Comments on: Zodiac killer documentary -- lost to History?

Question: Zodiac killer documentary -- lost to History?

snap_dragon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:03:31 -0800

In the early 80s, HBO aired a short TV series called "Whodunit?" and one of the 20 minute segments was about the Zodiac killer. It was done in an interesting fashion with a Monty Python-esque cutout design style..It was quite creepy. I cannot find this anywhere nor mentioned anywhere online. Does anybody have any information where I might find this? Or even information? I am just short of calling HBO. It is a segment that has haunted me since I watched it as a child and I kinda want to watch it again. If it matters they also did bits on Lizzie Borden and Richard Speck.

By: kimota

kimota — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:35:18 -0800

Good luck; watching this was one of the scariest experiences of my childhood! Oh, I first saw it in 1979, if that helps any, but I never knew what it was called.

By: kimota

kimota — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:42:45 -0800

Wasn't there also a segment on "The Girl In the Red Velvet Swing," Evelyn Nesbit?

By: snap_dragon

snap_dragon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:01:50 -0800

Yep! But NOBODY can find anything on this.

By: gryftir

gryftir — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:39:14 -0800

It may be possible to track down an old tv guide which could have more information.

By: knile

knile — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:58:34 -0800

It may be possible to track down an old tv guide which could have more information.
Maybe easier, depending on your resources: go to your local library, get the microfilms of your local newspaper for the era you remember it being during, and check out each day's nightly listings?

By: Thoughtcrime

Thoughtcrime — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:43:00 -0800

Was it a game show? The original version was British so that would explain its Monty Pythonesque attributes. Never saw either so I'm not sure if this is what you're after.

By: Thoughtcrime

Thoughtcrime — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:44:50 -0800

Oops. Never mind. Those shows didn't reenact actual murders.

By: stuartmm

stuartmm — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:52:37 -0800

If you spell it as whodunNit you get a hit at least.

"And don't forget the scariest show of them all, Whodunnit, featuring Lizzie Borden, Zodiac, DB Cooper, and Jack The Ripper. I didn't sleep too well that night either, thinking about Mr. Borden lying there with his head split open in that dagguerotype,"

By: cgc373

cgc373 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:33:27 -0800

Some Googling brings up a game show NBC ran for a couple of months in 1979 called Whodunnit?, hosted by Ed McMahon. I don't find any episode information, but it looks as if the crimes were staged before the contestants. Maybe the staged bits were rebroadcast by HBO? Or maybe you're misremembering the network? It aired on Thursday nights at 8 p.m.

By: kimota

kimota — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:53:21 -0800

I'm not sure if this helps any, but I think there was also a segment on the Lindbergh baby kidnapping.

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:48:31 -0800

IMdB has entries for the UK ('72) and US ('79) versions. The plot synopses for each confirm that this is what you're thinking of. WhosDatedWho.com, ShareTV.org, TVGuide.com.

By: snap_dragon

snap_dragon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:53:00 -0800

Definitey not the game show with Ed McMahon...this was solely on HBO and made-for show just for HBO. It was a dead serious project (no pun intended)...

Lost to history...and I wanted to just watch it. Even just on YouTube of someone's crappy VCR-Beta Tape recording of it.

thanks all.

By: snap_dragon

snap_dragon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:56:05 -0800

If I end up calling HBO and do find a lead on getting a copy of this, is anyone interested in my findings or am I the only one who was crazy and scared of out of his diapers for this show?...and if my memory serves, it wasn't just one show but perhaps two with several features such as DB Cooper and Lindbergh like previous posters have mentioned.

By: kimota

kimota — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:04:06 -0800

snap_dragon, I think you can tell I'd definitely be interested. Apparently 7 others might be, too!

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:42:39 -0800

Doing an IMdB search for anything that HBO was a distributor for, I'm not seeing anything with that title.

By: duckus

duckus — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:35:31 -0800

I totally remember this. Scared the crap outta me. Would love to see something about it as well.

By: snap_dragon

snap_dragon — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:11:30 -0800

WCityMike...thanks for looking..it was definitely HBO though. That is all we had for our payperview at the time. 100% certain...came out before Cinemax or Showtime.