Original subtitles

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.

Hosted by Jonathan Frakes.

Tonight, your challenge is to separate what

is true from what is false.

Five stories, some real some fake.

Can you judge which are fact and which are fiction?

To find out, you must into a world

of both truth and deception, a world that is beyond belief.

Perception is something that can often change

right before our very eyes.

Here's an example.

A contoured sheet with obvious valleys and peaks.

But when we take another look, we

see that it's perfectly flat.

So what's the reality?

It all depends on our perception.

Tonight, you'll be asked to judge

five stories on whether they're fact or fiction.

What will your perception tell you?

Some of them are inspired by actual events,

while others are total lies.

And remember, what you may perceive as plateaus of truth

may actually mountains of deception.

Blood is not only thicker than water,

it's also more informative.

Through the analysis of blood types, chemical makeup,

and DNA, We can learn much about a person's family ties,

even after that person's been dead for centuries.

Samples of Thomas Jefferson's DNA prove this point.

Of course, most of us don't need to submit to extensive testing

to confirm our family relationships.

We have only to look in the mirror

to get the genetic links to our parents and our siblings.

Loreen has never felt that way.

She's never looked like or acted like her parents.

And all her questions are about to be put under a microscope.

I was about to marry my childhood sweetheart.

We were perfect for each other.

We had absolutely everything in common.

Of course, to get our marriage license,

the state required a blood test.

That's when an old fear of mine was confirmed,

and I had to confront it with my mother.

Sweetheart, you don't believe you were adopted?

I'm sorry, mother but I do.

You and dad are both blood type A.

It wouldn't be possible for me to be blood type B. I

always suspected I was adopted.

Now I have proof.

I brought these.

You've seen them before.

They were all taken me when you were a little girl.

Do you remember me telling you about the night you were born?

The blizzard?

Your arrival wasn't exactly convenient.

But it was a blessing.

I never said I didn't feel loved.

But I was always different: my interests, my talents,

the only blonde in a family of brunettes, and taller!

And you grew so fast.

But look how beautiful you turned out.

But mom, the blood test--

was wrong.

The lab made a mistake.

Huh.

You're still not convinced.

I could have been adopted as a newborn.

But why would they lie?

Is there some awful family secret?

Honey.

You have terrific parents.

And someday, when we have children,

they'll be terrific grandparents.

So even if you really were adopted, so what?

So what?

That's in the past, honey!

And right now, we have a wedding to plan and a future

to consider.

I can't possibly think about the future

until I know my history.

Don, I'm sorry.

But I can't marry you until I know the truth.

Honey.

We're soulmates, remember?

We're born to be married.

It's our destiny.

Best friends born on the same day, New Year's babies.

If I was adopted, maybe my birthday

really isn't January 1st.

Maybe that's a lie, too.

I've always loved we had the same birthday.

It was something extra special that we shared.

Well, I'll still love you either way.

But if it's important to you, we'll

find out the truth together.

Doctor Ponzi.

Well, these are the old files from before everything

was done on computers.

The medical records you're asking about it

are here somewhere.

You know, I could get somebody to do this for you.

Maybe take a few days.

I really need to find the record today.

Thanks.

OK.

If you need anything else, come get me.

This is it.

Here's a copy of your birth certificate.

January 1st.

Length.

Weight.

Russell and Edna Atkins.

So I'm legit.

And here's the emergency room admitting

form, time of arrival, patient already in labor.

It's all by the book, honey.

I wasn't adopted after all.

Relieved?

That's odd.

Someone wrote boy, then crossed it out and wrote girl.

Well, you're definitely a girl.

I can vouch for that.

Maybe we're not done.

It's odd.

We don't usually deliver babies in the emergency room.

There's a maternity ward for that.

Well, it was January 1st.

There was a blizzard.

With the bad roads, my parents barely got to the hospital

in time.

'73.

You know, I remember that night.

I was an attendant nurse.

New Year's Eve.

Power lines were down.

The hospital was working on backup generators.

