Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997) s03e02 Episode Script

[music playing]
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.
Truth and delusion
often blend together.
The examples are all around us.
For instance, this structure,
some might call it a box.
Others a square.
Still others a cube.
But what is the reality?
A mass of confusion.
Tonight, you will view
a number of stories.
And your challenge is
to view them and decide
which are inspired
by actual events
and which are a mass of lies.
Remember it won't be
easy because if you've
watched us before,
you know we don't
always play fair and square.
Step right up, ladies and gents.
Keep your eye on the little pea.
Which shell is it under?
Anyone can win this simple
game of observation.
Let me guess.
You've chosen this one.
Too bad.
Care to play double or nothing?
Fast Eddie Gleckan grew up
running games like this,
and he loves what he does--
not for the excitement or
the thrill of the gamble.
No, Fast Eddie loves to cheat
people out of their money.
He's a cold, calculating,
unfeeling human being.
And where those
qualities will lead
him is about to be revealed.
NARRATOR: Jenny was the
ex-wife of Fast Eddie Gleckan.
Eddie was the owner of a cheap
tavern in a rundown section
of Brooklyn where I tended bar.
He was the kind of
guy who would cheat
his best friend out of a dollar
and brag about it afterward.
I should know.
I was his best friend.
What are you doing here?
I told you never
to come down here.
I know.
But I came to get the
money you owe me, Eddie.
I don't owe you nothing,
and you're nothing to me.
You were a mistake.
That's it.
You owe me five months' back
alimony and child support.
It's the law.
Oh, OK.
I'll tell you what to do.
Hire yourself a
lawyer and sue me.
And then in a couple of
years, we'll go to court,
and you'll lose.
Don't you care
about your kids?
I care about me, Eddie
Gleckan, not those brats.
They're your kids, so
get out of my face.
[crying]
Follow the lady.
Eh.
Oh.
Sorry, man.
You lose.
Wanna go again?
No.
No.
No, thanks.
I'm all tapped out.
Come on.
Come on.
Somebody here can play me, huh?
I can't win all the time.
I'm in for 100.
Oh, baby.
Where did you come from?
I've never seen
you in here before.
You wanna play
the game or not?
Sure.
Sure, I'll play the game.
You seem pretty
sure of yourself.
You lose.
You cheated, Eddie.
What are you talking about?
I saw you.
I run a fair game here.
You can ask any
one of these guys.
Tommy, why don't you tell her?
Yeah, sure.
Eddie's an honest guy.
Wanna go again?
I'll be back.
And then we'll play by my rules.
Hey.
What are your rules?
You'll see.
NARRATOR: For the
next two weeks,
Fast Eddie couldn't
win at anything--
craps, poker, three-card monte.
Whatever the game,
he lost big time.
He didn't know
how, but he really
believed that that
beautiful babe at the bar
had put the jinx on him.
[chatter]
You'll never do it.
You'll never do it.
Come on.
The dice are cooling off.
Let's go.
Eddie.
- Eddie, come on.
- Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
Where you going?
[chatter]
There's 10 more.
Come on.
Come on.
There's enough money down here.
Let's go.
Come on.
You gonna throw the dice or not?
Hey, Eddie.
You've got to snap out of this.
Look.
It's just a string of bad luck.
Happens to everybody.
Hey, boss, high card wins.
For a buck, huh?
Jack.
You can beat that.
King.
Hey, hey.
You won.
My man, he's back.
Yeah, back.
NARRATOR: Eddie's luck returned.
It was just like before
when he couldn't lose.
No one could beat
him, and there was
no sign of that
good-looking chick anywhere.
[cheering]
I'm so sorry to
do that to you.
Hey, Eddie.
What are you doing here?
I'm not giving you any money,
so you might as well get out.
Eddie, please.
The baby's sick.
And he needs to see a doctor.
I don't have any money.
You gotta help us out.
You gotta.
I can't believe
you came down here.
I can't believe
you came down here.
Take it easy, Eddie.
You're embarrassing me
in front of my customers.
