1
00:00:01,750 --> 00:00:04,450
The greatest hoax
in the history of sports...

2
00:00:04,460 --> 00:00:06,720
LEWIS: Who is this woman?
Race officials of

3
00:00:06,730 --> 00:00:10,390
the Boston Marathon
were totally stunned.

4
00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,100
A mythical beast
that's full of hot air...

5
00:00:13,100 --> 00:00:16,070
HARRISON: There are reports of
a mysterious sea creature,

6
00:00:16,070 --> 00:00:19,200
big eyes, giant teeth.

7
00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:22,970
And a notorious news flash
from outer space.

8
00:00:22,980 --> 00:00:25,210
FALBER: Newspapers were
sending out reporters

9
00:00:25,210 --> 00:00:27,440
to find out what was going on.

10
00:00:27,450 --> 00:00:30,380
These are
the mysteries at the museum.

11
00:00:36,290 --> 00:00:38,050
New York City.

12
00:00:38,060 --> 00:00:43,730
In 1524, renowned Italian
explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano

13
00:00:43,730 --> 00:00:45,930
became the first European
to sail into

14
00:00:45,930 --> 00:00:49,030
what is now the city's harbor,
changing the world forever,

15
00:00:49,030 --> 00:00:52,700
so it's fitting that his
accomplishment is honored

16
00:00:52,700 --> 00:00:55,470
by the city's epic
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge,

17
00:00:55,470 --> 00:00:58,180
the longest suspension bridge
in the nation.

18
00:00:58,180 --> 00:01:02,150
Today, one historic institution
pays tribute to

19
00:01:02,150 --> 00:01:04,750
that same spirit of adventure --

20
00:01:04,750 --> 00:01:08,690
the Explorers Club,
founded in 1905.

21
00:01:10,990 --> 00:01:14,860
Its vast collection includes
tusks that belonged to

22
00:01:14,860 --> 00:01:18,090
a rare four-tusked elephant
in the Congo,

23
00:01:18,100 --> 00:01:21,300
a marine compass used by
Arctic explorer

24
00:01:21,300 --> 00:01:23,930
Robert A. Bartlett
in the 1920s,

25
00:01:23,940 --> 00:01:26,370
and gloves worn by
a Russian cosmonaut

26
00:01:26,370 --> 00:01:28,840
on a mission to
an early space station.

27
00:01:31,810 --> 00:01:34,640
But amidst these objects
from across the globe

28
00:01:34,650 --> 00:01:37,710
is one that was part of
an adventure that began

29
00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,020
right here at
the Explorers Club.

30
00:01:40,020 --> 00:01:42,590
FLINT: The artifact
is six inches wide

31
00:01:42,590 --> 00:01:44,020
and nine inches tall,

32
00:01:44,020 --> 00:01:46,760
it's black and white,
it's made of paper,

33
00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:51,230
and it's got kind of
a cartoonish look to it.

34
00:01:51,230 --> 00:01:54,230
WILDMAN: This faded menu
recalls a culinary caper

35
00:01:54,230 --> 00:01:57,000
that had mouths watering
all over the world.

36
00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,940
FLINT: This is a story about
the dinner party of the century.

37
00:02:03,810 --> 00:02:07,710
WILDMAN: January 13, 1951,
New York.

38
00:02:07,710 --> 00:02:10,050
The Explorers Club,
the nation's

39
00:02:10,050 --> 00:02:13,550
preeminent organization
for adventurers is scientists,

40
00:02:13,550 --> 00:02:15,450
is holding its annual dinner.

41
00:02:15,450 --> 00:02:18,090
Hosted by chairman
Wendell Phillips Dodge,

42
00:02:18,090 --> 00:02:20,320
the event is
one of the highlights

43
00:02:20,330 --> 00:02:23,430
of the Big Apple's
social calendar,

44
00:02:23,430 --> 00:02:26,760
but this year's banquet
promises to be like no other.

45
00:02:26,770 --> 00:02:29,370
The reason?
Dodge has told his guests

46
00:02:29,370 --> 00:02:32,340
that the menu will
contain something that

47
00:02:32,340 --> 00:02:34,970
no one has ever
been served before,

48
00:02:34,970 --> 00:02:38,540
but the wily chairman won't say
exactly what it is.

49
00:02:38,540 --> 00:02:40,480
FLINT: Everyone is
really anticipating

50
00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:42,510
that this was going to be
the best dinner

51
00:02:42,510 --> 00:02:44,380
that the Explorers Club
had ever had.

52
00:02:44,380 --> 00:02:47,580
WILDMAN: The special course
is so hotly anticipated

53
00:02:47,590 --> 00:02:50,090
that one guest
who is unable to attend

54
00:02:50,090 --> 00:02:54,360
even arranges for his portion
to be sent to him by mail.

55
00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,700
Before diners get a taste
of the mysterious menu item,

56
00:02:59,700 --> 00:03:03,370
they are served an array
of exotic courses.

57
00:03:03,370 --> 00:03:06,640
This dinner had
Pacific spider crab,

58
00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:08,410
there was bison steak.

59
00:03:08,410 --> 00:03:10,640
It was a really lavish event.

60
00:03:10,640 --> 00:03:12,680
WILDMAN: Even the water
is served

61
00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,410
with a chunk of ice
from a glacier.

62
00:03:16,420 --> 00:03:20,850
Finally, Dodge brings out
a silver platter

63
00:03:20,850 --> 00:03:23,720
and announces that the dish...

64
00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,720
is prehistoric meat.

65
00:03:26,730 --> 00:03:30,630
FLINT: This was one exciting,
exotic, and very rare item,

66
00:03:30,630 --> 00:03:32,560
and the guests
are really wondering

67
00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:34,730
which extinct
prehistoric animal was it.

68
00:03:34,730 --> 00:03:37,500
WILDMAN: But Dodge
remains tight-lipped.

69
00:03:37,500 --> 00:03:40,570
All he will say is that
the animal from which

70
00:03:40,570 --> 00:03:44,110
the flesh came is now extinct
and that it is so scarce

71
00:03:44,110 --> 00:03:47,340
that everyone will be served
just a tiny sliver.

72
00:03:47,350 --> 00:03:50,750
The atmosphere is electric.

73
00:03:50,750 --> 00:03:53,350
Consuming the flesh
of an extinct creature

74
00:03:53,350 --> 00:03:55,650
is a once in
a lifetime opportunity.

75
00:03:55,650 --> 00:03:58,220
As the guests eat
their small portions,

76
00:03:58,220 --> 00:04:00,820
they remark on
the meat's strange taste

77
00:04:00,830 --> 00:04:03,830
and offer their theories
as to what it must be.

78
00:04:03,830 --> 00:04:05,460
Some assume it's come from

79
00:04:05,460 --> 00:04:07,960
a defrosted
wooly mammoth from Alaska.

80
00:04:07,970 --> 00:04:11,970
Others think it could be from an
ancient species of giant sloth.

81
00:04:11,970 --> 00:04:13,170
FLINT: Really nobody knew,

82
00:04:13,170 --> 00:04:15,110
and that's what
the talk of the dinner was,

83
00:04:15,110 --> 00:04:17,140
is how did they get this here
and what is it?

84
00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,110
But the dinner ends
without the chairman

85
00:04:22,110 --> 00:04:25,350
giving them the satisfaction
of a proper explanation

86
00:04:25,350 --> 00:04:26,920
as to what the meat was.

87
00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,950
The next day,
news of the Explorers Club's

88
00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:34,990
lavish dinner and its mysterious
menu item hits the press.

89
00:04:34,990 --> 00:04:38,560
FLINT: It was heralded
as this fantastical spectacle.

90
00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:42,400
People said it was
the dinner party of the century.

91
00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,100
WILDMAN: In subsequent years,

92
00:04:44,100 --> 00:04:46,640
the Explorers Club
continues the tradition

93
00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,210
that was started by
Wendell Phillips Dodge.

94
00:04:49,210 --> 00:04:51,780
It serves deep-fried tarantulas,

95
00:04:51,780 --> 00:04:55,050
martinis garnished
with goat eyeballs,

96
00:04:55,050 --> 00:04:59,180
and even the barbecued
sex organs of bulls.

