Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997–2024): Season 4, Episode 12 - Witness to Murder/Roulette Wheel/The Phrenologist's Head/The Bridge/The Cigar Box - full transcript

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NARRATOR: Beyond
Belief: Fact or Fiction.

Hosted by Jonathan Frakes.

Tonight your challenge
is to separate what

is true from what is false.

Five stories, some
real, some fake.

Can you judge which are
fact and which are fiction?

To find out, you
must enter a world

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

You are about to
witness an illusion

known as the impossible fork.

Observe this illustration.



At the top you see
the start of a fork

with the tines directed down.

Certainly possible.

Now, focus on the bottom
half of the illustration.

Here we see the
tines of the fork.

Also definitely possible.

But viewed together
at the same time,

we see two tines that
begin at the top become

three times at the bottom.

An impossible situation.

So observe our stories
tonight carefully.

We'll tell you which
are true and which

are false at the
end of the show,

but right now,
keep an open mind.



For just when you think
you're traveling down

the clear pathway of
truth, you may encounter

an impossible fork in the road.

In these days of handheld
video and digital photography,

there's still a richness
and fascination to the art

of good old film recording.

In fact, under
certain conditions

film may still be
the most reliable

recording method of all.

For one thing, can't
erase it by mistake

with the push of a button.

For another, it's not altered by
various atmospheric conditions

which can make
videotape inoperable.

Albert Wainwright
believes in the film

and its ability to capture
things even the eye can't see.

Then again, you must take
into account his profession.

You see Albert Wainwright
is not a filmmaker.

He's a ghost hunter.

WOMAN: (VOICEOVER) I'd been
working with ghost hunter

Doctor Albert Wainwright
since I graduated from Cal

Berkeley three years before.

Scan again.

Down

Scanning again.

Scanning finished.

Anything?

Nothing.

Well they're here.
I know they're here.

I can feel them.

WOMAN: (VOICEOVER) Opinions were
divided on Doctor Wainwright.

Some thought him
crazy, others a genius.

He was determined to capture
the image of a ghost on film

and once and for all
prove that they do exist.

What am I doing wrong?

WOMAN: (VOICEOVER) No one
had ever done it before.

I believed in him
and so did Ron.

Nothing, doc.

Just more rats.

Must be hundreds of
them in the walls.

WOMAN: (VOICEOVER)
We'd been working

at the old Malone estate
for the past three weeks.

In this house 40 years
ago, Stephen Malone

strangled his wife
Marcia to death

and then hanged himself from
the second floor banister.

Through the years people
swore they saw the ghosts

of Stephen and Marcia
still at war as they

roamed through the house.

Show yourself, Malone.

WOMAN: (VOICEOVER) Dr.
Wainwright was becoming

more and more obsessed.

I know you are here.

WOMAN: (VOICEOVER) But he was
running out of time and money.

I can feel you.

WOMAN: (VOICEOVER) He knew
he had to find something.

He sent for Rosalind
Sarno, a renowned psychic

despite her young age.

She had a reputation for
being able to raise the dead.

Doctor Wainwright had used
psychics on other cases

with mixed results.

But he believed that
Rosalind truly had the gift.

What is it?

I sense a really
strong presence here.

Do you feel it?

The electromagnetic
readings are

very high all around the house.

ROSALIND: It would be.

This house is a power point.

Camera's down.

Get the 16 millimeter.

What's wrong?

I just saw a man with a rope.

Where?

Where do you see him?

I hear a woman's high heel
shoes running across the floor.

I hear it too.

A chill of death
is in the air.

OK, they've come forward.

It's a young woman.

She's afraid.

Help!

Somebody help me!

Somebody help me!

Are you seeing that
through the lens?

Are you getting it all down?

RON: Audio down.

Keep shooting,
Tara, get it all.

Oh, he's strangling her!

Stick with us,
Tara, get it all!

He's angry.

The spirit is angry.

He does not want you
to be filming him.

Keep shooting, Tara.

Stop it!

TARA: (VOICEOVER) We had
all seen the same thing,

and I was positive
that I got it on film.

I gave the reel to
Doctor Wainwright,

who was going to take it
to an all night lab in town

and have it developed
immediately.

There we go.

We all made history tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We get this to the lab
and then we shall eat.

OK?

Fantastic.

We'll meet up with you
in a bit, Dr. Wainwright.

Congratulations.

TARA: (VOICEOVER) Dr.
Wainwright took off on his own.

