Price February 3, 1995
Reincarnation Georgia Rudolph February 14, 1990 Reincarnation
Commentary by John Cosgrove & Raymond Bridgers
Dorothy AllisonDorothy Allison, Police Psychic Dorothy Allison May 6, 1988 Dorothy Allison
Commentary by John Cosgrove
Mother's Instinct Carolyn Hebert; Elaine Emmi; Linda Babb March 23, 1994
Twin ESP Connections Karen and Kathy Mills August 23, 2001
After Death Visits John and Patti Eggleston; Paige Roark May 4, 1994
Incredible Psychics 4 Past Lives Sharon Johnson November 6, 1991 Past Lives
Commentary by Mike Mathis
Incredible Journeys Nova; Lady March 2, 1994 Incredible Journeys
Commentary by Jim Lindsay
Psychic Detective John Catchings November 10, 1991
Life After Life Kristle Merzlock; Thomas Sawyer February 22, 1989
Powers of Miss Katie Katie October 31, 1990
Dreams Come True Rhonda and Roxanne Anderson; Catherine Webb October 21, 1992
Silent Witness Nancy Myer December 2, 1994
Bizarre Murders 1 Colorado Cop Killers Jason McVean and Alan Pilon April 9, 1999
Boston Strangler May 11, 1994
Texas Most Wanted Edward Bell April 21, 1993 Texas Most Wanted
Commentary by David Vassar & John Cosgrove
Trailer Terror Danny and Kathy Freeman July 3, 2001
Bad Chief Greg Webb April 28, 1993
Marie Hilley November 3, 1991
Journalist's Murder Danny Casolaro March 10, 1993 Journalist's Murder
Commentary by David Vassar
Bizarre Murders 2 Scared To Death Cindy James February 13, 1991
Murdered Heiress Camilla Lyman June 11, 1999 Murdered Heiress
Commentary by John Cosgrove & Stuart Schwartz
Unicorn's Secret Ira Einhorn January 5, 1996
Women's Prison Killing Jesslyn Rich November 4, 1992
Skull Duggery Linda Sherman July 2, 2001
Backyard Bones Monika Rizzo November 13, 1997 Backyard Bones
Commentary by John Cosgrove & Mike Mathis
World Leaders James Fox; Elliott Leyton; Reid Maloy November 3, 1991
Burning Bed Megan Curl December 10, 2001
Bizarre Murders 3 Mistake Hit Charles Morgan February 13, 1991 Mistake Hit
Commentary by Jim Lindsay
Friends To The End Don Henry and Kevin Ives October 12, 1988
Whistle Blown Dave Bocks March 2, 1994
Richard's Rampage Richard Church November 7, 1990
Plane Crash Sabotage Gander Plane Crash May 5, 1993
Burned Evidence Eric Tamiyasu July 26, 2002
Jesse James Hollywood August 2, 2002 Jesse James Hollywood
Commentary by Bob Wise
Two Mary Murders Mary Morris and Mary Morris June 17, 2002
Bizarre Murders 4 Bordello Murders Candy Belt and Gloria Ross November 13, 1997 Bordello Murders
Commentary by Jim Lindsay
Campus Murder Brook Baker April 2, 1999
Dakota's Double Arnold Archambeau and Ruby Bruguier April 14, 1995 Dakota's Double Death
Commentary by Bob Wise
Margo Freshwater August 26, 2002
Zodiac Unabomber Zodiac Killer September 20, 1996
The Other Intern Chandra Levy and Joyce Chiang; Christine Mirzayan June 10, 2002
Social Security Murders Julius Patterson and Paulette Hite November 17, 1993
Civil Rights Murders O'Neal Moore November 14, 1990
Campus Calamity Bryan Nisenfeld July 4, 2001
Strange Legends 1 Elvis' Last Night Elvis Presley November 13, 1997
Brandon Lee October 20, 1995 Brandon Lee
Commentary by John Cosgrove & Raymond Bridgers
Eliot Ness Butcher of Kingsbury Run February 20, 1991
Holy Grail Nanteos Cup April 10, 1998
Amelia Earhart November 7, 1990 Holy Grail
Commentary by David Vassar
Alcatraz Frank Morris and the Anglin Brothers February 8, 1989
Strange Legends 2 Noah's Ark April 29, 1992 Noah's Ark
Commentary by Stuart Schwartz
Martin L. King Dr. Martin Luther King March 31, 1993
Big Foot in Oregon Bigfoot May 25, 1994
Sonny Liston November 22, 1989
Who Killed Superman? George Reeves December 8, 1995
Billy The Kid Brushy Bill Roberts March 1, 1989
BC Sea Monster Caddy December 15, 1995 BC Sea Monster
Commentary by Bob Wise
Strange Legends 3 Elvis' Twin Jessie Presley February 9, 1996
Yeti February 12, 1992
DB Cooper D. B. Cooper October 12, 1988
Huey Long September 30, 1992 Huey Long
Commentary by David Vassar
Who Plugged Bugsy Bugsy Siegel April 2, 1999 Who Plugged Bugsy
Commentary by Bob Wise
John Wilkes Booth September 25, 1991
Mona Lisa The Mona Lisa November 17, 1993
Strange Legends 4 Agatha Christie November 11, 1994 Agatha Christie
Commentary by John Cosgrove & Christine Lenig
Skunk Ape The Skunk Ape April 9, 1999
Chair of Death May 22, 1998
RFK Pix Scott Enyart May 3, 1996 RFK Pix
Commentary by John Cosgrove
Anastasia Anna Anderson October 6, 1993
Bermuda Triangle September 26, 1990
Mothman July 26, 2002
Treasures & Ghosts 1 Ghost-Fighters La Posada Hotel October 2, 1994 Behind the Scenes the 200th Solve
Haunting on 37th Street Woods Home April 17, 1998
Direct Contact Michelle O'Malley February 16, 1996
Mummy's Curse The Curse of King Tut May 10, 1996
Haunted Mansion Beaty Castle February 19, 1992
Dutch Schultz Treasure April 27, 1994 Robert Stack Tribute
Marcos' Buddha & Update Yamashita's Treasure January 27, 1993
Lost Dutchman's Mine Lost Dutchman Mine March 15, 1989
Nazi War Treasure Lunersee Lake Treasure October 17, 1990
Plummer's Booty Bannack Treasure May 2, 1990

