Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997–2024): Season 2, Episode 4 - The Lady in a Black Dress - full transcript
Aunt Lillian drops in for a visit but doesn't leave alone.
Are you wondering how healthy the food you are eating is? Check it - foodval.com
---
[theme music playing]
We have a challenge for you.
Can you separate
fact from fiction?
ANNOUNCER: Beyond
Belief, Fact or Fiction.
Hosted by Jonathan Frakes.
We live in a world where
the real and the unreal
live side by side,
where substance
is disguised as illusion,
and the only explanations
are unexplainable.
Can you separate
truth from fantasy?
To do so you must break through
the web of your experience
and open your mind to
things beyond belief.
[music playing]
Perception is our most
unreliable sense, because it
can be changed so instantly.
Take these letters.
When read straight across,
they're the first three
of the alphabet.
But now watch what happens to
the B when we add two numbers
and ask you to
read straight down.
We've now changed
the symbol from a B
to the number 13, an appropriate
allusion for this episode
of our show because each
story that we will see
will have a Friday
the 13th theme.
Each tail deals with
the superstitious,
fateful, and mysterious
quality of a day
that many people dread.
Will it be difficult to
discern reality from fiction
on our salute to the number 13?
Or will you find
it as easy as ABC?
This story involves a
wrestler who has one wish.
He wants to go out a winner.
But then again, what else
would a loser wish for?
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome
to tonight's main event,
[bell rings] fact
versus fiction.
Have you ever suspended
your disbelief
and lost yourself in the world
of professional wrestling?
It's an easy place to get
lost, a world of strong men,
good against evil, and
larger than life drama.
TONY (VOICEOVER): I'd been
with Dirk for 20 years.
Tonight he was retiring.
How do you feel, champ?
You ready for that
last big hurrah?
You know, Tony, I didn't
get that far in this business.
But at least I'm
going out a winner.
Thanks for doing
that much for me.
Ha.
Hey, it's the least I can do.
Listen, how you doing,
you know, financially?
My brothers got word into
his boss at the engine plant.
They're looking for part-timers.
Evening, gents.
What's this?
I just want to let you
know about a little change
in tonight's script.
Moammar will be the
winner, not Dirk.
Like hell he will.
TONY: Hey, wait
a minute, fellas.
This was set in stone.
Dirk wins tonight.
It's the last bout of
his life, for God's sake.
You came in a loser,
you're going a loser.
What's the big deal.
TONY: Now listen, Grant,
this was a done deal.
I undid it.
TONY (VOICEOVER): My guy had
a grudge against Moammar.
He had face hims
many times before.
And my guy lost every bout.
Look I'm sorry, champ.
I don't want you to get hurt.
So for tonight, I think we'll
just stick to the script.
No.
Nothing changes my
mind tonight, Tony.
Nothing.
[cheering]
[bell ringing]
Ladies and gentlemen, this is
the main event of the evening.
And it promises to
be a thrilling match.
Straight from the ancient
lands of the pyramids,
weighing 250 pounds,
the assassin of Aswan,
the cut throat of Cairo,
Moammar, the barrel of steel.
[bell ringing]
And his worthy opponent,
[booing] making his final world
wrestling appearance,
weighing 248 pounds,
from the Motor City,
the demolition expert,
who takes his opponents apart
brick by brick, let's hear it
for Dazzling Demolition Dirk.
[booing]
For God's sake, Dirk,
it's not worth it.
If you're not behind me
on this, Tony, then leave.
I'll do it myself.
[bell rings]
TONY (VOICEOVER): Everyone
knew that Moammar was younger,
stronger, and meaner than Dirk.
They were both showmen who
liked to excite the crowd.
In the first exchange,
Dirk surprised me.
He was going to put
on a show tonight.
Did you see that?
Are you blind?
Look at that.
TONY (VOICEOVER): Dirk was
trying to turn back the clock.
But Moammar brought him
back to reality and fast.
Dirk was acting the part
of the loser right now.
This was the part
he played the best.
He didn't belong in the
same ring with Moammar
and Moammar wanted
to prove the point.
My guy was using all of
his acting techniques
to make Moammar's attack
look worse than it was.
And he was fooling
the crowd, me,
and Moammar at the same time.
Moammar give him
the airplane spin.
But Dirk know how to fall
to absorb the punishment.
Usually, blows like
that are choreographed.
But this night, Moammar didn't
look like he wanted to dance.
When I first met Dirk,
he seemed to have
eyes in the back of his head.
That's my boy.
These two guys were
great performers,
who knew how to give the
crowd what they wanted.
I try to keep telling
myself, there's
no business like show business.
[cheering]
TONY (VOICEOVER): Moammar
was sending a message.
I'm just getting started.
TONY (VOICEOVER):
Loud and clear.
You came in a loser.
You're going out a loser.
TONY: Don't you
listen to him, Dirk.
You're a winner.
Go out a winner.
You can beat this guy.
You can do it.
Go out a winner.
[music playing]
TONY (VOICEOVER): Suddenly
all the years of sweaty locker
rooms and cheap hotels
and broken marriages
were showing on Dirk's face.
Moammar seemed to be
standing for every failure
in Dirk's life.
And he was not
going to get even.
[cheering]
I'm just getting started too.
I'm just getting started.
I'm just getting started.
Dirk, Dirk.
TONY (VOICEOVER): The
crowd was with him.
And he suddenly seen
20 years younger.
I don't know how long
the bout really lasted,
but for me it was a lifetime.
But at least my guy was
going out like a champ.
Moammar's corner
always thought he
could come back against Dirk.
But now they were starting to
believe their man could lose.
You give up?
TONY (VOICEOVER): Moammar's
shoulders were on the mat,
ready to be counted out.
Winner, winner.
TONY (VOICEOVER): I
couldn't believe it.
Against all odds, against
a superior opponent,
Dirk had finally beaten the
man he could never beat.
What a way to go out.
And then I saw the doctor
went over to examine Moammar.
[music playing]
This man is dead.
He's ice cold.
Been dead for at
least 20 minutes.
You've been
wrestling a dead man.
TONY (VOICEOVER): I'll never
forget the look on Dirk's face.
Even in victory, he was a loser.
Now he couldn't take away
with him the satisfaction
of beating his arch rival.
Of course, Dirk's
real rival was never
Moammar in the first place.
In the end, his real opponent
turned out to be lady luck.
[music playing]
So what really
happened in the ring?
Was Dirk Simmons really
wrestling a dead man?
Could his own adrenalin had
been pumping so hard that he
didn't realize that he
was getting no resistance
from his opponent?
It certainly didn't look
that way to the crowd.
Perhaps the doctor was mistaken
about the time of death.
Maybe Moammar really
did die only moments
before the doctor examined him?
Then again, maybe
Moammar was so determined
to win that his inner spirit
kept fighting after his heart
stopped beating.
