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William Shatner: You know,
I've been around for a while.
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00:00:18,066 --> 00:00:22,626
I've met some interesting
people, done some crazy things.
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So you'd think that there
wasn't much that
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can take me by surprise.
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You'd be wrong.
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The world is full of
stories and science and
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things that amaze and
confound me every single
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day, incredible mysteries
that keep me awake at night.
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00:00:47,900 --> 00:00:48,900
Some I can answer.
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00:00:49,033 --> 00:00:53,003
And others just
defy logic.
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William Shatner:
Are curses real?
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00:00:58,700 --> 00:01:00,700
In Britain, a mysterious
painting is blamed for a
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00:01:00,834 --> 00:01:03,434
string of deadly
house fires.
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KELVIN MACKENZIE: But th
one link between them all
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00:01:06,667 --> 00:01:08,197
was the Crying Boy.
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William Shatner: Is it the
work of a
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00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,700
supernatural arsonist?
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00:01:11,834 --> 00:01:13,734
In Florida, a sinister
doll ruins the lives of
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anyone who crosses it.
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HEATHER CLEMENT: Fear... a lot
of fear.
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William Shatner: Can
child's toy possess the
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power to destroy?
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And in California, a
wealthy heiress embarks on
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the most bizarre
construction job in history.
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MITCHEL WHITINGTON: The
spirits were coming back
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to get their
vengeance on her.
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William Shatner: Is she driven
by a deadly family curse?
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00:01:42,633 --> 00:01:44,573
William Shatner: Yeah,
it's a weird world.
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And I love it.
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[♪]
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00:02:03,567 --> 00:02:05,167
William Shatner: Do you
believe in
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00:02:05,300 --> 00:02:09,530
superstition and bad luck?
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00:02:09,667 --> 00:02:11,967
Most of us do - I don't
mean the usual stuff like
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broken mirrors, black cats
or walking under ladders -
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we all know about those...
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00:02:21,233 --> 00:02:23,103
But did you know there's
literally thousands of
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00:02:23,233 --> 00:02:25,273
things that can
bring you misfortune?
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00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:31,570
Like number 13, in
Japan - it's number 4.
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In Italy it's 17.
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And in Australia
- it's number 87.
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And did you also know...
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oh no, it's bad luck
to kill a ladybug?
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00:02:51,333 --> 00:02:57,503
And there's more.
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Hey, don't do that, never
place shoes on a table -
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you'll have bad luck for
the rest of the day. And...
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Dropping a pair of
scissors is a warning that
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00:03:09,734 --> 00:03:14,034
a lover is unfaithful...
Is it really possible?
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00:03:14,166 --> 00:03:17,826
Can our lives be altered
- for the worse - by
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inanimate objects?
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Can we be truly "cursed"
by things beyond our control?
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Thank goodness! She's faithful.
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William Shatner: 1985.
Rotherham, England.
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A devastating house fire
destroys the home of
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Ron and Mary Hall.
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KELVIN MACKENZIE: They had
lived in their rather nice
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terraced home in
Rotherham for 27 years.
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William Shatner: The story
was investigated by Kelvin
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00:03:50,233 --> 00:03:53,273
MacKenzie, former editor
of The Sun -Britain's
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00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:55,200
highest selling newspaper.
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KELVIN MACKENZIE: There
had been a fire in this
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terraced house. A chip pan fire.
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00:04:01,734 --> 00:04:05,604
It burned down
most of the house.
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00:04:05,734 --> 00:04:08,604
William Shatner: But this
is no ordinary blaze.
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00:04:08,734 --> 00:04:12,834
Firefighters make a
bizarre discovery in the ruins.
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KELVIN MACKENZIE: Ther
was a picture, an artist's
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picture of a crying boy...
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and despite everything else
going up in flames, it survived.
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William Shatner: How could
a painting be immune to fire?
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As he works on the
story, MacKenzie makes a
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00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,370
startling discovery.
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This is no
isolated incident.
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Firefighters have come
across the 'Crying Boy'
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before.... in the ruins of
dozens of destroyed homes.
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KELVIN MACKENZIE: There
was a fire officer in the
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Rotherham area, who
claimed to have logged
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fifty separate examples,
of houses which had the
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crying boy on the wall,
having some kind of fire.
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William Shatner: The more
the editor learns, the
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00:05:03,367 --> 00:05:05,167
stranger the
story becomes.
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The 'Crying Boy' was
painted in Madrid in 1969
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by a little known Spanish
artist, Bruno Amadio.
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Cheap reproductions were
sold widely in Britain
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during the 1960s and 70s.
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But the house fires are
the first time
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00:05:20,633 --> 00:05:22,903
it's been linked to tragedy.
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KELVIN MACKENZIE: There
is a sense that out there
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there is a curse
of the "Crying Boy.
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William Shatner: Mackenzie isn't
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prepared for the reaction.
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The paper is inundated
with stories of the
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'Crying Boy'
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KELVIN MACKENZIE: Mrs.
Jones says her place
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burned down in Cornwall,
the White family in
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Harrogate in Yorkshire,
their place went...
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I was absolutely
gob-smacked to be
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truthful, at the huge
avalanche of stuff that
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started coming our way.
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00:05:56,533 --> 00:05:57,833
William Shatner: These new
stories raise an alarming
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00:05:57,967 --> 00:06:01,467
possibility: the 'Crying
Boy' isn't just surviving
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00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:05,900
fires - it's
starting them.
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00:06:06,033 --> 00:06:08,873
KELVIN MACKENZIE: The on
link between them all was
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the "Crying Boy".
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As fear grows over the
threat posed by the
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picture, MacKenzie
launches a campaign to
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destroy every
last copy of it.
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KELVIN MACKENZIE: Save
your house, send us that
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00:06:20,367 --> 00:06:25,367
'Crying Boy' art and we
will destroy it for you,
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before it destroys you.
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We were literally
swamped by it.
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So we then took all the
works, we stuck it up
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together, made a bonfire,
lit it, up it all goes -
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and that way, we'd
actually taken away
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00:06:41,533 --> 00:06:50,103
the curse from them.
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William Shatner: The curse
of the Crying Boy is one
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of the strangest stories
MacKenzie's encountered in
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40 years as a journalist.
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KELVIN MACKENZIE: That
kind of story is a story
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00:07:00,934 --> 00:07:02,704
which everybody will read,
because everybody has a
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00:07:02,834 --> 00:07:05,234
feeling about curses and
walking under ladders and
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00:07:05,367 --> 00:07:08,227
what happens is 25 years
later, we're still
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talking about it.
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William Shatner:
Is the curse real?
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Can a painting actually
cause house fires?
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00:07:19,500 --> 00:07:22,370
William Shatner: This is the
stuff of nightmares isn't it?
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I mean you hang a painting
in your house and the next
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thing you know it's
burnt to the ground.
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Could a painting have...
"power"?
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It's weird - or what?
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But what I want to know
is...who is this boy...and
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why is he so sad?
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Can anyone smell
something?
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William Shatner: Obero
Zell is the co-founder of
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the Church of All Worlds.
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OBERON ZELL: I would say
that the curse of the
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crying boy is a really
genuine, modern curse.
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William Shatner: Zell is
not only sure that curses
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exist, but that they
take different forms.
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00:08:06,233 --> 00:08:07,673
OBERON ZELL: The curse of
the crying boy is what we
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call an object curse.
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That's a curse that is
associated with a material
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object of some sort, as
opposed to one that's put
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00:08:13,567 --> 00:08:17,467
out upon a person
or a family...
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William Shatner: According
to Zell, some of history's
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most infamous hexes were
actually 'object curses'.
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OBERON ZELL: You know, the
curse of the mummy's tomb,
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these are the kinds of
things which don't involve
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somebody deliberately
laying a spell, but
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misfortune is
associated with them.
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William Shatner: But if
the 'Crying Boy' is an
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object of misfortune,
where did the evil come from?
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For Zell it's simple.
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We need look no further
than the boy who is
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staring out at us.
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But who was he, and
why was he crying?
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OBERON ZELL: He had been
an orphan, his parents had
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died in a fire, and that's
why he was sad and struck dumb.
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William Shatner: Living in
Madrid in 1969, the mute
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and homeless boy was found
wandering the streets by
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the artist who was so
struck by his grief, he
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decided to paint him.
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Just a few days later,
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his studio mysteriously
burned down.
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OBERON ZELL: He accused
the child of having
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started the fire
and the child fled.
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William Shatner: Why would
a mute child commit arson?
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Zell's explanation?
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Because he was
a fire-starter.
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OBERON ZELL: A "fire
starter" is someone who
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has a pyrotechnic ability
to create fires...