Now if you don't get
out of here right now,
I'm gonna call a cop.
And you know they're
all buddies of mine.
How would you like for the kids
to come visit you in jail, huh?
Is that something you'd like?
[crying]
You?
I let you start
winning again, Eddie.
You had your chance
for redemption,
but you failed the test.
What are you talking about?
I had a little streak
of bad luck, all right?
It's over.
So get out of my bar.
Here's $100,000.
I'll risk it all
against your tavern.
What's the game?
You flip.
Heads, I win.
Tails, you lose.
What are you doing, Eddie?
Shut up.
Heads, I win.
Tails, you lose.
Heads, I win.
Tails, you lose.
Heads, I win.
Tails, you lose.
Heads, I win.
Tails, you lose.
Heads, I win.
Tails, you lose.
Heads, I win.
Heads, I win.
Eddie, what'd you do?
Heads, I win.
Tails, you lose.
That's the oldest sucker
bet in the world, man.
What's wrong with you, man?
I don't know.
I couldn't help myself.
Congratulations, Jenny.
The tavern's yours.
What?
I won it fair and square.
And I'm giving it to her.
Wait a minute.
Who are you?
I gotta know.
Maybe I'm the patron
saint of abused wives.
There's one thing
for sure, Eddie.
You'll never win
at anything again.
NARRATOR: Fast Eddie Gleckan
only lived another two weeks.
He threw himself off
the Brooklyn Bridge.
Who was the mysterious
woman who seemed to hold
Eddie's fate in her power?
Was she really an avenging
angel acting on behalf
of Eddie's ex-wife?
Or was she a clever
manipulator able to trick Eddie
into believing he
could never win again?
And what about that last bet?
Every gambler knows that
"heads, I win, tails, you lose,"
is an impossible wager.
How could Eddie have
possibly accepted it?
Was he under some spell?
Or by that time, was his
spirit totally broken?
Are you prepared
to make an informed
decision about whether this
story is true or false?
Or are you just
going to flip a coin?
NARRATOR: We'll find out whether
this story is true or false
at the end of our show.
Next, a photographer
learns the true meaning
of the words ghost
town on "Beyond
Belief: Fact or Fiction."
Western towns have
mostly disappeared
from the American
landscape these days.
Many have been
bulldozed to make room
for strip malls and freeways.
Some have been saved
as tourist attractions,
history preserved to
sell beer and T-shirts.
Still others stand deserted.
No horses move down
their empty streets.
No people walk through
their swinging doors.
Thomas L. Fergus is about
to happen upon the strangest
of Western settings.
In fact, you might say
it's a location that truly
deserves the name ghost town.
THOMAS (VOICEOVER): I'd been
traveling around the Southwest
shooting photos of ghost towns
for a national magazine when
my truck blew a radiator hose.
I couldn't have
picked a better place.
They were having a cold spell.
It was somewhere around
115 in the shade.
I knew one thing.
I had to get out of the heat.
No signal.
I wasn't surprised.
They never work when
you really need them.
I really needed water now.
I was getting dizzy, and
I wasn't sweating anymore.
And everywhere I looked
I saw nothing but sun.
Somehow, after almost
fainting, I got my second wind.
According to my map, I was only
a few miles away from a ghost
town called Red Ridge.
I was hoping there
was a gas station
there or a phone that worked.
I found Red Ridge, but
there was no gas station
and not a tourist in sight.
The town looked
completely deserted.
I couldn't believe it.
I heard people
inside, and I thought
I could finally get some help.
Boy, was I wrong.
My truck broke down.
I was wondering where the
nearest gas station is.
Where did you
get those clothes?
(LAUGHING) Wearing your
skivvies in public.
My skivvies?
Well, I--
[chatter]
Oh, I get it.
You're shooting a
movie here, huh?
Huh.
You're joking, right?
Who you calling a joke?
I meant no harm.
I didn't mean to offend you.
Weird.
Very weird.
[piano playing]
[chatter]
[chatter stops]
Hi, y'all.
[chatter]
What'll you have?