97
00:04:59,180 --> 00:05:02,450
Yet the question of exactly
what Dodge cooked up

98
00:05:02,450 --> 00:05:05,490
at the 1951 dinner
remains one of New York's

99
00:05:05,490 --> 00:05:09,260
most enduring mysteries.

100
00:05:09,260 --> 00:05:12,330
But more than 60 years
after the famed event,

101
00:05:12,330 --> 00:05:16,500
a new discovery reveals the
truth behind the enigmatic dish.

102
00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:23,010
2014, Yale University
in Connecticut.

103
00:05:23,010 --> 00:05:25,610
An anthropology professor
named Eric Sargis

104
00:05:25,610 --> 00:05:28,950
is looking through the archives
of the Yale Peabody Museum

105
00:05:28,950 --> 00:05:32,320
when he comes across a vial
containing a curious specimen.

106
00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:37,120
The label says that inside
is a sample of preserved meat

107
00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:40,420
from the 1951
Explorers Club dinner.

108
00:05:40,430 --> 00:05:43,690
It's from the guest who could
not attend the gala

109
00:05:43,700 --> 00:05:47,000
and had asked for his portion
to be mailed to him.

110
00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,100
Rather than consume the meat,

111
00:05:49,100 --> 00:05:52,270
the absent diner decided
to preserve it.

112
00:05:52,270 --> 00:05:54,270
The sample was
eventually filed away

113
00:05:54,270 --> 00:05:58,240
in the archives of
the Yale Peabody Museum.

114
00:06:00,210 --> 00:06:03,050
Sargis and his colleagues
realize that this

115
00:06:03,050 --> 00:06:06,620
is their chance to finally
identify the prehistoric meat.

116
00:06:06,620 --> 00:06:09,120
FLINT: They wanted to get to
the bottom of the question

117
00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,350
that Wendell Phillips Dodge
refused to answer --

118
00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:15,660
what was served at that dinner,
what is actually in that vial.

119
00:06:15,660 --> 00:06:18,430
They extracted
a piece of the meat

120
00:06:18,430 --> 00:06:22,130
and did some DNA testing
to discover what it really was.

121
00:06:22,130 --> 00:06:24,770
WILDMAN: And when
the results come back,

122
00:06:24,770 --> 00:06:26,970
Sargis and his team
are stunned.

123
00:06:29,340 --> 00:06:30,740
FLINT: Ultimately
it was discovered

124
00:06:30,740 --> 00:06:34,410
that the meat
in the vial was...

125
00:06:34,410 --> 00:06:37,310
green sea turtle.

126
00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,020
WILDMAN: Green sea turtles
are endangered

127
00:06:40,020 --> 00:06:41,820
but are by no means extinct.

128
00:06:41,820 --> 00:06:45,120
The discovery leads Sargis
to an amusing conclusion.

129
00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,260
Wendell Phillips Dodge
pulled a giant prank

130
00:06:48,260 --> 00:06:50,990
on the Explorers Club.

131
00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,030
WILDMAN: So why did Dodge
want his guests and the world

132
00:06:54,030 --> 00:06:56,800
to think he served
prehistoric meat?

133
00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,700
Many believe that it was
all part of a publicity stunt

134
00:06:59,700 --> 00:07:03,440
Dodge cooked up to bring
attention to the Explorers Club,

135
00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:05,210
and it seemed to have worked.

136
00:07:05,210 --> 00:07:08,340
FLINT: Wendell Phillips Dodge
went to all of this trouble

137
00:07:08,350 --> 00:07:10,780
because he wanted this dinner
to be this spectacle,

138
00:07:10,780 --> 00:07:12,180
and he did that.

139
00:07:12,180 --> 00:07:15,220
He created this dinner that
everybody's still talking about.

140
00:07:17,290 --> 00:07:20,860
WILDMAN: Today, this menu
from the infamous 1951 dinner

141
00:07:20,860 --> 00:07:23,360
is on display at
the Explorers Club.

142
00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,260
It's a reminder of
a prehistoric prank

143
00:07:26,260 --> 00:07:29,200
that was almost
impossible to swallow.

144
00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,470
Connecticut is
a state of many firsts.

145
00:07:35,470 --> 00:07:38,580
It's where the first Frisbee
was invented,

146
00:07:38,580 --> 00:07:40,710
the first hamburger was served,

147
00:07:40,710 --> 00:07:44,050
and even the first
submarine was built.

148
00:07:44,050 --> 00:07:45,720
And one town, Windsor,

149
00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:48,950
is particularly proud
of its claim to fame.

150
00:07:48,950 --> 00:07:53,220
It's the home of the nation's
very first FM radio station.

151
00:07:53,230 --> 00:07:56,160
And one institution
celebrates that history --

152
00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,630
the Vintage Radio
and Communications Museum

153
00:07:58,630 --> 00:08:02,830
of Connecticut.

154
00:08:02,830 --> 00:08:06,140
The vast archive holds
an early record player

155
00:08:06,140 --> 00:08:07,800
known as a phonograph,

156
00:08:07,810 --> 00:08:10,410
one of the first
movie projectors

157
00:08:10,410 --> 00:08:12,180
to play film with sound,

158
00:08:12,180 --> 00:08:15,450
and a telephone switchboard
from the 1950s.

159
00:08:17,650 --> 00:08:20,920
But among these triumphs
of technology is an item

160
00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,890
that almost brought
the nation to its knees.

161
00:08:23,890 --> 00:08:27,690
FALBER: The artifact measures
approximately 12 inches high.

162
00:08:27,690 --> 00:08:29,360
It is 80 years old.

163
00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,800
The object is round and curved
in several places.

164
00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,830
When used correctly,
this object can amplify sound.

165
00:08:39,470 --> 00:08:41,500
WILDMAN: A microphone
just like this

166
00:08:41,510 --> 00:08:44,370
took center stage
in a terrifying tale

167
00:08:44,380 --> 00:08:46,780
that spawned
a Hollywood legend.

168
00:08:46,780 --> 00:08:49,280
FALBER: This item represents
a creative genius

169
00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,180
and a broadcast
that rocked the nation.

170
00:08:52,180 --> 00:08:55,590
WILDMAN: The fabled story of how
Orson Welles' radio version

171
00:08:55,590 --> 00:08:59,360
of "The War of the Worlds"
spread panic across the country

172
00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:00,620
is one of the greatest moments

173
00:09:00,630 --> 00:09:02,430
in the history of
popular entertainment.

174
00:09:02,430 --> 00:09:04,630
MAN: Orson Welles...

175
00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:11,730
WILDMAN: The tale begins in
the late 1930s in New York City.

176
00:09:11,740 --> 00:09:13,540
23-year-old Orson Welles

177
00:09:13,540 --> 00:09:17,010
is a promising young
theater actor and director

178
00:09:17,010 --> 00:09:19,310
who's desperate
to make the big time.

179
00:09:19,310 --> 00:09:22,180
FALBER: Orson was
a very driven person.

180
00:09:22,180 --> 00:09:24,180
He was experimental.

181
00:09:24,180 --> 00:09:27,450
He always wanted to
expand the realm

182
00:09:27,450 --> 00:09:30,850
of the creative field
that he was working in.

183
00:09:30,860 --> 00:09:34,620
WILDMAN: In July 1938,
following a successful run

184
00:09:34,630 --> 00:09:37,630
on Broadway of Shakespeare's
"Julius Caesar,"

185
00:09:37,630 --> 00:09:42,670
Welles is invited to produce
a live radio drama for CBS.

186
00:09:42,670 --> 00:09:45,840
FALBER: Orson played different
voices on the radio for years,

187
00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:48,200
but this was the first time
that he got to be

188
00:09:48,210 --> 00:09:53,280
in complete creative control
of a show on the radio.

189
00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,450
WILDMAN: Keen to make a mark
in the new medium,

190
00:09:55,450 --> 00:09:57,910
Welles and his team
adapt one of the greatest

191
00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:00,080
sci-fi stories ever written,

192
00:10:00,090 --> 00:10:03,520
the classic tale of Martians
invading planet Earth --

193
00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:05,020
"The War of the Worlds."

194
00:10:05,020 --> 00:10:07,620
But his version
will be different

195
00:10:07,630 --> 00:10:09,930
in one unforgettable way.

196
00:10:09,930 --> 00:10:12,730
FALBER: He thought that the real
way to get people interested

197
00:10:12,730 --> 00:10:15,870
was to make it sound
as realistic as possible.

