The story of Marilyn, the tragic starlet who struggled to overcome a difficult childhood, who had a string of failed marriages and battled addiction, is well known. Marilyn, Misunderstood tells the story of the other Marilyn. A woman who didn’t just suddenly wake up and become the biggest star in the world. The other Marilyn was a bold and ambitious trailblazer, a striver who refused to toe the line, and who never stopped fighting to be taken seriously as an actress. The documentary pieces together this version of Marilyn’s life story through interviews with some of her friends and colleagues. They reveal that she may have been blonde, but she was not dumb. In their words, though she may have been victimised at times, she was not the tragic victim history has made her out to be. The Marilyn Monroe who emerges from their stories is more rounded – a brave, complex, brilliant, funny, outspoken and ambitious woman, who blazed a trail for the generations of women who followed her.

Actress, Carrie Fisher died on December 27th 2016, four days after losing consciousness on a transatlantic flight. She was the daughter of Hollywood royalty, best known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars films. But she had a dark side and wrote a series of best-selling books about her battles with addiction although she was thought to be drug free before she died. In this episode world renowned forensic pathologist Dr Michael Hunter unpacks Carrie Fisher’s unusually inconclusive official cause of death which is listed as ‘undetermined factors’. What really caused Carrie’s death at the relatively young age of 60?

On December 28th 2016, the world was shocked and saddened when the much loved Hollywood icon Debbie Reynolds died, just one day after the death of her daughter, the actress and writer Carrie Fisher. Did the shock of her daughter’s death play a part, or was Debbie’s death so soon after Carrie’s, simply a tragic coincidence? Debbie Reynolds became Hollywood’s golden girl after rising to fame in the 1952 musical Singing In The Rain. Over the next 6 decades she starred in over 40 movies, including How The West Was Won, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Tammy and Mother. She also toured extensively and performed in Vegas. In later years she found a new generation of fans with TV appearances such as Grace’s mom in Will & Grace. She worked for 40 weeks a year, only retiring at 82. She used to say “I went through three sets of luggage, you can imagine what happened to my body”. Debbie’s personal life was plagued with difficulties. In 1955 she married Eddie Fisher, one of the biggest singing stars of the decade. They were the media darlings of the day, famous all over the world. They had two children, Carrie and Todd. But Debbie’s world was rocked when Eddie left her for her good friend Elizabeth Taylor. Two subsequent marriages, to Harry Karl and Richard Hamlett failed. Both of them ruined her financially. The other big heartache for Debbie was her daughter Carrie’s bipolar disorder and drug addiction. There was much speculation that Debbie had died of a broken heart, but the official cause of death given is a stroke. Strokes can be caused by many things, and grief alone isn’t one of them. Dr Hunter’s investigation needs to build up a picture of her overall health if he’s to understand how Debbie Reynolds died.

Judy Garland was one of the world’s most recognised talents and her legendary career in film and on stage spanned generations. As a child star she won millions of fans playing Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and she went on to pack movie theatres and concert halls with her extraordinary voice. But as well as being famous for her tremendous talent she was also known for her turbulent lifestyle and stormy love life.
Not long after her wedding to fifth husband Mickey Deans, on June 22, 1969, she was discovered dead in her bathroom. Judy’s sudden death sparked rumour and speculation and now Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter, examines her medical records to reveal exactly what caused the demise of this legendary Hollywood superstar.

On March 23, 2011, actress and Hollywood legend, Elizabeth Taylor, died of a cardiac arrest in Los Angeles. Her death at 79 caused shock waves around the world at the loss of one of the world’s last great movie stars. Despite her glittering career, Elizabeth Taylor’s life had been blighted by ill health, tragedy and failed marriages leading to addictions to alcohol and prescription drugs. In this episode, expert Coroner and Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter examines Elizabeth Taylor’s extensive medical history to try and discover what caused the death of this Hollywood icon.