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not necessarily
intentionally, although
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that may be too.... It's
a psychic phenomenon like
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telepathy and
clairvoyance and such.
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William Shatner: But it
can never be proved.
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Tragically, the orphan boy
was apparently killed in a
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car accident years later.
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But some believe his
ability to start fires
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with his mind lived
on - in the painting.
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OBERON ZELL: The child
was cursed wherever his
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picture appeared,
fires would break out.
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William Shatner: Could
the 'Crying Boy' be the
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carrier of an
object curse?
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00:10:00,633 --> 00:10:02,173
And is the fact that I'm
talking about it actually
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00:10:02,300 --> 00:10:05,000
making the problem worse?
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00:10:05,133 --> 00:10:07,703
Or could there be a
rational explanation?
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00:10:07,834 --> 00:10:10,404
MICHAEL GOLLNER: The story
of the crying boy is real.
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00:10:19,133 --> 00:10:20,403
William Shatner: In
Britain, dozens of house
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fires are linked to a
mysterious painting that
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00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,770
survives the flames.
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00:10:25,900 --> 00:10:29,230
Is the 'Crying
Boy' cursed?
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00:10:29,367 --> 00:10:31,367
Mechanical engineer
Michael Gollner studies
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fire and combustion at the
University of California,
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00:10:34,467 --> 00:10:36,267
San Diego.
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00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:37,670
MICHAEL GOLLNER: I don'
believe it's a curse on
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00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:39,900
the painting that's
causing it not to burn.
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00:10:40,033 --> 00:10:41,833
William Shatner: In
Gollner's thinking, the
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00:10:41,967 --> 00:10:45,967
idea a painting could survive
a house fire isn't strange.
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00:10:46,100 --> 00:10:47,330
MICHAEL GOLLNER: It
depends on what stage of a
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00:10:47,467 --> 00:10:49,097
fire that room got to.
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00:10:49,233 --> 00:10:51,903
And it depends on what was
burning, at what time the
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00:10:52,033 --> 00:10:53,803
fire brigade got in, there
doesn't have to
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00:10:53,934 --> 00:10:56,474
be any sort of curse.
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William Shatner: The
critical factor, says
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00:10:58,033 --> 00:11:00,403
Gollner, isn't what's in
the picture -
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00:11:00,533 --> 00:11:03,073
but what it's made of.
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00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:04,630
MICHAEL GOLLNER: The
Crying Boy painting is
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00:11:04,767 --> 00:11:06,327
probably made of some kind
of hard board
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00:11:06,467 --> 00:11:07,967
or dense particle board...
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00:11:08,100 --> 00:11:09,770
it's the hard board that
it's painted on that's
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00:11:09,900 --> 00:11:12,970
causing it not to burn
in a full room fire.
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00:11:13,100 --> 00:11:14,700
William Shatner: According
to Gollner, particle board
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00:11:14,834 --> 00:11:16,774
is almost fireproof -
unlike the rest of the
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00:11:16,900 --> 00:11:19,670
contents of a
typical home.
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00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:21,230
MICHAEL GOLLNER: Say you have a
large fire growing...
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00:11:21,367 --> 00:11:24,127
It's very hot and all the
gases in the room all the
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00:11:24,266 --> 00:11:26,426
materials will
flash and ignite.
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00:11:26,567 --> 00:11:28,367
That Crying Boy painting
is painted on material
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00:11:28,500 --> 00:11:30,930
that's much harder to
ignite than things around it.
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00:11:31,066 --> 00:11:34,366
So it could definitely
survive a room fire.
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00:11:34,500 --> 00:11:35,670
William Shatner: Another
factor that could have
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00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:37,200
helped the painting escape
the flames
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00:11:37,333 --> 00:11:39,033
is the way it's mounted.
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00:11:39,166 --> 00:11:41,226
Gollner thinks if the
'Crying Boy' is hung with
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00:11:41,367 --> 00:11:43,227
ordinary string, the
painting will fall down as
226
00:11:43,367 --> 00:11:48,767
the string burns off -
and that's what saves it.
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00:11:48,900 --> 00:11:50,030
MICHAEL GOLLNER: What's
going to happen ... is it
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00:11:50,166 --> 00:11:51,766
won't ignite on the floor.
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00:11:51,900 --> 00:11:53,470
We have all that
cool air which...
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00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:55,130
is going to blow in on the
bottom so you know it's
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00:11:55,266 --> 00:11:59,426
going to be really
hard to ignite.
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00:11:59,567 --> 00:12:02,327
William Shatner: But how
does Gollner explain the
233
00:12:02,467 --> 00:12:04,327
dozens of house fires
linked to the Crying Boy?
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00:12:04,467 --> 00:12:06,467
Simple: it's
coincidence.
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00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,230
MICHAEL GOLLNER: The
probability of a Crying
236
00:12:09,367 --> 00:12:11,927
Boy painting, which was
maybe reproduced 50,000
237
00:12:12,066 --> 00:12:15,466
times and house fires
which happen every day
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00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,030
throughout all of England,
of those colliding and
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00:12:18,166 --> 00:12:20,896
happening, it's
very likely.
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00:12:21,033 --> 00:12:23,003
William Shatner: To prove
his theory, Gollner has
241
00:12:23,133 --> 00:12:24,303
set up an experiment.
242
00:12:24,433 --> 00:12:26,103
MICHAEL GOLLNER:
We have gas flow.
243
00:12:26,233 --> 00:12:27,573
William Shatner: For the
first time, he hopes to
244
00:12:27,700 --> 00:12:30,900
reveal what happens to the
painting during a blaze.
245
00:12:31,033 --> 00:12:32,173
MICHAEL GOLLNER: We're
going to simulate what a
246
00:12:32,300 --> 00:12:35,700
room fire in a typical
Yorkshire townhouse
247
00:12:35,834 --> 00:12:37,004
would have been.
248
00:12:37,133 --> 00:12:38,103
I'm excited, we're going
to have a pretty good
249
00:12:38,233 --> 00:12:39,173
fire going here.
250
00:12:39,300 --> 00:12:40,770
It's going to get
very hot in there.
251
00:12:40,900 --> 00:12:45,700
For sure we're going to ignite
most of the items in that room.
252
00:12:45,834 --> 00:12:47,404
William Shatner: The
temperature inside the
253
00:12:47,533 --> 00:12:50,203
room quickly rises to
almost 1,100 degrees celsius.
254
00:12:50,333 --> 00:12:54,403
Even firefighters in full
gear couldn't survive there.
255
00:12:54,533 --> 00:12:56,303
Suddenly, something
happens that seems to
256
00:12:56,433 --> 00:12:58,503
confirm Gollner's theory:
the 'Crying Boy'
257
00:12:58,633 --> 00:13:04,803
falls to the ground.
258
00:13:04,934 --> 00:13:07,204
MICHAEL GOLLNER: It looks
like there was so much air
259
00:13:07,333 --> 00:13:08,873
current blowing air
through here, that it
260
00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,100
looks like it actually
blew the painting off of
261
00:13:11,233 --> 00:13:14,633
the wall and off of the
hook that was made for it.
262
00:13:14,767 --> 00:13:16,167
William Shatner: It's
exactly as Gollner
263
00:13:16,300 --> 00:13:18,370
predicted - by falling to
the floor, the painting is
264
00:13:18,500 --> 00:13:21,000
now in the coolest
part of the room.
265
00:13:21,133 --> 00:13:22,403
MICHAEL GOLLNER: If the
painting was on the wall
266
00:13:22,533 --> 00:13:24,273
it most likely
would have ignited.
267
00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:25,500
William Shatner: Gollner
is convinced the
268
00:13:25,633 --> 00:13:26,903
experiment proves the
fears around
269
00:13:27,033 --> 00:13:29,673
the painting are groundless.
270
00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:31,470
MICHAEL GOLLNER: The story
of the crying boy is real,
271
00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:36,200
in that people had these
paintings on their walls.
272
00:13:36,333 --> 00:13:38,973
And some of them
survived the fire.
273
00:13:39,100 --> 00:13:43,470
The curse is just
a fabrication.
274
00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:44,730
William Shatner:
Investigative journalist
275
00:13:44,867 --> 00:13:46,427
Chris Horrie agrees.
276
00:13:46,567 --> 00:13:48,427
He's convinced the Crying
Boy story was fabricated
277
00:13:48,567 --> 00:13:50,967
from the start.
278
00:13:51,100 --> 00:13:52,100
CHRIS HORRIE:
It exploits...
279
00:13:52,233 --> 00:13:54,103
an element of ignorance,
and an element of
280
00:13:54,233 --> 00:13:58,173
superstition, two big
parts of the tabloid package,
281
00:13:58,300 --> 00:14:00,130
it
has to be said.