Was this story fact or fiction?
That's a problem we leave
you to wrestle with.
ANNOUNCER: We'll find
out whether this story
is true or false at
the end of our show.
Next, a daring prison break on
Beyond Belief, Fact or Fiction.
When poet Richard Loveless
wrote, "Stone walls do
not a prison make nor
iron bars a cage,"
he seemed to capture the spirit
of the man in our next story.
You see, Gus McGrath is a
spirit that can't be locked up.
But he has a
behavior pattern that
has left society no choice but
to put his body behind bars.
But as McGrath spends
his time in jail,
something is
stirring inside him.
His spirit is telling him
that it's time to move on.
The trick will be getting
his body to follow.
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): No one
had ever escaped from
Wainwright State Penitentiary.
The warden ran it like a factory
and used men for cheap labor.
It was a metal shop that made
license plates and a laundry
service to other institutions.
Gus McGrath was a
gambler and a con man.
He knew how to
play all the game.
A smooth talking swindler,
he had thrived on outwitting
a slower thinking public.
McGrath used to
wear $1,000 suits.
Now he was working
for $0.10 an hour.
He had served only one year
of a five year sentence,
but it already felt like 20.
Every minute was pure agony.
That's it.
Let's go.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
But this day, Gus McGrath was
determined to change his luck.
Jim, I'm going Looney Tunes.
There's got to be way
to bust out of here.
Fat chance.
You know, if they don't get
you with the head counts,
they'll get you when
they check the hampers.
Yeah.
Yeah, I know it.
All right, let's go.
Line it up.
Let's go.
Higgins.
Miller.
McGrath.
Dunn.
Ramirez.
Where the hell's Ramirez?
They sent him to
metal shop this week.
You got Mosely instead.
Hey, they printed the
wrong name on the list.
Mosely.
Let's go.
Move it out.
Let's go.
Come on.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
Another routine shift
at the prison laundry
had come to an end.
It was time for the
inspection of the hampers.
OK, boss, there you go.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER): And
although nothing remarkable was
taking place at the moment,
the seeds of an escape
had already been firmly planted.
McGrath had become consumed.
Escaping was the only
thing he could think about
and it permeated his
everything thought.
Check out that laundry driver.
He's married to that paper.
He wouldn't notice
a naked lady is she
cha-cha'd right past him.
So what are you getting at?
Busting out.
Yeah?
After this room
clears, that chimp,
like stealing candy from a baby.
Oh, yeah?
You help me out?
Sure.
How?
Where they got you
working next week?
Laundry.
Metal shop.
So.
This is what I'm thinking--
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
McGrath had to wait
until the timing was right.
But the day finally
came, the day
he was assigned
to the metal shop
and Dunn was scheduled
to work in the laundry.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER): The
first part of his planned work.
Now he'd call on his
skills as a con man.
It was brazen.
But like all good scams,
McGrath believed it could work.
Let's go.
Line it up.
Let's go.
Higgins.
Miller.
Dunn.
Hey, where's Dunn?
He's supposed to be here.
Sound the alarm.
All right, Listen up.
This is a lockdown.
I don't want no trouble.
Understood?
All right, let's go.
Move out.
Come on.
Move.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
There was still
a hamper check to be done.
You're not going anywhere.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
McGrath's heart
was pounding so hard, he was
afraid someone might hear it.
This was the kind of
rush he lived for.
It was time to make his move.
[music playing]
Hey, boss.
Hey, lockdown's been lifted.
The guy was in the metal
shop the whole time.
Clear the load.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): McGrath
could feel the
incline of the ramp
as he was about to be
loaded onto the truck.
He suddenly wondered
if the driver
would notice the extra weight.
But he didn't.
[engine starts]
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): He could feel
the ground moving beneath him.
He could hear the hum
of the truck's engine.
It was the sound of freedom.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER): He
realized he had pulled it off.
Lady luck had finally returned.
He would wait until the
footsteps disappeared.
Then he'd make a run for it.
That was the plan, until
he saw where he was.
Oh, no.
Oh, no, no.
[foot steps]
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
McGrath had successfully
escaped all right, straight into
the belly of another prison.
For all his streets, there
was something he didn't know,
something that's easy to
lose track of in prison.
He didn't know what day it was.
Could this story
have really happened?
Can a man really
be that unlucky?
Or were the fates protecting
society against a man that
would have undoubtedly
committed new crimes
against it in the future?
Was this story of simultaneous
success and failure
inspired by a real event?
Or is this just
escapist entertain?
ANNOUNCER: We'll find
out whether this story
is true or false at
the end of our show.
Next, a video reveals a
frightening message on Beyond
Belief, Fact or Fiction.
The video business
has become big business.
Where once we saw our favorite
movie two or three times,
it's not unusual for
today's video generation
to watch their favorite films
20, 30, even hundreds of times.
And the watching of a video
has become more than just
a personal experience.
For many, it's a
social occasion,
a chance for group excitement,
laughter, even horror.
Jodie Griffith has rented
some videos for a big date.
It's Friday the 13th.
So she's made sure that
the videos are scary.
But what these videos
are about the show
will scare her beyond
her wildest nightmares.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER): No
matter what I tell you,
no matter what you
think, I'm not psychic.
Nothing like this has
ever happened before
or has ever happened since.
Here, try wearing this.
There, that looks better.
You sure I look all right?
Miranda, you look very nice.
Now try to relax.
It's only a blind date.
- Yeah.
With a guy who's
supposed to be gorgeous.
You really think that we should
go out in this kind of weather?
Marcus went to a lot of
trouble fixing you guys up.
So don't even think
about flaking out.
You know, today
is Friday the 13th.
I know.
That's why I rented the
movie "Dead Friday."
So when we get back from the
club, we can watch a movie
and pretend to be really scared.
JODIE: There.
That's it.
All we have to do is snuggle
up with the guys and hit play.
[door bell rings]
That must be them.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER): I couldn't
believe what I was seeing.
I had watched "Dead
Friday" many times before.
And this was not the
movie on the screen.
- Hi.
- HI.
Come on in.
Miranda's waiting.
I'll introduce you.
JODIE: Miranda.
Miranda, you remember Marcus.
And this is Keith Porter.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER): Instead, I
seeing images of the four of us
in some kind of a
terrible situation.
I thought it was losing my mind.
And to make matters
worse, nobody else
could see it but me.
What are you watching?
I'm not sure.
I can't quite make
out the images.
Very funny, Miranda.
Well, uh-- Your roommate's
got a warped sense of humor.
JODIE: Miranda.
Oh, my god.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER):
Everyone that I was crazy.
But the images just
kept getting more
intense and more frightening.
Don't be ridiculous.
Uh-- look, Madame Q's
is one of the hottest
nightclubs in town.