A cold beer.
We've got beer,
but it ain't cold.
Fine.
I'll drink anything.
My truck broke down.
I really need to
find a gas station.
Do you mind if I use your phone?
Use my what?
Your phone.
Your telephone.
Why do I have to
explain everything here?
That'll be two
bits for the beer.
[sighing]
What is this?
Come on.
It's a $20 bill, man.
You got gold or silver?
No, I don't.
Then you don't get no beer.
Look.
You can keep the change.
Just give me something
to drink, please.
I've been baking under that
sun for the last two hours.
And nobody's making
any sense here.
Yeah.
Well, the heat can play
tricks with your mind, son.
It's not the heat.
Excuse me.
This can't be.
Something--
something's wrong here.
What year is it?
[laughter]
It's 1848.
What year you think it is?
It can't be 1848.
That's more than 150 years ago.
This can't be happening.
Who are you people?
Why are you doing this to me?
What's going on here?
Whoa.
Hey.
All right.
[chatter]
I don't like strangers
in my town causing trouble.
You understand me, boy?
I'm not trying to
cause any trouble.
I just want to get out of here.
All right.
I'm gonna call a friend.
I'm gonna have him pick me up.
You'll never see me again.
I promise.
Drop your weapon now.
This is not a weapon.
This is a phone.
You call people with it.
See?
[gunshot]
Oh.
Let's go, boy.
THOMAS (VOICEOVER): I
woke up the next morning
in a jail cell.
At first, I didn't
know where I was.
Then it all started coming back.
And then I heard
the truck engine.
Sheriff.
Sheriff, let me out of here.
Sheriff.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Ho, ho, ho.
I am so glad to see you.
Wait a minute.
You're the bartender
from that saloon.
Bartender?
(LAUGHING) I don't think so.
That saloon hasn't been
open for over 100 years.
But there were
people and music.
It was 1848.
And they didn't know
what a $20 bill was.
And then the sheriff shot me.
And-- ugh.
Hey, hey, hey.
Take it easy.
Have some water.
[sighing]
THOMAS (VOICEOVER): Then
he said the same words
the bartender said.
The heat can play tricks
with your mind, son.
I just wanna get my
truck fixed and go home.
Hope in.
I'll take you to a gas station.
You're probably suffering
from heatstroke.
Happens all the time out here.
It just seemed so real.
What is it?
Nothing.
Just an old cell phone.
As you might have guessed,
the photos Thomas took never
came out.
Was he the victim of heatstroke?
Doctors tell us
prolonged sun exposure
and dehydration can cause
a person to hallucinate.
But then how do you explain
the bullet hole in his phone?
Could this whole experience
have been a practical joke
played by a bored movie crew?
If so, where were the cameras,
the crew, and the lights?
Or maybe it was one of those
old frontier days celebrations.
Or just maybe, Thomas
crossed some line
where the past and present
are indiscernible, as
indiscernible as day from
dusk, love from hate,
or fact from fiction.
NARRATOR: We'll find out whether
this story is true or false
at the end of our show.
Next, mysterious
sights and sounds
in an old attic on "Beyond
Belief: Fact or Fiction."
Not long ago, millions
of American women
worked proudly as seamstresses.
Some worked in giant warehouses,
others out of their own homes.
But all shared one
thing in common--
pride and respect
for their work.
Byron Tompkins's grandmother
was a gifted seamstress.
And although her clothes adorned
some of the most beautiful
women in the world, she herself
struggled every day to provide
a good life for her family.
She's gone now.
And life is bumpy
for her grandson.
He's married, facing
struggles of his own.
But perhaps it's time
for Byron to reap
what his grandmother has sewn.
SYLVIE (VOICEOVER):
My husband Byron
and I were deeply in debt after
our restaurant went under.
We were facing
foreclosure on our house
and figured the only
way we might save
it was to sell the
antiques we inherited
from his grandmother Lillian.
We really didn't want to.
It all meant so much to Byron.
But we had no other choice.
And this is Brunswick
Model C, I think.