198
00:10:18,470 --> 00:10:21,470
WILDMAN: So Welles comes up with
the idea of telling the story

199
00:10:21,470 --> 00:10:24,070
through a series
of news broadcasts.

200
00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,180
FALBER: Welles had wanted to do
sort of a show in the style

201
00:10:28,180 --> 00:10:30,910
of a news broadcast
for a long time,

202
00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:33,420
and he decided that
"War of the Worlds"

203
00:10:33,420 --> 00:10:35,950
might be
the perfect opportunity.

204
00:10:38,420 --> 00:10:39,860
WILDMAN: For inspiration,

205
00:10:39,860 --> 00:10:41,860
the group studies
the way news broadcasters

206
00:10:41,860 --> 00:10:44,330
covered the big events
of the era,

207
00:10:44,330 --> 00:10:48,060
such as the kidnapping
of the Lindbergh baby

208
00:10:48,070 --> 00:10:50,600
and the Hindenburg
airship disaster.

209
00:10:54,510 --> 00:10:57,210
FALBER: They started
to listen to the way

210
00:10:57,210 --> 00:10:59,680
that it had been
reported on the air,

211
00:10:59,680 --> 00:11:02,010
the tension
and the tone of voice.

212
00:11:05,950 --> 00:11:08,720
WILDMAN: Finally,
after one week of preparation,

213
00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:10,890
the script is ready.

214
00:11:10,890 --> 00:11:15,290
On Sunday, October 30, 1938,
Welles gathers his troupe

215
00:11:15,290 --> 00:11:18,660
at CBS Studios
to perform their version

216
00:11:18,660 --> 00:11:21,930
of "The War of the Worlds"
live on the radio.

217
00:11:21,930 --> 00:11:23,700
FALBER: And everybody
circled around Welles

218
00:11:23,700 --> 00:11:26,570
almost as if he was
conducting an orchestra.

219
00:11:26,570 --> 00:11:28,840
WILDMAN: Orson Welles
introduces the program...

220
00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:30,670
WELLES: We know now
that in the early years

221
00:11:30,680 --> 00:11:32,180
of the 20th century,

222
00:11:32,180 --> 00:11:36,810
this world was being watched
closely by intelligences.

223
00:11:36,820 --> 00:11:38,150
WILDMAN: And for one hour,

224
00:11:38,150 --> 00:11:40,720
the actors perform
their roles perfectly.

225
00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:48,074



226
00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,860
Welles' clever presentation
is so effective that,

227
00:11:53,870 --> 00:11:55,470
as the story goes,

228
00:11:55,470 --> 00:11:58,730
millions of American listeners
are fooled into believing

229
00:11:58,740 --> 00:12:02,670
that a Martian invasion
is really underway.

230
00:12:14,450 --> 00:12:17,890
Legend has it that in
the aftermath of the broadcast,

231
00:12:17,890 --> 00:12:20,090
a wave of panic
sweeps the nation

232
00:12:20,090 --> 00:12:23,490
as people flee the imaginary
invaders from space.

233
00:12:26,130 --> 00:12:29,730
FALBER: The press is saying that
people have died in car crashes,

234
00:12:29,730 --> 00:12:33,240
that they've trampled each other
while taking to the streets,

235
00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:35,610
that they've had heart attacks.

236
00:12:35,610 --> 00:12:37,840
WILDMAN: But the reality
of the situation

237
00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:39,510
eventually becomes clear,

238
00:12:39,510 --> 00:12:42,780
and the so-called
panic subsides.

239
00:12:42,780 --> 00:12:44,580
Orson Welles'
"War of the Worlds"

240
00:12:44,580 --> 00:12:47,720
goes down as one of the most
infamous radio broadcasts

241
00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:49,690
in entertainment history.

242
00:12:49,690 --> 00:12:52,660
But is this really
what happened?

243
00:12:52,660 --> 00:12:56,760
It turns out the real story
behind "The War of the Worlds"

244
00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:58,860
is actually very different.

245
00:13:02,870 --> 00:13:06,200
The tale of how Orson Welles'
infamous radio adaptation

246
00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:07,570
of "The War of the Worlds"

247
00:13:07,570 --> 00:13:11,210
sent thousands into
a blind panic has gone down

248
00:13:11,210 --> 00:13:13,940
as one of the great moments
in broadcast history,

249
00:13:13,940 --> 00:13:17,410
but the truth behind the legend
is quite different.

250
00:13:17,420 --> 00:13:23,820
So what really happened
that October night in 1938?

251
00:13:23,820 --> 00:13:26,260
The truth is that
very few Americans

252
00:13:26,260 --> 00:13:29,090
were listening to Welles'
broadcast at all.

253
00:13:29,090 --> 00:13:31,490
FALBER: Welles was up against
"The Chase and Sanborn Hour,"

254
00:13:31,500 --> 00:13:35,700
one of the most popular programs
on the radio at the time.

255
00:13:35,700 --> 00:13:37,930
WILDMAN: And those who were
listening were even warned

256
00:13:37,940 --> 00:13:41,370
by Welles himself
not to take the show seriously.

257
00:13:41,370 --> 00:13:43,940
WELLES: And remember, please,
that was no Martian.

258
00:13:43,940 --> 00:13:46,110
It's Halloween.

259
00:13:46,110 --> 00:13:48,240
WILDMAN: Despite this,
for a brief moment,

260
00:13:48,250 --> 00:13:51,310
there was some confusion
among the listening audience

261
00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:54,750
as to whether the drama
was fact or fiction,

262
00:13:54,750 --> 00:13:57,090
and some people did call
their local stations

263
00:13:57,090 --> 00:13:59,190
wanting to know
if the events were real,

264
00:13:59,190 --> 00:14:01,660
but the numbers
were relatively small.

265
00:14:01,660 --> 00:14:03,930
FALBER: News stations
were getting calls

266
00:14:03,930 --> 00:14:06,160
and newspapers were
sending out reporters

267
00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,570
to find out
what was going on.

268
00:14:09,570 --> 00:14:11,630
WILDMAN: But if so
few people were listening

269
00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:13,900
and hardly any of them
were taken in,

270
00:14:13,900 --> 00:14:17,470
where did the reports
of mass hysteria come from?

271
00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,410
The answer is simple.

272
00:14:20,410 --> 00:14:23,280
Sensing an opportunity
to sell more papers,

273
00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,610
the print journalists
leapt on the idea

274
00:14:25,620 --> 00:14:27,980
that some people
had been taken in

275
00:14:27,990 --> 00:14:30,650
and then blew the story
out of all proportion.

276
00:14:30,650 --> 00:14:34,820
FALBER: The fascinating thing,
really, is how the media

277
00:14:34,830 --> 00:14:39,160
took this story and inflated it
into something so large

278
00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:43,730
that we still think of it today
as this huge panic.

279
00:14:43,730 --> 00:14:46,800
WILDMAN: And as time went on,
the tale went viral.

280
00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,870
FALBER: It got bigger and bigger
as more and more people heard it

281
00:14:49,870 --> 00:14:51,840
and started talking about it.

282
00:14:55,050 --> 00:14:57,910
WILDMAN: And as for Welles,
he simply rides

283
00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,550
the wave of publicity
all the way to Hollywood.

284
00:15:00,550 --> 00:15:03,490
FALBER: People started talking
about the boy genius

285
00:15:03,490 --> 00:15:05,150
who had fooled America,

286
00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:08,860
and he actually wound up
being offered a movie deal

287
00:15:08,860 --> 00:15:12,560
to produce his masterpiece,
"Citizen Kane."

288
00:15:14,530 --> 00:15:17,500
WILDMAN: Today, a replica of
the RCA microphone

289
00:15:17,500 --> 00:15:20,800
that Orson Welles used during
his infamous radio broadcast

290
00:15:20,810 --> 00:15:23,340
of "War of the Worlds"
is on display at

291
00:15:23,340 --> 00:15:25,440
the Vintage Radio
and Communications Museum

292
00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:26,810
of Connecticut.

293
00:15:26,810 --> 00:15:30,210
It recalls a real-life case
of fake news

294
00:15:30,210 --> 00:15:33,220
and the Martian invasion
that never was.

