Thank you very much and welcome to To Tell the Truth.
Our first guest, he's made a career out of being the most outrageous impostor
that we've ever come across on this show. You'll see what I mean.
Number One, what is your name, please?
My name is Frank William Abagnale.
- Number Two? - My name is Frank William Abagnale.
- Number Three? - My name is Frank William Abagnale.
From 1964 to 1967,
I successfully impersonated an airline pilot for Pan Am Airways,
and I flew over two million miles for free.
During that time,
I was also the Chief Resident Pediatrician at a Georgia hospital
and an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Louisiana.
By the time I was caught,
I was considered the youngest and most daring con man in U.S. history.
I had cashed almost $4 million in fraudulent checks
in 26 foreign countries and all 50 states.
And I did it all before my 19th birthday.
My name is Frank William Abagnale.
So, for the first time, he'll have to tell the truth.
We'll start our questioning with Kitty.
Thank you. Number One, why, with all your talent,
and you're obviously a very bright fellow,
why didn't you go in for a legitimate profession?
It was a question of dollars and cents.
When I was a young man, I needed the money,
and I thought this list of careers was the easiest way to get it.
I see. Number Two, I find this all very fascinating.
Who was it that finally caught you?
His name was Carl Hanratty.
Hanratty.
I am
Carl Hanratty.
I represent the FBI from the United States of America.
I have orders to see the American prisoner, Abagnale.
You sit here.
You do not open the door.
You do not pass him
anything through the hole.
Aw, Jesus.
You know, I've got a little bit of a cold myself.
Frank, I'm here to read the articles of extradition
according to the European Court for Human Rights.
"Article One,
"extradition shall be granted in respect of offenses..."
Help me.
Frank, stop it.
Help me.
You don't think you're actually going to fool me, do you?
Sixteen pages to go. Stay with me. "Article Two,
"if the request for extradition includes separate offenses...
"...each of which is punishable under the laws of the requesting party..."
Frank?
God damn it!
Get me a doctor in here! I need a doctor!
- Yes. - Doctor! Now!
Don't sweat it. We'll get you right to a doctor.
If you can hear me, don't worry. I'll take you home in the morning.
Home in the morning, Frank.
- What are you doing? - Washing off the lice.
This man has to be on a plane for America. He has to see a doctor.
Yes, the doctor comes in tomorrow.
I've worked too long, too hard, for you to take this away from me.
If he dies, I'm holding you responsible.
Oh, Frank.
Okay, Carl,
let's go home.
The New Rochelle Rotary Club
has a history that goes back to 1919.
In all those years,
we've only seen a handful of deserving gentlemen
inducted as lifetime members.
It's an honor that has seen 57 names
enshrined on the wall of honor.
And tonight, we make it 58.
So please stand
as I present my very good friend, a man who keeps our pencils sharp
and our pens in ink.
Frank William Abagnale.
I stand here, humbled
by the presence of Mayor Robert Wagner
and our club president, Jack Barnes.
Most of all, I'm honored to see my loving wife, Paula
and my son, Frank, Jr.
Come on.
Sitting in the front row.
Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream.
The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned.
The second mouse
wouldn't quit.
He struggled so hard
that eventually he churned that cream into butter
and crawled out.
Gentlemen, as of this moment, I am that second mouse.
You're a better dancer than your father.
- Hear that, Daddy? - Like fun.
The girls don't know what they're in for.
Show him the dance you were doing when we met.
Oh, who can remember?
The people in that little French village were so happy to see Americans,
they decided to put on a show for us.
- So they crammed 200 soldiers... - We know the story, Daddy.
...into that tiny social hall,
and the first person to walk on stage is your mother
and she starts to dance.
You know, it had been months
since we'd seen a woman, and here's this blond angel.
Blond bombshell.
And the men are literally holding their breath.
Holding their breath for you. Hear that?
I turned to my buddies and I said...
"I will not leave France without her."
And I didn't.
You didn't.
I didn't.
Oh, shit, the rug.
- Oh, Mom. - I can't believe I...
It's nothing.
- Frankie, run and get a towel. - Yeah.
Come on.
Dance with me, Paula.
Whenever I dance for you, I get in trouble.
Oh!
Frank. Wake up. Come on, let's go.
Get up, come on.
- Frank, wake up. - Dad.
You don't have to go to school today. It's okay.
- Why? Is it snowing? - Do you have a black suit?
I overslept again.
We have a very important meeting in the city. Eat that.
Come on.
Ma'am, open up, please. It's important.
What? Oh, gosh.
- We don't open for half an hour. - Just open the door. It's important.
I'm sorry, we don't open for half an hour.
What's your name, ma'am?
- Darcy. - Darcy. That's a pretty name.
I'm in a fix. I need a suit for my kid. This is my son, Frank.
He needs a black suit.
There was a death in the family. My father, 85 years old, war hero.
There's a funeral this afternoon, military funeral,
planes flying overhead, 21 -gun salute.
Frank needs to borrow a suit for a couple of hours.
I'm sorry, we don't loan suits and we're not open.
Darcy, please. Come back.
Darcy, is this yours?
I just found it in the parking lot.
Must have slipped right off your neck.
Don't hit the curb.
Now get out, walk around the back and hold the door open for me.
- What's next? - Okay. Stop grinning.
When I get inside, go back to the front seat and wait.
Even if a cop comes and writes you a ticket,
don't move the car, understood?
Dad, what's all this for?
You know why the Yankees always win?
Because they have Mickey Mantle?
No, it's because the other teams can't stop staring at those damn pinstripes.
Watch this. The manager of Chase Manhattan Bank
is about to open the door for your father.
Mr. Abagnale,
we don't usually loan money to people
who have unresolved business with the IRS.
That's a misunderstanding. I hired the wrong guy to do my books.
A mistake anybody could make.
I just need you guys to help me weather the storm.
You're being investigated by the government for tax fraud.
My store is a landmark in New Rochelle.
I have customers all over New York.
You're not a customer at Chase Manhattan.
We don't know you.
I'm sure your bank in New Rochelle could help you out.
My bank went out of business.
Banks like this one put them out of business.
I know I made a mistake, I admit that. But these people want blood.
They want my store. They've threatened to put me in jail.
This is America, right? I'm not a criminal.
I'm a Medal of Honor winner. A member of the New Rochelle Rotary Club.
All I'm asking is for you to help me beat these guys.
It's not a question of winning and losing, it's a question of risk.
You're the largest bank in the world. Where's the...
Where's the risk?
How could you let him take our car like that?
He didn't take anything, we took him. He overpaid by 500.
Come on, Frank. Let's return the suit.
This place is good.
It's small, but it's gonna be a lot less work.
A lot less work for you.
Hey, Dad.
Hi.
Where is your mother?
I don't know.
She said something about going to look for a job.
What's she going to be, a shoe salesman at a centipede farm?
What are you doing?
You want some pancakes?
For dinner? On my son's 16th birthday?
We're not going to eat pancakes.
Why are you looking at me like that? You thought I forgot?
- I didn't think you forgot. - I opened a checking account
in your name.
I put $25 in the account so you can buy whatever you want.
- Don't tell your mother. - I won't.
Thanks, Dad.
Didn't that bank turn you down for a loan?
Yes, they all turned me down.
Then why you opening a banking account with them?
Because one day, you'll want something from these people.
A house, a car...
They have all the money.
There's 50 checks there, Frank,
which means, from this day on,
you're in their little club.
I'm in their little club.
You got that, you got it all.
It's even got my name there.
- To the moon. - To the moon.
To the moon.
See that? It's just a school.
