Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997) s04e08 Episode Script
Caitlin's Candle/The Flower Jury/The Mentor/The Old Bike/The Music Teacher
[theme music]
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
facts and which are fiction?
To find out, you
must enter a world
of both truth and deception,
a world that is beyond belief.
[theme music]
An interesting
lesson in perspective--
take a look at the
normal looking man
in the background and
the miniature childlike
figure in the foreground.
Is it possible they're
really the same size?
It's not only possible,
it's an absolute fact.
But sometimes, facts
can appear to be
falsehoods, and vice versa.
So will you be able to determine
which of our stories are true
and which are false?
We'll tell you which are
which at the end of the show.
And remember, it's
not an easy challenge.
But then again, that's where we
separate the men from the boys.
There are few
things as beautiful
as the glow of a candle,
the warm glimmer of light.
It's come to
symbolize everything
from religion to romance.
The late mother of Caitlin Woods
designed this particular piece
of sculpture.
She was a talented
woman who passed
on to her daughter
an artistic soul
and a house full of problems.
But the candle that
lights Caitlin's spirit
refuses to go out.
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER):
I was away at college
studying criminology when
my father was a victim
of a home invasion robbery.
When he tried to stop the thief,
he suffered a massive stroke.
How are you doing, Daddy?
You want some more?
No, it's, uh, it's enough.
OK.
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER): Many
months passed, and my father's
speech returned.
But the left side of his
body remained paralyzed.
My mom had passed
away years earlier,
so I moved back to
help with my dad.
It's not right.
You shouldn't be my nurse.
You have a life.
You should be living it.
Daddy, we've been over
this again and again.
Would you just stop it?
This is where I supposed
to be right now.
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER):
My father had no insurance
and no money in the bank.
There was no way he could
afford the care he needed.
I was all he had in
the world, and I was
determined not to let him down.
My mom was a wonderful artist.
She always made beautiful gifts
for me when I was growing up.
Our home was filled
with her creations,
especially the beautiful
things she did with candles.
There was one that had an
inscription on the holder.
"When you need to light
your way, remember my love,
and let it sparkle
for you that day."
That was my favorite,
but it was gone.
The thief had stolen it
the night of the robbery.
CAITLIN'S FATHER: Caitlin?
I'll be right there, Daddy.
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER):
I took my dad out for a walk
almost everyday after lunch.
It made him feel
less like a prisoner,
and it took my mind off
our financial situation.
Our funds were
running low, and I
didn't know how much longer I
could take care of my father
without getting a job.
Remember this place, Daddy?
The first time your mom
and I took in you in there,
you were two years old.
Look at that.
It hasn't changed one bit.
Best mile-high cake I ever had.
You want some?
Hey!
Are you OK?
Please watch my father.
Caitlin, what are you doing?
Caitlin!
[music playing]
CAITLIN WOODS
(VOICEOVER): Something
strange came over me,
something that made me
throw all caution to the wind.
An invisible power seemed to
be forcing me to follow him.
[music playing]
I don't know how
the fire started,
but it made the thief run away.
I was too weak to get up.
I thought I would die.
But then the fire went
out all by itself.
And then I saw it.
It was the candle that had been
stolen from our home the night
my father had the stroke.
Thank god you're all right.
I'm so sorry, Dad.
Don't ever do
that again, Caitlin.
Look what I found.
It's the candle
your mother made you.
Yeah, the junkie
who stole my purse
must have been the same
guy who robbed the house.
Ah, Caitlin, I'm so sorry.
I--
- Daddy, it's OK.
I couldn't hold it.
It's OK.
What's this?
- I don't know.
Daddy, it's a
diamond necklace.
So that's where she put it.
What?
This necklace belonged
to your grandmother.
Your mother was
going to surprise
you with it on your birthday.
She-- she never did tell
me where she hid it.
That sounds just like Mom.
I searched everywhere
for this necklace.
I never did find it.
Now I understand
what Mom's words meant.
"When you need to light
your way, remember my love,
and let it sparkle
for you that day."
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER): I
had the necklace appraised,
and we were shocked to find out
it was worth almost $100,000.
The necklace made it possible
to hire qualified help
to look after my father.
He continued to recover,
and with his therapy,
he's now almost back to normal.
And I was able to
go back to school
and finish my law
enforcement degree.
My mother's candle
did light the way.
[whoosh]
What's at play here?
It's, of course, possible
that the same person
who robbed Caitlin's father
also stole the candle.
But who lit the candle
during the struggle?
And why did the fire
that saved Caitlin's life
go out so quickly?
Was it a sudden gust
of wind or the spirit
of Caitlin's mother
watching over her?
Does this story seem to be
the result of calm, reasoned,
factual research, or is it
the product of devious writers
who are burning the
candle at both ends?
NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false
at the end of our show.
Next, a detective encounters the
strangest witness of his life
on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
JONATHAN FRAKES:
Nature has provided
flowers with many attributes,
their beautiful appearance,
their fragrant smell, their
delicate feel, and nothing
adds to our sense of well-being
more than a perfectly
placed flower arrangement.
Detective Russ Parker is not a
man who fusses over petunias.
He's a hardened
veteran of the force
whose only use for a flower
is to hide a wiretap inside.
But he's just been
called to investigate
a death at a flower shop, and
there's a familiar fragrance
in the air--
the scent of murder.
[radio chatter]
[siren]
RUSS PARKER
(VOICEOVER): I had been
working the murder beat in
Tacoma for the past 15 years.
Step back, folks.
Watch the tape.
RUSS PARKER
(VOICEOVER): I thought
I'd seen just about everything.
But the homicide at
Saito's Garden Works
turned out to be the
strangest one yet.
What do we got?
Male, Asian, about 60
years old, he owns the shop.
And we got no witnesses.
RUSS PARKER (VOICEOVER):
My partner, Dean Santoni,
came over to Homicide after
only a couple of years
with the department.
He had a college degree,
something I didn't have.
He also had wild
ideas, but I liked him.
Oh, man, I just remembered.
What's that?
Well, I've got to get
my wife some flowers.
It's our anniversary tomorrow.
Huh, congratulations.
There he is.
His nephew found him
like this this morning
when he came in for work.
Any calling
cards here, Bernie?
Hm, the hose is clean.
In fact, the whole
scene is clean.
Yeah, the killer was
probably wearing gloves.
No kidding.
You learn that in college?
The guy put up
quite a struggle.
Whoever did it finally
finished him with a garden
hose, crushed his windpipe.
The cash register was open,
and all the money was gone.
So we got a robbery
that got out of hand.
I'm not surprised.
This whole neighborhood
has gone down hill.
A lot of transients,
it's a shame.
It used to be a decent place
to live, but not anymore.
Who did you say found him?
Ah, his nephew.
Yeah, he's-- he's
pretty shook up.
It's so horrible.
I loved my uncle.
He was like a
second father to me.
He took me in, and he
taught me the business.
Did he have any enemies?