We packed up the
equipment and we

were going to meet him the next
morning at a press conference.

He was going to announce
our findings to the world.

I'd never seen him so excited.

Dr. Wainwright's
car is still here.

Why would he still be here?

Dr. Wainwright?

TARA: (VOICEOVER) At first I
couldn't tell what was wrapped

so tightly around his neck.

By the time Ron
looked inside, I knew.

It was the exposed film.

He's dead.

TARA: (VOICEOVER) I think about
Doctor Wainwright all the time.

His death remains a
mystery to this day.

The police said that somebody
probably tried to rob

him when he entered his car.

But why would they
strangle him with the film?

Why would anyone do this?

I don't know.

TARA: (VOICEOVER) I think it
was the ghost of Stephen Malone.

Everyone present swore they
saw two ghosts that night.

But without the film
there was no proof.

Further investigation revealed
that psychic Rosalind Sarno

was an accomplished hypnotist.

Think back.

was this a case
of group hypnosis?

Was everyone seeing only what
Rosalyn told them to see?

But then who murdered
Professor Wainwright, and why?

Was it a jealous colleague,
or perhaps an angry ghost?

Have we presented you with
a documentary of fact,

or has the truth
been left somewhere

on the cutting room floor?

NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a compulsive
gambler suddenly

finds that he can't lose.

On Beyond Belief:
Fact or Fiction.

The seduction of gambling.

Bright colors, constant action.

A surge of adrenaline as you
put your stakes on the line.

Most gamblers know
that they're prisoners

to the whims of fortune.

The best you can do is know
the odds and take a chance.

But what if you
could beat the odds?

What if you could
eliminate chance?

Jimmy Welsh has an
unfortunate name for a gambler

and the bad luck to go with it.

He's hoping all that's
about to change.

But what are the odds on that?

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) I was
a regular at the Royal

Casino in Reno, Nevada.

It was one of the older joints
and I like gambling there.

No more bets, please.

I got to get lucky one
of these days, right?

Sure, Jimmy.

Come on baby, do it for
me just this one time.

Number 30, red.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) I always
said I should have just signed

over my paycheck to the
Royal, because that's

where it all went anyway.

What'd he drop?

400.

He does that every week.
He;s a born loser.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER):
I fit the pattern

of the addicted gambler.

I'd lose most of my paycheck,
swear to quit forever,

and then come back as
soon as I got paid.

But my routine was
about to change.

Just my luck.

I'll be electrocuted today.

Want me to warm
that up for you Jimmy?

No, I'm going home.

Tough night, huh?

Murder.

Can I flip you for the check?

Sure, why not?

You call it.

Heads.

Heads it is.

Maybe your luck's changing.

Right.

Tails.

Heads.

Tails.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) The most
amazing thing was happening.

I flipped that coin
26 times in a row,

and 26 times I called it right.

It was like I could will it to
come up the way I wanted it to.

Tails.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) For
the first time in my life,

I was in control.

No more bets, please.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) I wanted
to see if my new power

worked on the roulette wheel.

22.

22.

22.

Number 22 wins.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) I always
kept a $10 bill in my shoe

in case of an emergency.

Place your bets, please.

Money placed.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) I never
once used it to gamble.

Until that day.

7.
7.

7.

7.

7.

Number seven wins.

Thank God.

Finally.

Number 33 wins.

Drinks for everyone!

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) I
just couldn't lose.

Every number I called came up.

I suddenly heard a word that was
never connected to me before:

winner.

No more bets, please.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) I wasn't
sure why this was happening,

but I wasn't about to quit.

It didn't take long and I
was almost $100,000 ahead.

5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5.

Number five wins.

Number 34, the winner.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) This is
beginning to seem like a dream.

I've been playing for
two hours and I was up

almost a half million dollars.

Hold onto those
for just a minute.

I'll be right back.

Yes sir.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) I could
have cashed in my chips

right then and there.

But hey, I'm a gambler.

I kept thinking about all the
money I lost to that casino

throughout the years and
how I was going to get

it all back with interest.

You're not getting
me this time.

I'm going to have to talk
to somebody about that.

Place your bets, please.

Let's make this interesting.

100 grand on 26.

No more bets, please.

26, 26, 26, 26,
26, 26, 26, 26, 26.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER)
That ball was taking

its sweet time falling on 26.

But I wasn't worried.

I could wait a few more
seconds for my dough.