282
00:14:00,266 --> 00:14:01,596
William Shatner: Horrie
has a surprising
283
00:14:01,734 --> 00:14:04,504
explanation for the uproar
around the picture.
284
00:14:04,633 --> 00:14:06,673
He thinks it was a salvo
in a growing circulation
285
00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:10,670
war between Britain's
two largest newspapers.
286
00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:12,170
CHRIS HORRIE: There
were 2 tabloids here.
287
00:14:12,300 --> 00:14:14,900
One was the Sun, the other one
was the Mirror.
288
00:14:15,033 --> 00:14:16,773
The Mirror was more
old-fashioned.
289
00:14:16,900 --> 00:14:19,030
And along comes the
Curse of the Crying Boy.
290
00:14:19,166 --> 00:14:21,796
This was absolutely meat
and drink to the Sun.
291
00:14:21,934 --> 00:14:23,434
William Shatner: Horrie
believes The Sun jumped on
292
00:14:23,567 --> 00:14:25,497
the 'Crying Boy'
story and ran with it.
293
00:14:25,633 --> 00:14:27,873
CHRIS HORRIE: The editor
Kelvin MacKenzie is known
294
00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,100
as a kind of genius
of the tabloid arts.
295
00:14:31,233 --> 00:14:34,173
He'd worked out that this
was the biggest selling
296
00:14:34,300 --> 00:14:37,100
painting, so a million
people had it or whatever,
297
00:14:37,233 --> 00:14:39,273
on their wall.
298
00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:41,230
So if he wrote about
that, there's a million
299
00:14:41,367 --> 00:14:42,867
potential customers.
300
00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:44,230
William Shatner:
MacKenzie's masterstroke,
301
00:14:44,367 --> 00:14:46,197
according to Horrie, was
his offer for readers to
302
00:14:46,333 --> 00:14:48,473
send their paintings
to the paper.
303
00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:51,600
CHRIS HORRIE: People could
send in their Crying Boy
304
00:14:51,734 --> 00:14:53,934
picture and have it safely
disposed of as though it
305
00:14:54,066 --> 00:14:56,126
was asbestos or nuclear
waste or something like that.
306
00:14:56,266 --> 00:15:00,066
That you simply couldn't
put it in the bin yourself.
307
00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,630
And it turned into a
Sun crusade against
308
00:15:02,767 --> 00:15:04,027
the 'Crying Boy'...
309
00:15:04,166 --> 00:15:07,066
as if the painting had
some kind of evil force in it.
310
00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,400
With the Sun claiming the
credit for saving the
311
00:15:09,533 --> 00:15:12,673
population of Britain from
this inexplicable curse.
312
00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:16,400
Absolutely genius,
brilliant tabloid journalism.
313
00:15:16,533 --> 00:15:18,033
William Shatner: So was
the curse of the 'Crying
314
00:15:18,166 --> 00:15:20,666
Boy' a media creation?
315
00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:24,770
Did the painting have
supernatural powers?
316
00:15:24,900 --> 00:15:28,600
Or was it just a series
of strange coincidences?
317
00:15:28,734 --> 00:15:31,204
Weird or what?
318
00:15:44,100 --> 00:15:45,830
In Florida, a woman's
life falls apart after a
319
00:15:45,967 --> 00:15:49,727
bizarre encounter
- with a toy.
320
00:15:49,867 --> 00:15:52,927
Can a children's
doll bear a curse?
321
00:15:53,066 --> 00:15:55,226
HEATHER CLEMENT: It scares
a lot of people including me.
322
00:16:03,967 --> 00:16:05,267
William Shatner: You know
one of the great things
323
00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:06,870
about being a grandfather
is being able to watch my
324
00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:08,770
grandkids play -
especially with their
325
00:16:08,900 --> 00:16:10,700
imaginary friends.
326
00:16:10,834 --> 00:16:12,504
But we all did it - right?
327
00:16:12,633 --> 00:16:15,373
We think guys like
this are real.
328
00:16:15,500 --> 00:16:17,630
We give them
personalities, names,
329
00:16:17,767 --> 00:16:23,527
presents we give them real love
- and they love us in return.
330
00:16:23,667 --> 00:16:26,767
But did you ever have
an imaginary friend who
331
00:16:26,900 --> 00:16:31,630
wasn't quite so friendly?
332
00:16:31,767 --> 00:16:37,127
The one that scared
you outta your wits?
333
00:16:37,266 --> 00:16:45,896
Meet Robert.
334
00:16:46,033 --> 00:16:47,833
William Shatner:
April, 2007.
335
00:16:47,967 --> 00:16:49,567
Key West, Florida.
336
00:16:49,700 --> 00:16:51,900
52-year-old Heather
Clement visits
337
00:16:52,033 --> 00:16:55,333
the East Martello Museum.
338
00:16:55,467 --> 00:16:57,267
HEATHER CLEMENT: I was
wandering around the museum.
339
00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:01,270
And, I was just on my cell
phone like I always am...
340
00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:03,570
And I went upstairs to the
top of the building and
341
00:17:03,700 --> 00:17:06,170
kind of checked it out
cause it's beautiful up there.
342
00:17:06,300 --> 00:17:09,170
Continued to talk on my
phone, wandered downstairs
343
00:17:09,300 --> 00:17:10,970
and walked out the door.
344
00:17:11,100 --> 00:17:13,800
William Shatner: But what
began as a pleasurable day
345
00:17:13,934 --> 00:17:18,604
out soon turns
into anything but.
346
00:17:18,734 --> 00:17:20,274
HEATHER CLEMENT: Weird
things started happening
347
00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,900
one at a time that I
didn't really pay attention to.
348
00:17:24,033 --> 00:17:25,273
William Shatner: In the
days that follow, Heather
349
00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:27,030
suffers an inexplicable
string of setbacks in
350
00:17:27,166 --> 00:17:29,526
every part of her life.
351
00:17:29,667 --> 00:17:31,027
HEATHER CLEMENT: My
boyfriend and I breaking up.
352
00:17:31,166 --> 00:17:35,826
My car breaking down.
And I can't explain that.
353
00:17:35,967 --> 00:17:37,567
And then I lost a job.
354
00:17:37,700 --> 00:17:39,870
The job that I
came down here for.
355
00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:41,600
William Shatner: Heather
gets a new job - but her
356
00:17:41,734 --> 00:17:43,604
workplace burns
to the ground.
357
00:17:43,734 --> 00:17:46,504
And her run of bad luck
doesn't end there.
358
00:17:46,633 --> 00:17:48,073
HEATHER CLEMENT:
I had a date.
359
00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:49,700
And I don't hear
from the guy.
360
00:17:49,834 --> 00:17:52,104
And I finally get a text
that says sorry,
361
00:17:52,233 --> 00:17:53,503
been in the hospital.
362
00:17:53,633 --> 00:17:55,533
Got hit by a car.
363
00:17:55,667 --> 00:17:57,367
William Shatner: She
begins to suspect it's
364
00:17:57,500 --> 00:18:01,800
more than chance
or coincidence.
365
00:18:01,934 --> 00:18:03,574
HEATHER CLEMENT: It was
pretty frightening.
366
00:18:03,700 --> 00:18:07,170
Cause I mean nothing
that I did was right.
367
00:18:07,300 --> 00:18:09,500
William Shatner: Alarmed,
Heather decides to seek help.
368
00:18:09,633 --> 00:18:14,173
She consults a psychic.
369
00:18:14,300 --> 00:18:18,570
What she learns chills
her to the bone.
370
00:18:18,700 --> 00:18:21,870
She's been cursed.
371
00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:23,030
HEATHER CLEMENT: There
were a lot of emotions
372
00:18:23,166 --> 00:18:24,966
that went through me.
373
00:18:25,100 --> 00:18:27,070
Uh, disbelief,
absolute disbelief.
374
00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:30,900
Fear, a lot of fear.
375
00:18:31,033 --> 00:18:32,533
I didn't believe
in any curses.
376
00:18:32,667 --> 00:18:34,897
I didn't believe in
anything like that.
377
00:18:35,033 --> 00:18:38,233
William Shatner: Who or what
would want to curse Heather?
378
00:18:38,367 --> 00:18:40,797
The psychic tells her -
a one hundred year old
379
00:18:40,934 --> 00:18:44,404
exhibit at the East
Martello Museum
380
00:18:44,533 --> 00:18:50,073
called Robert the Doll.
381
00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:51,370
HEATHER CLEMENT: I knew
all about Robert before I
382
00:18:51,500 --> 00:18:53,100
went there, I'd
read about him...
