How Unsolved Mysteries Became TV’s First True-Crime Hit

Unsolved Mysteries was a true crime TV hit before true crime TV was really a thing. It brought together Robert Stack’s commanding presence, unforgettable theme music by Michael Boyd and Gary Malkin, and dramatic reenactments featuring then-unknown actors like Matthew McConaughey and Daniel Dae Kim. It all added up to a creepy primetime sensation, and it helped lead to the resolution of hundreds of cases.

In this episode of Throwback, Erin (@erincmccarthy) traces the history of Unsolved Mysteries, from its true-crime TV predecessors all the way through its present-day reboot on Netflix. You’ll learn how producers chose which cases to profile and how quickly the show could sometimes deliver results.

For more Unsolved Mysteries, check out our piece on 10 Still-Unsolved Mysteries from the show Unsolved Mysteries: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/554927/still-unsolved-mysteries-from-unsolved-mysteries-robert-stack

And if you want the Unsolved Mysteries soundtrack on vinyl, go here:
https://www.terror-vision.com/store/unsolved-mysteries-ghosts-hauntings-the-unexplained-lp
https://www.terror-vision.com/store/unsolved-mysteries-volume-two

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