26, 26, 26, 26

Number 18, red.

What?

That can't be, my number was 26.

Yeah, and you lost.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) I
thought maybe I didn't

concentrate enough that time.

But I still had
plenty of money left,

so I figured I'd
give it another shot.

Place your bets, please.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER)
From then on, I

was going to forget about
the blonde next to me,

forget about my bankroll,
and just will that ball

into the slot.

Are you in?

I'm busted.

JIMMY: (VOICEOVER) I had
gone through almost $500,000

in 20 minutes.

Whatever was happening before
wasn't happening anymore.

But guess what?

I'm hanging in there
till it comes back.

Jimmy Welsh never again
experienced the amazing power

he had that day.

What caused it to happen?

Did the electric shock he
received from the dryer

give him some kind of
psychokinetic energy

and then take it away again?

Was it just a once in
a million lucky streak?

Or did Lady Luck,
who had always given

Jimmy the cold shoulder, decided
to smile on him for a while?

Is there really a way to
determine whether this story is

fact or fiction?

Or is it simply a
roll of the dice?

NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a doctor encounters the
paranormal on Beyond Belief:

Fact or Fiction.

The practice of phrenology,
basically the reading

of bumps on the head, has long
been replaced by high tech

brain scanning
procedures which can

pinpoint the smallest problem.

Still, models and
charts like these

provide a layman's point of
view of the brain and its areas.

In much the same way,
astrology gives us

a layman's look at the heavens.

Dr. Dale Cullen is an expert
on problems of the brain.

He's always looked at phrenology
as a frivolous activity.

But what he's
about to experience

will make his own brain spin.

DALE: (VOICEOVER) I've been
a successful neurologist

for the past 12 years.

I loved my work and
there was nothing

more gratifying than to use
my skills to help save a life.

But the one thing I had
never gotten used to

was giving a patient bad news.

I'm sorry Martha, but
there's definitely a tumor.

Oh no.

What does this
mean, Dr. Cullen?

I'm afraid it's quite serious.

It's in a very dangerous spot.

It's deep inside the left lobe.

It's very hard to get to.

What do we do?

I suggest we operate
as soon as possible.

And if we don't?

It's hard to know what we
have until we get in there,

but from the looks of
this, these types of tumors

are usually fatal.

I thought I was
just having migraines.

It's a very
technical operation.

Because of the
location of the tumor

there's about a 50%
chance of success.

I want the operation.

I want to see my babies grow up.

DALE: (VOICEOVER) I couldn't get
Martha Blaine out of my mind.

She was a young wife and mother
with everything to live for.

Why did it happen to her?

Usually those types of tumors
show up in people a lot older.

I knew you'd still be here.

I'm sorry, I was
supposed to meet you.

That's OK, it's all part
of being a doctor's wife.

- I'm sorry.
- It's OK.

Hey, I got you a present.

Oh Dale, you are not going
to believe what I found.

You know that little
antique shop in the village?

I was just passing by when
I saw this in the window.

It's heavy.

A phrenologist's head!

Don't you love it?

I thought it would
just look so perfect

right here in your office.

And look, it's all divided
into numbers and sections,

and this guide that explains
what all the numbers mean.

I love it.

Oh and I haven't even
told you the best part yet.

OK, just guess who
this once belonged to.

I don't know, who?

Sigmund Freud.

Really?

Sigmund Freud?

It came with documentation!

I believe you.

What is that?

It's a smudge right
over the left ear.

There.

All gone.

You know, that might have
been Dr. Freud's fingerprint

you just wiped off.

No.

Oh, you.

So you need to be
at the hospital by--

let's see-- 3 o'clock for prep.

All right.

Now look, I know
you're worried, Martha.

But you've got to
have faith, OK?

All right.

I'll see you there.

Bye-bye.

DALE: (VOICEOVER) I'd
performed this type of surgery

several times with
mixed results.

I was very concerned.

I really wanted it to work
out for Martha Blaine.

I was always tense
before surgery,

but I was feeling more
stressed than usual.

Then I happened to
look over at the head.

The spot Annette
had rubbed off was

back in the exact same place.

I was about to leave to
prep for Martha's surgery

when I noticed the
spot was back again.

It was in the exact same place.

Section 11, above the left ear.

Why did it keep reappearing?

What was section 11?

Then I remembered the
map that came with it.

I couldn't understand why I was
taking this head so seriously,

but that spot was too
strange to ignore.