No different than Westbourne.
Ma, you said you were going to quit.
Frankie, you don't have to wear the uniform here.
Why don't you take off your jacket?
I'm used to it.
- Excuse me. - Yes?
Do you know where room 17, French is?
Yeah...
You selling encyclopedias?
He looks like a substitute teacher.
Quiet down, people!
My name is Mr. Abagnale!
That's Abagnale, not Abagnolee,
not Abagnelee, but Abagnale.
Now, somebody please tell me where you left off in your textbooks.
Excuse me, people. If I need to ask again,
I'm gonna write up the entire class.
Take your seats!
Chapter seven.
Would you please open your textbooks to chapter eight
and we'll get started.
- Excuse me. What's your name? - Brad.
Why don't you get up here
in front of the class and read conversation number five?
They sent for me.
They said they needed a sub for Roberta.
I came all the way from Dixon.
I always sub for Roberta.
Excuse me, why aren't you reading?
I'll never come back to Bellarmine-Jefferson again!
You tell them not to call me.
Do they think it's easy for a woman my age
and all the money that it costs to travel?
I tell you, they don't give a damn.
Mr. and Mrs. Abagnale,
this is not a question of your son's attendance.
I regret to inform you that for the past week,
Frank has been teaching Mrs. Glasser's French class.
He what?
Your son has been pretending to be a substitute teacher.
Lecturing the students, giving out homework...
Mrs. Glasser has been ill,
and there was some confusion with the real sub.
Your son held a teacher-parent conference yesterday
and was planning a class field trip
to a French bread factory in Trenton.
Do you see the problem we have?
I've a note to miss fifth and sixth period today. Doctor's appointment.
One moment. I'll be right with you.
- You should fold it. - What?
That note. It's a fake, right? You should fold it.
It's a note from my mom. I have a doctor's appointment.
Yeah, but there's no crease in the paper.
When your mom hands you a note to miss school,
the first thing you do is fold it and put it in your pocket.
If it's real, where's the crease?
Frankie.
Ma, I'm home.
Remember that girl Joanna I was telling you about?
I asked her out today.
Think we're going to go to the junior prom.
Ma, is this my driver's license?
That's all there is, two bedrooms.
Frankie.
You remember Dad's friend?
Jack Barnes. From the club.
Hello.
He came by looking for your father.
I was giving him a tour of the apartment.
It's very spacious, Paula.
Dad is at the store.
So, Frank,
you're getting to look more like your old man every day.
Thanks for the sandwich, Paula.
- I'll see you later. - Wait.
Is this yours?
Oh.
Thanks, Frank. That's the President's pin.
I'd be in deep trouble if I lost that.
I'll see you all later.
Are you hungry, Frankie? I'll make you a sandwich.
Jack wanted to talk business with your father.
He thinks we should get a lawyer and sue the government.
That it's not legal, what they're doing to us.
Why aren't you saying anything?
You're not going to tell him, are you?
No.
That's right. There's nothing to tell.
I'm going out for a few hours to visit some old friends from the tennis club.
When I get home, we'll all have dinner together.
Right?
But you won't say anything because it's just silly,
isn't it?
How could we sue anybody?
Do you need some money, Frankie?
A few dollars to buy some record albums?
Here. Take $5.
Or 10.
You promised you were going to quit.
Ma, I'm home.
Hey, hey!
You stay away from me. You hear me?
I don't know who you are, but if you come back here...
Frank, calm down, will you? I'm Dick Keener.
I want you to leave your things here, follow me into the next room.
Okay? They're all waiting for you.
You don't have to be scared. I'm right here, Frank.
I'll always be here.
But there are laws. Everything in this country has to be legal.
So what we need to do is make some decisions.
That's what Mr. Keener is here for.
Many times these decisions are left up to the courts.
But that can be very expensive, people fighting over their children.
Nobody is fighting.
Look at me, Frank. Nobody is fighting.
Do you remember your grandma? Eve? She arrived this morning.
Hello.
Do you understand what we're saying to you, Frank?
Your father and I are getting a divorce.
Nothing's going to change. We're still gonna see each other.
- Stop it, please. Don't interrupt. - You don't have to read all of this.
Most of it is for your parents, boring adult business.
But this paragraph right here, this is important
because it states who you're gonna live with
after the divorce.
Whose custody you will be in.
And there's a blank space right here.
I want you to go into the kitchen, sit at the table
and put a name down.
You can take as long as you want,
but when you come back into this room,
I want to see a name on that line.
Frank, just write down a name and this will all be over.
It's going to be okay.
Dad, what name?
Your mother or your father.
Just put the name there. It's as simple as that.
And don't look so scared. It's not a test.
There's no wrong answer.
One ticket to Grand Central, please.
That will be $3.50, sir.
Is it okay if I write you a check?
Carl, when do I get to call my father?
You can call him when we get to New York.
We leave for the airport in seven hours.
Until then, just sit there.
Be quiet.
On the other side of the hotel, they got suites that face the park.
It's the best room the FBI can afford.
It's okay, I've stayed in worse.
Please. You have to listen.
I don't want to hear your story. Two checks bounced.
You know how much trouble I'm in?
No, but listen. I'm telling you. The bank, they made the mistake.
I'll write you another check right now!
What? Do I look like I was born yesterday?
Look, it's midnight. Where am I going to go?
You're a goddamn kid. Go home.
I hope you understand. My boss sent me to Brooklyn, then Queens.
Now he wants me in Long Island
to take a few clients out for a night on the town.
I'm sorry, but we're not allowed to cash checks from other banks.
- How would we know if they were good? - What did you say your name was?
- Ashley. - Ashley.
You know what I found on the sidewalk out there?
Must have slipped right off your neck.
Is there something I can help you with, son?
It's my grandmother's birthday next week
and I want to get her something extra special.
Please, it's my midterm next week and my books were stolen.
Please, just $5. No one would have to know.
I'm sorry, but we are not allowed to take checks
from people we don't know.
Welcome to New York.
Pleasure to have you back, Captain.
What do you think, Angelo? The tomatoes are ripe this afternoon.
What have we here?
- Can I have your autograph? - You betcha.
- Can I have your autograph, too? - You gonna be a pilot?
There you go. Work hard in school.
Dear Dad,
I've decided to become an airline pilot.
I've applied to all the big airlines,
and I have several promising interviews lined up.
How is Mom? Have you called her lately?
Love, your son, Frank.
Hello.
I'm Frank Black from Murrow High School,
and I have an appointment with Mr. Morgan.
You're the young man who's writing the article for the school paper.
Yes, ma'am. That's me.
I want to know everything there is to know about being a pilot.
What airports does Pan Am fly to? What does a pilot make in a year?
Who tells them where they're gonna fly to?
- Slow down. Take them one at a time. - All right.
What does it mean when one pilot says to another pilot,
"What kind of equipment are you on?"
They want to know what aircraft you're flying. DC-8, 707, Constellation...
And what about those ID badges that I've seen pilots wear?
Every pilot must have two things with him at all times.
One is his airline personnel badge, looks just like this one from Pan Am.
The other one is their FAA license.
And that looks just like this.
Oh...
Do you think I could make a copy of this to put into my article?
Frank, you can have that one, it's three years expired.
Thanks. And what about your ID badge?
Do you have an extra one I could borrow?
No, I can't help you there.
Those are special-ordered from Polaroid.
The only way to get one is to become a real live pilot
for Pan American Airways.
Pan Am, may I help you?
Yeah. Hello, I'm calling about a uniform.
- Hold for Purchasing. - Thank you.
Purchasing.