Yes.
That's brass.
[inaudible] Some
minor [inaudible]..
Yeah.
So what do you think?
Well, there is really
nothing here of worth.
I can give you $1,500
for the whole lot.
$1,500.
Well, this sewing machine alone
must be worth more than that.
That machine is
a piece of history.
My grandmother was a
seamstress at MGM Studios
over 60 years ago.
And she made a lot of great
costumes on that machine.
Well, it might be worth
a little more if it worked.
But I'm afraid in its
present condition,
it is just a piece of junk.
I am sorry.
No.
It works.
It works.
Look.
You just have to
know how to work it.
Please, please, Mr. Tompkins.
You have my offer.
You may take it, or
you may leave it.
Hm?
$1,500 for my
grandmother's life?
We're gonna leave it.
- Fine.
OK.
Are you crazy?
[inaudible]
Mr. Montague?
Yes.
We'd like to think about it.
Can we call you tomorrow?
Of course.
Think all you want.
You won't do better
anywhere else.
I guarantee it.
I'll walk you to the door.
Ah, most kind.
[squeaking sound]
That's weird.
[squeaking sound]
I can't believe that.
1,500 bucks for all that stuff.
And you know he's just
gonna turn around and sell
it for five times that much.
Byron, I know it's
not a lot of money.
But it will buy us
a little more time.
I think your grandmother
would understand.
Why is this happening to us?
First, the restaurant, and
now we might lose the house.
Ah.
I just don't get it, Sylvie.
You know, these things
happen to everybody.
But we'll get through.
We've done it before.
I'll call Montague
in the morning.
Right now I just wanna go to
bed and dream of being rich.
Look.
Look at this.
All my buttons fell off.
That's weird.
I'll sew them on for
you in the morning.
Hm.
But I kind of like the look.
[squeaking sound]
Sylvie.
Sylvie.
Wake up, baby.
Wake up.
Listen.
Listen.
Hear that strange sound?
Yeah.
It's called a refrigerator.
But it's coming from above.
There.
It stopped.
Now go back to sleep.
[squeaking sound]
That's not the fridge.
Ow.
What happened?
You didn't drop
these, did you?
Not me.
It's coming from the attic.
I think that's
where these came from.
[rumbling]
My god, what's going on?
I don't know.
It must have started on its own.
Byron, turn it off.
It's gonna start a fire.
Do something.
[rumbling stops]
Oh.
Phew.
You think it's gonna
start up again?
I don't know.
I didn't think it would
start the first time.
That was weird.
What a trip.
Phew.
What is this?
What's GWTW?
I don't know.
Was this always on the machine?
Hey, what's this?
Oh, look at this gown.
It's gorgeous.
Your grandmother
was so talented.
What's this tag on the sleeve?
Oh my gosh.
Byron, you're not
gonna believe this.
What?
Vivien Leigh wardrobe,
"Gone With the Wind," 1939.
GWTW.
[laughter]
SYLVIE (VOICEOVER):
We sold the dress
and made enough money to
get ourselves out of debt.
Is this story true?
Was the sewing machine
taken over by the spirit
of Byron's grandmother?
Or was it just some mechanical
aberration that caused
the machine to behave that way?
But then how do you
explain the GWTW?
Could that really have
been a random pattern?
Or was that swatch
there all along,
unnoticed by Byron and Sylvia?
Is this story of a
sewing machine that
takes on a life of
its own the truth,
or have we just stitched
together a series of lies?
THOMAS (VOICEOVER):
We'll find out
whether this story is true or
false at the end of our show.
Next, a sleepwalker brings
a curse on his family
on "Beyond Belief:
Fact or Fiction."
Can't sleep?
That's why devices such
as this one were invented.
With the push of
a button, our ears
can be transported to the
soothing wash of the ocean's
waves against the shore
or the tranquil sounds
of the nighttime forest.
Leon T. Woodward never gets
a good night's sleep anymore.
But Leon doesn't really
toss and turn in his sleep.
He walks.
