Secrets of the Dead Season 5, Episode 4: The Sinking of the Andrea Doria

The Hunt for Nazi Scientists

Days after D-Day, Allied forces joined together for a different kind of mission. Through rare footage, eyewitness testimonies, and real-life accounts, the story is told of the race to capture the German physicists and other scientists and any secrets they may hold of advanced 'vengeance' weapons. Finding the scientists could mean gaining significant advantage in the looming Cold War. Liev Schreiber narrates the story of the scientists' dramatic capture and the influences they have on wars today.

Gangland Graveyard

On October 6, 2004, FBI agents began digging up a Queens swamp in the hopes of finding the remains of the man who killed John Gotti's son. Instead, they unearthed a severed foot and other pieces of human skeleton, along with personal effects. Forensic tests tied the remains to Mob family captains who had been killed by mob boss Joseph "Big Joey" Massino. This program documents the search which opens a window into the grisly world of the mob.

55 min

Voyage of the Courtesans

In 1789, over two hundred female convicts were pulled out of London's prisons and shipped off to Australia for a life of servitude. See how they took control of the situation to create a better life for themselves and the future of Australia.

Umbrella Assassin

On September 11, 1978, Bulgarian emigre, writer and broadcast journalist Georgi Markov died. Three days before, while waiting for a bus, Markov felt a sudden sting in the back of his thigh. Markov was soon hospitalized. After his death, an investigation ruled Markov had been poisoned. A pellet containing ricin had been shot into his leg. How had this political murder been executed?