Soundtrack

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In 2018, Terror Vision Records made a deal with program creator John Cosgrove to release the show's official score on vinyl, Unsolved Mysteries: Ghosts/Hauntings/The Unexplained. Two sets on color vinyl were released on June 22, 2018 – the first, a three vinyl set collecting the scores written for each of the show's ghost and missing/wanted segments along with three theme songs; the second, a 34 tracks single vinyl collection featuring the best cuts off the first three vinyl set. Segment cues were taken from the show's original DAT tapes.[6] A second collection entitled Unsolved Mysteries Volume Two: Bizarre Murders/UFOs/The Unknown was released in December 2019.[41]

Podcast

[edit]

On October 21, 2020, it was announced that Cosgrove/Meurer Productions had struck a deal with Entercom-owned Cadence13 for an official Unsolved Mysteries weekly podcast.[42] The podcast is narrated by voice-over artist Steve French.[43]

Documentary

[edit]

A 35th anniversary documentary special titled, Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy, was formally announced on September 7, 2023. The documentary, produced by FilmRise, hit Alamo Theaters nationwide on October 4, 2023. The AVOD premiere took place the following day, October 5.[44]

Spin-offs

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See also

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References

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  2. ^ "Pluto TV Just Added a 24/7 Channel That Streams "Unsolved Mysteries" Nonstop". September 20, 2018.
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  7. ^ Rayne, Elizabeth (August 22, 2017). "Unsolved Mysteries could be creeping up on you shockingly soon".
  8. ^ a b White, Peter (January 18, 2019). "Netflix Reboots True Crime & Paranormal Series 'Unsolved Mysteries' With 'Stranger Things' EP Shawn Levy". Deadline.
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  11. ^ a b Squires, John (February 1, 2024). ""Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 4" Coming to Netflix in 2024". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
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  16. ^ Commercials on YouTube aired during 1995 World Series, including an Unsolved Mysteries promo featuring a revamped theme song
  17. ^ http://www.televisiontunes.com/Unsolved_Mysteries_-_Update.html Unsolved Mysteries theme song from 1995
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