Everyone loved him.
Everybody except the killer.
Listen, if you can think of
anything that might help,
give us a call.
Thanks.
We're, uh, we're
sorry for your loss.
[sighs]
[radio chatter]
I'm done here.
You can take him
whenever you're ready.
No suspects, no
witnesses, no prints.
All right, let's round up
some of the transients.
We'll see if any of them have
upped their standard of living.
I have a better idea.
Why don't we put
together a lineup?
A lineup?
How do we have a lineup if
we don't have any witnesses?
The plants were here.
The plants?
Yeah.
When I was in college, I took a
biology class with a professor
named Comstock.
Now, he was-- well, he
was a little out there.
But he had this theory that
plants have the same emotions
and reactions that we do.
Where are you going with this?
I know it sounds crazy.
But Comstock hooked up a
plant to a polygraph machine
and exposed it to all kinds
of different violent acts
like boiling a lobster alive.
The needles went nuts.
I saw it myself.
The plant felt
the lobsters pain.
You're kidding me, right?
You're telling me
these plants know we're
talking about them right now?
All I know is what I saw.
And the experiments worked.
[music playing]
Look, we got nothing
to lose, Russ.
RUSS PARKER (VOICEOVER):
With no witnesses at all,
I agreed to the crazy plan.
Besides, sometimes
you do something,
anything, and the guilty
start betraying themselves.
I made him do it
after hours, though.
I didn't dare use any of
the regular polygraph guys.
They would have laughed me
right out of the station house.
So Santoni got his
old professor to come
in and set the whole thing up.
As we got closer to actually
doing this crazy thing,
I started getting
an ache in my gut.
I didn't like feeling stupid.
Are you ready, Professor?
You can call in
your first suspect.
I can't believe
we're doing this.
First man, step up.
State your name.
My rights are being violated,
and I want to see a lawyer.
Shut up and say your name.
It's Ray Deets, and
I didn't do nothing.
Have him approach the plant.
Walk up to the table
and give us two profiles.
All right, get back in line.
Next man, same routine.
RUSS PARKER (VOICEOVER):
It was no surprise to me
that the professor's
theory was coming up empty.
As I figured, there
was no unusual movement
on the polygraph machine.
OK, that's good.
That was the last one.
You sure your machine is
hooked up properly, Doc?
Yeah, it's hooked up right.
Well, maybe one
of your leaves was
having a hard time remembering.
Hey, what's going on?
I saw the lights.
Um, nothing, just
a little experiment.
[whirring]
DEAN SANTONI: Russ.
So, um, you guys get any leads
yet on who murdered my uncle?
Yeah, actually, we did.
A real good one, see, a
witness just turned up.
Really?
Mhm.
Well, I-- yeah, I didn't
know there were any witnesses.
Yeah, there was a witness.
And he just identified
you as the killer.
That-- That's crazy.
Why did you do it, Steve?
Whoa.
Where are you going, Steve?
I-- I didn't kill my uncle.
See, I think you did.
RUSS PARKER (VOICEOVER): After
two hours of questioning,
Steve Saito finally
broke down and confessed
to the murder of his uncle.
His motive, an inheritance
he didn't want to wait for.
After he confessed, he asked
me who the witness was.
I told him I was sure he knew.
In fact, he probably even
watered him a few times.
[whoosh]
Could this story be true?
Could a plant really
identify a murderer?
Actual studies have shown
that plants and flowers
respond to outside stimuli.
They even grow
faster when they're
talked to, treated with love.
Does this story
of the flower jury
carry the bouquet
of truth, or is
it just another blooming lie?
NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false
at the end of our show.
Next, an escape artist
is trapped in an icy tomb
on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
Nobody has ever
captured the imagination
of the American public
like Harry Houdini.
Even with the modern
spectacular heirs to the throne,
many still consider
Houdini the greatest
escape artist of all time.
Of course, in his own day,
Houdini had his imitators
and competitors, but the
only ones who came close
were Leonard and Phillip Kirby.
As we join their story,
they're so sure of themselves,
they claim they can escape from
anything, including their fate.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKES
(VOICEOVER): The first time
Frederick Rain saw
the Kirby Brothers
perform, he knew
they had something
only the great ones possess.
The fact was Frederick had
always dreamed of discovering
an act that could achieve
the same greatness
as his idol, master of
escape, Harry Houdini.
[applause]
[cymbals]
[cymbals]
But he never expected
it to be two Houdinis.
Frederick took the Kirby
Brothers under his wing,
becoming both their
mentor and manager.
Unfortunately, he was only
able to get the brothers
sporadic bookings.
All the public wanted was to
see Houdini, who in 1925, was
at the pinnacle of his success.
In spite of all that, word
was getting out that the Kirby
Brothers could
escape from anything,
and no one could
figure out the secrets
of their death-defying stunts.
[music playing]
[drum roll]
[cymbals]
[cheering]
Where's my brother?
Right here, Leonard.
JONATHAN FRAKES (VOICEOVER):
While the brothers'
abilities were truly
amazing, there was
a dark room surrounding them.
It was said that
they had a curse
on their heads put
there by a gypsy
from a little known
town in East Europe.
As punishment for stealing
the gypsy's secrets
one of the brothers would die
while performing an escape.
Houdini this,
Houdini that, I'm
so sick of the great Houdini.
Calm down, Leonard.
I won't calm down.
But he's holding us back.
He's a great artist, Leonard.
He's earned his acclaim.
What are you saying,
that we're not as good?
Of course not.
Would I be here if
I believed that?
Buried alive, I mean,
we can do this trick.
We could do it
faster and better.
Leonard, what's the point?
If we just keep duplicating
Houdini's tricks,
we'll never get
out of his shadow.
Phillip's right.
We have to come
up with something
different, something
more dazzling
than being buried alive.
Then that's what we'll do.
We'll show everyone,
including Harry
Houdini, that we're the greatest
escape artists in the world.
JONATHAN FRAKES (VOICEOVER):
It took the Kirby Brothers
less than a week to come
up with a trick that would
surpass Houdini's buried alive.
Philip was to be entombed in
a coffin of ice for 24 hours.
Leonard, I thought
I was fine with this,
but now that I see
the ice, I don't know.
Frederick, it's all
been worked through.
It just seems so dangerous.
That's the point, Frederick.
It has to seem dangerous or it
won't entertain the audience.
Well-- well, what if
something goes wrong?
It won't.
Look, I'll be standing vigil
for the entire 24 hours.
If I see even the
slightest problem,
I'll release
Phillip immediately.
I don't know.
[huffs] It's that ridiculous
curse, isn't it, that one of us
will die during an escape?
I'm just--
You don't believe
in that, do you?
I'm just worried
about you boys.
I won't die in
there, Frederick.
I promise you.
[music playing]
Ladies and gentlemen, you are
witnessing something that has
never been attempted before.
Not even the great Houdini
himself could have imagined it.
Welcome--
CROWD: [gasping]
--to Frozen Alive.