Ice on the highway caused some awful accidents.

We were doing double shifts to care for the injured.

And two women in labor came in that night.

And look.

On my mother's admitting form, "baby boy" is

written, and then marked out.

Well, it was so hectic.

I suppose the nurse wrote it down wrong

and then the doctor corrected it.

I was born the same night in the middle of the same chaos.

From my mother's records said "baby girl."

But it's crossed out and changed to "boy."

One boy baby and one girl baby.

Hm.

The paperwork must have been mixed up.

Is it possible that the paperwork wasn't mixed

up, but that the babies were.

An impossible story.

Or is it?

Is it too much to believe that two people raised

by different families could fall deeply in love

and turn out to have been switched at birth?

Certainly switched at birth stories

have become more common over the years.

But one combined with a love story strains credibility.

But it's now up to you to decide the truth

or falsehood of our story.

Have we presented you with the facts?

Or have we pulled a last minute switch?

JON LAFONTAINE We'll

tell you whether this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, the spirits of Halloween are out for revenge

on Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.

Next to Christmas, the most publicized and merchandised

holiday is Halloween.

Pumpkin patches are as numerous as Christmas tree lots.

Every year, millions are spent on costumes,

decorations, and, of course, trick or treat candy.

But like Christmas, Halloween has its scrooges, too.

Take Harold Ratcher.

Harold not only hates the holiday, he's a troublemaker.

And the trouble he makes is for anyone foolish enough to ring

his bell on Halloween night.

And so we come to another year and another Halloween.

But beware, because on this Halloween,

nobody can predict what we'll find.

Every community has

a home like the Ratcher house.

It's the one owned by the meanest man in town.

Luckily, the townspeople didn't have

to interact with Harold much.

He lived on the other side of the bridge.

The only time anyone

bothered to cross the creek to see

him at all was on Halloween.

Storm's blowing in.

Hm.

Hope it waits awhile so the children won't be disappointed.

You know it's Halloween tonight.

I thought I'd put some candy in a bowl.

There'll be no kids coming by here tonight,

not after the lesson I taught them last year.

I wouldn't be so proud of that, Harold Ratcher.

You scared those children so badly

one had to go to the hospital.

Well, they were trespassing on my property.

Time was, hours were too spread out around here for kids

to come begging for treats.

Besides, I won that case in court.

The town's grown up.

The suburbs are just to the other side of the bridge now.

Have to expect some children coming over.

Yeah, with their greedy hands out

playing tricks on anybody who doesn't

give into their extortion.

They're just harmless little children.

Yeah.

Well, what about the year they covered the tree

in toilet paper?

Smashed raw eggs in the mailbox.

Well?

Mind you.

Any little hoodlums come across that bridge tonight,

they all wish they hadn't.

Oh.

Frightening costumes.

You know how I feel about that!

I'm playing by the rules.

Halloween's a two-way street.

They wear scary costumes.

So can I.

Harold, don't!

Oh!

Here you are.

There.

They don't all fall for your nonsense.

You're a little big for a trick-or-treater, huh?

So are you.

Well, we won't get any more trick-or-treaters tonight.

Probably best that way.

In this weather?

I see you out there.

Get out of here, you rotten kid!

Harold, who are you hollering at?

Some kid!

He has a dummy dressed just like me.

It's like I told you.

Up to no good!

He's probably trying to get even after last year.

I don't see anybody out there.

You're making more out of this than need be.

You think so, huh?

It's just the tree. Of

Course. What else would it be?

I don't know what you're getting yourself all worked up about,

but I'm going to bed before you do the same to me.

I should've cut those branches.

They're going to be scraping all night.

Whoa!

Whoa!

That lousy kid!

For the love of Pete!

Oh!

Oh!

I think my husband's having a heart attack!

No, he doesn't have a history.

He said some boy was terrorizing him.

He's shaking.

He can hardly breathe.

Please hurry!

It'll take a while for the ambulance.

The storm flooded the creek.