The map had nothing
to do with science.

It was based on old
beliefs and superstitions.

Every human emotion with
corresponding numbers

to the numbers on the head
was written on the map.

I looked at number 11.

Written next to it was
the word cautiousness.

I had no explanation,
but there it was.

Back again.

I didn't want to accept
what was happening.

But it was.

A spot was in the
exact same place

as the tumor in Martha's brain.

As a precaution I
decided to check

the records and radiology.

And that's when I got
the shock of my life.

Wait!

Stop.

There was a mix up in radiology.

The MRI wasn't yours.

What are you saying?

I'm saying you're fine.

You can go home.

DALE: The MRI actually belong to
an 88-year-old man named Martin

Blaine, not Martha Blaine.

It was a simple filing error,
but how it was discovered,

there was no simple
answer to that.

The phrenologist's head
still sits on my desk.

And the spot never
came back again.

The switching and confusing
of patients' records

is certainly not unheard of.

Is that all that
actually happened here?

But then how do you explain the
smudge on the phrenologist's

head that kept coming back?

And why did it turn
up in the exact spot

as the tumor in the MRI?

And is it just coincidence
that the section

where the smudge
showed up is marked

cautiousness on the bottom?

Is this story of the
mysterious head based on fact,

or are we up to
more skullduggery?

NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a nature hike becomes
a matter of life and death

on Beyond Belief:
Fact or Fiction.

Do you love to go a wanderin'
beneath a clear blue sky?

Hiking is no longer just
the pursuit of Boy Scouts

or hardy mountain men types.

It's now a huge industry
geared to both men and women

with entire stores
devoted to its pursuit.

Of course it's always
safer to hike in groups,

but sometimes a solitary
walk in the woods

is just what the soul needs.

Trisha Kober is about
to go for a hike.

Her goal is to get
in touch with nature.

However, she is about to get
in touch with much, much more.

TRISHA: (VOICEOVER) I was a
grad student at Washington State

University when the incident
that changed my life forever

occurred.

Every chance I'd get
I'd grab my backpack

and take off for a while
into the wilderness.

Nothing was unusual about
the way this hike started.

It was just me wanting
to be alone with nature.

I thought it'd be
pretty uneventful stuff.

Boy, was I wrong.

My parents loved the outdoors.

They taught me everything I knew
about surviving in the wild.

I even climbed Mt.

Rainier with them when
I was only 12 years old.

But nothing prepared me for
what I was about to face.

Like always, I
checked the weather

report, which called
for fair skies,

but the barometer was falling.

I was taught to always
respect mother nature.

Dad liked to say that
she had a pretty face,

but her mood could
change in a split second.

I could feel a slight
change in the air

as I approached the
trail to Sykes Bridge.

I'd heard a lot
about the bridge,

but I'd never crossed it before.

I knew that it was built right
at the start of World War II,

so I felt a sense of
history as I got closer.

The bridge looked
a little sketchy,

but there was no other
way to the other side.

It felt pretty solid, so
I decided to go for it.

Once I set foot on that bridge a
powerful force took hold of me.

I didn't feel in
danger, but I certainly

didn't feel safe either.

It was like I'd lost
my ability to take

charge of the situation.

That bridge seemed to
take on a life of its own.

I was never afraid
of heights before,

but I suddenly felt
dizzy and weak.

Every time I
stepped down my legs

seemed to be made of rubber.

I could feel my
heart beating faster,

and my breath was
catching in my chest.

It was like all the
warning signals in my body

were telling me to run to
safety, but I couldn't run.

The way that bridge was
shaking I could barely walk.

I was doing all I could not
to surrender to my fears.

I didn't think it was possible
that things were getting worse.

The bridge was
shaking more than ever

and I was becoming a
victim of my own fear.

I was now in a state of panic.

I was sure I was going
to die and that I'd

never see my parents again.

Don't be afraid.
Stay calm.

I'll help you.

TRISHA: (VOICEOVER)
Where did she come from?

I know there was no
one else on the bridge.

Thank you.

TRISHA: (VOICEOVER)
I saw her name tag.

It read Margaret Lange.

It's a name I'll never forget.

You have to get off
the bridge right away.

TRISHA: (VOICEOVER)
Something about her

gave me the strength and
courage to move again.

TRISHA: (VOICEOVER) I was
sure that Margaret Lange

went down with the bridge.

I owed my life to her.

Thank heavens
you're all right!

Mom.

Dad.