My brother will remain entombed
inside this frozen casket
for the next 24 hours.
Go about your business, but I
guarantee that every time you
return, my brother will
still be inside this coffin
of ice, frozen alive.
[applause]
JONATHAN FRAKES (VOICEOVER): The
first few hours passed quickly,
and Phillip seemed
to be doing fine.
There was no evidence
of the curse.
With only two hours
left, the Kirby brothers
were about to make history.
And then something
went terribly wrong.
PHILLIP KIRBY: Help me.
Help me.
Are you all right?
Help me.
What is it?
Help me.
We have to get him out.
What's wrong?
It's the curse.
He's going to die in there.
- What?
MAN IN CROWD 1: What did he say?
MAN IN CROWD 2: Is
he going to die?
[screaming]
MAN IN CROWD 3: Is he all right?
How did we do?
22 hours.
Are you all right?
I'll be fine.
You see, Frederick,
I didn't die.
There's no curse.
[gasping]
Leonard!
JONATHAN FRAKES (VOICEOVER):
To Phillip's shock,
his brother Leonard was dead.
An autopsy was performed, but
no absolute cause of death
was found.
Some suspected it was his
heart, but Leonard Kirby
was in perfect health
and only 23 years old.
After Leonard Kirby's death,
his brother Phillip retired.
Houdini himself died a year
later from a burst appendix.
But were the Kirby
Brothers really cursed,
or was the threat
of the curse enough
to make Leonard's
heart stop from fear,
causing a tragic
self-fulfilling prophecy?
Do you believe this
story really happened,
or is it just an
escape from reality?
NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false
at the end of our show.
Next, an ex-con's life
is changed by an old
bicycle on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
Bicycles, like
everything else,
they don't make them
the way they used to.
This one, made years
ago, was built to last.
A new seat, some fresh
paint, a few new parts,
it will be ready again--
maybe not for the
Tour de France,
but certainly for a
local paper route.
Nick and Kenny Morgan are
about to come across this bike,
and they're going to
make some changes to it.
But what they're really about
to change is their future.
NICK MORGAN
(VOICEOVER): I had just
picked up my younger
brother Kenny
at the county prison farm.
He needed some clothes, so
we stopped at a thrift shop
on the way home.
Kenny had just done six months
for a drunken brawl in a bar.
But really, he wasn't a bad kid.
He started getting into trouble
after our parents died in a car
accident 10 years earlier.
It was real hard on both of
us, but Kenny had a temper.
We had no other families, so
we just bounced around from one
foster home to another.
Hey, what do you think?
It's you.
I'll take it.
NICK MORGAN (VOICEOVER):
Kenny drove me crazy,
but he reminded me of our dad.
And I was glad he
was out of jail,
but the bad news was
I just lost my job,
and I was going through
my savings real fast.
KENNY MORGAN: Hey, Nick.
Uh, just a sec.
KENNY MORGAN: Come here.
Look at this.
What did you find?
What is this thing?
It's a classic.
It's got to be at
least 50 years old,
and they will want
5 bucks for it.
It's because
it's falling apart.
Look at all the rust.
Yeah, it's a piece of junk.
OK, so it needs a little work.
We can-- we can fix it up.
It'll be a blast.
We can do it together.
I don't know.
Come on, Nick.
It's only 5 bucks.
I'll pay you back.
NICK MORGAN (VOICEOVER): I
liked seeing Kenny give a damn
about something, and there was
something about that old bike
that was important to him.
And he was right, you know?
It was fun working
on it together.
It was like we were kids again.
For a while, everything was OK.
We were going out every
day looking for work.
It was pretty discouraging,
but I knew I'd get something.
Kenny was another story.
Whoa, just take it easy.
I'm never going
to get a job, Nick.
No one's going to hire me.
Well, give it a chance.
It's only been a week.
I've been in jail, Nick.
Nobody wants me.
Stop feeling so
sorry for yourself.
Hey, don't tell
me how to feel, OK?
Fine.
I won't tell you anything.
Yeah, that's right.
NICK MORGAN
(VOICEOVER): That night,
Kenny started drinking again.
And with Kenny, one
beer was one too many.
Kenny, I--
You can't drink here.
It's just I know--
I know what you're like
when you start drinking.
Ah, would you just
leave me alone, man?
You're not my dad.
Do you want to
go to jail again?
Is that what you want?
You know, it ain't going
to be six months this time.
It's going to be a lot more.
Who cares?
I'll get out of here.
No, no.
Get off my back.
Where are you
going to go, huh?
Get out of my way.
You're not leaving like this.
[music playing]
Sorry, man.
Yeah, me too.
I thought it was broken.
It was.
That was weird.
There's something
inside the handlebar.
I-- I don't believe this.
It says, "property
of Johnny Morgan."
Dad.
Well, that can't be.
It's got to be
another Johnny Morgan.
It says, "if found,
please return to 1267 Maple
Drive in Hackensack,
New Jersey."
That's where Dad was born,
Hackensack, New Jersey.
This was Dad's bike.
NICK MORGAN (VOICEOVER):
We knew it was a long shot,
but Kenny and I called
New Jersey information
and gave them the name Morgan
and the address on the note.
And we got the
surprise of our lives
when the person who
answered the phone
said he was our
father's brother, Glenn.
And we never even
knew we had an uncle,
and our father
never mentioned him.
And well, Glenn didn't
know about us either.
Hi, you must be, uh, Nick.
- Nick, right.
- Hi.
I'm Kenny.
Kenny, hi,
pleased to meet you.
It's your dad's bike all right.
Our mom took this when
John first got it.
He was just 16 years old.
Wow.
Look at Dad.
I can't believe you found
this thing way out here.
It was stolen in
Hackensack 40 years ago.
How come he never, uh--
well, he really never
told us about you?
Pretty stupid, really.
Your dad and I started this
construction company when
we were both in our early 20s.
Then we had this bad falling
out, and he moved away.
And we just lost touch.
I never even knew he died.
Or that he was ever married.
You never tried
to find each other?
Ha, we were both
real stubborn,
and the years just passed.
Look, I'd like to, um--
I still have the company
that your dad and I started.
Not the biggest in
the world, but I
really could use some help.
You want us to work for you?
No, with me.
What do you think?
That'd be great.
Looks like I got a job, Nick.
NICK MORGAN (VOICEOVER): Kenny
and I moved to Hackensack
and joined Uncle Glenn
in the family business.
And we didn't take
a whole lot with us,
but we made sure we
took our dad's old bike.
A bike that had
been lost for 40 years
is suddenly found by the owner's
son thousands of miles away.
Just a coincidence?
If so, how do you
explain the bike's
broken horn starting
to beep just
as the brothers began to fight--
another coincidence?
Was the father's spirit
residing somewhere
in this old Schwinn bike?
Is this story coasting
in on the truth?
Are we trying to peddle a lie?
NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false
at the end of our show.