The bridge between us and town washed away hours ago.

That's impossible.

If the bridge washed away, then how did a kid in a monster suit

get over to our house?

Was Harold Ratcher victimized by his own cruel imagination?

Or did someone sneak across the bridge

before the rain washed it out, someone

who was perhaps out for revenge against Harold Ratcher?

Or was the culprit, as some think, Harold's wife Mary?

But then how do you explain the Grim Reaper?

It couldn't possibly have been her, could it?

In this tale of trick-or-treat, have we

opened the door of truth, or are we leaving you holding the bag?

JON LAFONTAINE We'll

tell you whether this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a young woman lives with a ghost of her favorite cat

on Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.

Do you have a pet?

Chances are it's a dog or a cat.

And while dogs retain the title of man's best friend,

cat owners number over 27 million in the United States

alone.

These are a few of the products aimed at feline fanciers.

Wendy Baker is a proud cat lover.

In fact, you might say that the attention she pays to her cat,

named Precious, is obsessive.

It's enough attention to fill a lifetime, or for that matter,

9 life times.

As a child psychologist, I had worked with hundreds of cases,

but never before had I handled a situation not knowing

the nature of the problem.

The parents urged me to meet their daughter

with them in their own home.

I guess they felt if I didn't see it with my own eyes,

I'd never believe it.

Oh, she actually takes better care of the cat

than she does herself.

You know, we moved about six months ago.

Wendy was upset about leaving her old school and her friends.

So we thought we'd get her Precious.

I tried to explain to her we had to relocate

for this job I was taking.

But, well, you know kids.

Ah, and Wendy really loved that cat.

I mean, Precious slept on her bed

every night on a special pillow, followed

Wendy around like a shadow.

It was really sweet.

Where's the cat?

Oh, well, about two months ago,

it ran out into the street.

And Wendy hasn't gotten over the loss?

No.

We figured give her a little time.

Yeah.

But it's been two months.

It's a little bizarre.

Maybe I should have agreed to seek out help sooner good.

But kids, teenagers they're supposed to act eccentric.

You know, at first we thought it

was some sort of hallucination.

And then we thought she was doing it on purpose just

to make us angry.

And now, we don't know what to think,

except that she is taking this way too far.

And we really need some help.

What do you mean by eccentric?

Oh, hi.

Hey, pumpkin.

Hey.

Wendy, this is the, uh, the doctor we talked about.

Hi, Wendy.

I'm Dana, Dana White.

Hello.

We asked Dr. White to, um, talk to you.

Oh.

About Precious?

Mhm.

Good, baby!

You're hungry today, huh?

Did you miss me?

I missed you, too!

Um, you know, I've got that algebra test tomorrow.

I'm going to study.

She pretends Precious is still alive.

The food actually disappears.

In the morning, it's half eaten.

Um, my husband thinks that maybe

Wendy is actually eating it.

Have you tried to make her stop?

Well, for a while, we went along with the charade.

We thought maybe it would be better for her.

But then last week, we finally confronted her.

We told her how we felt and begged her to stop.

And the next morning, we found this.

She told us Precious was upset.

I have an idea.

I'd like to tell Wendy that I want to photograph Precious.

Maybe she'll warm up to me more quickly that way.

Would you mind if I used your camera?

Oh, what?

And play right into her fantasy?

This is a strange case, Mr. Baker.

I'm willing to do anything that might help Wendy.

I can't say I have a lot of experience in situations

like this, but something in my gut

just tells me that this is the right move.

Is there film in that camera?

Well, it looks like it's loaded, only 11 shots used.

And we haven't used it in a while.

OK.

Let's give it a try.

Right.

Come in.

Hey, Wendy.

I know you want to study, but I was hoping

we could talk for a few minutes, just

to get to know one another.

They just don't get it.

I don't need a shrink.

They need glasses.

Ha.

It's a nice room.

Yeah, it's all right.

The old house was nicer.

And your parents you spend a lot of time in here.