Natalie Wood was Hollywood’s hottest actress for her generation. She married screen legend Robert Wagner not once but twice. They were the Hollywood dream couple and enjoyed a spectacular lifestyle. But on November 29th, 1981, during what was supposed to be a relaxed weekend sailing trip, 43 year old Natalie was found dead. The cause of death was officially certified as ‘accidental drowning’ but why Natalie Wood left the yacht and drowned has never been answered: was it accident, suicide or something more sinister? Now medical examiner Dr. Michael Hunter is taking a fresh look at one of Hollywood’s most enduring mysteries.

In the golden age of Hollywood Marilyn Monroe eclipsed all others. Through a series of hit films in the 1950s she became the ultimate sex symbol. Her iconic look made her one of the most photographed, most famous women on the planet. But on 3.50 am on August 5th 1962 Marilyn was pronounced dead in the bedroom of her Los Angeles home. In spite of her success, Marilyn suffered chronic insomnia, severe anxiety and depression and died with bottles of prescription pills at her bedside. Her death was declared a ‘probable suicide. ’ But this official uncertainty and rumors of affairs with both John F and Robert Kennedy opened the floodgates to fifty years of conspiracy theories and allegations that Marilyn was murdered. Now world-renowned forensic pathologist Dr Michael Hunter is piecing together the events of Marilyn’s last hours, using the autopsy report and her recently revealed private medical records. Here, buried deep in the archives, he discovers a damning piece of fresh evidence, allowing him to offer a startling new conclusion and finally reveal who was responsible for the death of Marilyn Monroe.

On June 25, 2009, actress and 1970’s icon, Farrah Fawcett died of a rare form of cancer in Los Angeles. Her death at 62 shocked her fans, friends and family as Farrah didn’t smoke, ate healthy food and worked hard to keep fit. In this episode, expert coroner and Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter examines Farrah’s medical history and hears from some of her closest friends to try and work out what caused Farrah’s cancer and if the alternative cancer treatments she received played any part in her death.

On the evening of January 20, 1993, actress and style icon Audrey Hepburn died of a very rare form of abdominal cancer, at the age of 63. With an Academy Award and ten Golden Globe nominations, Audrey was admired not only for her starring roles in My Fair Lady, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and War and Peace but also for her style, grace and elegance. Following the birth of her two sons she retired from acting and became a humanitarian ambassador travelling the world with UNICEF, bringing attention to the plight of children in war torn countries. It was during her last trip to Somalia with UNICEF in 1992 that she started to feel unwell with severe abdominal pains and only 3 and a half months later she was dead. World renowned forensic pathologist, Dr Michael Hunter needs to analyse key moments from Audrey’s life and her medical history, in order investigate and find the answers as to what caused Audrey’s rare cancer and why she couldn’t be saved.

On September 13th, 1982, Princess Grace of Monaco – Grace Kelly – drove her old Rover 3500 car off the edge of a mountain road above the famous principality. She died in hospital the following day, aged just 52. The crash brought to an end a life lived almost entirely in the public eye; first as the iconic star of some of Hollywood’s best loved movies and then as the wife of Prince Rainier, ruler of the tiny Mediterranean enclave. In the wake of Grace Kelly’s death it proved hard to get at the truth of what had actually happened. A police investigations encountered obstacles and the Palace appeared to close ranks. It was said that Grace had suffered a stroke at the wheel and this married with her family history of high blood pressure, a thing little understood at the time. But what is the truth of Grace Kelly’s final hours? Conspiracy theories multiplied in the vacuum left by the Palace’s silence. World renowned forensic pathologist, Dr Michael Hunter analyses the details of this fascinating case to discover the answer.

A Live Series following Law Enforcement Officers On Patrol across the country – all live and in real time.

A discussion of what’s in store for the upcoming episode of “On Patrol: Live” and a sneak peek of the departments and officers that the cameras will be following that night; the hosts also look back at the most memorable moments from past episodes.

A Live Series following Law Enforcement Officers On Patrol across the country – all live and in real time.

A Live Series following Law Enforcement Officers On Patrol across the country – all live and in real time.