And his sleepwalking is
becoming increasingly
frightening and destructive.
And as for his wife, well, let's
say Leon's sleep disorder is
starting to push her buttons.
LEON'S WIFE
(VOICEOVER): My husband
Leon was struggling to keep
his business from going under.
We had a beautiful
little daughter and what
I thought was a happy marriage.
But soon after our
finances worsened,
Leon began to leave
our bed at night
and go for walks in his sleep.
Leon would frequently
trip over Peggy's toys.
He even smashed her
favorite dollhouse.
I was worried he
would break his neck.
(SCREAMING) Leon.
Oh my god.
What?
What?
What happened?
You were walking
in your sleep again.
Did you hurt yourself?
I don't think so.
Leon, we have to do
something about this.
I know.
I know.
LEON'S WIFE (VOICEOVER): Of all
the problems his sleepwalking
caused, Leon felt most
guilty about damaging
our daughter's dollhouse.
She loved that thing so much.
She spent hours painting
and repairing it with Leon.
See?
Daddy fixed it.
I told you it'd be all right.
Thanks, Daddy.
I'll try not to be
so clumsy next time.
At least your dolls
are all right.
That's the most important thing.
They all love you, you know.
I love them too.
LEON'S WIFE
(VOICEOVER): I didn't
know what to make of the
expression on Leon's face
at that moment.
But I've never forgotten it.
Months passed, and Leon's
condition worsened.
He began going on
longer and longer walks.
The doctor suggested that
we put bells on his wrist
so we could hear him.
And thank goodness we did.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I even suggested a psychic
healer named Madam Tula.
She had the reputation
for being melodramatic,
but I could put up
with the theatrics
in exchange for some answers.
What's wrong?
What is it?
Someone has cast a
dark and ancient spell.
A spell?
Come on.
This is ridiculous.
You have been
hexed, Mr. Woodward.
You are doomed to
wander in the night
for the rest of your life.
You will leave your home one
day, and you will not return.
Wait a minute.
This is crazy.
What can we do about it?
How do we break it?
I'm sorry.
There is nothing I can do.
Listen.
I'm never gonna leave you.
I love you.
LEON'S WIFE (VOICEOVER):
For the next week,
I hardly slept at all.
I laid awake every
night making sure Leon
was still there next to me.
We even discussed
securing him to the bed,
but only as a last resort.
Now I wish we had.
Finally, exhaustion
took over, and I
fell asleep against my will.
I'll never forgive
myself for that.
I ran through the house,
listening for Leon's bells.
But I heard nothing.
This time, Leon was gone.
I feared Madam Tula's
prophecy had come true.
Leon, where are you?
I can't think of anything else.
But I did tell you that he was
wearing his striped pajamas,
didn't I?
I'm sorry.
But I have to ask this.
Is there any reason why
he might leave you--
marital problems, maybe?
No.
We have a perfect marriage.
It was the sleepwalking.
I am sure of it.
Well, I'll file a
missing persons report.
And we'll keep an
eye on the hospitals.
If anything comes up, I'll
let you know right away.
You will find him, won't you?
Let's hope he just comes home.
[phone ringing]
Hello?
Hi, Mom.
No, not a word.
(CRYING) I'm going crazy.
He could be lying
somewhere hurt.
What am I gonna do?
I love him so much.
What if that old woman is right?
And what if he's gone forever?
Mommy?
Hang on a second.
What is it, honey?
I know where Daddy is.
I'll call you right back.
Where?
Where is Daddy?
- Come with me.
I'll show you.
Sweetheart, you're
really worried about Daddy,
aren't you?
Daddy said he'd
never leave me.
He'll be back.
And we have to believe that.
But he's here in my dollhouse.
Look.
LEON'S WIFE (VOICEOVER): There,
in Peggy's precious dollhouse,
was a doll I had
never noticed before.
See?
It's Daddy.
What's the reality here?
Was there really some
supernatural force
that caused the disappearance
of Leon Woodward?
Or was it all a
scheme to skip out
of an ominous
financial situation?