Yeah, well, they won't leave me alone out there.

They're always mad.

About Precious?

Hey, how would you feel if I took some pictures of Precious?

Are you trying to make me like you?

A little.

Sure.

Go ahead.

Take her picture.

She always loves taking her afternoon naps on this pillow.

Oh.

OK.

Oh, ha.

You scaredy cat.

Did that sound frighten you?

It's OK, Precious. It's just a camera.

Hey, how about if I take a picture

of you holding Precious?

Sure.

OK.

Great!

That's beautiful.

I think it is the right decision.

Hi.

If you would develop this roll of film as soon as possible,

I think that when she sees there is no cat,

she'll be able to accept it.

Let's try this first before we proceed with the therapy.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you so much for coming to our home.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Oh, it's my pleasure.

I just hope it does the trick.

You know what they say about pictures,

sometimes seeing is believing.

Yeah.

Well, I walk you out.

I was surprised to receive

a call the next day.

Mrs. Baker asked if I could come right over, so I did.

Oh, hi.

Um, I called my husband, but he's not here yet.

Please come in.

I just got back from the photo lab.

Now I knew

why Mrs. Baker was so upset.

What's the explanation?

How could an image of Precious show up on the photograph?

Remember, the roll of film was already in the camera.

Was it an old photographic image leftover from when

Precious was still alive?

Perhaps, a double exposure.

If so, why were there no other images

of Precious on that same roll?

Or is it possible that Precious still existed

on some spiritual level?

A soul that could be seen and felt by the person who

loved him most: Wendy Baker.

Does this story of the invisible cat

deserved to be deposited in the bank of truth,

or have we tossed another lie into the kitty?

JON LAFONTAINE We'll

tell you whether this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a showdown with death at a roadside motel on Beyond

Fact or Fiction.

Observe.

Keys that unlock doors to hotel and motel rooms,

something most of us take for granted.

But think about the mysteries that exist in the simple act

of opening the motel door.

Who has stayed here before?

What activities took place here?

Has anything been left behind?

And what will await you during your stay?

In most cases, those questions are unimportant,

but for Joe Bender and his wife Angie,

this key is more than a device to open their door.

It's a passport to the unexplained.

My husband was once a good cop,

but the years on the force had made him

cold and hard about criminals.

And lately, he was burned out and getting

himself into big trouble.

His suspension gave us a chance to take

a few days for ourselves, something we really needed.

I wanted to believe in Joe, but I knew the police

force had changed him.

He wasn't the same man I married.

We got a quiet room.

They're all quiet around here.

California license.

You and the misses on vacation?

Just getting away for a while.

23.

Around back.

This trip will be good for both of us.

I don't care if I ever see L.A. again.

ANGIE BENDER I had seen

the old woman's reaction to the paper

through the office window.

She knew who Joe was, all right.

I just wish I did.

And then something totally strange happened.

- Hey! - Joe!

What are you doing?

I thought I saw--

Oh, my God!

Did you hurt yourself?

That's blood.

ANGIE BENDER I couldn't

get Joe to change rooms.

He just wanted this one cleaned up.

I was feeling very uncomfortable.

Well.

It's gone now.

Strange place.

Unbelievable.

Are you OK?

Sure.

I'm not gonna let them beat me.

Oh, honey.

It's just-- it's all the stress you've been under.

The way these Internal Affairs people and the press

have hounded you.

Those bastards!

After everything I've given.

And the courts, well, you know the courts

they protect the guilty.

And don't think that I don't know which ones are guilty.

That guy!

They're crucifying me over.

Punk!

He deserved everything that he got!

Just-- just try and get some rest.

Ah!

Who are you?

What the hell do you want?

What's the matter, Joe?

Huh.

He wanted me to go for my gun.

Who?

What are you talking about?

We're alone, Joe. - No.

No.

There's no one here.

You're-- you're dreaming.

Joe.

He was here.

He was right here.

- We gotta get outta here. - Joe.

I--

Come on.

Come on.

Wake up!