Next, a teacher attempts to
lift a curse off his star pupil
on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
Who can explain
the mystery of music?
How can a genius
like Beethoven create
masterpieces though deaf?
And how could Mozart create
full classical compositions
at the age of five?
What about today's child
prodigies, children who
can sit down at the
piano for the first time
and play perfectly?
Nathaniel Borne is
a musical genius.
Since he was a child, he
could captivate audiences
with his musical gift.
But can the gift be taken back?
Nathaniel Borne is
starting to think so,
and the thought is
striking a desperate chord.
NATHANIEL BORNE (VOICEOVER): I
was one of the most successful
concert pianists in the world.
Everyone knew the
name Nathaniel Borne.
I made my debut when I was
only 11 at Carnegie Hall
was the New York Philharmonic
under Leonard Bernstein.
I played Chopin's
"Piano Concerto No.
1" in E minor.
It brought tears to
Bernstein's eyes.
The next 22 years of my
life were like a dream.
I sold millions of
records and played
in all the great concert halls.
And then, something
terrible happened.
While playing my signature
Chopin "Concerto,"
I became frozen.
It was an artist's
greatest nightmare.
Somehow I had developed
a creative block
and could not play.
You shouldn't be sitting
outside in the rain
like this, Nathaniel.
You'll get sick.
It doesn't matter.
Don't be like that.
Let's go inside where it's warm.
I built a fire.
[music playing]
NATHANIEL BORNE
(VOICEOVER): I tried
psychiatrists, hypnotists,
everything I could think of.
Nothing worked.
Then my wife, Helena, brought us
back to Boston where I grew up.
She hoped this might touch
things that would unblock me,
but it just got worse.
Gregory canceled two more
months of concert dates.
I'm not scheduled to play
again for the rest of the year.
I might as well tell them
to cancel next year too.
Why don't you
call Martin Cheller?
Martin Cheller, why?
He was your first
teacher, and you
always spoke so fondly of him.
Perhaps he could help.
Martin, hmph, Martin
was quite a character.
I haven't seen him in years.
I think the last time was
at, uh, Lincoln Center.
Yes, I remember.
He wore a red bow
tie with a tuxedo.
Yes.
You know, Martin
first started teaching
me when I was five years old.
Martin always came exactly
at five o'clock on Saturday.
He'd bring a piece of
chocolate, and he'd
tell me, as soon as
the lesson is over,
you may have the chocolate.
I honestly believe
I used to play
better just knowing
that piece of chocolate
was waiting for me.
He must have been
a wonderful teacher.
He was.
NATHANIEL BORNE (VOICEOVER):
I took Helena's advice
and called Martin Cheller.
I set our visit for five
o'clock on Saturday.
I suddenly wanted very
much to see him again.
Nathaniel.
Martin.
Do come in.
Right on time.
Of course, a punctual
man is a respectful man.
Martin.
Ah.
It's good to see you.
How have you been?
I could complain, but
what would be the point?
People hate complainers.
You haven't changed a bit.
Ah, let's get to work.
Oh, this piano is a far
cry from the upright
I used to teach you on.
As soon as our
lesson is finished,
you may have this chocolate.
I, uh, told you
about my problem.
Sit.
Do you remember how we
used to play together?
I do.
Play.
NATHANIEL BORNE
(VOICEOVER): Even though it
was just simple scales,
something inside
me was making it impossible.
I'm sorry, Martin.
I can't.
Nonsense.
The chocolate is
waiting for you.
Give me your hands.
NATHANIEL BORNE (VOICEOVER):
There was an energy
coming from Martin's
hands that I
felt throughout my entire body.
Now.
NATHANIEL BORNE
(VOICEOVER): I felt
like his hands were
still there guiding me,
but I was on my own.
Yes.
[classical music playing]
NATHANIEL BORNE
(VOICEOVER): It was
impossible to measure
the sense of gratitude
I was feeling for Martin.
What happened next was
totally unexpected.
[doorbell]
Hello.
Hello, Mr. Borne?
Yes.
We've never met.
I'm Martin Cheller's
son, Stefan.
Ah, you just
missed your father.
He left moments ago.
That's impossible.
I came over to tell
you why you missed
his appointment with you.
My father passed away
in his sleep last night.
What?
[music playing]
[whoosh]
From that day
forward, Nathaniel Borne
resumed his stature as one of
the world's great pianists.
But was it really the spirit
of Martin Cheller that visited
Nathaniel that day, or
did the entire incident
exist only in Nathaniel's mind?
But then, how do you
explain the chocolate?
Wasn't that proof of
Martin Cheller's visit?
Does this story play
out as a composition
of harmonious truth, or
have we hit a false note?
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 are
inspired by actual events
and which ones
are totally false.
What about the woman
whose family and very life
were saved by a special candle?
[music playing]
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER):
I was too weak to get up.
I thought I would die.
But then the fire went
out all by itself.
If you thought this story
was based on a real life
occurrence, you're right.
A similar story happened
to a woman in the east
in the early '80s.
[whoosh]
How about the flower
that caught a murderer?
Hey, what's, uh, going on?
I saw the lights.
Um, nothing, just
a little experiment.
[whirring]
Russ.
Russ.
So, um, did you
guys get any leads
yet on who murdered my uncle?
This one has to
be false, right?
Wrong.
Our research shows a similar
incident happened in the New
York area in the late '70s.
[whoosh]
What about the escape
artists who couldn't
escape their terrible curse?
I'll be standing vigil
for the entire 24 hours.
If I see even the
slightest problem,
I'll release
Phillip immediately.
I don't know.
[huffs] It's that ridiculous
curse, isn't it, that one of us
will die during an escape?
You don't believe
in that, do you?
I'm just worried
about you boys.
I won't die in
there, Frederick.
I promise you.
If you thought this one
was phony, you're right.
It never happened.
How about the old bike
that brought good fortune
to a family torn
apart for years?
That was weird.
There's something
inside the handlebar.
I-- I don't believe this.
It says, "property
of Johnny Morgan."
Dad.
Have you heard a
story like this before?
You may have.
A similar event happened
in New England in the '90s.
[whoosh]
Let's have one more look at
the story of the music teacher
who returned from beyond to
inspire his prized pupil.
Give me your hands.
NATHANIEL BORNE (VOICEOVER):
There was an energy
coming from Martin's
hands that I
felt throughout my entire body.
Now.
NATHANIEL BORNE
(VOICEOVER): I felt
like his hands were
still there guiding me,
but I was on my own.
Did a similar story
to this one take place?
Perhaps, but this
one has been made up.
[whoosh]
Truth and fiction,
they often seem to be
two sides of the same coin.
And when that coin is spun,
is the result fate, luck,
or a combination of the two?
Is it possible to determine
the fake from the real,
or are we dealing in a realm
that is truly beyond belief?
I'm Jonathan Frakes.
NARRATOR: The true
stories on tonight's show
were based upon
firsthand research
by author Robert Tralins.
This is Campbell Lane.