I'm a copilot based out of San Francisco.
I flew a flight into New York last night,
but the problem is I'm headed out to Paris in three hours.
How can we help you?
I sent my uniform to be cleaned through the hotel
and I guess they must have lost it.
They lost a uniform. Happens all the time.
Go down to the Well-Built Uniform Company at 9th and Broadway.
They're our uniform supplier.
I'll tell Mr. Rosen you're coming.
You look too young to be a pilot.
I'm a copilot.
Why so nervous?
How would you feel if you lost your uniform first week on the job?
Relax. Pan Am has got lots of uniforms.
It's gonna be $164.
Great. I'll write you a check.
Sorry, no checks, no cash.
You'll have to fill in your employee ID number.
I'll bill Pan Am, and they'll take it out of your next paycheck.
Even better.
Dear Dad,
you always told me that an honest man has nothing to fear.
So I'm trying my best not to be afraid.
I'm sorry I ran away, but you don't have to worry.
I'm gonna get it all back now, Daddy. I promise. I'm gonna get it all back.
Are you a real live pilot?
I sure am, little lady. What's your name?
- Celine. - Celine, it's a pleasure to meet you.
It's a pleasure to meet you, too.
That's 50, 70, 80, 90,
$100.
You have yourself a great time in Paris.
I always do.
Excuse me.
I'm John Modiger. I manage this branch.
I want to thank you for coming in and using our institution.
It's a pleasure to meet you, John. I'll be back again.
Good.
Have you stayed with us before?
No, I've been primarily based on the West Coast.
Is it all right if I write you a check for the room?
- No problem, sir. - Great.
I was also wondering if I could write you a personal check?
For airline personnel, we cash personal checks up to $100.
Payroll checks we cash up to 300.
Did you say 300 for a payroll check?
Dear Dad,
I've decided to become a pilot for Pan American Airways,
the most trusted name in the skies.
They've accepted me into their training program and told me if I work hard,
I should earn my wings real soon.
Please get in touch with Joanna Carlton from the 10th grade.
Tell her I'm sorry that I could not take her to the junior prom.
Love, your son, Frank.
- Hello, how are you? - Fine, thank you.
I have a payroll check I'd like to cash.
Certainly.
Excuse me.
I'm sure you hear this all the time,
but you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.
Yeah, I do get that all the time.
How would you like it?
I'm sorry, sir. We won't have any cash until the banks open in an hour.
But I'm sure they can cash your check at the airport.
The airport?
Who cashes checks at the airport?
The airlines. They've always taken care of their own.
- Hello. - Hi. Are you deadheading?
What?
Are you my deadhead to Miami?
Yes.
Yeah, I'm the deadhead. Here you go.
You're a little late, but the jump seat is open.
It's been a while since I've done this. Which one is the jump seat again?
Have a nice flight.
Are you my deadhead?
Frank, Captain Oliver. John Larkin, the copilot.
Fred Tulley, flight engineer.
Frank Taylor, Pan Am. Thanks for giving me a lift, boys.
Go ahead and take a seat, Frank. We're about to push.
What kind of equipment you on, DC-8?
707.
You turning around on the red-eye?
I'm jumping puddles for the next few months,
trying to earn my keep running leap frogs for the weak and weary.
No shame in that. We all did it.
- Have a seat. - Thank you.
Would you like a drink after takeoff?
Milk?
- Eighty knots. - Check.
V-one. Rotate.
V-two. Positive rate.
Gear up.
Dear Dad, today was graduation.
I am now a copilot, earning $1,400 a month, plus benefits.
And the best part is, they tell me my family can fly for free.
So tell Mom to pack her bags and buy a new swimsuit
because I'm taking us all to Hawaii for Christmas.
I love you, Dad. Aloha, Frank.
- Hello, deadhead. - Hello.
Enjoying your free ride?
Marci,
did you drop this?
- Must have slipped right off your neck. - No.
No!
Yes, yes, yes!
Why are you stopping?
I want to tell you something, Marci.
This is by far
the best date I have ever been on.
Welcome to Miami Mutual Bank. How may I help you?
My name is Frank Taylor. I'm a copilot for Pan Am.
I'd like to cash this check and then
I'd like to take you out for a steak dinner.
Then we feed the checks into the MICR machine,
which uses special ink to encode
the account numbers on the bottom of the checks.
And where are these numbers?
- They're right here. - Right there?
They're called routing numbers.
So where do the checks get routed to?
I don't exactly know. Nobody ever asked me that before.
Our next item up for bid is also from the Jersey Central Bank foreclosure.
This is a MICR encoder, a machine used to encode bank checks.
Do I have an opening bid?
Our unknown subject is a paperhanger
who started working on the East Coast.
In the last few weeks, this unsub has developed
a new form of check fraud I'm calling "The Float."
What he's doing is he's opening checking accounts at various banks,
then changing the MICR ink routing numbers at the bottom of those checks.
Next slide, please. Next slide, please.
The remote thing is broken. You'll have to do it by hand.
Agent Mullen, it should be the square button by the side.
This carousel doesn't work. It's a bad carousel.
- Thank you. - Move it manually.
This is a map of the 12 banks of the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Slide.
MICR scanners at every bank read these numbers
at the bottom of the check. Slide.
And then ship that check off to its corresponding branch.
Carl, for those of us who are unfamiliar with bank fraud,
you mind telling us what the hell you're talking about?
The East Coast branches are numbered 01 to 06.
The central branch is 07, 08, so on and so forth.
You mean those numbers at the bottom of a check actually mean something?
All of this was in the report I filed two days ago. If you change
a 02 to a 12, that means that check,
which was cashed in New York,
does not go to the New York Federal Branch,
but it is re-routed all the way to the San Francisco Federal Branch.
The bank doesn't even know the check has bounced for two weeks.
Which means our unsub can stay in one place,
paper the same city over and over again while his checks circle the country.
You want to talk to my wife.
She's the one who balances the checkbook at our house.
Next slide.
Daddy.
My son, the birdman. That's some uniform, Frank.
What do you think?
Nice.
Sit down.
Dad, have you gotten the postcards?
Of course.
This fork is ice-cold.
No, Dad, that's a chilled salad fork.
It's a fancy restaurant, you know.
Here.
- I got you something. - What's that?
Open it.
You know what those are, right?
Those are the keys to a 1965 Cadillac DeVille convertible.
Brand-new, Dad. Red with white interior,
split seats, air conditioning, the works.
Are you giving me a Cadillac?
I'm giving you a Cadillac.
Dad, she's parked downstairs.
When we're done eating lunch, why don't you drive on over to Mom's house,
pick her up, take a little joy ride?
Do you know what would happen
if the IRS found out I was driving around in a new coupe?
I took the train here, Frank. I'm taking the train home.
All right.
I have plenty of money.
You know, if you ever need anything.
You worried? About me?
No, I'm not worried.
You think I can't buy my own car?
Two mice fell in a bucket of cream, Frank.
Which one am I?
You're that second mouse.
I went by the store today.
I had to close the store for a while. It's all about timing, Frank.
Goddamn government knows that. They hit you when you're down.
I wasn't going to let them take it from me, so I just
shut the doors myself, called their bluff.
Sooner or later, they'll forget about me.
I understand.
Have you told Ma?
She's so stubborn, your mother.
Don't worry, I'm not going to let her go without a fight.
I'm fighting for us...
Dad?
...since the day we met.
Daddy, out of all those men,
you were the one that took her home, remember that?
Two hundred men
sitting in that tiny social hall, watching her dance.
- What was the name of that town? - Montrichard, Dad.