Hey!

Lady, right now you're gonna tell me what's in our room.

What is it?

I don't know what you're talking--

- Don't lie to me! - Joe!

I only know what other people have told me.

What?

A long time ago, a man named William Bonny was

killed in an unfair gunfight.

And some people believe that his spirit remained here.

Are you telling me that this hotel is haunted?

William Bonny died on this ground.

I've never seen him, but I'll tell you this:

tonight isn't the first night that I've had to mop up blood.

I'm gonna go get our stuff.

You stay here.

We're checking out.

Do you really believe all this about a ghost?

A lot of people believe it.

Some think he's waiting on a chance for revenge.

You see, in that gunfight, William Bonny

was shot dead by a law man.

Ah!

Joe!

Joe!

Joe!

Joe!

Did Joe Bender fall prey to a ghost?

Or was he the victim of his own guilty conscience?

Did his stressful situation lend to his own suicide?

Or was his demise caused by the spirit of Billy

the Kid, a man who was unfairly shot to death

years ago by another law man.

In judging the merits of this story,

you must decide the winner of the showdown

that takes place every day: truth versus falsehood.

JON LAFONTAINE We'll

tell you whether this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a married couple encounter a strange drifter on Beyond

Fact or Fiction.

These are all things that come in handy

when your car gets a flat tire.

Of course, many people choose to just stay in their car

and call the Auto Club.

But sometimes, phones aren't available.

The husband in our next story isn't very handy.

But like most men, he takes a certain pride

in his ability to read his manual

and change a tire in any situation.

But the strange situation he and his wife are about to encounter

isn't covered in any manual.

When we started

to David's mother's house that morning,

we were already arguing.

I was completely on edge, because I loved David.

But I knew our marriage was slipping away.

I'd feel better if you put on your seat belt.

Would you stop worrying?

You look fine.

Your dress is fine.

You're not listening to me!

Besides which, I'm wearing slacks.

Whatever.

You look all right.

Whenever we visit your mother, I feel

like I'm being scrutinized.

You're imagining things.

My mother is not that critical.

Really?

Then why do you always feel like you have to please her?

You know, you're not in competition with Rebecca.

I make plenty of time for you. - Oh.

Just like to make time for your boss, your friends, your golf

buddies.

You always make me feel like I'm last in line.

You know, when I'm working late, it's for us.

When I'm golfing with a client, it's for us.

I understand how you feel, but--

You don't notice what I'm wearing when I'm sitting

eight inches away from you!

You expect me to believe you understand how I feel?

Great.

I think we have a flat.

I Can't get any service out here.

Are you sure you're doing that right?

You know these tires are new.

There is no reason for this to be flat.

Ah!

David!

Looks like you need help.

I, uh--

You know, the guys at the tire store,

they uh, use a power drill.

Let me try.

Knock yourself out.

Where'd he come from?

I don't know.

Is this a good idea?

We'll get them a couple of bucks.

Sometimes the direction we choose is not the right one.

You, uh, you were turning the wrench the wrong way.

It's not a wrench. It's a tire iron.

My mom is not gonna be happy.

Sometimes we try to please so many others,

we lose sight of those we're most important,

the ones we truly love.

It's easy to take them for granted.

They're always there for us.

Yeah, well uh, you know, we really appreciate this.

Uh, can I give you a lift somewhere?

At first, I was concerned David invited

the strange man into our car.

I'd feel better if you put on your seat belt.

So, how far you going?

I'll know when the time comes to leave you.

So you just travel from place to place?

Your family must miss you.

You know, I envy you.

Doing whatever you want.

Not having anyone answer to.

Complete freedom.

Life's just one big adventure, huh?

That it is.

But when you see how much can be gained when two join together

as one, to have someone who knows

your private, most personal pain and can replace joy,

that is an adventure.

Yeah, well, everything takes work.

Life is work.

Any heavy load can be made lighter

when two work together, as opposed to pulling

in opposite directions.