We were worried sick.

How are you doing?

Are you OK?

I'm fine.

What about the nurse?

There was no sign of her.

We'll go out again first
thing in the morning.

What nurse?

The nurse on the bridge.

She saved my life.

A nurse?

I know it sounds crazy, but
there was a woman on the bridge

in a nurse's uniform.

Her name tag said
Margaret Lange, RN.

Could you excuse us
for a minute, please?

- Of course.
- What's wrong?

There's something
I've been wanting

to tell you for a long time.

I don't know.

The years just slipped
by and we never did.

I guess I was afraid.

Afraid of what?

We adopted you when
you were six months old.

Your birth parents
died in a plane crash.

I'm adopted?

Yes, darling.

We love you more than
anything in the world.

I love you, too.

TRISHA: (VOICEOVER)
They were always

afraid to reveal I was adopted
because they thought it

would make me love them less.

In truth, it made
me love them more.

But after my experience with
Margaret Lange on the bridge,

this was almost too
much for me to absorb.

Why -- why are you
telling me this now?

Because your birth mother
was a registered nurse.

Her name was Margaret Lange.

TRISHA: (VOICEOVER) When
we got home, my mother

showed me a photograph
of my birth mother

in a nurse's uniform.

It was her.

The same woman who saved
my life on the bridge.

Could this have happened?

Was Trisha Kober's life
really saved by the ghost

of her dead mother?

Could it have been another
nurse with the same name?

If so, why was no trace of
the nurse's body ever found?

Did Trisha imagine
the entire encounter?

But then, how would she
know her real mother's

name and profession if she
was unaware of her existence?

Have we presented
enough facts for you

to suspend your
disbelief, or have we

failed to bridge the gap?

NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a cigar box holds hidden
secrets on Beyond Belief:

Fact or Fiction.

JONATHAN FRAKES:
You never know what

items you might find at a
garage sale or a swap meet.

Take this cigar box.

The cigars that were inside it
have long burned into the air,

and in their place, a
lifetime of mementos.

Who knows why certain
people save certain things?

As we know, one man's trash
can be another man's treasure.

Aggie and Heather Baker are
about to visit a swap meet.

It will turn out to be
an experience they won't

want to swap for anything.

AGGIE: (VOICEOVER) It
was a Sunday morning,

and I was doing one
of my favorite things:

spending time with
my daughter Heather.

She was a terrific kid,
and as a single mom,

she made me proud
of her, and myself.

Mom.

AGGIE: (VOICEOVER) I worked as
a waitress at a local diner.

It could be a little
stressful at times,

but I was saving money,
and I loved the customers.

Every Sunday before work
we hit the local swap

meets, hunting for bargains.

Gretchen, where you
hiding all the good stuff?

There's plenty good
stuff, you just got to look.

AGGIE: (VOICEOVER) It was
a close knit neighborhood.

We knew just about
everybody there.

Heather, sweetie,
we've to to get going.

OK, mom.

[rattling]

Wow!

What happened?

That box is vibrating.

Really?

Well there must be
something inside.

No, I don't see anything
that would make it vibrate.

Come on, I've got to go.

[rattling]

Mommy, look!

It's probably just an old toy
inside that keeps going off.

OK, now I'm officially late.

Heather, we've got to go.

Mommy, can we buy the box?

Why?

It's just a box of old junk.

Please?

It's magic.

How much for the cigar box?

Give me a buck and it's yours.

Let's get a move on!

Hey Aggie, the deluxe
burger's getting cold.

I'll be right there, Gus.

[rattling]

Mommy, the box
is vibrating again.

I can't talk right now, honey.

I'm a little bit busy.

AGGIE: (VOICEOVER) Then
one of our regulars,

John August came in.

Hi, Heather.

Hi Mr. August.

How are you on this fine day?

Good.

My mom bought me
this at a swap meet.

I know.

How do you know?

Hey, John.

Having the usual?

I didn't come
in to eat, Aggie.

I'm here because a
mistake was made.

What kind of mistake?

This cigar box you
bought, it's actually mine.

I thought it was Gretchen's.

No, she bought
it at an auction.

I was storing it with
some other belongings.

I fell behind in my rent and
they sold everything off.

If it's yours, you should
have it back, Mr. August.

No, I don't need it now.

There's just this one thing
inside that matters to me.

My I?

Sure.

AGGIE: (VOICEOVER)
I'll always remember

how he searched for it.