I didn't speak a word of French,
and six weeks later, she was my wife.
She is your wife.
My son bought me a Cadillac today. I think that calls for a toast.
To the best damn pilot in the sky.
It's not what you think. I'm just a copilot.
You see these people staring at you?
These are the most powerful people in New York City.
They keep peeking over their shoulders, wondering where you're going tonight.
Where you going, Frank?
Dad, nobody's staring at me.
Some place exotic?
Just tell me where you're going.
Los... Hollywood.
Hollywood?
Come here.
The rest of us really are suckers.
So I got on this red dress and these high heels, right?
I got a bra out here.
I'm chasing two Puerto Rican guys through the park.
They got a suitcase filled with bank robbery loot.
Okay, I'm screaming out, "FBI, freeze!"
I'm reaching for my gun, but I can't find it in the bra.
It's so damn big, I thought I was going to shoot my tits off.
That's a funny story. People always laugh at that story.
Let me ask you a question, Mr. Amdursky.
If you had so much fun undercover, why did you transfer to bank fraud?
I didn't transfer. I was censured and reassigned.
It's like being punished. I was punished. I screwed up in the field.
What about you, Mr. Fox, were you punished for screwing up in the field?
No, I've never worked in the field before.
I audited background investigations
of Department of Justice clerical applicants.
That's just great. I ask for a team and they drag the bottom of the Pacific.
Mind if I ask you a question, Agent Hanratty?
How come you're so serious all the time?
Does it bother you, Mr. Amdursky?
Yeah, it does bother me.
Does it bother you, Mr. Fox?
A little, I guess.
Would you like to hear me tell a joke?
Yeah, we'd love to hear a joke from you.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Go fuck yourselves.
He cashed three checks. They all cleared.
I was going to deposit this one today.
I don't want any trouble.
No trouble.
No trouble at all.
We'll just take this check and be on our way. Thank you.
Because I don't want my customers harassed.
What are you saying? He's still here?
201.
Thank you.
- Corner here. - Thanks, son.
- Some steps. - Steps.
Mr. Murphy, how are you?
- Is that Frank? - Yeah, it's Frank.
- Hey, Frank. How are you? - How's the knee?
Come on, I'll race you right now.
- Take care. - Okay, Frank.
Eyeball the back? Come on, Carl.
This guy's a pen-and-ink man, a goddamn paperhanger.
Why can't we go with you, Carl?
Keep your eyes open, do your job and I'll buy you both a Good Humor bar.
It's all right, ma'am. FBI.
201.
FBI!
FBI.
Come out of the bathroom!
Step out of the bathroom!
- Hands on your head. - That's the new IBM Selectric...
- Put your hands on your head! - ...print type in five seconds...
Shut up!
Put your hands on your head!
He's got over 200 checks, a gallon of India ink, drafting...
Even has little payroll envelopes addressed to himself...
- Put it down! Drop it! - Relax!
You're late, all right?
My name's Barry Allen, United States Secret Service.
Your boy just tried to jump out the window.
My partner has him in custody.
I don't know what you're talking about.
You think the FBI are the only ones on this guy? Come on.
He's dabbling in government checks.
We've been following a paper trail on this guy for months now.
You mind taking that gun out of my face?
Please. Really. It makes me nervous.
Let me see some credentials.
Yeah, sure.
Take my whole wallet.
You want my gun, too? Come over here, take my gun.
Hey. Hey, look.
Just do me a favor, take a look outside. Look out the window.
My partner's walking him to the car as we speak. Look.
Old guy almost pissed in his pants when I came through the door.
He jumped right through the window onto the hood of my car.
Murph?
Call the LAPD. I don't want people walking through my crime scene.
I didn't expect the Secret Service on this.
Don't worry about it. What's your name?
Hanratty, Carl Hanratty.
Mind if I see some identification?
You never can be too careful these days.
Well, tough luck, Carl.
Five minutes earlier, you would've landed yourself a pretty good collar.
Is that right? Ten seconds later, you'd have been shot.
Mind if I come downstairs with you? I got to take a look at this guy.
Sure thing. Just do me a favor and sit tight for a sec
while I get this evidence downstairs.
I don't want some maid walking through here and making the bed.
- LAPD should be here any sec. - Wait.
Your wallet.
You hang onto it for a minute. I trust you.
Secret Service.
Hey!
God damn it!
It was stupid. I made a stupid mistake.
Forget about it.
There are hundreds of unknown subjects out there.
I can get this guy. The worst thing a paperhanger can do is show his face.
I read the report.
Six feet tall, brown hair, 27 to 30 years of age, 160 pounds.
This could be almost anybody.
I heard his voice. I saw his face.
There's nothing for him to hide behind anymore.
Just be careful.
You got 12 years in.
Nobody bothers you down on the first floor.
You practically wrote the book on bank fraud.
That's the kind of thing that can make you section chief someday.
Just don't put yourself in this type of position.
What type of position?
The position of being humiliated.
Sean, would you like to hear me tell a joke?
Yeah. Sure.
Knock, knock.
My next question is, when a pilot retires,
Pan Am sends them a check every single month?
Yeah, pension program sends a check and benefits.
How much is that check for?
Kid, I'm really not in the mood for this right now.
This Skywayman's driving me crazy.
Who's the Skywayman?
Some nut flying around the country, posing as a Pan Am pilot.
There's a column about him in the paper today.
I keep telling them it's not my problem. This guy doesn't even fly Pan Am.
Flies everybody else. Flies United, TWA,
Continental, Eastern.
The Skywayman.
Newspaper loves this clown.
They call him the James Bond of the sky.
Did you say...
Bond, James Bond.
Tell me, Joan, why does he do it?
He likes to win.
We'll be landing in 20 minutes.
Do you want to play it easy, or the hard way?
And this isn't a tranquilizer.
Pussy, you know a lot more about planes than guns.
Hello, Pussy.
You're sure this is the suit, right?
Positive.
It's the exact suit he wore in the movie.
Okay. I'll take three.
Certainly, Mr. Fleming.
Now all you need is one of those little foreign sports cars that he drives.
- Hello. - Hi.
Haven't I seen you before?
Maybe.
A couple of years ago, I was on the cover of Seventeen.
You're that model, right? Cheryl.
Guys used to put your picture on their lockers.
Isn't that your silver car I saw parked out front?
Yeah. One of them.
So, think I could get an autograph?
Do you have a pen in your room?
A man like you can buy anything he wants.
He buys a deck of cards at the hotel gift shop.
You want to see a card trick?
How much did these cards cost?
I don't know, 55 cents, I think.
And if they sold me downstairs at the hotel gift shop,
how much would you pay?
I'm sorry, how much would I pay for what?
The entire night.
How much would you pay me for the entire night?
Cheryl, I really don't know.
Don't be scared.
Make me an offer.
300?
Go fish.
$500?
Go fish.
600.
Go fish!
$1,000.
Okay.
$1,000.
Okay.
I'll be right back.
Wait a second, where are you going?
I'm going downstairs to cash a check.
You think this hotel is going to cash a $1,000 check at 3:00 AM?
It's a New York Savings and Loan check. It's like gold. They'll cash it.
Don't you think they might get a little suspicious? Let me see that.
It's a cashier's check. Endorse it over to me.
I couldn't do that.
This check is for 1,400. We agreed upon 1,000.
Why don't I give you back 400
and you give me that check?
Even better.
Does this belong to anybody?
This is Hanratty. Merry Christmas.
Hello, Carl.
Hello.
Barry Allen, Secret Service.
I've been trying to track you down now for the last couple of hours.
What do you want?
