The Lost Tapes

The Lost Tapes
TV Show · Documentary · History

The lost tapes of kidnappings, murders, riots, and attacks have been unearthed to be shown for the first time in decades. The Patty Hearst's kidnapping, the Pearl Harbor attacks, the riots in Los Angeles, and the Son of Sam murders that rocked and terrified New York City are all presented as they unfolded on radios and televisions across America. Each of these 20th-century events is presented in real-time as they were covered by journalists and local news broadcasts.

2016 · 51m

Season 1

  • Pearl Harbor
    EPISODE 1
    Pearl Harbor
    President Roosevelt called December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy," a quote that would become one of the most famous in American history. In fact, the attack on Pearl Harbor inspired several powerful public statements, but many of them have never been heard before, until now. Take an unprecedented look at this tragic day entirely through news reports, public statements, recently declassified documents, and footage recorded in the days before, during, and after the event that shook the world.
    45m
  • LA Riots
    EPISODE 2
    LA Riots
    The city of Los Angeles erupted into chaos on April 29, 1992, after four white LAPD officers were acquitted for beating African American motorist Rodney King. Over the next six days, television and radio reports, home video, and police footage captured the turmoil that led to 54 deaths, nearly 12,000 arrests, and over $1 billion in damages. Using these recordings, we take a look at one of the biggest periods of civil unrest in American history as if it were all unfolding in real time.
    45m
  • Son of Sam
    EPISODE 3
    Son of Sam
    From 1976 to 1977, a series of homicides terrorized New York City and captivated the world. The murder spree of serial killer David Berkowitz, a.k.a., "Son of Sam," triggered one of the largest police manhunts in the city's history and kept crime reporters on the beat 24/7. Using rare, local media, home movies, and police footage, some of which has never been seen before, this vivid and immersive account puts you at the scene of the drama as it unfolds.
    43m
  • Patty Hearst
    EPISODE 4
    Patty Hearst
    Was she a victim of thought-control by terrorists or a millionaire turned revolutionary? The kidnapping of Patty Hearst by a leftist guerilla group that called itself the Symbionese Liberation Army made front-page national news in 1974. But over the months, the drama and the media attention deepened as Hearst turned from a teenage American heiress to a machine gun-toting fugitive named "Tania." The Lost Tapes places you at the heart of this astonishing story, presented solely through newscasts and rarely seen footage of the day.
    43m
  • Malcolm X
    EPISODE 1
    Malcolm X
    In 1959, a 33-year-old minister from the Nation of Islam gains notoriety with his fiery rhetoric and keen intellect. His name is Malcolm X and over the next five years, this influential yet highly controversial civil rights leader will become an ideological hero to some and a dangerous enemy to others. Presented entirely through his speeches, newscasts, and rarely seen archival footage, The Lost Tapes: Malcolm X tells the story of the man who, by any means necessary, willingly put his life at risk to bring change and equality to black America.
    2m
  • Clinton Impeachment
    EPISODE 2
    Clinton Impeachment
    From the start of his run for the presidency through his eight years in office, Bill Clinton was dogged by scandals, none more consequential than his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Their relationship, exposed in detail in the Starr Report, captivated the nation and led to the first impeachment of a U.S. president since the years just after the Civil War. Revisit the story of betrayal, political ploys, and media madness, as told by news reports, investigative documents, and secret recordings, many of which have not been broadcast since 1999.
    2m

Related

  • America's Hidden Stories
  • America in Color
  • The Real Story
  • MLK: The Assassination Tapes
  • Civil War 360
  • Atomic Age Declassified
  • The Green Book: Guide to Freedom
  • The Missing Evidence
  • JFK: 3 Shots that Changed America

Cast & Crew

  • Tom Jennings
    Producer
  • R‌K
    Rob Kirk
    Producer
  • J‌C
    John Cavanagh
    Producer
  • David Royle
    Producer
  • C‌P
    Charles Poe
    Producer

About

The Lost Tapes

Documentary

The lost tapes of kidnappings, murders, riots, and attacks have been unearthed to be shown for the first time in decades. The Patty Hearst's kidnapping, the Pearl Harbor attacks, the riots in Los Angeles, and the Son of Sam murders that rocked and terrified New York City are all presented as they unfolded on radios and televisions across America. Each of these 20th-century events is presented in real-time as they were covered by journalists and local news broadcasts.

Information

Studio
Viacom
Released
2016
Rated
TV-14
Region of Origin
United States
© 2016 SNI/SI Networks L.L.C.All Rights Reserved.

Languages

Original Audio
English (United States), English (Australia)
Audio

English (United States) (⁨Dolby 5.1⁩, AAC)

Subtitles

English (CC), Arabic , Cantonese, Traditional , Chinese, Traditional , Dutch , Japanese , Portuguese (Brazil) , Spanish (Mexico)

Accessibility

Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
  • Español (México)
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)

Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

  • Internet Service Terms
  • Apple TV & Privacy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Support
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)