If we don't leave now,
we're not going to get it.
You're freaking
us out, Miranda.
There's nothing on the TV.
MIRANDA: Yes, there is.
Something terrible.
Something horrible.
MARCUS: OK.
She's tripping.
We're going to go to
Madame Q's without you.
No, you can't go.
What are you talking about?
You can't go.
None of us can go.
OK.
She's completely whacko.
All right, I'm out of here.
- No.
You can't go.
Don't you understand?
There's something wrong.
See for yourself.
Miranda, there's
nothing there.
I beg you.
Please, don't go.
KEITH: This is really weird, OK?
It's really bizarre.
You coming Marcus?
Come on, Jodie.
MARCUS: Let's go.
Let's go.
Marcus, wait.
Jodie.
JODIE: Marcus, wait.
Look, all right, if she didn't
want to go out with Keith,
she could have said
something earlier.
I knew she was going to flake.
Are you coming or not?
I don't know.
Marcus, she's my
roommate and my friend.
I can't just leave
her here like this.
She's having a
breakdown or something.
OK, fine, I'll see you later.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER): I'll always
be grateful that Jodi made
the decision to stay with me.
And so will she.
You can knock off
the stupid joke now.
They're gone.
It's not a joke.
I was hoping Marcus would
become a steady thing,
but now I guess he'll
never see me again.
JODIE: It's all your fault.
I'm sorry, Jodie.
Someday you'll thank me.
Yeah.
For ruining my life.
[sound of trains and screaming]
[crashing sound]
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER):
Later that night,
everything had calmed down.
Jodie was watching the news.
REPORTER (ON TV): A car was
broadsided by a speeding train
just minutes ago.
The occupants, Marcus
Watkins and Keith Porter,
were killed instantly.
Oh, my god.
REPORTER (ON TV): Witnesses
say the car was stalled
out on the railroad tracks.
Miranda, you got to see this.
Come quick.
REPORTER (ON TV): The two
young men reportedly spent
the evening dancing at
the popular club, Madam
Q's, before heading for home.
Repeating once
again, two young men
are dead in a car
collision with a train.
This is Patricia
McDonnell reporting live.
Marcus and Keith.
JODIE: Miranda,
you saved my life.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER): Jodie and
I sat there in stunned silence.
The enormity of the
tragedy hadn't sunk in yet.
I'll never know what
really happened that night.
We were just
thankful to be alive.
Later, we were
startled to learn there
was no tape in the cassette.
What was Miranda
experiencing that night?
Was she really seeing
images on that tape?
Did somebody place
those images there
by taping over the rental copy?
Yet the tape cassette was empty?
Was Miranda projecting
her own clairvoyant
thoughts on the screen?
And why was it only she
could see the images?
If she was only imagining
them, then how could
her imaginings have come true?
Should we place this disturbing
tale of the video of doom
in the reality department?
Or does it belong in the
section marked fantasy?
ANNOUNCER: We'll find
out whether this story
is true or false at
the end of the show.
Next, terror grips an office
after hours on the Beyond
Belief, Fact or Fiction.
Not all stories
of the supernatural
take place in haunted houses.
Some happen in more mundane
surroundings, a train,
a park, an office building.
In fact, if you've ever stayed
late in an empty office,
you know the eerie feeling of
a strange silence that descends
when everyone has gone home.
It's the time of night
when your imagination
can play tricks on you.
Donald T Blanchard is about to
experience feelings of terror
in his office.
But is it really
only his imagination?
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): Donald T
Blanchard was president of
Superior Mutual Life Insurance.
He built a one man operation
into a large corporation
and prided himself
on his achievement.
He attributed his
success to diligence,
thrift, hard work, and courage.
He could handle anything and
expected others to do the same.
Put those files
in the briefcase
along with the Taggerene.
You'll take the other files
and these to McDonald.
McDaniel, sir.
Whatever.
I have to leave.
And tell Mc-- uh--
- McDaniel.
McDaniel I want those
cases processed by morning.
By morning, yes, sir.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
Jim McDaniel was not cut out
of the same mold as his boss.
McDaniel was honest,
sensitive, and insecure.
Perfect prey for a shark
like Donald T Blanchard.
Oh, let me guess.
Boss wants these by morning.
Yep.
MCDANIEL: It's a
good thing I work
for a life insurance company.
At least if they work me
to death, I'll be covered.
You know Mr. Blanchard.
If you don't come
in on Saturday,
don't bother coming
in on Sunday.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
As McDaniel looked over
the work Blanchard had assigned
to him, one fact became clear.
By the look of things, this
was going to be a late night,
a very late night.
This was the first time McDaniel
had stayed at his desk so long.
And he was surprised to find out
how creepy the office seemed.
[sound of stapler]
[door creaking]
Hello?
Anybody out there?
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): He followed
the sounds to the outer office.
It seemed to him
he was not alone.
[music playing]
Hello?
Hello?
[copy machine whirring]
Hello?
Anybody here?
Anybody?
[tense music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
When he returned to his office,
he found a file on the floor.
How did it get there?
Was there some prowler
going from office to office?
The file was one that the boss
wanted to disposed of quickly.
It was the paperwork surrounding
the death of Douglas Taggerene.
Taggerene was a successful
businessman who died
under mysterious circumstances.
His family contended it
was a fishing accident.
And Superior Mutual was
liable for $2 million.
[tense music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): Of course,
if Taggerene committed
suicide, then the company
was off the hook.
[clicking sound]
Coffee, coffee,
I want some coffee.
I want some coffee.
Coffee, coffee, just
need seem coffee.
Ah, ah.
Mr. Blanchard, you scared me.
McDonald.
McDaniel.
I'll just be getting a few
things and I'll be on my way.
Uh--
[music playing]
No.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
McDaniel wanted
to tell Blanchard about
all the strange occurrences
taking place in the
office, but Blanchard
seemed to be preoccupied.
He was looking for
something and obviously
something very important.
McDonald.
McDaniel.
Right.
BLANCHARD: You OK?
MCDANIEL: Uh-- I don't know.
I mean, your
face looks like you
just saw a ghost or something.
Well, to tell you the
truth, the strangest thing
started happening.
I-- I was seeing things.
This is your first job in
the life insurance game, right?
Yeah.
Look, new people will
sometimes get spooked
working in the business of--
well, let's face it-- death.
It can affect the subconscious.
Your mind can play tricks.
They're not real.
You've got to
confront these things.
Meet them head on.
Know what I mean?
Of course.
Of course.
I see you have the
Taggerene folder.
I've been looking for this.
MCDANIEL: Uh-- If
you ask me, sir.
Taggerene didn't commit suicide.
Death was clearly accidental.
I'll finish this.
You needn't concern
yourself with it anymore.
But, sir--
I insist.
[chuckles] Go home.