I wanted to apologize for what happened out in Los Angeles.
No, you don't apologize to me.
Do you always work on Christmas Eve, Carl?
I volunteered
so the men with families could go home early.
Looked like you were wearing a wedding ring out in Los Angeles.
I thought maybe you had a family.
No. No family.
You want to talk to me? Let's talk face to face.
All right.
I'm at my suite at the Stuyvesant Arms, room 3113.
In the morning, I leave for Las Vegas for the weekend.
You think you're going to get me again?
You're not going to Vegas, you're not in the Stuyvesant Arms.
You'd love for me to send out 20 agents, Christmas Eve, barge into your hotel,
knock down the door so you can make fools out of us all.
I'm really sorry if I made a fool out of you. I really am.
No.
No. You do not feel sorry for me.
The truth is, I knew it was you. I didn't get the cuffs on you, but I knew.
People only know what you tell them, Carl.
Then tell me this, Barry Allen, Secret Service.
How did you know I wouldn't look in your wallet?
The same reason the Yankees always win.
Nobody can keep their eyes off the pinstripes.
The Yankees win because they have Mickey Mantle.
No one ever bets on the uniform.
You sure about that, Carl?
I'll tell you what I am sure of.
You're going to get caught.
One way or another, it's a mathematical fact. It's like Vegas.
The house always wins.
Well, Carl, I'm sorry, but I have to go.
You didn't call just to apologize, did you?
What do you mean?
You have no one else to call.
Whoa!
More coffee, sir?
- Are you a collector? - Of what?
Captives of the Cosmic Ray,
The Big Freeze, Land of the Golden Giants.
- I've got them all. - What are you talking about?
Barry Allen.
The Flash.
Wait, kid.
You mean, like the comic book?
Yeah, the comic book. When he's not The Flash, that's his name, Barry Allen.
Thank you.
Now get this, he reads comic books!
Comic books! Barry Allen is The Flash!
Carl, slow down. I don't know what the hell you're talking about.
He's a kid. Our unsub is a kid.
That's why we couldn't match his prints, that's why he doesn't have a record.
I want you to contact NYPD for every
all-points juvenile runaways in New York City.
Don't forget the airports. He's been kiting checks all over the country.
- Why New York? - The Yankees!
He said something about the Yankees!
Where are we on the list?
Number 53, Abagnale.
Good morning, ma'am, we're the FBI agents who called.
Yes, I've been waiting.
I hope you're all hungry. I put out the Sara Lee.
My husband, Jack, is a lawyer.
What about your first husband, Mrs. Abagnale?
Abagnale. But I prefer to be called Barnes.
"Frank William Abagnale." It says he was in the service.
Did you two meet during the war?
Yeah, I lived in a very small village in France, Montrichard.
The kind of place where they never heard of Sara Lee.
Help yourselves.
Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee.
You filled out a missing person's report
for a runaway juvenile by the name of Frank Abagnale, Jr.
Is Frankie okay?
You're aware of the fact that he wrote some checks
on a closed account at Chase Manhattan Bank?
Yes. The police think he's some type of criminal.
What he did was a felony, Mrs. Barnes.
It was $1,000.
Half the kids his age are on dope, throwing rocks at police.
And they scared me to death because my son made a little mistake.
A 17-year-old boy has to eat,
has to have a place to sleep.
We understand, ma'am.
Would you happen to have a picture of your son?
Yes, I have his old yearbook.
Okay.
We need to send out an all-office teletype.
Our unsub's name is Frank Abagnale, Jr., age 17!
Is Frankie okay? Is he in trouble?
Ma'am, I'm sorry to have to tell you, your son is forging checks.
Forging checks? Wait! I'm sure we can take care of that.
I'm working part-time at the church now.
Just tell me how much he owes and I'll pay you back.
So far, it's about $1 .3 million.
Hi, Melanie, how are you?
When you're in the house, please use an ashtray.
Frank, this fondue is so good!
- Great. Take this. - Good, I love Moët!
James, please! Stay away from the hi-fi system, all right?
It's a reel-to-reel, you can't wind it like that.
Christ, Terry! This is Italian knit!
- Watch where you're going! - It's just a shirt, man!
Frank! Come quick!
Lance just fell into the conversation pit!
Excuse me, you know where Lance Applebaum is?
Thank you.
These bottles need to be labeled when you pick them up!
Do you understand how dangerous this is? Do you?
Don't stand there crying. Nod your head. Tell me you won't do it again.
Now dry up and get back to work.
You okay?
He told me to pick up the blood, so I did.
But he never told me to label it.
It's okay, stop crying.
What's your name?
Brenda.
Brenda, I wouldn't worry about it.
These doctors don't know everything.
It's my first week.
I think they're going to fire me.
No, nobody's going to fire you, Brenda.
I bet you're good at your job.
No, I'm not.
I bet if I asked you to check on the status
of my friend Lance Applebaum,
you could do that for me in a second.
Mr. Applebaum fractured his ankle.
Dr. Ashland is treating him in exam room seven.
You see that? No problem.
This is the emergency chart.
See that blue star? That means the patient has been diagnosed.
And then after he's been treated, we put a red circle here. See?
How do you like those braces?
I guess they're all right.
I got mine off last year.
Boy, I hated them. They were bottoms.
I still got to wear my mouth guard.
You have really nice teeth.
Well, thank you.
And you have a pretty smile.
No, I mean it. I really think those braces look good on you.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Brenda.
Yeah.
Do you know if they're hiring here at the hospital?
I'm not sure. What do you want to do?
I'm a doctor.
Dear Dad,
I decided to get off the road for a while.
I've taken a night job at a hospital and met some really nice people.
Feels good to have my feet on the ground,
to wake up in the same bed every night.
Who knows, maybe I'll even find someone to settle down with.
"Harvard Medical School." Top of your class.
"Southern California Children's Hospital."
That is a pretty impressive résumé, Dr. Conners.
Unfortunately,
the only thing I need is
an emergency room supervisor for my midnight to 8:00 AM shift.
Someone to babysit six interns and 20 nurses.
But...
Hell, I doubt that you'd be interested in that.
In the past, they've always let me choose my own nurses.
Dr. Connelly.
- Dr. Harris. - Present.
Dr. Ashland.
Dr. Conners?
You gonna take roll every night?
Yes, I will, Dr. Ashland.
And if you're going to be late, I suggest you bring a note.
Miss Basmann.
Miss Mace.
Miss Strong.
Here.
Nurse Brown.
Nurse Sanford.
Thirty milligrams of codeine every four hours.
Run the plasma at 60 drops a minute till we calculate the fluid requirements.
What do you estimate the degree and extent of the burns, Kildare?
Second and third-degree burns over about 20% of the body surface.
Do you concur?
I concur. Let's get him up to Pediatrics.
Hello, Brenda.
Hi, Dr. Conners.
- You need to sign these. - Thank you.
Do you notice anything different about me?
You got your braces off! Come here.
I've been trying to show you all night!
Wow.
Good job.
Did it hurt when they took them off? Mine felt so weird after.
I keep rubbing my tongue over them. I can't stop!
They're so slippery.
- It feels good, doesn't it? - Yeah, it feels incredible.
Oh, my!
I'm sorry.
Dr. Conners to the E.R. Dr. Conners to the E.R.
Shouldn't you go?
No. They have a staff doctor in the emergency ward, we'll be fine.
What if he's in surgery?
Do you really think I have to go?
In here, Dr. Conners.
Gentlemen, what seems to be the problem?
Bicycle accident. A fractured tibia about five inches below the patella.
Dr. Harris.
Do you concur?