[music playing]
[theme music]
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
facts and which are fiction?
To find out, you
must enter a world
of both truth and deception,
a world that is beyond belief.
[theme music]
An interesting
lesson in perspective--
take a look at the
normal looking man
in the background and
the miniature childlike
figure in the foreground.
Is it possible they're
really the same size?
It's not only possible,
it's an absolute fact.
But sometimes, facts
can appear to be
falsehoods, and vice versa.
So will you be able to determine
which of our stories are true
and which are false?
We'll tell you which are
which at the end of the show.
And remember, it's
not an easy challenge.
But then again, that's where we
separate the men from the boys.
There are few
things as beautiful
as the glow of a candle,
the warm glimmer of light.
It's come to
symbolize everything
from religion to romance.
The late mother of Caitlin Woods
designed this particular piece
of sculpture.
She was a talented
woman who passed
on to her daughter
an artistic soul
and a house full of problems.
But the candle that
lights Caitlin's spirit
refuses to go out.
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER):
I was away at college
studying criminology when
my father was a victim
of a home invasion robbery.
When he tried to stop the thief,
he suffered a massive stroke.
How are you doing, Daddy?
You want some more?
No, it's, uh, it's enough.
OK.
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER): Many
months passed, and my father's
speech returned.
But the left side of his
body remained paralyzed.
My mom had passed
away years earlier,
so I moved back to
help with my dad.
It's not right.
You shouldn't be my nurse.
You have a life.
You should be living it.
Daddy, we've been over
this again and again.
Would you just stop it?
This is where I supposed
to be right now.
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER):
My father had no insurance
and no money in the bank.
There was no way he could
afford the care he needed.
I was all he had in
the world, and I was
determined not to let him down.
My mom was a wonderful artist.
She always made beautiful gifts
for me when I was growing up.
Our home was filled
with her creations,
especially the beautiful
things she did with candles.
There was one that had an
inscription on the holder.
"When you need to light
your way, remember my love,
and let it sparkle
for you that day."
That was my favorite,
but it was gone.
The thief had stolen it
the night of the robbery.
CAITLIN'S FATHER: Caitlin?
I'll be right there, Daddy.
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER):
I took my dad out for a walk
almost everyday after lunch.
It made him feel
less like a prisoner,
and it took my mind off
our financial situation.
Our funds were
running low, and I
didn't know how much longer I
could take care of my father
without getting a job.
Remember this place, Daddy?
The first time your mom
and I took in you in there,
you were two years old.
Look at that.
It hasn't changed one bit.
Best mile-high cake I ever had.
You want some?
Hey!
Are you OK?
Please watch my father.
Caitlin, what are you doing?
Caitlin!
[music playing]
CAITLIN WOODS
(VOICEOVER): Something
strange came over me,
something that made me
throw all caution to the wind.
An invisible power seemed to
be forcing me to follow him.
[music playing]
I don't know how
the fire started,
but it made the thief run away.
I was too weak to get up.
I thought I would die.
But then the fire went
out all by itself.
And then I saw it.
It was the candle that had been
stolen from our home the night
my father had the stroke.
Thank god you're all right.
I'm so sorry, Dad.
Don't ever do
that again, Caitlin.
Look what I found.
It's the candle
your mother made you.
Yeah, the junkie
who stole my purse
must have been the same
guy who robbed the house.
Ah, Caitlin, I'm so sorry.
I--
- Daddy, it's OK.
I couldn't hold it.
It's OK.
What's this?
- I don't know.
Daddy, it's a
diamond necklace.
So that's where she put it.
What?
This necklace belonged
to your grandmother.
Your mother was
going to surprise
you with it on your birthday.
She-- she never did tell
me where she hid it.
That sounds just like Mom.
I searched everywhere
for this necklace.
I never did find it.
Now I understand
what Mom's words meant.
"When you need to light
your way, remember my love,
and let it sparkle
for you that day."
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER): I
had the necklace appraised,
and we were shocked to find out
it was worth almost $100,000.
The necklace made it possible
to hire qualified help
to look after my father.
He continued to recover,
and with his therapy,
he's now almost back to normal.
And I was able to
go back to school
and finish my law
enforcement degree.
My mother's candle
did light the way.
[whoosh]
What's at play here?
It's, of course, possible
that the same person
who robbed Caitlin's father
also stole the candle.
But who lit the candle
during the struggle?
And why did the fire
that saved Caitlin's life
go out so quickly?
Was it a sudden gust
of wind or the spirit
of Caitlin's mother
watching over her?
Does this story seem to be
the result of calm, reasoned,
factual research, or is it
the product of devious writers
who are burning the
candle at both ends?
NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false
at the end of our show.
Next, a detective encounters the
strangest witness of his life
on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
JONATHAN FRAKES:
Nature has provided
flowers with many attributes,
their beautiful appearance,
their fragrant smell, their
delicate feel, and nothing
adds to our sense of well-being
more than a perfectly
placed flower arrangement.
Detective Russ Parker is not a
man who fusses over petunias.
He's a hardened
veteran of the force
whose only use for a flower
is to hide a wiretap inside.
But he's just been
called to investigate
a death at a flower shop, and
there's a familiar fragrance
in the air--
the scent of murder.
[radio chatter]
[siren]
RUSS PARKER
(VOICEOVER): I had been
working the murder beat in
Tacoma for the past 15 years.
Step back, folks.
Watch the tape.
RUSS PARKER
(VOICEOVER): I thought
I'd seen just about everything.
But the homicide at
Saito's Garden Works
turned out to be the
strangest one yet.
What do we got?
Male, Asian, about 60
years old, he owns the shop.
And we got no witnesses.
RUSS PARKER (VOICEOVER):
My partner, Dean Santoni,
came over to Homicide after
only a couple of years
with the department.
He had a college degree,
something I didn't have.
He also had wild
ideas, but I liked him.
Oh, man, I just remembered.
What's that?
Well, I've got to get
my wife some flowers.
It's our anniversary tomorrow.
Huh, congratulations.
There he is.
His nephew found him
like this this morning
when he came in for work.
Any calling
cards here, Bernie?
Hm, the hose is clean.
In fact, the whole
scene is clean.
Yeah, the killer was
probably wearing gloves.
No kidding.
You learn that in college?
The guy put up
quite a struggle.
Whoever did it finally
finished him with a garden
hose, crushed his windpipe.
The cash register was open,
and all the money was gone.
So we got a robbery
that got out of hand.
I'm not surprised.
This whole neighborhood
has gone down hill.
A lot of transients,
it's a shame.
It used to be a decent place
to live, but not anymore.
Who did you say found him?
Ah, his nephew.
Yeah, he's-- he's
pretty shook up.
It's so horrible.
I loved my uncle.
He was like a
second father to me.
He took me in, and he
taught me the business.
Did he have any enemies?
Everyone loved him.
Everybody except the killer.
Listen, if you can think of
anything that might help,
give us a call.
Thanks.