295
00:15:36,350 --> 00:15:38,550
Los Angeles, California.

296
00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:42,830
This sprawling metropolis
has over seven million cars

297
00:15:42,830 --> 00:15:46,800
and 527 miles of freeway,

298
00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,600
so it's no surprise
that there's an institution

299
00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,940
which celebrates this city's
love affair with driving --

300
00:15:52,940 --> 00:15:55,570
the Petersen Automotive Museum.

301
00:15:55,570 --> 00:16:01,080
Spanning over 300,000
square feet of exhibition space,

302
00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:05,010
here visitors can find
150 automotive marvels

303
00:16:05,020 --> 00:16:07,150
from all over the world.

304
00:16:07,150 --> 00:16:09,790
But among the famous
American sports cars

305
00:16:09,790 --> 00:16:12,050
and innovative vehicles
on display

306
00:16:12,060 --> 00:16:16,990
is one bright specimen
that hides a dark mystery.

307
00:16:16,990 --> 00:16:18,930
KENDALL: The artifact
has three wheels --

308
00:16:18,930 --> 00:16:20,860
two in the front,
one in the back --

309
00:16:20,870 --> 00:16:24,970
has seating capacity for two,
and one door.

310
00:16:24,970 --> 00:16:28,640
WILDMAN: This car promised
more than just a smooth ride.

311
00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:34,280
This was going to solve
America's car problems.

312
00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:36,750
WILDMAN: So how was this car
supposed to rescue

313
00:16:36,750 --> 00:16:39,480
the automobile industry,

314
00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:44,550
and what secrets lurk
behind its glossy exterior?

315
00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,660
Los Angeles, 1973.

316
00:16:47,660 --> 00:16:52,090
America is in the midst of
an unprecedented energy crisis.

317
00:16:52,100 --> 00:16:56,160
In just three months,
gas prices have quadrupled,

318
00:16:56,170 --> 00:16:58,400
and with the nation
reeling from a recession

319
00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:00,370
and nine percent unemployment,

320
00:17:00,370 --> 00:17:06,040
the American public is looking
for an automotive answer.

321
00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:10,010
KENDALL: America was really
longing for the kind of car

322
00:17:10,010 --> 00:17:12,920
that would give them
performance and comfort

323
00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:16,250
and style along with
fuel economy

324
00:17:16,250 --> 00:17:19,520
that no American car
could then provide.

325
00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:21,690
WILDMAN: But in 1974,

326
00:17:21,690 --> 00:17:24,390
one woman says
she has the answer.

327
00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,160
Her name is
Elizabeth Carmichael.

328
00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:30,930
The founder of a new company
called Twentieth Century Motors,

329
00:17:30,940 --> 00:17:35,000
Carmichael claims her research
lab has developed a new model

330
00:17:35,010 --> 00:17:37,770
that will solve
the country's energy crisis.

331
00:17:37,780 --> 00:17:40,880
KENDALL: The car was supposed
to get 70 miles to the gallon

332
00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,180
and go a hundred miles an hour

333
00:17:43,180 --> 00:17:46,620
and is made of
a rocket structural resin.

334
00:17:46,620 --> 00:17:49,120
WILDMAN: Carmichael calls
the vehicle the Dale,

335
00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:52,520
and promotional materials
declare that dollar for dollar,

336
00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:54,820
it's the best car ever built.

337
00:17:54,830 --> 00:17:57,160
KENDALL: The price of the car,
$2,000,

338
00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:02,930
was nearly half the price
of the average car in 1974.

339
00:18:02,930 --> 00:18:05,500
WILDMAN: The promise of
a Dale catapults it into

340
00:18:05,500 --> 00:18:08,070
the national spotlight,
and within weeks,

341
00:18:08,070 --> 00:18:11,510
it becomes the most
sought-after car in the country.

342
00:18:11,510 --> 00:18:13,610
KENDALL:
Elizabeth Carmichael generated

343
00:18:13,610 --> 00:18:15,610
a great deal
of positive press.

344
00:18:15,610 --> 00:18:17,780
She had what America wanted.

345
00:18:17,780 --> 00:18:21,980
The press looked to her
as a kind of wise guru.

346
00:18:21,990 --> 00:18:24,320
WILDMAN: But to bring
her car to the masses,

347
00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,320
she needs a massive
influx of cash,

348
00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,890
so she uses her charm,
experience,

349
00:18:29,890 --> 00:18:34,230
and compelling biography
to woo investors.

350
00:18:34,230 --> 00:18:36,870
KENDALL: She spread the word
that she had a degree

351
00:18:36,870 --> 00:18:39,870
in mechanical engineering
and that she was the widow

352
00:18:39,870 --> 00:18:42,470
of a NASA engineer
with five children

353
00:18:42,470 --> 00:18:46,140
and that she would ultimately
rule the industry like a queen.

354
00:18:46,140 --> 00:18:48,340
WILDMAN: Carmichael's
tantalizing pitch

355
00:18:48,350 --> 00:18:50,310
has the public and investors

356
00:18:50,310 --> 00:18:52,210
eating from the palm
of her hand.

357
00:18:52,220 --> 00:18:54,820
KENDALL: People started
putting down deposits on cars

358
00:18:54,820 --> 00:18:58,650
and investment money
just kept rolling in.

359
00:18:58,660 --> 00:19:01,120
WILDMAN: Carmichael's business
is flourishing.

360
00:19:01,130 --> 00:19:05,630
The public and investors are
eager to see a finished product.

361
00:19:05,630 --> 00:19:07,660
She has a prototype
in her office,

362
00:19:07,670 --> 00:19:10,830
now on display at
the Peterson Automotive Museum,

363
00:19:10,830 --> 00:19:14,870
but seems keen to keep
curious buyers at bay.

364
00:19:14,870 --> 00:19:17,340
Whenever an investor
asked Liz Carmichael

365
00:19:17,340 --> 00:19:19,410
if they could see
a working prototype,

366
00:19:19,410 --> 00:19:20,910
she would be happy
to point to the one

367
00:19:20,910 --> 00:19:22,210
that was in her office,

368
00:19:22,210 --> 00:19:25,150
but she would never let them
get close to it.

369
00:19:25,150 --> 00:19:28,780
WILDMAN: Then, without warning,
America's automotive queen

370
00:19:28,790 --> 00:19:31,120
moves her seemingly
prosperous business

371
00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:33,290
from L.A. to Dallas.

372
00:19:33,290 --> 00:19:36,120
KENDALL: Why would somebody
who's just gaining traction

373
00:19:36,130 --> 00:19:39,360
in the industry make
such a drastic change?

374
00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:42,330
WILDMAN: With questions swirling
over the legitimacy

375
00:19:42,330 --> 00:19:46,030
of Carmichael's company,
the public wants to know --

376
00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,770
is there more to this
automotive entrepreneur

377
00:19:48,770 --> 00:19:51,410
and her miracle car
than meets the eye?

378
00:19:54,380 --> 00:19:57,510
It's the 1970s
in Dallas, Texas.

379
00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:59,620
Businesswoman
Elizabeth Carmichael

380
00:19:59,620 --> 00:20:02,490
has taken the auto industry
by storm.

381
00:20:02,490 --> 00:20:06,820
She says she has built the best
car the world has ever seen,

382
00:20:06,830 --> 00:20:10,030
but are her claims
too good to be true?

383
00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,460
Despite the rumors,
Carmichael carries on

384
00:20:14,470 --> 00:20:17,970
marketing the Dale from
her new headquarters in Dallas.

385
00:20:17,970 --> 00:20:21,070
KENDALL: She continued to take
deposits on dealer franchises

386
00:20:21,070 --> 00:20:23,910
and found a lot of people
willing to put down money.

387
00:20:23,910 --> 00:20:25,640
WILDMAN:
But Carmichael's journey

388
00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:27,710
is about to hit a pothole.

389
00:20:27,710 --> 00:20:29,550
Authorities have been
investigating her

390
00:20:29,550 --> 00:20:31,980
for selling stock
without a license

391
00:20:31,980 --> 00:20:34,320
and obtain a warrant
to search the California

392
00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:36,390
research and development lab.

393
00:20:36,390 --> 00:20:39,990
There they make a startling
discovery about the prototype.

394
00:20:39,990 --> 00:20:44,830
The car was not
a viable automobile.