Concur with what, sir?
With what Dr. Ashland just said. Do you concur?
Well, it was a bicycle accident. The boy told us.
So you concur?
We should take an X-ray, stitch him up and put him in a walking cast.
Very good, Dr. Ashland. Very good.
Well, you don't seem to have much need for me.
Carry on.
I blew it, didn't I?
Why didn't I concur?
Make yourself at home!
Frank Abagnale, Sr.
You're not a cop.
Special Agent Hanratty, FBI.
You're not a cop. My landlord said you were not a cop.
If you're going to arrest me, I'd like to put on a different suit.
- If that's okay... - I'm not here to arrest you.
I'm looking for your son. He's in trouble.
Do you know where he is?
If I tell you where he is, will you promise not to tell his mother?
Sure.
Frank made up a fake ID and enlisted in the Marine Corps.
He's over in Vietnam right now.
That kid is halfway around the world,
crawling through the damn jungle, fighting the communists, so...
Please, don't come to my home and call my boy a criminal...
I never said he was a criminal, Mr. Abagnale. I said he was in trouble.
If you'd like to give me a call and talk, here's my number.
You're not a father, are you?
Pardon me?
If you were a father, you'd know.
I would never give up my son. I would never give up my son.
Yes, sir. I understand.
Sean, now get this.
"Riverbend Apartments, 415 Landover, Atlanta, Georgia."
Atlanta, Georgia.
I'm on my way to the airport. I'll meet the team in four hours. Bye-bye!
Come on, it's okay.
You don't have to cry.
I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Frank! I can't do this.
Brenda, listen to me.
I don't care if you're a virgin, all right?
Really, I can wait.
I'm not a virgin.
I had an abortion two years ago.
My parents had a friend do it.
A man that my father plays golf with.
And when I got better, they kicked me out of the house.
I had an abortion and I wasn't their daughter anymore!
I'm so sorry. Please don't be mad at me.
No, no.
Please don't be mad at me.
What if I spoke to your parents?
Maybe I can straighten things out.
I ask them all the time, but they said I still can't come home.
And my daddy's a lawyer.
Brenda?
What if you were engaged to a doctor?
Would that change anything?
What?
What if I went to your parents,
and I spoke to your father
and I asked permission to marry you?
- It's empty. - Nobody here.
Dr. Conners, are you Lutheran?
Yes, I am a Lutheran.
But please, call me Frank.
Frank, would you like to say grace?
Unless you're not comfortable.
Absolutely.
Two little mice fell into a bucket of cream.
The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned,
but the second mouse struggled so hard
that he eventually churned that cream into butter,
and he walked out.
Amen.
That was beautiful.
The mouse churned that cream into butter.
That's right.
Thank you.
Frank, have you decided which hospital you want to work at in New Orleans?
To be quite honest, I'm thinking about getting back into law.
Oh, my! Are you a doctor or a lawyer?
Before I went to medical school, I passed the bar in California.
I practiced law for one year, then I decided,
why not try my hand at pediatrics?
You're just full of surprises.
Yeah.
A doctor and a lawyer. Brenda hit the jackpot.
Where did you go to law school?
Berkeley.
Oh, my gosh. Isn't that where you went, Daddy?
Maybe Frank could come work for you, Roger.
You're always saying how hard it is to find assistant prosecutors.
Could he, Daddy? Could he, please? Could he come work with you, please?
Was that snake Hollingsworth
still teaching there when you went through Berkeley?
Hollingsworth.
Yes. Grumpy old Hollingsworth, right?
Meaner than ever.
And that dog of his?
Tell me, Frank, what was the name of his little dog?
I'm sorry.
The dog was dead.
Oh.
How unfortunate.
Yeah.
A doctor, a lawyer, a Lutheran.
So, what are you, Frank?
'Cause I think you're about to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage,
and I have a right to know.
Know what, sir?
The truth.
Tell me the truth, Frank.
What are you doing here?
What is a man like you doing with Brenda?
If you want my blessing, if you want my daughter,
I'd like to hear it from you now.
The truth is, sir...
The truth is that...
I'm not a doctor, I'm not a lawyer.
I'm not an airline pilot.
I'm nothing, really.
I'm just a kid who's in love with your daughter.
No.
You know what you are?
You're a romantic.
Men like us are nothing without the women we love.
I must confess, I'm guilty of the same foolish whimsy.
I proposed to Carol after five dates
with two nickels in my pockets and holes in my shoes
because I knew she was the one.
So go ahead, Frank.
Don't be afraid.
Ask the question you came here to ask me.
What would I have to do to take the bar here in New Orleans?
No, the other question.
Right through that door.
Good luck, Mr. Conners.
Thank you.
Hey, Frank.
You know what I could never figure out?
How did you cheat on the bar exam in Louisiana?
What's the difference?
- Someone took the test for you? - I'm going to prison for a long time.
Seriously, what's the difference?
It's a simple question.
Are you going to eat that éclair?
Yeah. I'm saving it for later.
Or you want to split it with me?
No.
Give me half that éclair and I'll tell you.
I'm gonna figure it out sooner or later.
You'll be working under Phillip Rigby in corporate law.
Why don't you settle in, organize your desk?
We're having lunch at 12:30
with the Attorney General and Governor McKeithen himself.
A governor!
Did we spell it right?
You sure did.
Congratulations.
- Thank you, sir. - Welcome aboard.
Look at this photograph, Mr. Stewart.
It's a photograph of Prentice York, where they found him, dead.
Here is an enlargement of part of that photograph.
This is a photograph of the defendant's signature on a canceled check.
Here is an enlargement of that same signature, which matches
the signature on the letters that he wrote to Mrs. Simon,
which discuss the possibility of defrauding the great state of Louisiana.
Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury,
this is irrefutable evidence that the defendant is, in fact, lying.
Mr. Conners, this is a preliminary hearing.
There is no defendant.
There is no jury.
It's just me.
Son,
what in the hell is wrong with you?
Is that Mitch? Roger!
It's Mitch!
I lost all track of time.
As studio guests for the sing-along tonight,
we have the children's choir
of Saint Monica's Church in New York City.
Won't you join them and the gang in a few songs for the Irish? Everybody!
Dad?
What are you doing here?
I came to see you.
What are you doing dressed like this?
I took a government job.
You see what I'm doing? Do you have a good lawyer?
I sort of am a lawyer now.
Look at this letter. The IRS wants more.
I had a deal with them. Two penalties.
They ate the cake, now they want the crumbs.
I want to sue them.
Now they want the crumbs.
Sit down.
They're trying to scare me, intimidate me. You know what?
You know what?
I'll make them chase me
for the rest of their lives!
It's great to see you, Daddy.
Sit down, I want to show you something.
I came here to give you this.
It's an invitation to an engagement party.
Daddy, I'm getting married.
Can you believe that I'm getting married?
You don't need to worry about anything now, Dad. Listen.
I'm getting a brand-new Cadillac, I'm getting a $60,000 house,
I'm getting it all back.
All the jewelry, the furs, everything they took from us, I'll get it back.
Has Ma seen you dressed like this?
Yeah, she came to pick up some boxes.
That's okay. You know why?
Because she's going to the wedding with us.
I'm gonna get you a brand-new suit, Dad.
One of those Manhattan Eagle, three-button black pearl suits.
You'll look great.
Those are nice. She won't see me.
Have you tried to call her?
Why don't you call her right now?
Dad, just call her.
Call her for me.
Tell her I have two first-class tickets to go see her son's wedding...
You mother's married now to my friend, Jack Barnes.
They have a house in Long Island.