383
00:18:53,233 --> 00:18:55,503
And he is in a
lot of stories.
384
00:18:55,633 --> 00:19:01,473
Robert the Doll is a three
foot doll, and he is enchanted.
385
00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:06,130
He's blamed for a lot
of things in Key West.
386
00:19:06,266 --> 00:19:07,666
William Shatner:
Incredibly, hundreds of
387
00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:09,700
others also claim to have
suffered extreme bad luck
388
00:19:09,834 --> 00:19:15,604
after visiting
Robert the Doll.
389
00:19:15,734 --> 00:19:19,104
Could a toy really
invoke a curse?
390
00:19:19,233 --> 00:19:21,003
And why would it
strike Heather?
391
00:19:21,133 --> 00:19:21,933
HEATHER CLEMENT: I started
looking back and going,
392
00:19:22,066 --> 00:19:23,796
maybe it is Robert...
393
00:19:23,934 --> 00:19:26,674
William Shatner:
Then she remembers...
394
00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:33,130
HEATHER CLEMENT: I kind
of blew past him...
395
00:19:33,266 --> 00:19:34,466
William Shatner: She
walked right past the
396
00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:40,300
doll's display case.
397
00:19:40,433 --> 00:19:41,303
HEATHER CLEMENT: I believe
that Robert the Doll
398
00:19:41,433 --> 00:19:43,333
cursed me because
I ignored him.
399
00:19:43,467 --> 00:19:45,227
I just blew past him on my
cell phone,
400
00:19:45,367 --> 00:19:49,197
not giving him respect.
401
00:19:49,333 --> 00:19:51,233
William Shatner: Can
child's plaything really
402
00:19:51,367 --> 00:19:53,297
possess evil powers?
403
00:19:53,433 --> 00:19:54,673
DAVID SLOAN: I'm convinced
that Robert is
404
00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:56,930
more than just a doll.
405
00:19:57,066 --> 00:20:00,896
William Shatner: David Sloan
is a paranormal investigator.
406
00:20:01,033 --> 00:20:03,673
He thinks the key to this
mystery began in 1904 when
407
00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:08,570
a servant of a prominent
Key West couple was fired.
408
00:20:08,700 --> 00:20:10,170
DAVID SLOAN: What we do
know is that
409
00:20:10,300 --> 00:20:12,600
the servant felt wronged.
410
00:20:12,734 --> 00:20:14,004
William Shatner: In a
bizarre act of revenge,
411
00:20:14,133 --> 00:20:15,603
the servant created an
effigy of the couple's
412
00:20:15,734 --> 00:20:20,274
young son Eugene - and
then gave it to him as a gift.
413
00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,200
DAVID SLOAN: He looked
like a small child.
414
00:20:22,333 --> 00:20:24,233
He stood about
3 feet tall.
415
00:20:24,367 --> 00:20:26,927
He's stuffed with straw,
little black buttons for
416
00:20:27,066 --> 00:20:30,566
eyes, and he's dressed in
a cute little sailor suit.
417
00:20:30,700 --> 00:20:33,000
William Shatner: From the
beginning, Eugene Otto's
418
00:20:33,133 --> 00:20:37,533
love for the doll is
unusually intense...
419
00:20:37,667 --> 00:20:39,997
DAVID SLOAN: Robert and
Eugene were inseparable
420
00:20:40,133 --> 00:20:42,873
from the moment Robert
arrived in the house.
421
00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:44,330
William Shatner: Soon
Eugene's parents notice
422
00:20:44,467 --> 00:20:48,227
their son is behaving
strangely around the doll.
423
00:20:48,367 --> 00:20:50,427
They overhear Eugene
having conversations -
424
00:20:50,567 --> 00:20:56,727
chillingly, there's not
one voice - but two.
425
00:20:56,867 --> 00:21:03,167
Eugene's behavior then becomes
more erratic - and violent.
426
00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:06,370
He claims Robert is
somehow making him do it.
427
00:21:06,500 --> 00:21:07,530
DAVID SLOAN: His response
was always,
428
00:21:07,667 --> 00:21:12,097
"I didn't do it. Robert did it."
429
00:21:12,233 --> 00:21:14,103
William Shatner: Soon,
word spreads of weird
430
00:21:14,233 --> 00:21:16,973
events at the Otto's home.
431
00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:18,470
DAVID SLOAN: Local kids
would come by the Otto
432
00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:20,730
family home and they would
see Robert sitting in the
433
00:21:20,867 --> 00:21:22,897
window of the turret room,
and they'd report him
434
00:21:23,033 --> 00:21:27,433
moving from side to side,
pulling back the shade.
435
00:21:27,567 --> 00:21:29,297
William Shatner: After
Eugene's death in 1974 the
436
00:21:29,433 --> 00:21:31,833
house is sold...
437
00:21:31,967 --> 00:21:34,897
but Robert remains in the
attic, and the new owners
438
00:21:35,033 --> 00:21:39,003
experience even more
terrifying incidents.
439
00:21:39,133 --> 00:21:40,933
DAVID SLOAN: There was a
plumber who was doing some
440
00:21:41,066 --> 00:21:42,566
work up in the attic and
he heard giggling coming
441
00:21:42,700 --> 00:21:45,630
from behind him.
442
00:21:45,767 --> 00:21:47,727
When he turned around,
Robert had moved from one
443
00:21:47,867 --> 00:21:51,627
side of the room
over to the other.
444
00:21:51,767 --> 00:21:53,027
And this plumber he ran
down the stairs out of the
445
00:21:53,166 --> 00:21:55,996
house, never came back.
446
00:21:56,133 --> 00:21:57,603
William Shatner:
Eventually, to rid him
447
00:21:57,734 --> 00:22:01,434
from their lives, they donate
Robert to a local museum.
448
00:22:01,567 --> 00:22:09,727
But the weird behavior
doesn't stop... it gets worse.
449
00:22:09,867 --> 00:22:10,967
DAVID SLOAN: When you
visit the East Martello
450
00:22:11,100 --> 00:22:14,400
Museum, you will see
hundreds of letters from
451
00:22:14,533 --> 00:22:17,003
people who have felt
Robert's curse.
452
00:22:17,133 --> 00:22:18,273
Some of them will say...
453
00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:19,630
"I'm sorry I mocked you.
454
00:22:19,767 --> 00:22:21,597
Since that happened I had
a flat tire, I was struck
455
00:22:21,734 --> 00:22:24,174
by lightning twice."
456
00:22:24,300 --> 00:22:28,070
William Shatner: Heather
Clement is just one of them.
457
00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:29,630
She is desperate to lift
458
00:22:29,767 --> 00:22:33,697
the hex
that is destroying her life.
459
00:22:33,834 --> 00:22:35,574
HEATHER CLEMENT: I asked
a couple of psychics.
460
00:22:35,700 --> 00:22:38,800
What do you do? How do you
remove curses?
461
00:22:38,934 --> 00:22:42,434
William Shatner: The
answer - beg forgiveness.
462
00:22:42,567 --> 00:22:44,197
HEATHER CLEMENT: I wrote
an apology letter to Robert.
463
00:22:44,333 --> 00:22:45,403
It is sealed.
464
00:22:45,533 --> 00:22:48,003
What is inside is
between Robert and I.
465
00:22:48,133 --> 00:22:49,373
And uh, it's private.
466
00:22:49,500 --> 00:22:53,330
I'd like to keep
it that way.
467
00:22:53,467 --> 00:22:54,827
The worse thing I've ever
done was to
468
00:22:54,967 --> 00:23:01,667
disrespect Robert the
Doll.
469
00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:04,330
William Shatner: Now - this
is really - weird - or what?
470
00:23:04,467 --> 00:23:07,727
A doll who gets offended
by something as trivial as
471
00:23:07,867 --> 00:23:11,167
someone walking past
him in the wrong way?
472
00:23:11,300 --> 00:23:13,200
What is he - some
kind of dictator?
473
00:23:13,333 --> 00:23:16,273
And then the woman has
to write him an apology?
474
00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:18,030
It's ridiculous.
475
00:23:18,166 --> 00:23:20,266
I mean if you're going to
get upset enough to curse
476
00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,170
someone you may as well
have a good reason.
477
00:23:23,300 --> 00:23:33,270
How about this Robert?
478
00:23:33,934 --> 00:23:39,304
[♪]
479
00:23:39,433 --> 00:23:43,173
Dear Robert, I'm so sorry
I raspberry'd you right
480
00:23:43,300 --> 00:23:49,370
now, please forgive me.
481
00:23:49,500 --> 00:23:50,900
William Shatner: Is Robert
the Doll possessed by an
482
00:23:51,033 --> 00:23:52,373
evil intelligence?