395
00:20:44,830 --> 00:20:46,500
Looking closely at the Dale,

396
00:20:46,500 --> 00:20:49,530
it was partially
constructed of 2x4s

397
00:20:49,530 --> 00:20:52,300
and wood screws and nails,

398
00:20:52,300 --> 00:20:55,240
all held together
in a very haphazard way,

399
00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:57,970
and the body wasn't
rocket structural resin

400
00:20:57,980 --> 00:21:02,110
like it was advertised to be,
it was fiberglass.

401
00:21:02,110 --> 00:21:04,850
WILDMAN: Police raid
Carmichael's home in Dallas,

402
00:21:04,850 --> 00:21:07,280
but by the time they get there,
she has fled,

403
00:21:07,290 --> 00:21:08,750
leaving behind evidence

404
00:21:08,750 --> 00:21:11,850
of an even more
surprising twist.

405
00:21:11,860 --> 00:21:15,660
KENDALL: They discovered
some wigs, false breasts,

406
00:21:15,660 --> 00:21:18,930
and a device that
female impersonators use

407
00:21:18,930 --> 00:21:21,130
to conceal their sex.

408
00:21:21,130 --> 00:21:24,030
WILDMAN: And as they sort
through these bizarre clues,

409
00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:27,540
the investigators learn
that Elizabeth Carmichael

410
00:21:27,540 --> 00:21:29,470
used to be a man.

411
00:21:29,470 --> 00:21:33,210
Liz turned out to be a man
named Jerry Dean Michael

412
00:21:33,210 --> 00:21:35,780
who had had
a very checkered past.

413
00:21:35,780 --> 00:21:39,020
WILDMAN: Jerry Dean Michael
has been wanted by the FBI

414
00:21:39,020 --> 00:21:42,790
since 1961 for counterfeiting.

415
00:21:42,790 --> 00:21:45,350
KENDALL: Jerry Dean Michael
used his female appearance

416
00:21:45,360 --> 00:21:49,690
to avoid being captured
by the police

417
00:21:49,690 --> 00:21:53,930
and to help sell
the Dale vehicle.

418
00:21:53,930 --> 00:21:56,370
WILDMAN:
The conniving car dealer

419
00:21:56,370 --> 00:21:59,000
is finally tracked down
in April 1975

420
00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:03,270
and is convicted of grand theft,
fraud, and conspiracy.

421
00:22:03,270 --> 00:22:05,340
Eventually,
Jerry Dean Michael

422
00:22:05,340 --> 00:22:08,810
is sentenced to
32 months behind bars.

423
00:22:10,980 --> 00:22:13,080
And this car,
now on display at

424
00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:15,990
the Petersen Automotive Museum
in Los Angeles,

425
00:22:15,990 --> 00:22:18,450
stands as the symbol
of a promise

426
00:22:18,460 --> 00:22:20,390
that was too good to be true.

427
00:22:25,660 --> 00:22:29,370
Windswept beaches,
quaint high streets,

428
00:22:29,370 --> 00:22:31,230
and delicious seafood.

429
00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:34,270
Nantucket, Massachusetts is
one of the most popular

430
00:22:34,270 --> 00:22:37,140
summer destinations
in the country,

431
00:22:37,140 --> 00:22:39,940
but centuries ago,
the island was best known

432
00:22:39,940 --> 00:22:42,550
for its production
of whale oil.

433
00:22:42,550 --> 00:22:45,550
Today, the history
of this bygone trade

434
00:22:45,550 --> 00:22:49,590
is preserved at
the Nantucket Whaling Museum.

435
00:22:49,590 --> 00:22:53,490
Here visitors can see
the skeleton of

436
00:22:53,490 --> 00:22:58,660
a 46-foot sperm whale,
a 600-pound glass lens

437
00:22:58,660 --> 00:23:01,500
from the community's
first lighthouse,

438
00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:06,100
and a two-story beam press
once used to extract whale oil.

439
00:23:08,510 --> 00:23:11,910
But amid these
larger-than-life artifacts

440
00:23:11,910 --> 00:23:15,810
is a series of
much smaller items.

441
00:23:15,810 --> 00:23:18,920
The objects we have
come in various sizes,

442
00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,250
monochromatic,
and made of paper.

443
00:23:22,250 --> 00:23:24,020
What this seems to be
at first glance

444
00:23:24,020 --> 00:23:26,260
are photographs of
giant footprints in the sand.

445
00:23:28,990 --> 00:23:31,030
WILDMAN: These images
are evidence of

446
00:23:31,030 --> 00:23:35,230
a jaw-dropping event that seized
the attention of the nation.

447
00:23:35,230 --> 00:23:37,730
HARRISON: The photographs
brought to light

448
00:23:37,740 --> 00:23:40,300
one of Nantucket's
most notorious mysteries.

449
00:23:40,310 --> 00:23:45,110
WILDMAN: What bizarre beast was
captured in these pictures?

450
00:23:48,380 --> 00:23:52,950
August 11, 1937, Nantucket.

451
00:23:52,950 --> 00:23:55,480
A local businessman
named Ed Crocker

452
00:23:55,490 --> 00:23:58,290
offers the editors
of the town newspaper

453
00:23:58,290 --> 00:24:01,060
a set of
astonishing photographs.

454
00:24:01,060 --> 00:24:02,660
He says they show the evidence

455
00:24:02,660 --> 00:24:05,130
of a giant monster
that's roaming the coast.

456
00:24:05,130 --> 00:24:12,100
One of the photographs
shows Ed Crocker and a friend

457
00:24:12,100 --> 00:24:18,110
standing by two giant
webbed footprints in the sand.

458
00:24:18,110 --> 00:24:19,980
They're more than
60 inches long

459
00:24:19,980 --> 00:24:23,880
and they look like
they've emerged from the sea.

460
00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:25,850
WILDMAN: Crocker explains
that the photographs

461
00:24:25,850 --> 00:24:30,150
were taken the previous day
on Nantucket's Madaket Beach.

462
00:24:33,890 --> 00:24:38,090
The bizarre photos are
a huge scoop for the newspaper.

463
00:24:38,100 --> 00:24:41,930
On August 14,
the photos are published.

464
00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:48,640
Nantucket residents are stunned,
but soon,

465
00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:51,740
other locals come forward
claiming to have not seen

466
00:24:51,740 --> 00:24:55,510
just footprints,
but the beast itself.

467
00:24:55,510 --> 00:24:58,480
There are reports of
a mysterious sea creature

468
00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:01,720
being spotted off Nantucket.

469
00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:04,850
People saw something
greenish and large

470
00:25:04,860 --> 00:25:09,130
with big, bulbous eyes
rising above the waves.

471
00:25:09,130 --> 00:25:12,260
WILDMAN: The massive creature
is dubbed

472
00:25:12,260 --> 00:25:15,530
the Nantucket Sea Monster.

473
00:25:15,530 --> 00:25:19,840
Zoologists are asked
to analyze the evidence,

474
00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:21,470
but even they are baffled.

475
00:25:21,470 --> 00:25:25,070
At least one scientist comments
that no known marine mammal

476
00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:29,180
could have left footprints
of quite this shape and size.

477
00:25:29,180 --> 00:25:31,380
WILDMAN: With speculation
running wild about

478
00:25:31,380 --> 00:25:35,520
the creature's origins,
an incredible theory emerges.

479
00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:40,790
Since the earliest days
of maritime exploration,

480
00:25:40,790 --> 00:25:43,790
sailors have told tales
of vicious monsters

481
00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,200
that attack humans
and sink ships.

482
00:25:48,530 --> 00:25:54,600
The beasts are known
as sea serpents.

483
00:25:54,610 --> 00:25:57,070
So is one of these
legendary animals

484
00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:59,210
lurking off
the Nantucket coast?

485
00:26:04,250 --> 00:26:06,450
It's 1937.

486
00:26:06,450 --> 00:26:09,350
Residents of Nantucket Island
have reported seeing

487
00:26:09,350 --> 00:26:13,320
a strange green monster
rising out of the ocean.

488
00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:16,790
Some believe the creature
to be a real-life sea serpent.

489
00:26:16,790 --> 00:26:18,990
So what's the truth
behind the rumors

490
00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:23,630
of a bizarre beast
lurking in the waters?