I had an FBI agent come see me.
You got their number, son. The guy looked scared.
The United States Government, champ, running for the hills.
Pow! To the moon!
Dad.
It's over.
I'm going to stop now.
They're never gonna catch you, Frank.
She wouldn't do that! Why would she do that to you?
Come on. Sit with me. Have a drink. I'm your father.
Then ask me to stop. Then ask me to stop.
You can't stop.
Where are you going?
Come on, Frank, where are you going?
Where are you going? Where are you going tonight?
Someplace exotic?
Where are you going tonight? Tahiti? Hawaii?
This is Hanratty.
Hello, Carl.
Merry Christmas.
How are you, Dr. Conners?
Carl, I haven't been Dr. Conners for months now.
Well,
I'm sitting here in my office on Christmas Eve.
What do you want?
Okay.
I want it to be over.
I'm getting married.
I'm settling down.
You've stolen almost $4 million.
You think we could call it a wedding present?
This isn't something you get to walk away from, Frank.
- I want to call a truce. - No truce.
You will be caught, you will go to prison.
Where did you think this was going?
Please leave me alone, Carl.
Please?
I'm getting close, aren't I?
You're scared because I'm getting close. I know
you rented a car in Shreveport, stayed in a hotel on Lake Charles.
You want to run, be my guest.
Your checks don't lie as well as you do.
Stop chasing me.
I can't stop.
It's my job.
It's okay, Carl.
I just thought I'd ask.
Hey.
Merry Christmas.
I love my job.
All right.
Let's get every newspaper in Louisiana for the last two months.
What're we looking for?
Engagement announcements. Name of Conners.
Come on, the kid would have changed his name by now.
He can't change it.
She thinks he's Conners.
If he loses the name, he loses the girl.
- Congratulations! - Having a good time?
Keep dancing.
Look who's here.
I'm going to the little boys' room.
Hurry back.
Good evening. I'm Agent Hanratty with the FBI.
We'd like to have a few kind words with your host, if possible.
I'll get him.
Right over there, sir.
Good evening, gentlemen. I'm Roger Strong.
Carl Hanratty, FBI. These are Agents Amdursky and Fox.
- Sorry to crash your party, sir. - Not at all. What can I do for you?
If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to meet the groom.
Is there a problem?
Frank! Can you hold all these?
They're checks. They're from my dad's friends.
They're for us so we can start our new life...
What are you doing? What's wrong?
We have to leave.
You love me, right?
I mean, you'd love me no matter what.
You'd love me whether I was sick or poor, or if I had a different name.
Frank, where did you get all that money?
Brenda, listen. A name doesn't matter.
My name is Frank Conners.
That's who I am with you. But we all have secrets.
Sometimes when I travel, I use the name Frank Taylor.
That's my secret.
Frank Taylor, you know. Frank Black. It doesn't matter.
Why are you saying all this?
Brenda, I don't want to lie to you anymore.
I'm not a doctor, I never went to medical school.
I'm not a lawyer, or a Harvard graduate or a Lutheran.
I ran away from home a year and a half ago when I was 16.
Frank.
You're not a Lutheran?
You see all this money? I have more.
I have plenty more.
I have enough money to last us for the rest of our lives. Look.
Frank, stop teasing me!
You're Frank Conners and you're 28 years old...
Why would you lie to me?
Brenda.
I want to know your name. Tell me your name.
We can live anywhere we want. But you have to trust me.
Do you trust me? Do you love me, Brenda?
Yes. I love you.
Excuse me, Mother.
This is Mr. Hanratty. My wife, Carol.
- Mister... - Hanratty, ma'am.
Have you seen Frank or Brenda?
I think they went upstairs.
Come here.
In two days, meet me at Miami International Airport.
Leave the house after your parents go to sleep. Take a taxicab.
Give the taxi driver this money. Tell him to drive all through the night.
You're gonna leave at 10:00 AM.
10:00 AM. All right?
- Which room, sir? - In the corner.
You have to listen. The International Terminal in Miami. Say it.
No matter what, take a taxicab, be there at 10:00 AM.
I'll be there at 10:00 AM no matter what.
In two days. Two days, Brenda. Two days.
In two days I'll be there, no matter what, at 10:00 AM.
We're not gonna tell anyone, Brenda. You have to promise me now.
Please! Before you go, please tell me your name. Tell me.
Frank William Abagnale, Jr.
Brenda.
- This guy is a no-show. - Maybe he was tipped.
He's not here today, it'll be tomorrow.
We'll get him before he leaves the country.
He doesn't have a passport.
For the last six months, he's gone to Harvard and Berkeley.
I'm betting he can get a passport.
Our men are waiting for him here in Miami International.
He's used it before, he knows the layout.
The Miami police offered us 50 uniformed cops in two shifts of 25.
With our guys, that's almost 100 men in one airport.
Don't you think we should spread it around?
No, this is the exit point.
How do you know he hasn't rented a car
and driven to airports in New York, Atlanta?
Because I'm not in New York. I'm not in Atlanta.
Yes. This is Frank Roberts.
I'm letting all the universities in the area know
that Pan Am will be initiating a new recruiting program this year.
I'll be stopping by your campus tomorrow morning.
Thank you all very much for coming.
At the end of the day, I'll be choosing eight young ladies
to be a part of
Pan Am's future stewardess flight crew program.
These eight young ladies will accompany me on
a two-month public relations tour through Europe
where they will discover firsthand what it takes
to be a Pan American stewardess.
Give me at least two men, no, one man per every two counters.
Amdursky?
Make sure your uniforms are covering the sidewalks, entrances and exits.
Let's have periodic sweeps of the men's lav.
What qualifies me to be a future stewardess?
Well, I think that I'm really friendly and I can really help out
and make people feel welcome on the plane and...
We'll be traveling at 6,000 miles per hour,
at an altitude of 300 feet.
All my bags are packed
I'm ready to go
Ilene Anderson.
Miggy Acker.
Debra Jo McMillan.
Candy Heston.
- Did you see that blonde out front? - I should have been a pilot.
Exactly.
Mr. Hanratty, pick up the courtesy telephone.
Hanratty.
Your walkie-talkie wasn't working.
There's a guy in a Pan Am uniform
sitting in a white Coupe DeVille in front of Terminal J.
That's the charter terminal. Did you get a look at his face?
He's got his pilot's cap on. Carl, I think it's him.
Out of the car, Frank.
Frank?
Step out of the car.
Keep your hands where I can see them.
Don't shoot me. I'm just a driver.
A man paid me $100 to wear this uniform
- to pick someone up at the airport. - Who're you picking up?
Hey!
South America, Australia, Singapore, Egypt.
The kid's gone completely out of control.
- Why wasn't I called? - Nobody was called, sir.
The banks didn't know what was happening until last week.
That's impossible.
They didn't call because it's not counterfeiting. It's something else.
- What is he doing? - He's making real checks, sir.
These are so perfect, the airline didn't know the difference.
Last check was cashed in Madrid a week ago.
My guess is he's still there. We've to leave now, sir. Today.
For where? Spain? You want to go to Spain?
Eventually, he's gotta go back to where the checks were printed.
I think that's why he's moving back through Europe.
Look at the map, sir. He's making a circle.
He's running out of checks.
It's a long shot, but if we could track him
from Madrid, we could still catch him.
I'm sorry, Carl. If you couldn't catch him
here, you're not gonna catch him there.
We're going to let him get away.
No, Carl, you let him get away.
A perfect one-sixteenth
all the way around.
Color separation is flawless.
There's no bleeding.
Nobody does work like this in the States.
Nobody but us.