483
00:23:52,500 --> 00:23:55,770
If so, how did he get
these terrible powers?
484
00:23:55,900 --> 00:23:59,030
Can he genuinely curse
those who cross his path?
485
00:23:59,166 --> 00:24:00,366
CHAD LEWIS: People who are
cursed by Robert seem to
486
00:24:00,500 --> 00:24:02,700
bring it on themselves.
487
00:24:11,467 --> 00:24:12,797
William Shatner: Visitor
to a Florida museum
488
00:24:12,934 --> 00:24:17,974
believe an exhibit is
casting evil spells.
489
00:24:18,100 --> 00:24:21,770
Is Robert the Doll
possessed by a curse?
490
00:24:21,900 --> 00:24:25,330
Paranormal investigator
Chad Lewis has no doubt.
491
00:24:25,467 --> 00:24:26,997
CHAD LEWIS: I certainly
believe Robert is cursed.
492
00:24:27,133 --> 00:24:28,833
Now whether that curse is
man made
493
00:24:28,967 --> 00:24:31,597
with our belief systems...
I don't know.
494
00:24:31,734 --> 00:24:33,434
William Shatner: Lewis
says the servant who made
495
00:24:33,567 --> 00:24:36,897
Robert practiced hoodoo.
496
00:24:37,033 --> 00:24:38,703
CHAD LEWIS: Hoodoo is a
form of magic that really
497
00:24:38,834 --> 00:24:42,534
values conjuring, and
spells, and hexes.
498
00:24:42,667 --> 00:24:44,227
It's using a lot of bones.
499
00:24:44,367 --> 00:24:49,627
It's using teeth, herbs
in a lot of the spells.
500
00:24:49,767 --> 00:24:51,127
William Shatner: Lewis
is also sure the servant
501
00:24:51,266 --> 00:24:54,996
placed a hex on the doll
to retaliate for being fired.
502
00:24:55,133 --> 00:24:56,703
CHAD LEWIS: The curse was
intended to do damage on
503
00:24:56,834 --> 00:25:00,874
not only the family but
everybody who visits him
as well.
504
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:02,930
William Shatner: But
here comes the crunch.
505
00:25:03,066 --> 00:25:05,626
Lewis not only thinks Robert
the Doll is cursed,
506
00:25:05,767 --> 00:25:09,627
but he's...
alive.
507
00:25:09,767 --> 00:25:10,897
CHAD LEWIS: When you visit
Robert, you see that
508
00:25:11,033 --> 00:25:14,903
there's almost an - an
intelligence to him.
509
00:25:15,033 --> 00:25:16,533
Whether it's a soul
was placed in him or
510
00:25:16,667 --> 00:25:19,167
transferred, I don't know,
but something with Robert
511
00:25:19,300 --> 00:25:23,100
stands out than more than
just your ordinary curse.
512
00:25:23,233 --> 00:25:24,633
William Shatner: Is there
life behind
513
00:25:24,767 --> 00:25:26,367
this wooden demeanor?
514
00:25:26,500 --> 00:25:28,270
Lewis is convinced the
secret of Robert's
515
00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,030
supernatural power is a
mysterious talisman hidden
516
00:25:31,166 --> 00:25:34,866
inside his straw body.
517
00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:36,230
CHAD LEWIS: One of the
legends is, is that he has
518
00:25:36,367 --> 00:25:38,627
a soul stone placed in him
- usually a piece of a
519
00:25:38,767 --> 00:25:41,727
different person
that has passed.
520
00:25:41,867 --> 00:25:43,727
William Shatner: Once the
soul stone was placed
521
00:25:43,867 --> 00:25:47,827
inside Robert, the
hex was complete.
522
00:25:47,967 --> 00:25:50,827
But is he really evil?
523
00:25:50,967 --> 00:25:52,127
CHAD LEWIS: I wouldn't
say I'm afraid of Robert.
524
00:25:52,266 --> 00:25:55,096
I'm certainly creeped out
by him and I'm on notice
525
00:25:55,233 --> 00:25:58,073
when I'm around Robert but
being afraid of him - I
526
00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:02,330
don't think he'll harm me as
long as I'm respectful to him.
527
00:26:02,467 --> 00:26:04,267
William Shatner:
Is hoodoo is real?
528
00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:06,930
Can anyone with the right
spell and ingredients put
529
00:26:07,066 --> 00:26:10,696
a powerful jinx on
anyone - or anything?
530
00:26:10,834 --> 00:26:15,634
Or is there another
explanation?
531
00:26:15,767 --> 00:26:17,267
Psychologist Dr. Marilyn
Miller thinks something
532
00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:19,870
else is at work - and it
has nothing to do
533
00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:21,500
with the supernatural.
534
00:26:21,633 --> 00:26:23,003
DR. MARILYN MILLER: I
don't believe in curses.
535
00:26:23,133 --> 00:26:27,833
But I do believe in
the power of the mind.
536
00:26:27,967 --> 00:26:29,467
William Shatner: Miller
believes Robert's evil
537
00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:33,770
power is simply a product of
Eugene Otto's imagination.
538
00:26:33,900 --> 00:26:35,830
DR. MARILYN MILLER: All
children believe that
539
00:26:35,967 --> 00:26:40,567
inanimate objects and
their toys have human qualities.
540
00:26:40,700 --> 00:26:41,800
William Shatner: But Eugene
wasn't
541
00:26:41,934 --> 00:26:43,474
like most other children.
542
00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:46,500
He never stopped believing
Robert was alive.
543
00:26:46,633 --> 00:26:48,233
DR. MARILYN MILLER: Gene
the owner of the doll, had
544
00:26:48,367 --> 00:26:51,227
his own psychological
issues.
545
00:26:51,367 --> 00:26:53,667
And perhaps he was left
alone a lot,
546
00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,530
with a very vivid imagination.
547
00:26:56,667 --> 00:26:57,897
William Shatner: Miller
also thinks once rumours
548
00:26:58,033 --> 00:26:59,703
of Robert's evil nature
spread, they took on a
549
00:26:59,834 --> 00:27:03,534
life and power
of their own.
550
00:27:03,667 --> 00:27:04,797
DR. MARILYN MILLER: Once
that person believes that
551
00:27:04,934 --> 00:27:07,074
they have been cursed
... it can change the
552
00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:08,370
chemistry in the body.
553
00:27:08,500 --> 00:27:11,870
That person loses their
appetite, neglects their
554
00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:19,330
health, and simply, they
feel that they are going to die.
555
00:27:19,467 --> 00:27:22,627
It's the human mind that
is seen imposing patterns
556
00:27:22,767 --> 00:27:27,897
of relatedness to
really unrelated events...
557
00:27:28,033 --> 00:27:30,073
especially if they believe
that something has put a
558
00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:34,500
curse on them.
559
00:27:34,633 --> 00:27:35,773
William Shatner: Are the
many curses of Robert
560
00:27:35,900 --> 00:27:38,400
simply mass superstition
running wild?
561
00:27:38,533 --> 00:27:41,503
Or is he really
just a doll?
562
00:27:41,633 --> 00:27:43,403
How then do we explain
his ability to move and
563
00:27:43,533 --> 00:27:47,133
manipulate his
surroundings?
564
00:27:47,266 --> 00:27:48,966
One man thinks he knows.
565
00:27:49,100 --> 00:27:52,670
Andy Sway is an
energy healer.
566
00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:55,030
He not only believes that
Robert has dark powers,
567
00:27:55,166 --> 00:27:58,526
but we're all to blame.
568
00:27:58,667 --> 00:27:59,927
ANDY SWAY: The story of
Robert the Doll's really
569
00:28:00,133 --> 00:28:02,403
pretty simple, it's just
a case of a lot of people
570
00:28:02,533 --> 00:28:07,673
putting a certain negative
energy into an object and
571
00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:09,770
others that are in
tune with that form of
572
00:28:09,900 --> 00:28:13,930
negativity then can
receive it when they visit.
573
00:28:14,066 --> 00:28:15,726
William Shatner:
Is i possible?
574
00:28:15,867 --> 00:28:18,667
Could Robert be a receiver
of ominous energy?
575
00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:21,230
If so, where does
it come from?
576
00:28:21,367 --> 00:28:22,597
ANDY SWAY: The main way
that negative energy is
577
00:28:22,734 --> 00:28:25,704
transferred is through
abuse, one person's issues
578
00:28:25,834 --> 00:28:30,134
are inflicted on
another person.
579
00:28:30,266 --> 00:28:33,826
Um, so that abuse could be
mental, physical, verbal,
580
00:28:33,967 --> 00:28:35,327
or anything.