We're, uh, we're
sorry for your loss.
[sighs]
[radio chatter]
I'm done here.
You can take him
whenever you're ready.
No suspects, no
witnesses, no prints.
All right, let's round up
some of the transients.
We'll see if any of them have
upped their standard of living.
I have a better idea.
Why don't we put
together a lineup?
A lineup?
How do we have a lineup if
we don't have any witnesses?
The plants were here.
The plants?
Yeah.
When I was in college, I took a
biology class with a professor
named Comstock.
Now, he was-- well, he
was a little out there.
But he had this theory that
plants have the same emotions
and reactions that we do.
Where are you going with this?
I know it sounds crazy.
But Comstock hooked up a
plant to a polygraph machine
and exposed it to all kinds
of different violent acts
like boiling a lobster alive.
The needles went nuts.
I saw it myself.
The plant felt
the lobsters pain.
You're kidding me, right?
You're telling me
these plants know we're
talking about them right now?
All I know is what I saw.
And the experiments worked.
[music playing]
Look, we got nothing
to lose, Russ.
RUSS PARKER (VOICEOVER):
With no witnesses at all,
I agreed to the crazy plan.
Besides, sometimes
you do something,
anything, and the guilty
start betraying themselves.
I made him do it
after hours, though.
I didn't dare use any of
the regular polygraph guys.
They would have laughed me
right out of the station house.
So Santoni got his
old professor to come
in and set the whole thing up.
As we got closer to actually
doing this crazy thing,
I started getting
an ache in my gut.
I didn't like feeling stupid.
Are you ready, Professor?
You can call in
your first suspect.
I can't believe
we're doing this.
First man, step up.
State your name.
My rights are being violated,
and I want to see a lawyer.
Shut up and say your name.
It's Ray Deets, and
I didn't do nothing.
Have him approach the plant.
Walk up to the table
and give us two profiles.
All right, get back in line.
Next man, same routine.
RUSS PARKER (VOICEOVER):
It was no surprise to me
that the professor's
theory was coming up empty.
As I figured, there
was no unusual movement
on the polygraph machine.
OK, that's good.
That was the last one.
You sure your machine is
hooked up properly, Doc?
Yeah, it's hooked up right.
Well, maybe one
of your leaves was
having a hard time remembering.
Hey, what's going on?
I saw the lights.
Um, nothing, just
a little experiment.
[whirring]
DEAN SANTONI: Russ.
So, um, you guys get any leads
yet on who murdered my uncle?
Yeah, actually, we did.
A real good one, see, a
witness just turned up.
Really?
Mhm.
Well, I-- yeah, I didn't
know there were any witnesses.
Yeah, there was a witness.
And he just identified
you as the killer.
That-- That's crazy.
Why did you do it, Steve?
Whoa.
Where are you going, Steve?
I-- I didn't kill my uncle.
See, I think you did.
RUSS PARKER (VOICEOVER): After
two hours of questioning,
Steve Saito finally
broke down and confessed
to the murder of his uncle.
His motive, an inheritance
he didn't want to wait for.
After he confessed, he asked
me who the witness was.
I told him I was sure he knew.
In fact, he probably even
watered him a few times.
[whoosh]
Could this story be true?
Could a plant really
identify a murderer?
Actual studies have shown
that plants and flowers
respond to outside stimuli.
They even grow
faster when they're
talked to, treated with love.
Does this story
of the flower jury
carry the bouquet
of truth, or is
it just another blooming lie?
NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false
at the end of our show.
Next, an escape artist
is trapped in an icy tomb
on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
Nobody has ever
captured the imagination
of the American public
like Harry Houdini.
Even with the modern
spectacular heirs to the throne,
many still consider
Houdini the greatest
escape artist of all time.
Of course, in his own day,
Houdini had his imitators
and competitors, but the
only ones who came close
were Leonard and Phillip Kirby.
As we join their story,
they're so sure of themselves,
they claim they can escape from
anything, including their fate.
[music playing]
JONATHAN FRAKES
(VOICEOVER): The first time
Frederick Rain saw
the Kirby Brothers
perform, he knew
they had something
only the great ones possess.
The fact was Frederick had
always dreamed of discovering
an act that could achieve
the same greatness
as his idol, master of
escape, Harry Houdini.
[applause]
[cymbals]
[cymbals]
But he never expected
it to be two Houdinis.
Frederick took the Kirby
Brothers under his wing,
becoming both their
mentor and manager.
Unfortunately, he was only
able to get the brothers
sporadic bookings.
All the public wanted was to
see Houdini, who in 1925, was
at the pinnacle of his success.
In spite of all that, word
was getting out that the Kirby
Brothers could
escape from anything,
and no one could
figure out the secrets
of their death-defying stunts.
[music playing]
[drum roll]
[cymbals]
[cheering]
Where's my brother?
Right here, Leonard.
JONATHAN FRAKES (VOICEOVER):
While the brothers'
abilities were truly
amazing, there was
a dark room surrounding them.
It was said that
they had a curse
on their heads put
there by a gypsy
from a little known
town in East Europe.
As punishment for stealing
the gypsy's secrets
one of the brothers would die
while performing an escape.
Houdini this,
Houdini that, I'm
so sick of the great Houdini.
Calm down, Leonard.
I won't calm down.
But he's holding us back.
He's a great artist, Leonard.
He's earned his acclaim.
What are you saying,
that we're not as good?
Of course not.
Would I be here if
I believed that?
Buried alive, I mean,
we can do this trick.
We could do it
faster and better.
Leonard, what's the point?
If we just keep duplicating
Houdini's tricks,
we'll never get
out of his shadow.
Phillip's right.
We have to come
up with something
different, something
more dazzling
than being buried alive.
Then that's what we'll do.
We'll show everyone,
including Harry
Houdini, that we're the greatest
escape artists in the world.
JONATHAN FRAKES (VOICEOVER):
It took the Kirby Brothers
less than a week to come
up with a trick that would
surpass Houdini's buried alive.
Philip was to be entombed in
a coffin of ice for 24 hours.
Leonard, I thought
I was fine with this,
but now that I see
the ice, I don't know.
Frederick, it's all
been worked through.
It just seems so dangerous.
That's the point, Frederick.
It has to seem dangerous or it
won't entertain the audience.
Well-- well, what if
something goes wrong?
It won't.
Look, I'll be standing vigil
for the entire 24 hours.
If I see even the
slightest problem,
I'll release
Phillip immediately.
I don't know.
[huffs] It's that ridiculous
curse, isn't it, that one of us
will die during an escape?
I'm just--
You don't believe
in that, do you?
I'm just worried
about you boys.
I won't die in
there, Frederick.
I promise you.
[music playing]
Ladies and gentlemen, you are
witnessing something that has
never been attempted before.
Not even the great Houdini
himself could have imagined it.
Welcome--
CROWD: [gasping]
--to Frozen Alive.
My brother will remain entombed
inside this frozen casket
for the next 24 hours.