Get some rest.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): McDaniel
couldn't go home to sleep.
He stopped off in a
coffee shop first.
He knew that Blanchard
despised him as a weakling.
He also knew that first
impressions were lasting.
How could he ever win
Blanchard's respect
by going home?
Blanchard knew Taggerene's
death was no suicide.
But $2 million was
a lot of money.
And he wasn't going to
pay it, not one nickel.
[whooshing sound]
[buttons being clicked]
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): Blanchard had
courage to get something else.
Who's out there?
[tense music playing]
[water gurgling]
[door slams]
[clicking sound]
Oh, Mr. Blanchard.
[screams]
Oh, jeez.
I got you.
Mr. Blanchard.
Mr. Blanchard.
Mr. Blanchard.
Help me!
Help!
Come on.
Somebody help me.
An ironic twist
has occurred here.
The boss who was
unafraid of ghosts
is done in by his own fear.
And yet the instrument
of that fear
is a flesh and
blood human being.
Or was this office truly
being haunted by the spirit
of the dead man seeking truth.
How do you explain
the unusual activity
taking place there all night?
Could all those activities
have been caused by drafts
and mechanical malfunctions?
Is this spooky tale of an
office at night based on fact?
Or is it just the
result of a writer's
imagination working overtime?
ANNOUNCER: We'll find
out whether this story
is true or false at
the end of our show.
Next, an apparition
goes shopping on Beyond
Belief, Fact or Fiction.
The conscience is a
mettlesome companion.
It tries to tell
us how to behave.
And when we don't listen,
it haunts us with guilt.
For many the weight
of a guilty conscience
is a burden that can
never be put down.
Such is the case with Ann Ross.
When her favorite
aunt passed away,
she couldn't get there in time.
It's something Ann can't forget.
And something her
conscience won't forget.
ANN: Well, you may not
be best friends like you
were in junior high,
but you did grow
up next door to each other.
JULIE: I guess I
shouldn't be so surprised.
I got an invitation.
I could live without going
to her wedding though.
You two used to
be inseparable.
That should count for something.
Guess so.
That's pretty.
So whatever happened
between you two?
Drifted apart.
In high school, she found
her friends and I found mine.
Well, still, you
should be happy for her.
She's found somebody.
At least she's not
going to grow old alone.
What about this?
No, you can see
right through that.
So?
[music playing]
Julie, look.
Look.
JULIE: What?
She's gone.
There was an old lady who looked
exactly like your Aunt Lillian
from behind.
Oh, beaded purses.
Poor Aunt Lillian, she
was so lonely at the end.
Oh, I know.
Poor thing, cooped up in
that little tiny nursing home
all alone.
Wasn't there a time
that she wanted to come
live with us or something.
Yeah, but you and Chris
were still living at home.
And it was all your dad and
I could do to pay the bills.
I mean, maybe I should
have tried harder to make
some room for her, but I--
Come on, mom.
It's not an invitation
to beat yourself up.
I shouldn't have said anything.
The last time we saw
her, she took me aside
and she told me that
the most important thing
in the world to her was
that someone she loved
be with her when she died.
Why are people so morbid?
Oh, no, Lillian was
very straightforward.
I remember she
said to me, Annie,
it's very important
that the last face
you see be the face of love.
Remember that Annie.
I'll never forgive myself
for not being there
when that call came.
Mom, that was five years ago.
You've got to let it go.
I still feel bad about it.
Of course, you do.
It's your hobby.
Guilt is your hobby.
Oh, I'm sorry, honey.
Oh.
Did you find something?
What do you think?
Oh, that's nice.
Oh, it's a little long now.
Oh, no, you could
have it taken up.
Go try it on.
OK.
[music playing]
Do you smell that?
JULIE: What?
The flowers?
No, no.
It's Aunt Lillian's perfume
that she used to wear.
It's stronger over here.
Mom, I don't smell anything.
Oh, it's-- it's uncanny.
ANN: Lillian?
Excuse me, the elderly
lady that was just here,
did you see where she went?
I'm sorry.
I didn't see anyone.
Really, the-- that perfume,
it's so strong right here.
I-- uh--
Mom.
What do you think.
ANN: I think it's very red.
You want to go check out
the store down the street.
I think we better.
You go get changed.
I'm going to get
the car, all right?
I'll meet you up front.
[tires screeching]
Oh, my god.
Someone call an ambulance.
Someone get her daughter.
She's in the changing room.
Hurry.
Lillian.
It is you.
How can it be you?
I do not let you die alone.
Is very important.
The last thing you see
is the face of love.
Mom?
No.
Did Ann really see her late
Aunt Lillian in the dress shop?
Or was it an elusive
woman who resembled her?
Was her conscience freed at the
end because of death itself?
Or was she actually
being comforted
by her aunt coming back to
visit her at a time of need?
And why did Ann
Ross see her aunt
before the accident occurred?
Did Aunt Lilian's
spirit somehow know
what the fates had in store?
Do you think this tale of
the woman in the black gown
is real?
Or have we just taken a lie
and dressed it up as truth?
ANNOUNCER: Next, you'll find out
which of our stories are fact
and which are fiction when
Beyond Belief returns.
So let's see how lucky
you were on this show
dedicated to Friday the 13th.
Were you able to tell
fact from fiction?
Our story of the wrestler
who seemed to be fighting
a dead opponent, true or false?
How do you feel champ?
I'm just getting started too?
[crowd roaring]
I'm just getting started.
I'm just getting started.
This tale of a
career on the ropes
climaxed by a ghostly
twist is totally made up.
Let's examine the story about
the escaped convict who escaped
right into another prison.
True or false?
[music playing]
Oh, no.
This tale of the
pathetic prisoner
is based on an actual event.
It happened.
And how about
the young woman who
was able to see the
foreshadowing of doom
on her VCR?
Let's take another look.
[train rumbling]
[screams]
Was THIS story of a
fateful Friday the 13th
based on a real incident?
Yes, it was.
What about the story of the
late night office that seemed
to be haunted, fact or fiction?
[clicking sound]
Mr. Blanchard?
[screams]
If you guessed this tale
was made up, you're right.
It's fiction.
Now let's take another
look at the story
of the spirit who seemed to
appear in the dress shop.
Real or unreal?
ANN: Lillian?
Excuse me, the elderly
lady that was just here,
did you see where she went?
I'm sorry.
I didn't see anyone.
Really?
The-- that perfume is
so strong right here.
If you thought a similar story
to this one actually happened,
you're right.
It's fact, according to
firsthand interviews conducted
by author Robert Tralins.
How was your
perception tonight?
Could you identify
truth from falsehood?
Perhaps some things are
so unusual that the words
true and false seem
inadequate, much better
to use the words beyond belief.
I'm Jonathan Frakes.
ANNOUNCER: Join us for more
stories, next time on Beyond
Belief, Fact or Fiction.