581
00:28:35,467 --> 00:28:36,897
William Shatner: Does
Robert pick up our worst
582
00:28:37,033 --> 00:28:39,433
thoughts then transmit
them back at us as curses
583
00:28:39,567 --> 00:28:44,827
and mind games? But how - and
why?
584
00:28:44,967 --> 00:28:46,197
ANDY SWAY: I think the
whole Robert the doll
585
00:28:46,333 --> 00:28:50,503
story is, is an example
of a snowball effect.
586
00:28:50,633 --> 00:28:52,773
Um, Eugene tells the story
that Robert the Doll
587
00:28:52,900 --> 00:28:55,500
caused these negative
events, then the
588
00:28:55,633 --> 00:28:59,403
townspeople join in, and
now it's internationally
589
00:28:59,533 --> 00:29:02,603
famous, so I just
think it snowballed.
590
00:29:02,734 --> 00:29:04,534
William Shatner: Are we
to blame for the curse
591
00:29:04,667 --> 00:29:07,367
of Robert the Doll?
592
00:29:07,500 --> 00:29:10,030
Is he the product of
hoodoo magic with an evil
593
00:29:10,166 --> 00:29:13,596
talisman hidden
deep in his insides?
594
00:29:13,734 --> 00:29:19,234
Or is it all in our heads?
Weird or What?
595
00:29:29,567 --> 00:29:31,397
A woman embarks on one of
the strangest construction
596
00:29:31,533 --> 00:29:33,433
projects in history.
597
00:29:33,567 --> 00:29:36,697
Was she driven
by angry ghosts?
598
00:29:36,834 --> 00:29:38,004
MITCHEL WHITINGTON: The
spirits were coming back
599
00:29:38,133 --> 00:29:40,533
to get their
vengeance on her.
600
00:29:51,633 --> 00:29:53,233
William Shatner: You know
I've always been obsessed
601
00:29:53,367 --> 00:29:57,127
with DIY - repairing and
renovating my lovely
602
00:29:57,266 --> 00:30:07,226
house, after all,
it is my castle. Ow! Oh.
603
00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,300
Yeah - there's nothing
like the sense of
604
00:30:10,433 --> 00:30:12,703
achievement and
satisfaction you get from
605
00:30:12,834 --> 00:30:19,034
transforming your
surroundings - perfecting
606
00:30:19,166 --> 00:30:22,826
every detail of the place
that you call home.
607
00:30:22,967 --> 00:30:26,067
Well maybe not
quite perfect.
608
00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:28,770
You know, there are some
home renovations that can
609
00:30:28,900 --> 00:30:32,400
take over your life - but
it's the ones that take
610
00:30:32,533 --> 00:30:39,203
over your afterlife that
you really have to worry about.
611
00:30:39,333 --> 00:30:41,873
William Shatner:
1860's, USA.
612
00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,870
As pioneers fight and
forge their way across
613
00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:49,270
America in their quest to
conquer the Wild West,
614
00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:52,000
perhaps one invention more
than any other helped them
615
00:30:52,133 --> 00:30:56,903
to succeed - the
Winchester rifle.
616
00:30:57,033 --> 00:30:59,103
Built by the Winchester
Repeating Arms Company,
617
00:30:59,233 --> 00:31:01,603
this efficient killing
machine not only decimated
618
00:31:01,734 --> 00:31:05,034
the Native American
population, it made
619
00:31:05,166 --> 00:31:07,626
Wirt Winchester and his
wife Sarah one of the
620
00:31:07,767 --> 00:31:13,427
wealthiest and most respected
couples in the country.
621
00:31:13,567 --> 00:31:16,997
But for Sarah, the joy of
success was short lived.
622
00:31:17,133 --> 00:31:19,773
In 1866 a series of
mysterious and tragic
623
00:31:19,900 --> 00:31:26,000
events began that would
follow her to her grave.
624
00:31:26,133 --> 00:31:28,733
Every person who was
close to Sarah Winchester
625
00:31:28,867 --> 00:31:34,197
inexplicably died - her
husband, brother, daughter
626
00:31:34,333 --> 00:31:35,733
and father-in-law.
627
00:31:35,867 --> 00:31:38,997
What followed has become
one of the most bizarre
628
00:31:39,133 --> 00:31:42,903
unsolved mysteries
in history.
629
00:31:43,033 --> 00:31:45,773
Paranormal investigator
Mitchel Whitington wrote
630
00:31:45,900 --> 00:31:47,830
about the case.
631
00:31:47,967 --> 00:31:49,397
MITCHEL WHITINGTON: She
had all these blows hit
632
00:31:49,533 --> 00:31:52,273
her just in a very
short amount of time.
633
00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:54,770
It had to be completely
devastating to her.
634
00:31:54,900 --> 00:31:57,330
William Shatner: Delirious
with grief, Sarah turns to
635
00:31:57,467 --> 00:32:00,367
the spirit world - and to
a medium who can help her
636
00:32:00,500 --> 00:32:03,330
communicate with
her dead family.
637
00:32:03,467 --> 00:32:05,127
MITCHEL WHITINGTON: She
went to a Boston psychic
638
00:32:05,266 --> 00:32:07,496
who's name was Adam Coons
and he was not able to
639
00:32:07,633 --> 00:32:10,273
make the contact that she
was looking for but he did
640
00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:12,330
have an answer for her.
641
00:32:12,467 --> 00:32:14,427
William Shatner: What the
psychic tells her will
642
00:32:14,567 --> 00:32:17,767
haunt her for the
rest of her life.
643
00:32:17,900 --> 00:32:19,000
MITCHEL WHITINGTON: He
told her that what she was
644
00:32:19,133 --> 00:32:22,203
experiencing was a curse.
645
00:32:22,333 --> 00:32:24,173
William Shatner: Even
worse, she's told the
646
00:32:24,300 --> 00:32:26,700
curse originates with the
very thing that earned the
647
00:32:26,834 --> 00:32:29,204
family its massive wealth.
648
00:32:29,333 --> 00:32:30,673
MITCHEL WHITINGTON: She
was the sole heir to the
649
00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:33,000
Winchester Repeating Rifle
fortune and so all the
650
00:32:33,133 --> 00:32:35,433
spirits of all the people
who had been killed in the
651
00:32:35,567 --> 00:32:38,567
United States by the
Winchester Repeating
652
00:32:38,700 --> 00:32:42,670
rifles were coming back
to get their vengeance on her.
653
00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:44,470
William Shatner:
It's horrific news.
654
00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:48,700
But the psychic offers
Sarah a ray of hope.
655
00:32:48,834 --> 00:32:50,104
MITCHEL WHITINGTON: He
came up with a strategy
656
00:32:50,233 --> 00:32:53,333
for her that would allow
her to deal with the spirits.
657
00:32:53,467 --> 00:32:56,667
That strategy was
to build a house.
658
00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:58,530
If she built a big enough
house where they could
659
00:32:58,667 --> 00:33:02,527
hang out more or less,
then they would stop
660
00:33:02,667 --> 00:33:06,267
trying to hurt her
and her family.
661
00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:07,730
William Shatner: But
there's a catch.
662
00:33:07,867 --> 00:33:10,327
The house can never be
large enough to contain
663
00:33:10,467 --> 00:33:13,127
all the spirits
of the dead.
664
00:33:13,266 --> 00:33:14,766
MITCHEL WHITINGTON: More
and more spirits were
665
00:33:14,900 --> 00:33:16,230
going to be
coming along...
666
00:33:16,367 --> 00:33:17,567
because even as they were
talking, more and more
667
00:33:17,700 --> 00:33:25,330
people were being killed
by Winchester Repeating rifles."
668
00:33:25,467 --> 00:33:27,197
William Shatner: Face
with this ghostly message
669
00:33:27,333 --> 00:33:31,973
from the netherworld, Sarah
embraces a curious solution.
670
00:33:32,100 --> 00:33:34,730
She will simply keep
building her home for as
671
00:33:34,867 --> 00:33:39,427
long as she lives.
672
00:33:39,567 --> 00:33:41,927
Sarah purchases a farm
near San Jose for the
673
00:33:42,066 --> 00:33:43,726
construction site.
674
00:33:43,867 --> 00:33:46,667
MITCHEL WHITINGTON:
She hired a team of carpenters.
675
00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:48,600
And Sarah would actually
tell them exactly where to
676
00:33:48,734 --> 00:33:50,974
build, and what
she wanted.
677
00:33:51,100 --> 00:33:53,200
She had a number of people
working there
678
00:33:53,333 --> 00:33:55,233
all day all
night long.
679
00:33:55,367 --> 00:33:58,167
They say the hammering
never stopped.