It was so important to him.

There it is.

What's that?

It's called a Purple Heart.

I got this fighting Nazis
in the Second World War.

I was wounded in Germany.

Almost died.

I'll never forget the ceremony
when they gave it to me.

My parents were
standing there, crying.

They were so proud and
grateful that I was alive.

Please, take it John.

You sure you don't
want anything else?

No, just this.

GUS: Aggie, order's up.

I'm coming, Gus.

Thanks, Heather.

Mr. August?

Uh huh?

Sometimes the box vibrates.

Really?

Maybe it was the Purple Heart.

Hearts do beat, you know.

Goodbye, Mr. August.

AGGIE: He had been my
customer for years,

but I learned something new
about John August that day.

So, you gonna do it tonight?

AGGIE: (VOICEOVER) As we
were walking home that night,

we saw an ambulance outside
an apartment building

near the diner.

I wonder what's going on here?

What's going on?

One of the tenants died.

Really, who?

His name was August.

John August.

John August?

That's right.

Did you know him?

We just saw him
at the diner where

I work a couple hours ago.

Couple of hours ago?

No, that can't be.

He's been dead for
at least two days.

It's a funny thing, he
had a metal in his hand.

Some old Purple Heart
from World War II.

Oh, mom.

AGGIE: (VOICEOVER) There
was no earthly explanation

for what happened that
day, but the cigar

box never vibrated again.

On a whim I took the old
baseball cards from the box

into a dealer.

I almost fainted when he told me
they were worth almost $50,000.

The first thing I did was set
up a college fund for Heather.

Thanks, Mr. August.

JONATHAN FRAKES:
What happened here?

Did the old soldier really
return after his death

to get his medal?

Or did the paramedic
simply make a mistake

about the time of death?

But maybe it was more than
just happenstance that Aggie

and Heather's
lives were enriched

by the old soldier's gift.

What about our story?

Have we convinced you
that this is a box

filled with items of truth?

Or is it a nice
try, but no cigar?

NARRATOR: Next you'll find out
which of our stories are facts

and which are fiction,
when Beyond Belief returns.

Now let's look back
at tonight's stories

and find out which ones are
inspired by actual events

and which ones
are totally false.

Let's review the story
of the ghost hunters

who tried to capture
the spirits on film.

Are you seeing that
through the lens?

Are you getting it all, Tara?

Keep shooting, Tara, get it all!

Oh, he's strangling her!

Stick with us, Tara.

Get it all.

He's angry.

The Spirit is angry.

He does not want you
to be filming him.

Can it be that
this story is fact?

Yes it is.

This event was reported
as taking place in England

in the years following
World War II.

Let's take another
look at the roulette

player who found
he could control

the wheel with his mind.

Seven.

Seven, seven, seven, seven.

seven.

Number seven wins.

Is it possible that
this story is true?

Not this time.

It's a fraud.

How about the story
of the model of a head

that saved a patient from
dangerous and needless surgery?

DALE: (VOICEOVER) The map had
nothing to do with science.

It was based on old
beliefs and superstitions.

Every human emotion with
corresponding numbers

to the numbers on the head
was written on the map.

I looked at number 11.

Written next to it was
the word cautiousness.

Was this story based
on a real happening?

Yes.

It happened in the state
of Florida in the 90s.

What was your
opinion of the hiker

who was rescued
from a collapsing

bridge by her mother's ghost?

Don't be afraid.

Stay calm, I'll help you.

Thank you.

You have to get off
the bridge right away.

Was this story inspired
by an actual event?

Yes.

It was inspired by
an incident that took

place in Texas in the late 60s.

The story of the
veteran, the cigar box,

and the Purple Heart medal.

How did you judge that one?
- Thanks, Heather.

Mr. August?

Uh-huh?

Sometimes the box vibrates.

Really?

Maybe it was the Purple Heart.

Hearts do beat, you know.

Goodbye, Mr. August.

Bye.

Is this strange
story based on fact?

Yes.

A similar event took place
in Ohio in the early 80s.

Were you able to navigate
the waters of deceit

to find the islands
of truth tonight?

Is there really a way to
set your course and sail

for the star of truth,
or is the voyage

itself fraught with obstacles
that are beyond belief?

I'm Jonathan Frakes.

NARRATOR: Phrenologist's
Head and Cigar Box

are true, based on
firsthand research conducted

by author Robert Tralins.

For Beyond Belief,
this is Campbell Lane.