[theme music playing]
---
[theme music playing]
We have a challenge for you.
Can you separate
fact from fiction?
ANNOUNCER: Beyond
Belief, Fact or Fiction.
Hosted by Jonathan Frakes.
We live in a world where
the real and the unreal
live side by side,
where substance
is disguised as illusion,
and the only explanations
are unexplainable.
Can you separate
truth from fantasy?
To do so you must break through
the web of your experience
and open your mind to
things beyond belief.
[music playing]
Perception is our most
unreliable sense, because it
can be changed so instantly.
Take these letters.
When read straight across,
they're the first three
of the alphabet.
But now watch what happens to
the B when we add two numbers
and ask you to
read straight down.
We've now changed
the symbol from a B
to the number 13, an appropriate
allusion for this episode
of our show because each
story that we will see
will have a Friday
the 13th theme.
Each tail deals with
the superstitious,
fateful, and mysterious
quality of a day
that many people dread.
Will it be difficult to
discern reality from fiction
on our salute to the number 13?
Or will you find
it as easy as ABC?
This story involves a
wrestler who has one wish.
He wants to go out a winner.
But then again, what else
would a loser wish for?
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome
to tonight's main event,
[bell rings] fact
versus fiction.
Have you ever suspended
your disbelief
and lost yourself in the world
of professional wrestling?
It's an easy place to get
lost, a world of strong men,
good against evil, and
larger than life drama.
TONY (VOICEOVER): I'd been
with Dirk for 20 years.
Tonight he was retiring.
How do you feel, champ?
You ready for that
last big hurrah?
You know, Tony, I didn't
get that far in this business.
But at least I'm
going out a winner.
Thanks for doing
that much for me.
Ha.
Hey, it's the least I can do.
Listen, how you doing,
you know, financially?
My brothers got word into
his boss at the engine plant.
They're looking for part-timers.
Evening, gents.
What's this?
I just want to let you
know about a little change
in tonight's script.
Moammar will be the
winner, not Dirk.
Like hell he will.
TONY: Hey, wait
a minute, fellas.
This was set in stone.
Dirk wins tonight.
It's the last bout of
his life, for God's sake.
You came in a loser,
you're going a loser.
What's the big deal.
TONY: Now listen, Grant,
this was a done deal.
I undid it.
TONY (VOICEOVER): My guy had
a grudge against Moammar.
He had face hims
many times before.
And my guy lost every bout.
Look I'm sorry, champ.
I don't want you to get hurt.
So for tonight, I think we'll
just stick to the script.
No.
Nothing changes my
mind tonight, Tony.
Nothing.
[cheering]
[bell ringing]
Ladies and gentlemen, this is
the main event of the evening.
And it promises to
be a thrilling match.
Straight from the ancient
lands of the pyramids,
weighing 250 pounds,
the assassin of Aswan,
the cut throat of Cairo,
Moammar, the barrel of steel.
[bell ringing]
And his worthy opponent,
[booing] making his final world
wrestling appearance,
weighing 248 pounds,
from the Motor City,
the demolition expert,
who takes his opponents apart
brick by brick, let's hear it
for Dazzling Demolition Dirk.
[booing]
For God's sake, Dirk,
it's not worth it.
If you're not behind me
on this, Tony, then leave.
I'll do it myself.
[bell rings]
TONY (VOICEOVER): Everyone
knew that Moammar was younger,
stronger, and meaner than Dirk.
They were both showmen who
liked to excite the crowd.
In the first exchange,
Dirk surprised me.
He was going to put
on a show tonight.
Did you see that?
Are you blind?
Look at that.
TONY (VOICEOVER): Dirk was
trying to turn back the clock.
But Moammar brought him
back to reality and fast.
Dirk was acting the part
of the loser right now.
This was the part
he played the best.
He didn't belong in the
same ring with Moammar
and Moammar wanted
to prove the point.
My guy was using all of
his acting techniques
to make Moammar's attack
look worse than it was.
And he was fooling
the crowd, me,
and Moammar at the same time.
Moammar give him
the airplane spin.
But Dirk know how to fall
to absorb the punishment.
Usually, blows like
that are choreographed.
But this night, Moammar didn't
look like he wanted to dance.
When I first met Dirk,
he seemed to have
eyes in the back of his head.
That's my boy.
These two guys were
great performers,
who knew how to give the
crowd what they wanted.
I try to keep telling
myself, there's
no business like show business.
[cheering]
TONY (VOICEOVER): Moammar
was sending a message.
I'm just getting started.
TONY (VOICEOVER):
Loud and clear.
You came in a loser.
You're going out a loser.
TONY: Don't you
listen to him, Dirk.
You're a winner.
Go out a winner.
You can beat this guy.
You can do it.
Go out a winner.
[music playing]
TONY (VOICEOVER): Suddenly
all the years of sweaty locker
rooms and cheap hotels
and broken marriages
were showing on Dirk's face.
Moammar seemed to be
standing for every failure
in Dirk's life.
And he was not
going to get even.
[cheering]
I'm just getting started too.
I'm just getting started.
I'm just getting started.
Dirk, Dirk.
TONY (VOICEOVER): The
crowd was with him.
And he suddenly seen
20 years younger.
I don't know how long
the bout really lasted,
but for me it was a lifetime.
But at least my guy was
going out like a champ.
Moammar's corner
always thought he
could come back against Dirk.
But now they were starting to
believe their man could lose.
You give up?
TONY (VOICEOVER): Moammar's
shoulders were on the mat,
ready to be counted out.
Winner, winner.
TONY (VOICEOVER): I
couldn't believe it.
Against all odds, against
a superior opponent,
Dirk had finally beaten the
man he could never beat.
What a way to go out.
And then I saw the doctor
went over to examine Moammar.
[music playing]
This man is dead.
He's ice cold.
Been dead for at
least 20 minutes.
You've been
wrestling a dead man.
TONY (VOICEOVER): I'll never
forget the look on Dirk's face.
Even in victory, he was a loser.
Now he couldn't take away
with him the satisfaction
of beating his arch rival.
Of course, Dirk's
real rival was never
Moammar in the first place.
In the end, his real opponent
turned out to be lady luck.
[music playing]
So what really
happened in the ring?
Was Dirk Simmons really
wrestling a dead man?
Could his own adrenalin had
been pumping so hard that he
didn't realize that he
was getting no resistance
from his opponent?
It certainly didn't look
that way to the crowd.
Perhaps the doctor was mistaken
about the time of death.
Maybe Moammar really
did die only moments
before the doctor examined him?
Then again, maybe
Moammar was so determined
to win that his inner spirit
kept fighting after his heart
stopped beating.
Was this story fact or fiction?
That's a problem we leave
you to wrestle with.
ANNOUNCER: We'll find
out whether this story
is true or false at
the end of our show.