680
00:33:58,300 --> 00:33:59,770
William Shatner:
Winchester House, as it
681
00:33:59,900 --> 00:34:03,900
comes to be known,
grows apace.
682
00:34:04,033 --> 00:34:06,503
But Sarah's obsession with
the spirit world exerts a
683
00:34:06,633 --> 00:34:10,833
bizarre influence
on its design.
684
00:34:10,967 --> 00:34:12,527
MITCHEL WHITINGTON:
She would put in odd
685
00:34:12,667 --> 00:34:14,067
staircases that went to
nowhere,
686
00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:15,800
she would put in trap doors.
687
00:34:15,934 --> 00:34:18,004
She would put in doors
that would open up and
688
00:34:18,133 --> 00:34:19,873
there was a wall behind.
689
00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:21,170
So if the spirits were
wandering around they
690
00:34:21,300 --> 00:34:22,170
would get confused and
they would
691
00:34:22,300 --> 00:34:24,330
hopefully leave her alone.
692
00:34:24,467 --> 00:34:27,727
William Shatner: Sara
becomes an eccentric recluse.
693
00:34:27,867 --> 00:34:30,397
She conducts nightly
séances, convinced the
694
00:34:30,533 --> 00:34:34,933
ghosts of Winchester
victims are pursuing her
695
00:34:35,066 --> 00:34:40,496
- everywhere.
696
00:34:40,633 --> 00:34:41,833
MITCHEL WHITINGTON: She
would sleep in a different
697
00:34:41,967 --> 00:34:43,167
bedroom every night, so
the spirits would never
698
00:34:43,300 --> 00:34:46,770
know exactly where she was
and she would always take
699
00:34:46,900 --> 00:34:49,030
a different path to the
bedroom so that would
700
00:34:49,166 --> 00:34:53,566
hopefully throw
the spirits off.
701
00:34:53,700 --> 00:34:54,630
William Shatner: To
defy the spirits, Sarah
702
00:34:54,767 --> 00:34:56,627
continues building.
703
00:34:56,767 --> 00:34:59,027
The house becomes a gothic
monstrosity - 24,000
704
00:34:59,166 --> 00:35:03,766
square feet
with 160 rooms.
705
00:35:03,900 --> 00:35:05,630
MITCHEL WHITINGTON: And
this went on up until her
706
00:35:05,767 --> 00:35:08,667
death, when she finally
died in 1922, and it was
707
00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:11,330
learned by the workers
that Sarah had passed,
708
00:35:11,467 --> 00:35:17,797
they all put down their
tools and left the property.
709
00:35:17,934 --> 00:35:20,774
William Shatner:
Winchester house is still
710
00:35:20,900 --> 00:35:22,370
standing today - a unique
memorial to almost 40
711
00:35:22,500 --> 00:35:24,800
years of construction.
712
00:35:24,934 --> 00:35:26,874
Many believe the ghosts
that haunted
713
00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:30,100
Sarah are still there.
714
00:35:30,233 --> 00:35:34,273
Was Sarah Winchester really
the victim of a family curse?
715
00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:37,270
Did the blood spilled by
Winchester rifles come
716
00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,300
back to haunt her?
717
00:35:39,433 --> 00:35:40,633
William Shatner: It's hard
to believe, isn't it?
718
00:35:40,767 --> 00:35:43,067
I mean, Sarah Winchester
spends 38 years building a
719
00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:45,670
house that only a
ghost could love.
720
00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:47,200
Bizarre?
721
00:35:47,333 --> 00:35:49,373
Well, don't forget, this is
California we're talking about!
722
00:35:49,500 --> 00:35:51,570
You know, apart from
the curse, what I find
723
00:35:51,700 --> 00:35:55,400
incredible is finding a
building contractor who's
724
00:35:55,533 --> 00:35:57,533
willing to work overtime.
725
00:35:57,667 --> 00:36:00,327
If you want proof of the
supernatural,
726
00:36:00,467 --> 00:36:02,367
you've got it right there!
727
00:36:02,500 --> 00:36:03,670
William Shatner: Dr.
Shelley Kaehr is a
728
00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:05,270
clinical hypnotherapist
who specializes
729
00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:08,030
in the supernatural.
730
00:36:08,166 --> 00:36:09,526
SHELLEY KAEHR: I believe
in cursed objects.
731
00:36:09,667 --> 00:36:15,767
I believe in cursed places
such as the Winchester House.
732
00:36:15,900 --> 00:36:17,300
William Shatner: She
believes it wasn't the
733
00:36:17,433 --> 00:36:19,903
victims of the Winchester
rifle who placed a hex on
734
00:36:20,033 --> 00:36:21,773
Sarah - but the man she
735
00:36:21,900 --> 00:36:24,000
believed was saving
her from it.
736
00:36:24,133 --> 00:36:27,303
SHELLEY KAEHR: I believe
she was cursed initially
737
00:36:27,433 --> 00:36:31,003
by the psychic who
she met in Boston.
738
00:36:31,133 --> 00:36:34,003
Her discomfort with the
family business combined
739
00:36:34,133 --> 00:36:37,403
with her grief made her
very susceptible to the
740
00:36:37,533 --> 00:36:41,103
message that the
psychic gave her.
741
00:36:41,233 --> 00:36:42,703
William Shatner: Kaehr
thinks Sarah's nightly
742
00:36:42,834 --> 00:36:47,634
séances unleashed supernatural
forces beyond her control.
743
00:36:47,767 --> 00:36:49,227
SHELLEY KAEHR: I believe
she was speaking to many
744
00:36:49,367 --> 00:36:52,697
of the people who were
killed by the Winchester rifle.
745
00:36:52,834 --> 00:36:54,234
She basically invited them
in by believing what the
746
00:36:54,367 --> 00:36:57,527
psychic told her.
747
00:36:57,667 --> 00:36:59,227
William Shatner: Once
inside, the spirits slowly
748
00:36:59,367 --> 00:37:01,867
took over Sarah's life -
and gradually
749
00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:06,200
drove her out of her mind.
750
00:37:06,333 --> 00:37:08,273
SHELLEY KAEHR: She created
a vortex and the spirits
751
00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:12,400
were coming through telling
her how to build the house.
752
00:37:12,533 --> 00:37:14,273
And I believe that at
that point they began
753
00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:24,270
tormenting her.
754
00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:26,770
William Shatner: Did the
psychic's reckless advice
755
00:37:26,900 --> 00:37:29,570
start the lifelong
haunting of Sarah Winchester?
756
00:37:29,700 --> 00:37:31,330
SHELLEY KAEHR: Sarah
had an awful life.
757
00:37:31,467 --> 00:37:34,667
She became a completely
isolated from society.
758
00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:36,600
She never went out.
759
00:37:36,734 --> 00:37:39,204
And her only communion was
with a bunch of spirits.
760
00:37:39,333 --> 00:37:41,073
She literally
was going mad.
761
00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:45,730
And it must have
been really painful.
762
00:37:45,867 --> 00:37:46,767
William Shatner: Dr Kaehr
thinks this story didn't
763
00:37:46,900 --> 00:37:48,470
end with Sarah's death.
764
00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:52,200
She believes she is still
living in Winchester House
765
00:37:52,333 --> 00:37:54,133
- along with the ghosts.
766
00:37:54,266 --> 00:37:56,826
SHELLEY KAEHR: She is
still haunting her own house.
767
00:37:56,967 --> 00:38:02,467
She's stuck there...it
seems that she can't get
768
00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:04,570
any peace, even in death.
769
00:38:04,700 --> 00:38:06,100
William Shatner: Did Sarah
invite malicious spirits
770
00:38:06,233 --> 00:38:08,033
into Winchester House
through her séances?
771
00:38:08,166 --> 00:38:10,866
Did the ghosts
drive her insane?
772
00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:15,670
Or is there another, more
earthly explanation?
773
00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:17,030
JUDITH ZELIKOFF: I believe
that Sarah Winchester was
774
00:38:17,166 --> 00:38:18,866
poisoned...
775
00:38:28,967 --> 00:38:30,767
William Shatner: A woman
builds a strange and
776
00:38:30,900 --> 00:38:33,830
sprawling mansion in the
California countryside.
777
00:38:33,967 --> 00:38:36,297
Was she haunted
by a family curse?
778
00:38:36,433 --> 00:38:40,103
Did malicious ghosts
drive her mad?
779
00:38:40,233 --> 00:38:42,633
New York University
Toxicology Professor,
780
00:38:42,767 --> 00:38:45,367
Judith Zelikoff
doesn't buy it.
781
00:38:45,500 --> 00:38:48,500
She has a simple
medical explanation.