491
00:26:23,630 --> 00:26:26,400
Four days after the photographs
are published,

492
00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:29,340
the community gets its answer.

493
00:26:29,340 --> 00:26:33,010
Islanders wake to
an incredible vision --

494
00:26:33,010 --> 00:26:36,250
a massive creature
resting in plain sight

495
00:26:36,250 --> 00:26:37,450
right on the beach.

496
00:26:37,450 --> 00:26:40,180
HARRISON: People see a giant,
green head,

497
00:26:40,180 --> 00:26:43,750
big eyes, giant teeth.

498
00:26:43,750 --> 00:26:45,920
It's just what's been reported
in the newspaper reports,

499
00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:48,720
but there's one key detail

500
00:26:48,730 --> 00:26:51,190
that hasn't been
reported before,

501
00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:55,130
and that is the serpent...

502
00:26:55,130 --> 00:26:58,270
is a giant rubber balloon.

503
00:26:58,270 --> 00:27:03,010
WILDMAN: It seems the fearsome
sea monster was a hoax.

504
00:27:03,010 --> 00:27:06,510
The perpetrator immediately
steps forward --

505
00:27:06,510 --> 00:27:10,310
famed puppeteer and Nantucket
resident Tony Sarg.

506
00:27:12,380 --> 00:27:15,020
Sarg designs the balloons
for the Macy's

507
00:27:15,020 --> 00:27:17,590
Thanksgiving Day Parade
in New York,

508
00:27:17,590 --> 00:27:20,320
and he explains that
his sea-monster stunt

509
00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:22,560
was an attempt
to boost excitement

510
00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:24,360
for the annual event.

511
00:27:24,360 --> 00:27:26,600
Sarg proposed
a sea serpent balloon

512
00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:28,200
to R.H. Macy and Company

513
00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,730
for their 1937
Thanksgiving parade.

514
00:27:31,740 --> 00:27:34,800
He also suggested to them
that maybe the balloon

515
00:27:34,810 --> 00:27:37,740
could be shown earlier
than Thanksgiving

516
00:27:37,740 --> 00:27:41,080
as a way to drum up interest

517
00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:43,580
and thought that it would be
good for business.

518
00:27:45,980 --> 00:27:49,750
WILDMAN: Sarg confesses he used
a boat and a long towline

519
00:27:49,750 --> 00:27:54,260
to float his sea serpent balloon
in the waters.

520
00:27:54,260 --> 00:27:55,960
The massive footprints
on the beach

521
00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,590
were also his creation.

522
00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:00,660
And with the help
of local reporters

523
00:28:00,660 --> 00:28:02,830
who were in on the gag,

524
00:28:02,830 --> 00:28:06,270
he was able to fool
an entire community.

525
00:28:06,270 --> 00:28:11,010
Surprisingly, Sarg's admission
is met with joy and excitement.

526
00:28:11,010 --> 00:28:13,840
HARRISON: Everybody loved this
and embraced this,

527
00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,010
and when you look at
the photographs

528
00:28:16,010 --> 00:28:20,950
of this balloon,
it's really funny.

529
00:28:20,950 --> 00:28:24,250
WILDMAN: Several weeks later,
Sarg's sea monster

530
00:28:24,260 --> 00:28:26,290
is sent to New York City,

531
00:28:26,290 --> 00:28:31,360
where it floats between
skyscrapers on Thanksgiving Day.

532
00:28:31,360 --> 00:28:35,030
Today, these photographs
at the Nantucket Whaling Museum

533
00:28:35,030 --> 00:28:38,900
document a wild chapter
in this island's history,

534
00:28:38,900 --> 00:28:41,440
when stories of
a strange monster

535
00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:44,140
turned out to be
full of hot air.

536
00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,150
The Adirondack Mountains
in upstate New York

537
00:28:51,150 --> 00:28:54,280
are an outdoor
enthusiast's paradise.

538
00:28:54,290 --> 00:28:57,950
Visitors can enjoy a range
of action-packed excursions

539
00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:01,720
such as hiking,
kayaking, and fishing,

540
00:29:01,730 --> 00:29:04,460
and in the city of Utica
is an institution

541
00:29:04,460 --> 00:29:08,330
that tracks another
popular athletic activity --

542
00:29:08,330 --> 00:29:11,170
the National Distance Running
Hall of Fame.

543
00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:18,140
Its collection includes trophies
won by marathon runners,

544
00:29:18,140 --> 00:29:21,010
track shoes from the 1970s,

545
00:29:21,010 --> 00:29:26,280
and vintage uniforms worn
during the 1956 Olympic Games.

546
00:29:28,220 --> 00:29:31,920
But among these celebrations
of athletic achievement

547
00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,820
is an artifact that recalls
a dark chapter

548
00:29:34,830 --> 00:29:36,960
in the history of sports.

549
00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:38,990
LEWIS: It's about the size
of a silver dollar.

550
00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:42,200
It hangs on a nine-inch
blue and yellow ribbon

551
00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:44,100
and only weighs
a few ounces.

552
00:29:44,100 --> 00:29:50,040
On the back,
it is inscribed "1980 Winner."

553
00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:52,470
WILDMAN: This gold medal
was at the center

554
00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:54,940
of an audacious hoax
that went farther

555
00:29:54,950 --> 00:29:57,350
than any runner
could have expected.

556
00:29:57,350 --> 00:29:59,280
LEWIS: Even today,
it is the most

557
00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:02,750
unbelievable story that
this sport has ever seen.

558
00:30:05,990 --> 00:30:09,730
WILDMAN: April 21, 1980,
Boston.

559
00:30:09,730 --> 00:30:12,630
The city's famous marathon
is underway.

560
00:30:12,630 --> 00:30:15,760
Thousands of runners
race through the streets.

561
00:30:15,770 --> 00:30:17,770
LEWIS: The Boston Marathon
is very special.

562
00:30:17,770 --> 00:30:20,800
People from all over the world
come to run in

563
00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:23,170
this very prestigious event.

564
00:30:27,010 --> 00:30:29,340
WILDMAN: At 2:12 p.m.,

565
00:30:29,350 --> 00:30:32,010
the men's winner
crosses the finish line,

566
00:30:32,020 --> 00:30:35,050
and the crowd waits to see
who will come out on top

567
00:30:35,050 --> 00:30:37,150
in the women's race.

568
00:30:37,150 --> 00:30:39,350
It's expected to be
a tight contest

569
00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:42,160
between two of
the sport's superstars,

570
00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:45,230
Jacqueline Gareau
and Patti Lyons.

571
00:30:45,230 --> 00:30:47,900
18 minutes later,

572
00:30:47,900 --> 00:30:50,430
the leader of the pack
comes into view,

573
00:30:50,430 --> 00:30:54,700
but it's neither
Gareau nor Lyons.

574
00:30:54,710 --> 00:30:56,910
In fact,
it's a complete unknown.

575
00:30:56,910 --> 00:30:58,440
LEWIS: Who is this woman?

576
00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:01,610
No one could believe
what they were seeing.

577
00:31:01,610 --> 00:31:04,510
WILDMAN: The mysterious runner
crosses the finish line,

578
00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:07,420
blowing away the rest
of the competition.

579
00:31:07,420 --> 00:31:09,480
The crowd is amazed.

580
00:31:09,490 --> 00:31:12,190
It looks like they've just
witnessed the biggest upset

581
00:31:12,190 --> 00:31:14,260
in the history of athletics.

582
00:31:14,260 --> 00:31:15,720
LEWIS: Everyone was stunned.

583
00:31:15,730 --> 00:31:17,190
It was totally unexpected.

584
00:31:19,830 --> 00:31:22,360
WILDMAN: The surprise champion
is revealed to be

585
00:31:22,370 --> 00:31:26,100
a 26-year-old amateur athlete
named Rosie Ruiz.

586
00:31:26,100 --> 00:31:28,740
Race officials
award the unknown underdog

587
00:31:28,740 --> 00:31:31,110
a laurel wreath
and a gold medal.

588
00:31:33,110 --> 00:31:37,710
Ruiz's improbable victory
catapults her to instant fame.

589
00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:40,950
LEWIS: Rosie Ruiz had shocked
the running community.

590
00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,650
WILDMAN: But there's more to
this remarkable run to stardom

591
00:31:45,660 --> 00:31:47,290
than meets the eye.