Go about your business, but I
guarantee that every time you
return, my brother will
still be inside this coffin
of ice, frozen alive.
[applause]
JONATHAN FRAKES (VOICEOVER): The
first few hours passed quickly,
and Phillip seemed
to be doing fine.
There was no evidence
of the curse.
With only two hours
left, the Kirby brothers
were about to make history.
And then something
went terribly wrong.
PHILLIP KIRBY: Help me.
Help me.
Are you all right?
Help me.
What is it?
Help me.
We have to get him out.
What's wrong?
It's the curse.
He's going to die in there.
- What?
MAN IN CROWD 1: What did he say?
MAN IN CROWD 2: Is
he going to die?
[screaming]
MAN IN CROWD 3: Is he all right?
How did we do?
22 hours.
Are you all right?
I'll be fine.
You see, Frederick,
I didn't die.
There's no curse.
[gasping]
Leonard!
JONATHAN FRAKES (VOICEOVER):
To Phillip's shock,
his brother Leonard was dead.
An autopsy was performed, but
no absolute cause of death
was found.
Some suspected it was his
heart, but Leonard Kirby
was in perfect health
and only 23 years old.
After Leonard Kirby's death,
his brother Phillip retired.
Houdini himself died a year
later from a burst appendix.
But were the Kirby
Brothers really cursed,
or was the threat
of the curse enough
to make Leonard's
heart stop from fear,
causing a tragic
self-fulfilling prophecy?
Do you believe this
story really happened,
or is it just an
escape from reality?
NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false
at the end of our show.
Next, an ex-con's life
is changed by an old
bicycle on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
Bicycles, like
everything else,
they don't make them
the way they used to.
This one, made years
ago, was built to last.
A new seat, some fresh
paint, a few new parts,
it will be ready again--
maybe not for the
Tour de France,
but certainly for a
local paper route.
Nick and Kenny Morgan are
about to come across this bike,
and they're going to
make some changes to it.
But what they're really about
to change is their future.
NICK MORGAN
(VOICEOVER): I had just
picked up my younger
brother Kenny
at the county prison farm.
He needed some clothes, so
we stopped at a thrift shop
on the way home.
Kenny had just done six months
for a drunken brawl in a bar.
But really, he wasn't a bad kid.
He started getting into trouble
after our parents died in a car
accident 10 years earlier.
It was real hard on both of
us, but Kenny had a temper.
We had no other families, so
we just bounced around from one
foster home to another.
Hey, what do you think?
It's you.
I'll take it.
NICK MORGAN (VOICEOVER):
Kenny drove me crazy,
but he reminded me of our dad.
And I was glad he
was out of jail,
but the bad news was
I just lost my job,
and I was going through
my savings real fast.
KENNY MORGAN: Hey, Nick.
Uh, just a sec.
KENNY MORGAN: Come here.
Look at this.
What did you find?
What is this thing?
It's a classic.
It's got to be at
least 50 years old,
and they will want
5 bucks for it.
It's because
it's falling apart.
Look at all the rust.
Yeah, it's a piece of junk.
OK, so it needs a little work.
We can-- we can fix it up.
It'll be a blast.
We can do it together.
I don't know.
Come on, Nick.
It's only 5 bucks.
I'll pay you back.
NICK MORGAN (VOICEOVER): I
liked seeing Kenny give a damn
about something, and there was
something about that old bike
that was important to him.
And he was right, you know?
It was fun working
on it together.
It was like we were kids again.
For a while, everything was OK.
We were going out every
day looking for work.
It was pretty discouraging,
but I knew I'd get something.
Kenny was another story.
Whoa, just take it easy.
I'm never going
to get a job, Nick.
No one's going to hire me.
Well, give it a chance.
It's only been a week.
I've been in jail, Nick.
Nobody wants me.
Stop feeling so
sorry for yourself.
Hey, don't tell
me how to feel, OK?
Fine.
I won't tell you anything.
Yeah, that's right.
NICK MORGAN
(VOICEOVER): That night,
Kenny started drinking again.
And with Kenny, one
beer was one too many.
Kenny, I--
You can't drink here.
It's just I know--
I know what you're like
when you start drinking.
Ah, would you just
leave me alone, man?
You're not my dad.
Do you want to
go to jail again?
Is that what you want?
You know, it ain't going
to be six months this time.
It's going to be a lot more.
Who cares?
I'll get out of here.
No, no.
Get off my back.
Where are you
going to go, huh?
Get out of my way.
You're not leaving like this.
[music playing]
Sorry, man.
Yeah, me too.
I thought it was broken.
It was.
That was weird.
There's something
inside the handlebar.
I-- I don't believe this.
It says, "property
of Johnny Morgan."
Dad.
Well, that can't be.
It's got to be
another Johnny Morgan.
It says, "if found,
please return to 1267 Maple
Drive in Hackensack,
New Jersey."
That's where Dad was born,
Hackensack, New Jersey.
This was Dad's bike.
NICK MORGAN (VOICEOVER):
We knew it was a long shot,
but Kenny and I called
New Jersey information
and gave them the name Morgan
and the address on the note.
And we got the
surprise of our lives
when the person who
answered the phone
said he was our
father's brother, Glenn.
And we never even
knew we had an uncle,
and our father
never mentioned him.
And well, Glenn didn't
know about us either.
Hi, you must be, uh, Nick.
- Nick, right.
- Hi.
I'm Kenny.
Kenny, hi,
pleased to meet you.
It's your dad's bike all right.
Our mom took this when
John first got it.
He was just 16 years old.
Wow.
Look at Dad.
I can't believe you found
this thing way out here.
It was stolen in
Hackensack 40 years ago.
How come he never, uh--
well, he really never
told us about you?
Pretty stupid, really.
Your dad and I started this
construction company when
we were both in our early 20s.
Then we had this bad falling
out, and he moved away.
And we just lost touch.
I never even knew he died.
Or that he was ever married.
You never tried
to find each other?
Ha, we were both
real stubborn,
and the years just passed.
Look, I'd like to, um--
I still have the company
that your dad and I started.
Not the biggest in
the world, but I
really could use some help.
You want us to work for you?
No, with me.
What do you think?
That'd be great.
Looks like I got a job, Nick.
NICK MORGAN (VOICEOVER): Kenny
and I moved to Hackensack
and joined Uncle Glenn
in the family business.
And we didn't take
a whole lot with us,
but we made sure we
took our dad's old bike.
A bike that had
been lost for 40 years
is suddenly found by the owner's
son thousands of miles away.
Just a coincidence?
If so, how do you
explain the bike's
broken horn starting
to beep just
as the brothers began to fight--
another coincidence?
Was the father's spirit
residing somewhere
in this old Schwinn bike?
Is this story coasting
in on the truth?
Are we trying to peddle a lie?
NARRATOR: We'll find out if
this story is true or false
at the end of our show.
Next, a teacher attempts to
lift a curse off his star pupil
on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
Who can explain
the mystery of music?