Next, a daring prison break on
Beyond Belief, Fact or Fiction.
When poet Richard Loveless
wrote, "Stone walls do
not a prison make nor
iron bars a cage,"
he seemed to capture the spirit
of the man in our next story.
You see, Gus McGrath is a
spirit that can't be locked up.
But he has a
behavior pattern that
has left society no choice but
to put his body behind bars.
But as McGrath spends
his time in jail,
something is
stirring inside him.
His spirit is telling him
that it's time to move on.
The trick will be getting
his body to follow.
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): No one
had ever escaped from
Wainwright State Penitentiary.
The warden ran it like a factory
and used men for cheap labor.
It was a metal shop that made
license plates and a laundry
service to other institutions.
Gus McGrath was a
gambler and a con man.
He knew how to
play all the game.
A smooth talking swindler,
he had thrived on outwitting
a slower thinking public.
McGrath used to
wear $1,000 suits.
Now he was working
for $0.10 an hour.
He had served only one year
of a five year sentence,
but it already felt like 20.
Every minute was pure agony.
That's it.
Let's go.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
But this day, Gus McGrath was
determined to change his luck.
Jim, I'm going Looney Tunes.
There's got to be way
to bust out of here.
Fat chance.
You know, if they don't get
you with the head counts,
they'll get you when
they check the hampers.
Yeah.
Yeah, I know it.
All right, let's go.
Line it up.
Let's go.
Higgins.
Miller.
McGrath.
Dunn.
Ramirez.
Where the hell's Ramirez?
They sent him to
metal shop this week.
You got Mosely instead.
Hey, they printed the
wrong name on the list.
Mosely.
Let's go.
Move it out.
Let's go.
Come on.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
Another routine shift
at the prison laundry
had come to an end.
It was time for the
inspection of the hampers.
OK, boss, there you go.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER): And
although nothing remarkable was
taking place at the moment,
the seeds of an escape
had already been firmly planted.
McGrath had become consumed.
Escaping was the only
thing he could think about
and it permeated his
everything thought.
Check out that laundry driver.
He's married to that paper.
He wouldn't notice
a naked lady is she
cha-cha'd right past him.
So what are you getting at?
Busting out.
Yeah?
After this room
clears, that chimp,
like stealing candy from a baby.
Oh, yeah?
You help me out?
Sure.
How?
Where they got you
working next week?
Laundry.
Metal shop.
So.
This is what I'm thinking--
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
McGrath had to wait
until the timing was right.
But the day finally
came, the day
he was assigned
to the metal shop
and Dunn was scheduled
to work in the laundry.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER): The
first part of his planned work.
Now he'd call on his
skills as a con man.
It was brazen.
But like all good scams,
McGrath believed it could work.
Let's go.
Line it up.
Let's go.
Higgins.
Miller.
Dunn.
Hey, where's Dunn?
He's supposed to be here.
Sound the alarm.
All right, Listen up.
This is a lockdown.
I don't want no trouble.
Understood?
All right, let's go.
Move out.
Come on.
Move.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
There was still
a hamper check to be done.
You're not going anywhere.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
McGrath's heart
was pounding so hard, he was
afraid someone might hear it.
This was the kind of
rush he lived for.
It was time to make his move.
[music playing]
Hey, boss.
Hey, lockdown's been lifted.
The guy was in the metal
shop the whole time.
Clear the load.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): McGrath
could feel the
incline of the ramp
as he was about to be
loaded onto the truck.
He suddenly wondered
if the driver
would notice the extra weight.
But he didn't.
[engine starts]
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): He could feel
the ground moving beneath him.
He could hear the hum
of the truck's engine.
It was the sound of freedom.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER): He
realized he had pulled it off.
Lady luck had finally returned.
He would wait until the
footsteps disappeared.
Then he'd make a run for it.
That was the plan, until
he saw where he was.
Oh, no.
Oh, no, no.
[foot steps]
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
McGrath had successfully
escaped all right, straight into
the belly of another prison.
For all his streets, there
was something he didn't know,
something that's easy to
lose track of in prison.
He didn't know what day it was.
Could this story
have really happened?
Can a man really
be that unlucky?
Or were the fates protecting
society against a man that
would have undoubtedly
committed new crimes
against it in the future?
Was this story of simultaneous
success and failure
inspired by a real event?
Or is this just
escapist entertain?
ANNOUNCER: We'll find
out whether this story
is true or false at
the end of our show.
Next, a video reveals a
frightening message on Beyond
Belief, Fact or Fiction.
The video business
has become big business.
Where once we saw our favorite
movie two or three times,
it's not unusual for
today's video generation
to watch their favorite films
20, 30, even hundreds of times.
And the watching of a video
has become more than just
a personal experience.
For many, it's a
social occasion,
a chance for group excitement,
laughter, even horror.
Jodie Griffith has rented
some videos for a big date.
It's Friday the 13th.
So she's made sure that
the videos are scary.
But what these videos
are about the show
will scare her beyond
her wildest nightmares.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER): No
matter what I tell you,
no matter what you
think, I'm not psychic.
Nothing like this has
ever happened before
or has ever happened since.
Here, try wearing this.
There, that looks better.
You sure I look all right?
Miranda, you look very nice.
Now try to relax.
It's only a blind date.
- Yeah.
With a guy who's
supposed to be gorgeous.
You really think that we should
go out in this kind of weather?
Marcus went to a lot of
trouble fixing you guys up.
So don't even think
about flaking out.
You know, today
is Friday the 13th.
I know.
That's why I rented the
movie "Dead Friday."
So when we get back from the
club, we can watch a movie
and pretend to be really scared.
JODIE: There.
That's it.
All we have to do is snuggle
up with the guys and hit play.
[door bell rings]
That must be them.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER): I couldn't
believe what I was seeing.
I had watched "Dead
Friday" many times before.
And this was not the
movie on the screen.
- Hi.
- HI.
Come on in.
Miranda's waiting.
I'll introduce you.
JODIE: Miranda.
Miranda, you remember Marcus.
And this is Keith Porter.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER): Instead, I
seeing images of the four of us
in some kind of a
terrible situation.
I thought it was losing my mind.
And to make matters
worse, nobody else
could see it but me.
What are you watching?
I'm not sure.
I can't quite make
out the images.
Very funny, Miranda.
Well, uh-- Your roommate's
got a warped sense of humor.
JODIE: Miranda.
Oh, my god.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER):
Everyone that I was crazy.
But the images just
kept getting more
intense and more frightening.
Don't be ridiculous.
Uh-- look, Madame Q's
is one of the hottest
nightclubs in town.
If we don't leave now,
we're not going to get it.
You're freaking
us out, Miranda.
There's nothing on the TV.
MIRANDA: Yes, there is.
Something terrible.
Something horrible.