782
00:38:48,633 --> 00:38:50,103
JUDITH ZELIKOFF: I don't
think that there were
783
00:38:50,233 --> 00:38:51,433
really ghosts there.
784
00:38:51,567 --> 00:38:52,797
I believe that Sarah
Winchester was poisoned by
785
00:38:52,934 --> 00:38:55,734
the fumes and the dust
of the metals that were
786
00:38:55,867 --> 00:39:00,467
produced in her house
during the construction time.
787
00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:02,570
Back in the turn of the
century lead was used for
788
00:39:02,700 --> 00:39:03,830
almost everything.
789
00:39:03,967 --> 00:39:05,397
It was thought of as the
magic metal, there was
790
00:39:05,533 --> 00:39:08,473
lead based paint.
791
00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:10,070
And so all of the paint
that they used in the
792
00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:11,670
house, and kept using
in the house probably
793
00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:17,270
contributed to her
increase in lead levels.
794
00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:18,600
William Shatner: Zelikoff
thinks Sarah was
795
00:39:18,734 --> 00:39:22,834
continuously exposed to
toxic levels of lead in
796
00:39:22,967 --> 00:39:24,827
Winchester
House for years.
797
00:39:24,967 --> 00:39:26,167
JUDITH ZELIKOFF: By
sleeping in there, by
798
00:39:26,300 --> 00:39:28,170
bathing in there, by
drinking in there, she was
799
00:39:28,300 --> 00:39:31,470
getting exposed to lead
and many of these other
800
00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:36,900
metals constantly on a
24-hour-a-day basis.
801
00:39:37,033 --> 00:39:41,133
William Shatner: Was Sarah
being slowly poisoned by lead?
802
00:39:41,266 --> 00:39:43,796
Could this account
for her madness?
803
00:39:43,934 --> 00:39:46,974
The key, says Zelikoff,
is lead's ability to
804
00:39:47,100 --> 00:39:49,600
concentrate in the brain,
where it damages critical
805
00:39:49,734 --> 00:39:53,174
neurological functions.
806
00:39:53,300 --> 00:39:55,700
JUDITH ZELIKOFF: Lead gets
to the brain very easily
807
00:39:55,834 --> 00:40:00,204
in the soft tissue and it
can kill your brain cells
808
00:40:00,333 --> 00:40:02,873
and it can impact in
different areas of the brain.
809
00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:04,500
William Shatner: Professor
Zelikoff believes Sarah's
810
00:40:04,633 --> 00:40:08,533
strange compulsions
are evidence of lead poisoning.
811
00:40:08,667 --> 00:40:10,627
JUDITH ZELIKOFF: It seemed
to me that she was of a
812
00:40:10,767 --> 00:40:13,627
very high anxiety and
hyperactive behavior in
813
00:40:13,767 --> 00:40:16,327
the way she had to get
those houses done and
814
00:40:16,467 --> 00:40:18,897
never ever, ever stop.
815
00:40:19,033 --> 00:40:20,803
That could all be
accounted for by high
816
00:40:20,934 --> 00:40:23,874
blood lead levels.
817
00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:26,100
William Shatner: Were
Sarah's strange behavior
818
00:40:26,233 --> 00:40:30,433
and ghostly obsessions
caused by lead poisoning?
819
00:40:30,567 --> 00:40:32,867
Sarah Winchester
biographer Mary Jo Ignoffo
820
00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:34,600
doesn't think so.
821
00:40:34,734 --> 00:40:35,974
MARY JO IGNOFFO: The
historical evidence
822
00:40:36,100 --> 00:40:39,970
indicates that Sarah
Winchester was not insane.
823
00:40:40,100 --> 00:40:42,030
William Shatner: She'
also sure stories of Sarah
824
00:40:42,166 --> 00:40:44,526
Winchester's strange
behaviour and supernatural
825
00:40:44,667 --> 00:40:46,927
obsession are
all nonsense.
826
00:40:47,066 --> 00:40:50,096
MARY JO IGNOFFO: I don't believe
Sarah Winchester was cursed.
827
00:40:50,233 --> 00:40:52,103
I think she was a woman
living life how she wanted
828
00:40:52,233 --> 00:40:55,073
to live her life.
829
00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:57,530
William Shatner: But if
Sarah wasn't mad, why did
830
00:40:57,667 --> 00:41:01,097
she spend nearly 40 years
constructing
831
00:41:01,233 --> 00:41:03,933
a giant maniacal house?
832
00:41:04,066 --> 00:41:07,766
Simple: Sarah needed
a lot of living space.
833
00:41:07,900 --> 00:41:09,570
MARY JO IGNOFFO: When she
first came to California,
834
00:41:09,700 --> 00:41:12,400
all of her sisters and
their families came with
835
00:41:12,533 --> 00:41:14,473
her, so initially, her
intent was to build a very
836
00:41:14,600 --> 00:41:19,400
large residence to
accommodate uh a couple of
837
00:41:19,533 --> 00:41:21,603
different families.
838
00:41:21,734 --> 00:41:22,934
William Shatner: But does
this explain why Sarah
839
00:41:23,066 --> 00:41:26,766
built twisting hallways
and doorways to nowhere?
840
00:41:26,900 --> 00:41:28,700
Ignoffo reveals that they
were never intended to be
841
00:41:28,834 --> 00:41:31,504
part of the
original design.
842
00:41:31,633 --> 00:41:34,103
William Shatner: They were
the result of the 1906 San
843
00:41:34,233 --> 00:41:37,003
Francisco earthquake,
which caused severe damage
844
00:41:37,133 --> 00:41:40,303
to Winchester House.
845
00:41:40,433 --> 00:41:42,203
MARY JO IGNOFFO: She built
a tower that reached to 7
846
00:41:42,333 --> 00:41:44,933
stories and that tower
tumbled in the earthquake,
847
00:41:45,066 --> 00:41:48,266
in onto the house,
848
00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:52,270
and she lost the top 3 floors
of her house.
849
00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:54,330
William Shatner: According
to Ignoffo, Sarah ordered
850
00:41:54,467 --> 00:41:56,297
her workers to close off
all the affected stairs
851
00:41:56,433 --> 00:41:57,833
and doorways.
852
00:41:57,967 --> 00:42:04,267
So if Sarah wasn't cursed
and wasn't crazy, why all
853
00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:07,270
the speculation
about her life?
854
00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:08,970
MARY JO IGNOFFO: All the
negative stories that
855
00:42:09,100 --> 00:42:10,830
started to come out about
Sarah Winchester in the
856
00:42:10,967 --> 00:42:16,697
press, came out at exactly
the same time the American
857
00:42:16,834 --> 00:42:19,074
conscience started to
acknowledge atrocities
858
00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:21,870
visited on Native
Americans.
859
00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:24,730
Because Sarah Winchester's
money comes from the arms
860
00:42:24,867 --> 00:42:33,167
industry, that seems to
make her more of a target.
861
00:42:33,300 --> 00:42:34,400
William Shatner: Was
Winchester House born
862
00:42:34,533 --> 00:42:36,033
of a family curse?
863
00:42:36,166 --> 00:42:40,666
Or was it inspired by its
owner's mental illness?
864
00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:42,900
Or was it just a flight
of fancy for a woman with
865
00:42:43,033 --> 00:42:46,203
more money than
architectural sense?
866
00:42:46,333 --> 00:42:50,833
Weird or what?
867
00:43:02,333 --> 00:43:04,603
So there we have it -
stories of curses from
868
00:43:04,734 --> 00:43:07,434
around the world.
869
00:43:07,567 --> 00:43:08,997
In Britain, a mysterious
painting is linked to a
870
00:43:09,133 --> 00:43:12,473
rash of home fires.
871
00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:14,430
Does the 'Crying Boy'
bring fiery destruction
872
00:43:14,567 --> 00:43:16,167
wherever it goes?
873
00:43:16,300 --> 00:43:19,800
In Florida, a sinister toy
brings misfortune down on
874
00:43:19,934 --> 00:43:22,904
the unsuspecting.
875
00:43:23,033 --> 00:43:25,973
Can Robert the Doll
destroy your life?
876
00:43:26,100 --> 00:43:29,100
And in California, a
mysterious house bears
877
00:43:29,233 --> 00:43:33,033
witness to a
family's dark past.
878
00:43:33,166 --> 00:43:36,826
Is Winchester house
cursed by ghosts?
879
00:43:36,967 --> 00:43:42,167
Are these strange stories
proof that curses are real?
880
00:43:42,300 --> 00:43:43,570
You decide.
881
00:43:43,700 --> 00:43:45,430
William Shatner: Join me
next time for more stories
882
00:43:45,567 --> 00:43:49,497
that will undoubtedly
be weird or what?
67501
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