How can a genius
like Beethoven create
masterpieces though deaf?
And how could Mozart create
full classical compositions
at the age of five?
What about today's child
prodigies, children who
can sit down at the
piano for the first time
and play perfectly?
Nathaniel Borne is
a musical genius.
Since he was a child, he
could captivate audiences
with his musical gift.
But can the gift be taken back?
Nathaniel Borne is
starting to think so,
and the thought is
striking a desperate chord.
NATHANIEL BORNE (VOICEOVER): I
was one of the most successful
concert pianists in the world.
Everyone knew the
name Nathaniel Borne.
I made my debut when I was
only 11 at Carnegie Hall
was the New York Philharmonic
under Leonard Bernstein.
I played Chopin's
"Piano Concerto No.
1" in E minor.
It brought tears to
Bernstein's eyes.
The next 22 years of my
life were like a dream.
I sold millions of
records and played
in all the great concert halls.
And then, something
terrible happened.
While playing my signature
Chopin "Concerto,"
I became frozen.
It was an artist's
greatest nightmare.
Somehow I had developed
a creative block
and could not play.
You shouldn't be sitting
outside in the rain
like this, Nathaniel.
You'll get sick.
It doesn't matter.
Don't be like that.
Let's go inside where it's warm.
I built a fire.
[music playing]
NATHANIEL BORNE
(VOICEOVER): I tried
psychiatrists, hypnotists,
everything I could think of.
Nothing worked.
Then my wife, Helena, brought us
back to Boston where I grew up.
She hoped this might touch
things that would unblock me,
but it just got worse.
Gregory canceled two more
months of concert dates.
I'm not scheduled to play
again for the rest of the year.
I might as well tell them
to cancel next year too.
Why don't you
call Martin Cheller?
Martin Cheller, why?
He was your first
teacher, and you
always spoke so fondly of him.
Perhaps he could help.
Martin, hmph, Martin
was quite a character.
I haven't seen him in years.
I think the last time was
at, uh, Lincoln Center.
Yes, I remember.
He wore a red bow
tie with a tuxedo.
Yes.
You know, Martin
first started teaching
me when I was five years old.
Martin always came exactly
at five o'clock on Saturday.
He'd bring a piece of
chocolate, and he'd
tell me, as soon as
the lesson is over,
you may have the chocolate.
I honestly believe
I used to play
better just knowing
that piece of chocolate
was waiting for me.
He must have been
a wonderful teacher.
He was.
NATHANIEL BORNE (VOICEOVER):
I took Helena's advice
and called Martin Cheller.
I set our visit for five
o'clock on Saturday.
I suddenly wanted very
much to see him again.
Nathaniel.
Martin.
Do come in.
Right on time.
Of course, a punctual
man is a respectful man.
Martin.
Ah.
It's good to see you.
How have you been?
I could complain, but
what would be the point?
People hate complainers.
You haven't changed a bit.
Ah, let's get to work.
Oh, this piano is a far
cry from the upright
I used to teach you on.
As soon as our
lesson is finished,
you may have this chocolate.
I, uh, told you
about my problem.
Sit.
Do you remember how we
used to play together?
I do.
Play.
NATHANIEL BORNE
(VOICEOVER): Even though it
was just simple scales,
something inside
me was making it impossible.
I'm sorry, Martin.
I can't.
Nonsense.
The chocolate is
waiting for you.
Give me your hands.
NATHANIEL BORNE (VOICEOVER):
There was an energy
coming from Martin's
hands that I
felt throughout my entire body.
Now.
NATHANIEL BORNE
(VOICEOVER): I felt
like his hands were
still there guiding me,
but I was on my own.
Yes.
[classical music playing]
NATHANIEL BORNE
(VOICEOVER): It was
impossible to measure
the sense of gratitude
I was feeling for Martin.
What happened next was
totally unexpected.
[doorbell]
Hello.
Hello, Mr. Borne?
Yes.
We've never met.
I'm Martin Cheller's
son, Stefan.
Ah, you just
missed your father.
He left moments ago.
That's impossible.
I came over to tell
you why you missed
his appointment with you.
My father passed away
in his sleep last night.
What?
[music playing]
[whoosh]
From that day
forward, Nathaniel Borne
resumed his stature as one of
the world's great pianists.
But was it really the spirit
of Martin Cheller that visited
Nathaniel that day, or
did the entire incident
exist only in Nathaniel's mind?
But then, how do you
explain the chocolate?
Wasn't that proof of
Martin Cheller's visit?
Does this story play
out as a composition
of harmonious truth, or
have we hit a false note?
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 are
inspired by actual events
and which ones
are totally false.
What about the woman
whose family and very life
were saved by a special candle?
[music playing]
CAITLIN WOODS (VOICEOVER):
I was too weak to get up.
I thought I would die.
But then the fire went
out all by itself.
If you thought this story
was based on a real life
occurrence, you're right.
A similar story happened
to a woman in the east
in the early '80s.
[whoosh]
How about the flower
that caught a murderer?
Hey, what's, uh, going on?
I saw the lights.
Um, nothing, just
a little experiment.
[whirring]
Russ.
Russ.
So, um, did you
guys get any leads
yet on who murdered my uncle?
This one has to
be false, right?
Wrong.
Our research shows a similar
incident happened in the New
York area in the late '70s.
[whoosh]
What about the escape
artists who couldn't
escape their terrible curse?
I'll be standing vigil
for the entire 24 hours.
If I see even the
slightest problem,
I'll release
Phillip immediately.
I don't know.
[huffs] It's that ridiculous
curse, isn't it, that one of us
will die during an escape?
You don't believe
in that, do you?
I'm just worried
about you boys.
I won't die in
there, Frederick.
I promise you.
If you thought this one
was phony, you're right.
It never happened.
How about the old bike
that brought good fortune
to a family torn
apart for years?
That was weird.
There's something
inside the handlebar.
I-- I don't believe this.
It says, "property
of Johnny Morgan."
Dad.
Have you heard a
story like this before?
You may have.
A similar event happened
in New England in the '90s.
[whoosh]
Let's have one more look at
the story of the music teacher
who returned from beyond to
inspire his prized pupil.
Give me your hands.
NATHANIEL BORNE (VOICEOVER):
There was an energy
coming from Martin's
hands that I
felt throughout my entire body.
Now.
NATHANIEL BORNE
(VOICEOVER): I felt
like his hands were
still there guiding me,
but I was on my own.
Did a similar story
to this one take place?
Perhaps, but this
one has been made up.
[whoosh]
Truth and fiction,
they often seem to be
two sides of the same coin.
And when that coin is spun,
is the result fate, luck,
or a combination of the two?
Is it possible to determine
the fake from the real,
or are we dealing in a realm
that is truly beyond belief?
I'm Jonathan Frakes.
NARRATOR: The true
stories on tonight's show
were based upon
firsthand research
by author Robert Tralins.
This is Campbell Lane.
[music playing]
[theme music]