MARCUS: OK.
She's tripping.
We're going to go to
Madame Q's without you.
No, you can't go.
What are you talking about?
You can't go.
None of us can go.
OK.
She's completely whacko.
All right, I'm out of here.
- No.
You can't go.
Don't you understand?
There's something wrong.
See for yourself.
Miranda, there's
nothing there.
I beg you.
Please, don't go.
KEITH: This is really weird, OK?
It's really bizarre.
You coming Marcus?
Come on, Jodie.
MARCUS: Let's go.
Let's go.
Marcus, wait.
Jodie.
JODIE: Marcus, wait.
Look, all right, if she didn't
want to go out with Keith,
she could have said
something earlier.
I knew she was going to flake.
Are you coming or not?
I don't know.
Marcus, she's my
roommate and my friend.
I can't just leave
her here like this.
She's having a
breakdown or something.
OK, fine, I'll see you later.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER): I'll always
be grateful that Jodi made
the decision to stay with me.
And so will she.
You can knock off
the stupid joke now.
They're gone.
It's not a joke.
I was hoping Marcus would
become a steady thing,
but now I guess he'll
never see me again.
JODIE: It's all your fault.
I'm sorry, Jodie.
Someday you'll thank me.
Yeah.
For ruining my life.
[sound of trains and screaming]
[crashing sound]
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER):
Later that night,
everything had calmed down.
Jodie was watching the news.
REPORTER (ON TV): A car was
broadsided by a speeding train
just minutes ago.
The occupants, Marcus
Watkins and Keith Porter,
were killed instantly.
Oh, my god.
REPORTER (ON TV): Witnesses
say the car was stalled
out on the railroad tracks.
Miranda, you got to see this.
Come quick.
REPORTER (ON TV): The two
young men reportedly spent
the evening dancing at
the popular club, Madam
Q's, before heading for home.
Repeating once
again, two young men
are dead in a car
collision with a train.
This is Patricia
McDonnell reporting live.
Marcus and Keith.
JODIE: Miranda,
you saved my life.
MIRANDA (VOICEOVER): Jodie and
I sat there in stunned silence.
The enormity of the
tragedy hadn't sunk in yet.
I'll never know what
really happened that night.
We were just
thankful to be alive.
Later, we were
startled to learn there
was no tape in the cassette.
What was Miranda
experiencing that night?
Was she really seeing
images on that tape?
Did somebody place
those images there
by taping over the rental copy?
Yet the tape cassette was empty?
Was Miranda projecting
her own clairvoyant
thoughts on the screen?
And why was it only she
could see the images?
If she was only imagining
them, then how could
her imaginings have come true?
Should we place this disturbing
tale of the video of doom
in the reality department?
Or does it belong in the
section marked fantasy?
ANNOUNCER: We'll find
out whether this story
is true or false at
the end of the show.
Next, terror grips an office
after hours on the Beyond
Belief, Fact or Fiction.
Not all stories
of the supernatural
take place in haunted houses.
Some happen in more mundane
surroundings, a train,
a park, an office building.
In fact, if you've ever stayed
late in an empty office,
you know the eerie feeling of
a strange silence that descends
when everyone has gone home.
It's the time of night
when your imagination
can play tricks on you.
Donald T Blanchard is about to
experience feelings of terror
in his office.
But is it really
only his imagination?
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): Donald T
Blanchard was president of
Superior Mutual Life Insurance.
He built a one man operation
into a large corporation
and prided himself
on his achievement.
He attributed his
success to diligence,
thrift, hard work, and courage.
He could handle anything and
expected others to do the same.
Put those files
in the briefcase
along with the Taggerene.
You'll take the other files
and these to McDonald.
McDaniel, sir.
Whatever.
I have to leave.
And tell Mc-- uh--
- McDaniel.
McDaniel I want those
cases processed by morning.
By morning, yes, sir.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
Jim McDaniel was not cut out
of the same mold as his boss.
McDaniel was honest,
sensitive, and insecure.
Perfect prey for a shark
like Donald T Blanchard.
Oh, let me guess.
Boss wants these by morning.
Yep.
MCDANIEL: It's a
good thing I work
for a life insurance company.
At least if they work me
to death, I'll be covered.
You know Mr. Blanchard.
If you don't come
in on Saturday,
don't bother coming
in on Sunday.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
As McDaniel looked over
the work Blanchard had assigned
to him, one fact became clear.
By the look of things, this
was going to be a late night,
a very late night.
This was the first time McDaniel
had stayed at his desk so long.
And he was surprised to find out
how creepy the office seemed.
[sound of stapler]
[door creaking]
Hello?
Anybody out there?
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): He followed
the sounds to the outer office.
It seemed to him
he was not alone.
[music playing]
Hello?
Hello?
[copy machine whirring]
Hello?
Anybody here?
Anybody?
[tense music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
When he returned to his office,
he found a file on the floor.
How did it get there?
Was there some prowler
going from office to office?
The file was one that the boss
wanted to disposed of quickly.
It was the paperwork surrounding
the death of Douglas Taggerene.
Taggerene was a successful
businessman who died
under mysterious circumstances.
His family contended it
was a fishing accident.
And Superior Mutual was
liable for $2 million.
[tense music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): Of course,
if Taggerene committed
suicide, then the company
was off the hook.
[clicking sound]
Coffee, coffee,
I want some coffee.
I want some coffee.
Coffee, coffee, just
need seem coffee.
Ah, ah.
Mr. Blanchard, you scared me.
McDonald.
McDaniel.
I'll just be getting a few
things and I'll be on my way.
Uh--
[music playing]
No.
JONATHAN FRAKE VOICEOVER):
McDaniel wanted
to tell Blanchard about
all the strange occurrences
taking place in the
office, but Blanchard
seemed to be preoccupied.
He was looking for
something and obviously
something very important.
McDonald.
McDaniel.
Right.
BLANCHARD: You OK?
MCDANIEL: Uh-- I don't know.
I mean, your
face looks like you
just saw a ghost or something.
Well, to tell you the
truth, the strangest thing
started happening.
I-- I was seeing things.
This is your first job in
the life insurance game, right?
Yeah.
Look, new people will
sometimes get spooked
working in the business of--
well, let's face it-- death.
It can affect the subconscious.
Your mind can play tricks.
They're not real.
You've got to
confront these things.
Meet them head on.
Know what I mean?
Of course.
Of course.
I see you have the
Taggerene folder.
I've been looking for this.
MCDANIEL: Uh-- If
you ask me, sir.
Taggerene didn't commit suicide.
Death was clearly accidental.
I'll finish this.
You needn't concern
yourself with it anymore.
But, sir--
I insist.
[chuckles] Go home.
Get some rest.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): McDaniel
couldn't go home to sleep.
He stopped off in a
coffee shop first.