When love is held in an open hand,

it can flourish instead of being crushed.

It's like you know us.

David!

Oh, my God! He's gone!

What? Hold on.

He's gone!

What the hell's--

He must've fallen out!

While he was wearing a seat belt?

After searching the area

and not finding him, we felt like we

needed to report what happened.

So when David spotted a police officer, we pulled over.

He just was there and--

Gone.

I've been up and down the stretch of highway

so many times, I know every crack in the pavement.

I could look for that drifter, but I won't find him.

You're the fourth couple that's told me this story.

And that's just this week.

Come on, Honey.

We gotta go.

When we finally

arrived at David's mother's house, things were different.

She sensed something had happened, something that

brought us closer together.

It was if our wedding vows had been respoken.

And we owed it all to that drifter,

whoever or whatever he was.

So is the strange hitchhiker that disappeared

from the car a ghost?

If he was real, how did he disappear from the backseat?

Some who don't believe in spirits

have suggested that perhaps the hitchhiker was

a professional escape artist.

If so, what could have led him to spend

his life lending spiritual enlightenment

to drivers along the highway?

Drifter, angel, or ghost?

Is this story of a stranger who hopped a ride true?

Or is there a hitch to it?

JON LAFONTAINE Next, you'll

find out which of our stories are fact

and which are fiction, when Beyond Belief: Fact

or Fiction returns.

Now it's time to find out which of our stories

was inspired by an actual event and which

ones are total fiction.

What was your opinion of the story

of the couple in love, who turned

out to be switched at birth?

Well, it was so hectic.

I suppose the nurse wrote it down wrong

and then the doctor corrected it.

I was born the same night in the middle of the same chaos.

Now my mother's record said "baby girl,"

but it's crossed out and changed to "boy."

Well, one boy baby and one girl baby.

Hm.

The paperwork must've been mixed up.

Is this one too fantastic to be true?

Not really.

Our research shows that a similar story

took place involving a couple in the Northeast

around the late '70s.

Now let's take a look at the evil Halloween Scrooge

who was paid back for his treachery

by an unexplainable force.

Trick or treat?

Ah!

I see you out there!

Did you think our research staff found a story

inspired by an actual event?

Not this time.

It's the creation of a writer.

How did you judge the story of the girl

with the imaginary cat that turned out to be

more than just imagination?

Hey, how would you feel if I took some pictures of Precious?

Are you trying to make me like you?

A little.

Sure.

Go ahead.

Take her picture.

She always loves taking her afternoon naps on this pillow.

Oh, OK.

Did we make up this story of the young woman

obsessed by a cat that nobody but her could see?

No.

This story is inspired by an actual event that took place

near Paris in the mid-'50s.

What did you make of the tale of the crooked policeman who

apparently received his revenge from the ghost of Billy

the Kid?

Was this one true?

Now you're gonna tell me what's in our room!

What is it?

- I don't what you're talking-- - Don't lie to me!

Joe!

I only know what other people have told me.

What?

A long time ago, a man named William Bonny was killed

in an unfair gunfight, and some people believe

that his spirit remained here.

Are you telling me that this hotel is haunted?

According to our research, a similar event to this one

did occur in a period between the World Wars

in the American Southwest.

It's fact.

Now let's review the story of the mysterious hitchhiker who

changed the lives of a married couple.

True or false?

There is no reason for this to be flat.

Ah!

David!

Looks like you need help.

If you thought this one was based on an actual event,

you're right.

It's a story that has been reported

by travelers along a highway in New York state.

It's fact.

How was your perception tonight?

Did it stay constant?

Or did it change before your eyes?

The perception of truth must include

the awareness of falsehood.

But where does one begin and the other let off?

That's the challenge of discerning fact from fiction.

And that's why we're often left with a choice

that's beyond belief.

I'm Jonathan Frakes.

The story entitled,

"For the Record," is true based upon firsthand research

conducted by author Robert Tralins for Beyond Belief:

Fact or Fiction.

This is Don LaFontaine.