What about the doll that
looked so much like Leon?
Was it always there and
not noticed until that day?
Or was it something Leon
had made to leave behind
as a comfort to his daughter?
Or was it some strange
curse that trapped
the restless spirit of Leon
Woodward inside the walls
of the child's dollhouse?
Are you ready to
decide if this tale
of the strange
somnambulist is real,
or would you like
to sleep on it?
NARRATOR: We'll find out whether
this story is true or false
at the end of our show.
Next, a woman is terrorized
by a gang of thugs on "Beyond
Belief: Fact or Fiction."
The neighborhood laundromat.
Up until 20 years ago, most
people living in a big city
cleaned their clothes
in storefronts that
housed machines like these.
It was a chore, to be sure.
But it was also a
place where you could
see friends, catch
up on some reading,
or even strike up a new romance.
As appliances have
become more friendly,
laundromats have
become more scarce.
Still, some hang on.
Maria Sanchez owns
one such place.
Her faith keeps her hanging
on through many obstacles,
like bad weather, tough
times, and sheer terror.
MARIA (VOICEOVER):
I'd been working hard
for the past year trying to
make a go of my late husband's
laundromat.
I was raising five small
children on my own.
It wasn't easy.
Business was very slow.
I couldn't talk the
landlord, Mr. Flint,
into a fresh paint job,
even though it might have
attracted some new customers.
I felt sorry for Mr. Flint.
He wasn't a very happy man.
How you doing, Maria?
Good afternoon, Mr. Flint.
I wasn't expecting you today.
What?
Do I have to make
an appointment?
I own the place.
I know.
I'm just surprised.
Well, I got a bit
of a surprise for you.
I can't give you any more
extension on your rent.
You're two months behind now.
In fact, I gotta bump
it up another 10 bucks.
Mr. Flint, I can't
pay any more rent.
I'm having trouble
paying what I owe now.
Look, Maria.
I have expenses.
I've got a business to run.
If you can't pay, I'm
gonna have to evict you.
Not that I'm gonna like doing
it, but it's the way it is.
Evict me?
But this is all I have.
How will I support my children?
What will happen to them?
Maria, I can't solve
everybody's problems.
I have enough
problems of my own.
Mr. Flint, why
are you doing this?
We go so far back.
Why are you making
this so hard for me?
You think life is
hard for you alone?
Dirt bags broke into
my house last night.
They took some things that
meant an awful lot to me,
things I can't replace ever.
I'm sorry, Mr. Flint.
What happened to you
is a terrible thing.
I will pray for you.
Hey Maria, save your prayers
for somebody who believes.
You got another
week, and that's it.
MARIA (VOICEOVER): I prayed
not only for the salvation
of myself and my children, but
I also prayed to the holy mother
for Mr. Flint.
I asked for a small
miracle that day,
even though I knew
they don't always come.
One never came for
my husband Ramon,
but I never lost my faith.
That afternoon, I filled the
coin changer with my last
$150 in change.
I was feeling very
fearful about the future.
What was going to become
of me and my children?
I really needed a miracle.
But I got just the opposite.
I was about to experience
a terrible moment.
Mm, nice.
Hey, mamacita.
Just stay away from me.
Who are you?
I just work here.
Please don't hurt me.
Woo.
(LAUGHING) It's Christmas.
Man, there's nothing
in these things.
This place is a toilet.
Hear that, lady?
He thinks your
place is a toilet.
This one here?
One
Woo.
I think that's
really rude, don't you?
Woo.
I'm good.
I'm good.
I'm good.
Now I'd do something
about it if you
told me I worked in a dump.
What next?
Hey, money.
MARIA (VOICEOVER): They
were at the machines
that I just loaded with change.
They were using slugs
instead of quarters.
It was like stealing
the last money I had.
I want you to go over
there and hit them, lady.
Please stop.
You're hurting me.
Yeah.
Hey, guys, look.
I'm winning Vegas.
Woo.
Stay down.
Don't move.
Give me some of them
old copper slugs, man.
I wanna win too.
All righty.