He knew that Blanchard
despised him as a weakling.
He also knew that first
impressions were lasting.
How could he ever win
Blanchard's respect
by going home?
Blanchard knew Taggerene's
death was no suicide.
But $2 million was
a lot of money.
And he wasn't going to
pay it, not one nickel.
[whooshing sound]
[buttons being clicked]
JONATHAN FRAKE
VOICEOVER): Blanchard had
courage to get something else.
Who's out there?
[tense music playing]
[water gurgling]
[door slams]
[clicking sound]
Oh, Mr. Blanchard.
[screams]
Oh, jeez.
I got you.
Mr. Blanchard.
Mr. Blanchard.
Mr. Blanchard.
Help me!
Help!
Come on.
Somebody help me.
An ironic twist
has occurred here.
The boss who was
unafraid of ghosts
is done in by his own fear.
And yet the instrument
of that fear
is a flesh and
blood human being.
Or was this office truly
being haunted by the spirit
of the dead man seeking truth.
How do you explain
the unusual activity
taking place there all night?
Could all those activities
have been caused by drafts
and mechanical malfunctions?
Is this spooky tale of an
office at night based on fact?
Or is it just the
result of a writer's
imagination working overtime?
ANNOUNCER: We'll find
out whether this story
is true or false at
the end of our show.
Next, an apparition
goes shopping on Beyond
Belief, Fact or Fiction.
The conscience is a
mettlesome companion.
It tries to tell
us how to behave.
And when we don't listen,
it haunts us with guilt.
For many the weight
of a guilty conscience
is a burden that can
never be put down.
Such is the case with Ann Ross.
When her favorite
aunt passed away,
she couldn't get there in time.
It's something Ann can't forget.
And something her
conscience won't forget.
ANN: Well, you may not
be best friends like you
were in junior high,
but you did grow
up next door to each other.
JULIE: I guess I
shouldn't be so surprised.
I got an invitation.
I could live without going
to her wedding though.
You two used to
be inseparable.
That should count for something.
Guess so.
That's pretty.
So whatever happened
between you two?
Drifted apart.
In high school, she found
her friends and I found mine.
Well, still, you
should be happy for her.
She's found somebody.
At least she's not
going to grow old alone.
What about this?
No, you can see
right through that.
So?
[music playing]
Julie, look.
Look.
JULIE: What?
She's gone.
There was an old lady who looked
exactly like your Aunt Lillian
from behind.
Oh, beaded purses.
Poor Aunt Lillian, she
was so lonely at the end.
Oh, I know.
Poor thing, cooped up in
that little tiny nursing home
all alone.
Wasn't there a time
that she wanted to come
live with us or something.
Yeah, but you and Chris
were still living at home.
And it was all your dad and
I could do to pay the bills.
I mean, maybe I should
have tried harder to make
some room for her, but I--
Come on, mom.
It's not an invitation
to beat yourself up.
I shouldn't have said anything.
The last time we saw
her, she took me aside
and she told me that
the most important thing
in the world to her was
that someone she loved
be with her when she died.
Why are people so morbid?
Oh, no, Lillian was
very straightforward.
I remember she
said to me, Annie,
it's very important
that the last face
you see be the face of love.
Remember that Annie.
I'll never forgive myself
for not being there
when that call came.
Mom, that was five years ago.
You've got to let it go.
I still feel bad about it.
Of course, you do.
It's your hobby.
Guilt is your hobby.
Oh, I'm sorry, honey.
Oh.
Did you find something?
What do you think?
Oh, that's nice.
Oh, it's a little long now.
Oh, no, you could
have it taken up.
Go try it on.
OK.
[music playing]
Do you smell that?
JULIE: What?
The flowers?
No, no.
It's Aunt Lillian's perfume
that she used to wear.
It's stronger over here.
Mom, I don't smell anything.
Oh, it's-- it's uncanny.
ANN: Lillian?
Excuse me, the elderly
lady that was just here,
did you see where she went?
I'm sorry.
I didn't see anyone.
Really, the-- that perfume,
it's so strong right here.
I-- uh--
Mom.
What do you think.
ANN: I think it's very red.
You want to go check out
the store down the street.
I think we better.
You go get changed.
I'm going to get
the car, all right?
I'll meet you up front.
[tires screeching]
Oh, my god.
Someone call an ambulance.
Someone get her daughter.
She's in the changing room.
Hurry.
Lillian.
It is you.
How can it be you?
I do not let you die alone.
Is very important.
The last thing you see
is the face of love.
Mom?
No.
Did Ann really see her late
Aunt Lillian in the dress shop?
Or was it an elusive
woman who resembled her?
Was her conscience freed at the
end because of death itself?
Or was she actually
being comforted
by her aunt coming back to
visit her at a time of need?
And why did Ann
Ross see her aunt
before the accident occurred?
Did Aunt Lilian's
spirit somehow know
what the fates had in store?
Do you think this tale of
the woman in the black gown
is real?
Or have we just taken a lie
and dressed it up as truth?
ANNOUNCER: Next, you'll find out
which of our stories are fact
and which are fiction when
Beyond Belief returns.
So let's see how lucky
you were on this show
dedicated to Friday the 13th.
Were you able to tell
fact from fiction?
Our story of the wrestler
who seemed to be fighting
a dead opponent, true or false?
How do you feel champ?
I'm just getting started too?
[crowd roaring]
I'm just getting started.
I'm just getting started.
This tale of a
career on the ropes
climaxed by a ghostly
twist is totally made up.
Let's examine the story about
the escaped convict who escaped
right into another prison.
True or false?
[music playing]
Oh, no.
This tale of the
pathetic prisoner
is based on an actual event.
It happened.
And how about
the young woman who
was able to see the
foreshadowing of doom
on her VCR?
Let's take another look.
[train rumbling]
[screams]
Was THIS story of a
fateful Friday the 13th
based on a real incident?
Yes, it was.
What about the story of the
late night office that seemed
to be haunted, fact or fiction?
[clicking sound]
Mr. Blanchard?
[screams]
If you guessed this tale
was made up, you're right.
It's fiction.
Now let's take another
look at the story
of the spirit who seemed to
appear in the dress shop.
Real or unreal?
ANN: Lillian?
Excuse me, the elderly
lady that was just here,
did you see where she went?
I'm sorry.
I didn't see anyone.
Really?
The-- that perfume is
so strong right here.
If you thought a similar story
to this one actually happened,
you're right.
It's fact, according to
firsthand interviews conducted
by author Robert Tralins.
How was your
perception tonight?
Could you identify
truth from falsehood?
Perhaps some things are
so unusual that the words
true and false seem
inadequate, much better
to use the words beyond belief.
I'm Jonathan Frakes.
ANNOUNCER: Join us for more
stories, next time on Beyond
Belief, Fact or Fiction.
[theme music playing]