592
00:31:47,290 --> 00:31:50,260
LEWIS: Rosie Ruiz had just won
the Boston Marathon,

593
00:31:50,260 --> 00:31:52,960
but her story was
just getting started.

594
00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,040
It's 1980 in Boston,
Massachusetts.

595
00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:03,670
An unknown runner
named Rosie Ruiz

596
00:32:03,670 --> 00:32:06,680
shocks the sports world
by coming out of nowhere

597
00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:08,840
to win the Boston Marathon.

598
00:32:08,850 --> 00:32:11,080
Her victory is heralded
as one of the great

599
00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,150
underdog stories
of all time,

600
00:32:13,150 --> 00:32:15,550
but there's something
about her amazing upset

601
00:32:15,550 --> 00:32:18,020
that doesn't quite add up.

602
00:32:18,020 --> 00:32:21,260
Moments after Ruiz
crossed the finish line,

603
00:32:21,260 --> 00:32:23,160
race officials
began to notice

604
00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:25,560
there was something odd
about the runner.

605
00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:27,230
The Boston Marathon
is brutal.

606
00:32:27,230 --> 00:32:28,400
It beats you up.

607
00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:30,200
When you finish,
you're sweating,

608
00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:32,570
you're tired,
you just want to sit down.

609
00:32:32,570 --> 00:32:35,870
WILDMAN: Ruiz did not appear
to be in that condition.

610
00:32:35,870 --> 00:32:37,810
LEWIS: Ruiz had
a very clean jersey,

611
00:32:37,810 --> 00:32:39,110
her hair was parted,

612
00:32:39,110 --> 00:32:43,780
and she didn't appear as if
she extended herself.

613
00:32:43,780 --> 00:32:46,250
WILDMAN: While the press
hails Ruiz as a hero,

614
00:32:46,250 --> 00:32:50,120
concerned marathon officials
launch an investigation.

615
00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:53,120
They gather news footage
from the race

616
00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:55,590
and go through it
frame by frame,

617
00:32:55,590 --> 00:32:58,160
and what they find,
or rather,

618
00:32:58,160 --> 00:33:01,500
what they don't find,
is alarming.

619
00:33:01,500 --> 00:33:05,730
Ruiz can't be seen anywhere
for the first 25 miles

620
00:33:05,740 --> 00:33:09,070
of the 26-mile course.

621
00:33:09,070 --> 00:33:11,040
Then comes the smoking gun.

622
00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:13,680
Having seen Ruiz's
picture in newspapers,

623
00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:17,550
two spectators come forward
with an astounding claim.

624
00:33:17,550 --> 00:33:20,720
They say they witnessed
the so-called miracle runner

625
00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:23,620
jumping out of the bushes
and onto the course

626
00:33:23,620 --> 00:33:26,920
less than a mile
from the finish line.

627
00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:28,860
LEWIS: Race officials
of the Boston Marathon

628
00:33:28,860 --> 00:33:32,230
were totally stunned.

629
00:33:32,230 --> 00:33:35,100
WILDMAN: It seems that Ruiz
snuck onto the course

630
00:33:35,100 --> 00:33:37,870
25 miles into the race

631
00:33:37,870 --> 00:33:41,670
and only ran a short distance
to the end.

632
00:33:41,670 --> 00:33:45,310
LEWIS: Rosie Ruiz was a cheat.

633
00:33:45,310 --> 00:33:48,180
WILDMAN: Ruiz is immediately
stripped of her title

634
00:33:48,180 --> 00:33:50,310
and denounced as a fraud.

635
00:33:50,310 --> 00:33:53,450
They say cheaters
never prosper.

636
00:33:53,450 --> 00:33:56,020
I can't imagine
how humiliating it would be

637
00:33:56,020 --> 00:33:57,990
to be exposed as a cheat.

638
00:34:00,990 --> 00:34:03,630
WILDMAN: And it seems that
Boston wasn't the only place

639
00:34:03,630 --> 00:34:07,230
where Rosie Ruiz
pulled a fast one.

640
00:34:07,230 --> 00:34:09,100
In the aftermath of the scandal,

641
00:34:09,100 --> 00:34:12,000
officials uncover
that six months earlier,

642
00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:14,800
Ruiz faked her way to
the finish line

643
00:34:14,810 --> 00:34:16,370
of the New York City Marathon

644
00:34:16,370 --> 00:34:20,340
after taking the subway
most of the way there.

645
00:34:20,340 --> 00:34:23,480
This bizarre track record
earns her a unique

646
00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:26,720
and ignominious place
in the history of running.

647
00:34:26,720 --> 00:34:29,480
LEWIS:
It's a moment in sport that
people are still talking about.

648
00:34:29,490 --> 00:34:31,720
To this day,
you mention the name

649
00:34:31,720 --> 00:34:35,590
and people will talk about
Rosie Ruiz the cheater.

650
00:34:37,860 --> 00:34:41,160
WILDMAN: Today, this medal
from the 1980 Boston Marathon

651
00:34:41,170 --> 00:34:45,230
is on display at the National
Distance Running Hall of Fame.

652
00:34:45,240 --> 00:34:49,740
It recalls the audacious cheat
and her race to infamy.

653
00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:55,480
Newport, Rhode Island.

654
00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:59,050
During the late 19th century,
this seaside enclave

655
00:34:59,050 --> 00:35:02,650
was a playground for
society's upper crust.

656
00:35:02,650 --> 00:35:06,490
Today, visitors can explore
miles of pristine shoreline

657
00:35:06,490 --> 00:35:10,960
on the Cliff Walk,
go for a sail in the bay,

658
00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:15,100
or tour spectacular
Gilded Age mansions,

659
00:35:15,100 --> 00:35:17,370
and one of the most
magnificent of these buildings

660
00:35:17,370 --> 00:35:19,330
is Vernon Court.

661
00:35:19,340 --> 00:35:22,200
Built in 1898,
it's now the home

662
00:35:22,210 --> 00:35:25,740
of the National Museum
of American Illustration.

663
00:35:25,740 --> 00:35:28,510
The institution holds
the largest collection

664
00:35:28,510 --> 00:35:31,310
of American illustrations
in the world,

665
00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:35,220
works that were originally
intended for magazines,

666
00:35:35,220 --> 00:35:39,590
calendars, and to adorn
the walls of office buildings.

667
00:35:42,260 --> 00:35:45,260
And among these pieces
is a seemingly simple

668
00:35:45,260 --> 00:35:47,430
and touching image.

669
00:35:47,430 --> 00:35:55,340
GOFFMAN CUTLER: The artifact is
approximately 44 inches square.

670
00:35:55,340 --> 00:36:00,610
It is flat and almost smooth
to the touch,

671
00:36:00,610 --> 00:36:03,310
and it depicts
a father and son.

672
00:36:06,150 --> 00:36:08,150
WILDMAN: This painting was
at the center of

673
00:36:08,150 --> 00:36:09,650
an extraordinary mystery

674
00:36:09,650 --> 00:36:12,420
that confounded
the art world for years.

675
00:36:12,420 --> 00:36:15,020
GOFFMAN CUTLER:
This artifact was one of

676
00:36:15,030 --> 00:36:19,490
the most popular images
of the 20th century.

677
00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:28,440
WILDMAN: It's 2002
in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

678
00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:30,870
Curators at
the Norman Rockwell Museum

679
00:36:30,870 --> 00:36:32,970
are responsible for
the largest collection

680
00:36:32,980 --> 00:36:35,610
of this artist's
works anywhere.

681
00:36:35,610 --> 00:36:38,650
GOFFMAN CUTLER: Normal Rockwell
was a very talented artist,

682
00:36:38,650 --> 00:36:43,890
and he did over 323
Saturday Evening Post covers.

683
00:36:43,890 --> 00:36:48,020
WILDMAN: One day, the curators
receive an unexpected visit.

684
00:36:48,030 --> 00:36:50,290
Two men say they
are moving their father,

685
00:36:50,290 --> 00:36:52,630
a cartoonist
named Donald Trachte,

686
00:36:52,630 --> 00:36:54,330
into a retirement home.

687
00:36:54,330 --> 00:36:56,930
They want to loan the museum
one of their father's

688
00:36:56,930 --> 00:36:59,870
most prized possessions
for safekeeping --

689
00:36:59,870 --> 00:37:03,910
a Norman Rockwell painting
called "Breaking Home Ties."

