The Real Story

Season 52008

Discover the true stories involving very real people, places and events -- some known to the public, others hidden from it -- that went on to inspire some of Hollywood's biggest hits, most iconic heroes and notorious villains.

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5 Episodes

E01 The Untouchables

Al Capone was a notorious Mafia boss who thrived during the Prohibition era of 1930s Chicago. In the film "The Untouchables," he was brought down by a small group of gritty law enforcers led by Eliot Ness. The public believed that Ness and his Untouchables were responsible for Capone's downfall, but that's not the real story. The Internal Revenue Service recently opened secret documents surrounding the case, including highly classified objects such as Capone's gun and Ness's diary. See the full story behind the plot to capture Capone.

August 27, 2008

E02 Escape From Alcatraz

Uncover the true story behind the most famous prison break in American history. Alcatraz was the world's most impregnable prison-until three inmates escaped. Despite a vast manhunt, the men were never seen again. Did the prisoners actually make it off the island, or did the icy waters of the San Francisco Bay act as the fortress' last line of inescapable defense?

E03 Indiana Jones

Just who was the real Indiana Jones? Indy's creators George Lucas and Steven Spielberg say the inspiration for the whip-cracking adventurer came from the explorers featured in 1930s and 40s movie serials. In turn, many writers of these serials say their inspiration came from the real-life adventures of Roy Chapman Andrews. Another source for the Indy legend is the German scholar and Grail-hunter, Otto Rahn. Both embody the spirit of Indiana Jones, and lived real lives of scholarship, exploration and danger.

September 12, 2008

E04 The Amityville Horror

The quiet village of Amityville, NY took the country by gruesome surprise on November 13, 1974, when police discovered six members of the DeFeo family shot dead in their suburban home. Ronald, the eldest son, was found guilty of the murders. But when a new family moves into the DeFeo's Amityville home, reports of demonic possession and poltergeist activity grab international attention. Through eyewitness accounts and archival footage, we explore the facts behind the Amityville case and reveal new evidence, which suggests a hoax could be behind the horror.

September 19, 2008

E05 James Bond

Bond...James Bond. Is this man of mystery a personification of a real spy or a fantasy spun by author Ian Fleming? Fleming wanted his suave secret agent to be the ultimate spy - but who provided the inspiration? Discover Fleming's wartime service in naval intelligence, and meet two men who could have supplied the basis for Bond's character. Uncover the facts behind the fiction - the people, places and even the gadgets that inspired the iconic spy.

September 26, 2008

The Real Story

E01 The Untouchables

E02 Escape From Alcatraz

E03 Indiana Jones

E04 The Amityville Horror

E05 James Bond

This Is England '88

Flower of Evil

My Demon

Another Miss Oh

You Are My Glory

Shopaholic Louis

The Night Agent

Welcome to Samdal-ri

King the Land

Jaguar

Power Book III: Raising Kanan

On Call

The Secret Life of the American Teenager

The King: Eternal Monarch

The Way We Live Now

Timeless Love

Flower Boy Next Door

A História de Ester

Harlan Coben's Shelter

The Baby-Sitters Club

E01 The Untouchables

E02 Escape From Alcatraz

E03 Indiana Jones

E04 The Amityville Horror

E05 James Bond