Good luck.
Yeah.
[laughter]
Ding ding ding ding ding ding.
[laughter]
[radio chatter]
You know, you're very lucky
you didn't get hurt, ma'am.
These same punks have
been going from town
to town doing a lot of damage.
It was horrible.
I thought they were
going to kill me.
Look at this place.
It's destroyed.
There's gonna be thousands of
dollars worth of damage here.
I'm breaking the lease.
You're out of here.
But Mr. Flint,
it's not my fault.
This is what your
prayers did-- nothing.
All they got you
was more trouble.
I'm sorry you feel that way.
Excuse me, Mrs. Sanchez.
It looks like they were
putting these old coins
in your change machine.
Thank you.
Let me see that.
Are there any more
of these coins?
Yeah.
They're in the machine.
I don't believe it.
They're all here--
every one of them.
These are my coins.
Your coins?
The robbery I told you about,
they took my coin collection,
old English pennies.
They're worth a fortune.
But it wasn't the money.
It belonged to my father.
He gave them to me when he died.
His fingers touched
every one of these.
I thought they
were gone forever.
OK.
I'm gonna repair the
laundromat for you.
You are?
You can stay here
rent-free for as long
as you're in business.
What?
You have no idea
how much it means
to me to get these coins back.
Your prayers did work.
It's my way of thanking you.
Thank you.
[laughter]
MARIA (VOICEOVER): It
was a miracle all right.
It was the first time I had
ever heard Mr. Flint laugh.
Is this story true?
Could the same rare
coins that were
stolen from Mr. Flint's
home have really
turned up at the laundromat?
Both places were located
in the same general area.
But what are the odds
that those stolen
coins would be just the right
size for the coin machine?
Do you believe in this
tale of the power of faith?
Or on closer examination, do you
find that it just doesn't wash?
NARRATOR: Next, you'll find out
which of our stories are fact
and which are fiction when
"Beyond Belief" returns.
Now, let's look back
at tonight's stories
and find out which ones were
inspired by actual events
and which ones
are totally false.
How about the story of
the gambler whose luck
was changed by a woman
with mysterious power?
Fact or fiction?
What's the game?
You flip.
Heads, I win.
Tails, you lose.
What are you doing, Eddie?
A
Shut up.
If you thought this story
was based on a real-life
occurrence, you're right.
It's inspired by a bar and
grill where a similar story
took place in the late '70s.
It happened.
Let's take another
look at the man
who found himself surrounded
by the ghosts of the Old West.
Drop your weapon now.
This is not a weapon.
This is a phone.
You call people with it.
See?
[gunshot]
Oh.
Did you think this
story really happened?
We got you, partner.
It's a fake.
And what was your opinion
of the sewing machine that
saved a young couple's future?
[rumbling]
My god.
What's going on?
I don't know.
It must have started on its own.
Was this story inspired
by an actual event?
Not this time.
Our writers
exaggerated the truth.
And now let's have one more look
at the sleepwalker who walked
out of his family's life.
Daddy said he'd
never leave me.
He'll be back.
And we have to believe that.
But he's here in my dollhouse.
Look.
Did a similar story to
this one actually take place?
Yes, it did, in Florida.
In fact, when author Robert
Tralins investigated the story,
he was shown the doll that was
the tiny replica of the father.
It's fact.
How about the story
of the laundromat
that was saved by the power
of a good woman's prayers?
I can't give you any more
extension on your rent.
You're two months behind now.
In fact, I gotta bump
it up another 10 bucks.
Mr. Flint, I can't
pay any more rent.
Was this story based
on a real happening?
According to our research,
this happened in the vicinity
of our nation's capital.
It's inspired by
an actual event.
Tonight, we've attempted to
demonstrate the similar nature
of fact and fiction.
We must weigh the
difference every day.
And sometimes the only
thing that tips the scales
are circumstances that can only
be regarded as beyond belief.
I'm Jonathan Frakes.
NARRATOR: Join us next week
for more "Beyond Belief:
Fact or Fiction."
[music playing]