690
00:37:03,910 --> 00:37:05,870
GOFFMAN CUTLER:
The painting depicts

691
00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:09,780
a very emotional moment
in a son's life

692
00:37:09,780 --> 00:37:12,950
when he's about
to go off to college.

693
00:37:15,850 --> 00:37:18,690
WILDMAN: The painting had
originally appeared as a cover

694
00:37:18,690 --> 00:37:21,860
on the Saturday Evening Post
in 1954

695
00:37:21,860 --> 00:37:26,190
and had been in Donald Trachte's
private collection since 1960,

696
00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:28,700
but as the curators
compare the painting

697
00:37:28,700 --> 00:37:33,340
to the original magazine cover,
they notice something odd.

698
00:37:33,340 --> 00:37:36,170
GOFFMAN CUTLER:
There were discrepancies.

699
00:37:36,170 --> 00:37:39,470
WILDMAN: In the painting,
the boy's face seems to be wider

700
00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:41,240
than it is on
the magazine cover,

701
00:37:41,240 --> 00:37:43,850
and his expressions
don't appear to be the same.

702
00:37:43,850 --> 00:37:46,280
There also appear to be
differences in the colors

703
00:37:46,280 --> 00:37:49,880
of the man's hat
and the matches in his hand.

704
00:37:49,890 --> 00:37:52,290
The curators chalk
the discrepancies up

705
00:37:52,290 --> 00:37:54,590
to what may have been
a poor restoration

706
00:37:54,590 --> 00:37:56,860
or an overzealous cleaning.

707
00:37:56,860 --> 00:38:01,830
GOFFMAN CUTLER: Perhaps it had
been damaged and then restored.

708
00:38:01,830 --> 00:38:04,300
WILDMAN: But they never doubt
the painting's origin.

709
00:38:04,300 --> 00:38:07,300
GOFFMAN CUTLER:
The provenance was impeccable.

710
00:38:07,300 --> 00:38:10,770
The painting was sold
to Don Trachte

711
00:38:10,770 --> 00:38:14,710
and it always remained
in his collection.

712
00:38:14,710 --> 00:38:16,850
WILDMAN: The curators agree
to hold on to the work

713
00:38:16,850 --> 00:38:20,820
for safekeeping just as
the Trachte family asked,

714
00:38:20,820 --> 00:38:23,020
but a nagging
sense of uncertainty

715
00:38:23,020 --> 00:38:26,420
continues to surround
the painting.

716
00:38:26,420 --> 00:38:28,290
Then, in 2006,

717
00:38:28,290 --> 00:38:32,190
Donald Trachte dies
at the age of 89.

718
00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:36,400
While his sons are cleaning
out his home in Vermont,

719
00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:38,500
they discover
something astounding

720
00:38:38,500 --> 00:38:42,140
behind a set of bookcases
in the living room.

721
00:38:42,140 --> 00:38:47,110
GOFFMAN CUTLER: They see that
there is a artificial wall.

722
00:38:47,110 --> 00:38:50,850
They were able to slide one
door apart and then the other.

723
00:38:50,850 --> 00:38:54,250
WILDMAN: And what they find
behind these secret doors

724
00:38:54,250 --> 00:38:55,880
is one of
the greatest discoveries

725
00:38:55,890 --> 00:38:58,150
in the history
of American art.

726
00:39:03,330 --> 00:39:07,260
It's 2006 in Stockbridge,
Massachusetts.

727
00:39:07,270 --> 00:39:09,700
Curators at
the Norman Rockwell Museum

728
00:39:09,700 --> 00:39:12,670
have been given what they're
told is a valuable Rockwell

729
00:39:12,670 --> 00:39:16,010
original called
"Breaking Home Ties,"

730
00:39:16,010 --> 00:39:18,070
but something about it
seems odd.

731
00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:22,440
The painting doesn't seem
to match an original print.

732
00:39:22,450 --> 00:39:25,610
So what's the truth
behind this renegade Rockwell?

733
00:39:27,520 --> 00:39:29,490
The curators learn
that following the death

734
00:39:29,490 --> 00:39:32,660
of the owner of the painting,
Donald Trachte,

735
00:39:32,660 --> 00:39:35,660
his sons decided to
clean out the family home.

736
00:39:35,660 --> 00:39:37,390
In their father's living room,

737
00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:39,900
they made
an incredible discovery --

738
00:39:39,900 --> 00:39:44,130
behind a set of bookcases
was a false wall.

739
00:39:44,140 --> 00:39:46,900
As the sons peered
behind the false wall,

740
00:39:46,900 --> 00:39:49,810
there, inexplicably,
was another version

741
00:39:49,810 --> 00:39:54,310
of Norman Rockwell's
"Breaking Home Ties."

742
00:39:54,310 --> 00:39:58,910
They knew instantly that
that was the original painting.

743
00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:01,020
WILDMAN: This version matches

744
00:40:01,020 --> 00:40:04,150
the Saturday Evening Post
cover perfectly.

745
00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:06,760
The painting loaned to
the Norman Rockwell Museum

746
00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:08,760
must be a copy.

747
00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:10,860
GOFFMAN CUTLER: The minute
they found the painting,

748
00:40:10,860 --> 00:40:14,330
all the pieces
fell into place.

749
00:40:14,330 --> 00:40:18,570
WILDMAN: Back in 1949,
Trachte, a cartoonist,

750
00:40:18,570 --> 00:40:21,200
moved to Vermont to be part of
the flourishing

751
00:40:21,210 --> 00:40:24,770
artistic community
that included Norman Rockwell.

752
00:40:24,780 --> 00:40:27,440
Trachte spent time
in Rockwell's studio

753
00:40:27,450 --> 00:40:31,450
and learned
the painter's techniques.

754
00:40:31,450 --> 00:40:35,520
The Trachte boys are convinced
through careful mimicry

755
00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:39,620
their father created a duplicate
of "Breaking Home Ties."

756
00:40:39,620 --> 00:40:42,120
It could have
only been their father

757
00:40:42,130 --> 00:40:44,830
that had painted
this painting.

758
00:40:46,860 --> 00:40:49,130
WILDMAN: But to the curators
and family alike,

759
00:40:49,130 --> 00:40:52,370
Trachte's motives
remain unclear.

760
00:40:52,370 --> 00:40:54,640
Some say he merely
wanted to guard

761
00:40:54,640 --> 00:40:56,640
the masterpiece from theft.

762
00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:59,610
Others think that he hid
the original to protect it

763
00:40:59,610 --> 00:41:02,880
during a contentious
divorce settlement.

764
00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:04,980
Though the world will
never know for sure

765
00:41:04,980 --> 00:41:06,550
why he copied the painting,

766
00:41:06,550 --> 00:41:09,620
Donald Trachte's
hiding spot preserved it better

767
00:41:09,620 --> 00:41:12,120
than anyone
could have imagined.

768
00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:14,660
GOFFMAN CUTLER: No one could
have devised a more perfect

769
00:41:14,660 --> 00:41:18,590
hiding place that would not
damage the painting.

770
00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:21,060
I mean, that was perfect.

771
00:41:21,070 --> 00:41:23,400
WILDMAN: The Trachte family
sells the original

772
00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:25,930
"Breaking Home Ties"
to a private collector

773
00:41:25,940 --> 00:41:29,640
for a whopping $15.4 million.

774
00:41:32,240 --> 00:41:35,410
Today, this replica painted
by Donald Trachte

775
00:41:35,410 --> 00:41:37,980
hangs on display at
the National Museum

776
00:41:37,980 --> 00:41:40,650
of American Illustration
in Newport, Rhode Island.

777
00:41:40,650 --> 00:41:45,020
It's a reminder that looks
can be deceiving.

778
00:41:47,890 --> 00:41:52,830
From a fraudulent feast
to an inflatable serpent,

779
00:41:52,830 --> 00:41:56,770
a marathon cheat
to a phony car,

780
00:41:56,770 --> 00:41:58,130
I'm Don Wildman,

781
00:41:58,140 --> 00:42:00,740
and these are the mysteries
at the museum.

781
00:42:01,305 --> 00:43:01,324
Do you want subtitles for any video?
-=[ ai.OpenSubtitles.com ]=-