Where was it printed?
- It was printed on a monster. - A monster.
- A Heidelberg, an Istra. - Heidelberg.
A dinosaur, four colors, you can smell the weight.
Two tons, without the ink.
Where do they do printing like this?
Germany, Great Britain.
France.
France. Frank's mother said the name of a village in France,
where they didn't have Sara Lee.
The village where she met Frank's father.
I don't remember.
It started with an "M." It was "Mont" something. Mr. Fox?
Yes. Question, "You met your husband during the war?"
Answer, "I lived in a very small village in France,
"the kind of place where they never heard of Sara Lee."
Tell me you wrote down the name of the village, Mr. Fox.
Montrichard.
Carl?
Merry Christmas!
How is it that we're always talking on Christmas?
Every Christmas, I'm talking to you!
Put your shirt on, Frank. You're under arrest.
Are you hungry? Do you want some beans?
Carl, they got the best French beans here.
There's two dozen French police officers outside.
They wanted to bring you in,
but they needed the help of an American.
But I told them I wouldn't bring them to you,
unless I could put the cuffs on you myself.
You have a gun? Do you have a gun? No gun?
- No. - No gun.
And you're telling me what?
There's two dozen French police officers
out there right now on Christmas Eve?
- That's what you're telling me? - Yeah.
All right. There's no windows here.
I'm going to take a look out the front door.
No!
I told them I'd walk out first and give a signal. Put these on yourself.
No, I can't do that! You know why?
Because I think you're full of shit.
I don't think there's anyone else out there.
I think it's just me and you. That's right.
It's just me and you, and you know what?
You're gonna have to catch me yourself.
- We don't have time for this. - That's good.
Tell me what you want me to see.
- I wouldn't lie to you. - You're wearing a wedding ring.
You lied to me about that! Did you lie about that?
You asked me if I had a family. I did. But I don't anymore.
Yes. No, there is no problem. We're coming out right now.
That was good.
Did you pay some hotel desk clerk to make that call for you?
Is that what you did?
It was Captain Luc. I've got one minute to bring you out.
Captain Luc? Oh, Captain Luc! Well,
that sounds pretty official to me, but, like I said,
I think it's just me and you here. So you'll have to catch me.
Frank, you have to trust me on this.
These people have been embarrassed. They're angry.
You rob their banks, you steal their money, you live in their country.
I told you this was what was going to happen.
That there was no other way for it to end.
Don't make a mistake.
That's good, Carl, you know?
Keep pushing that lie. Keep pushing it.
- Keep pushing till you make it true. - They'll kill you.
You walk out that door, they're gonna kill you.
Is that the truth?
Yeah.
Do you have any children, Carl?
I have a 4-year-old daughter.
Do you swear on your daughter?
You swear?
That was really good, Carl.
I have him in custody.
I got him! It's all right.
It's all right. I got him.
I want it on the record.
Frank Abagnale surrendered of his own accord. Understood?
Where are you taking him? I'm supposed to go.
Let me in the car!
Don't worry. I'll have you extradited back to the United States.
Carl.
You have to remember to let me call my father when we land.
I want to talk to him before he sees me on television or something like that.
Carl, look.
That's LaGuardia right there.
Runway 44.
Frank, your father is dead.
I'm sorry.
I didn't want to say anything until we got closer to home.
He fell down some steps
at Grand Central Station trying to catch a train.
I didn't want to be the one to tell you.
You're lying, right?
You said I could talk to him.
Who are you to say something like that?
- You said I could talk to him. - He fell
and he broke his neck. I'm sorry.
I'm really sorry.
God damn it!
I'm going to be sick.
It's all right. It's okay.
- I'm going to be sick! - Sure. Let's go to the bathroom.
God damn it!
Daddy.
You'll have to take your seat, sir.
I've told you twice. We're landing. All of you.
Frank! Come on now.
We're landing in six minutes. You need to be in your seats...
- Open the door! - ...with seat belts fastened.
Frank!
You do it.
Frank!
All right, remain seated everyone, please.
Please remain seated.
God Almighty.
What's your name?
Where's your mommy?
Sarge, we're good.
Hold up!
Put your hands behind your head!
Carl.
Get me in the car, please.
Put him in.
Taking into account the gravity of these crimes,
your history of bold and elusive behavior
and your complete lack of respect for the laws of the United States,
I have no choice but to ignore your request to be treated as a minor,
and sentence you to 12 years in Atlanta's maximum security prison
and recommend strongly that you be kept in isolation
for the entirety of that sentence.
Merry Christmas, Frank.
I got you some comic books.
How's your daughter? What was her name?
Grace.
I don't know. She lives with her mother in Chicago, I don't get to see her much.
What's in the briefcase?
I'm on my way to the airport.
It's a paperhanger working his way through Minnesota.
Jesus. He's driving us crazy.
You got any of the checks?
Yeah, I got a counterfeit he drew
in Great Lakes Savings and Loan.
He's using a stencil machine and an Underwood.
It's a teller at the bank.
Say again?
It's definitely a teller, Carl.
Banks always use hand stamps for the dates.
They get used over and over again, so they always get worn out.
And the numbers are always cracking. The sixes and the nines,
see, they go first.
Thanks.
I'd like you to take a look at something for me.
Tell me what you think.
That's a fake.
How do you know, you haven't looked at it?
There's no perforated edge, right?
I mean, this check was hand-cut, not fed.
Yeah.
Paper is double-bonded, much too heavy to be a bank check.
Magnetic ink, it's raised against my fingers instead of flat.
And this doesn't smell like MICR, it's some kind of a drafting ink.
The kind you get at a stationery store.
Frank,
would you be interested in working with the FBI's Financial Crimes Unit?
I already got a job here, you know. I deliver the mail.
Frank, we have the power to take you out of prison.
You'll be placed in the custody of the FBI where you'd serve out
the remainder of your sentence
as an employee of the Federal Government.
Under whose custody?
Hi.
I'm Frank Abagnale. I'm supposed to start work here today.
It's a tour company operating out of the BVI.
Sir, Mr. Abagnale is here.
I'm gonna call you back.
- Hello, Carl. - Welcome to the FBI.
I'll show you where you're working.
How long do I have to work here?
It's 8:15 in the morning to 5:00 in the afternoon,
45 minutes for lunch.
No. I mean, how long?
Every day.
Every day, Frank, till we let you go.
Hey, Carl.
How are you doing?
It's not a good time, Frank. I'm clearing my desk for the weekend.
You mind if I come to work with you tomorrow?
Tomorrow is Saturday.
I'm flying to Chicago to see my daughter.
I'll be back to work on Monday.
- You're going to see Grace? - Yeah, that's the plan.
What should I do till Monday?
I'm sorry, kid, I can't help you there. Excuse me.
This is Hanratty.
Yeah, put him on.
Mr. Sawyer.
How are you?
I have half a dozen more checks on that tour operator at the BVI.
How did you do it, Frank?
How did you pass the bar in Louisiana?
What are you doing here?
Listen.
I'm sorry I put you through all this.
You go back to Europe, you'll die in Perpignan Prison.
You try to run here in the States,
we'll send you back to Atlanta for 50 years.
I know that.
I spent four years trying to arrange your release.
I had to convince my bosses at the FBI
and the Attorney General of the United States you wouldn't run.
Why did you do it?
- You're just a kid. - I'm not your kid.
You said you were going to Chicago.
My daughter can't see me this weekend. She's going skiing.
You said she was four years old. You're lying.
She was four when I left. Now she's 15.
My wife has been remarried for 11 years.
I see Grace every now and again.
- I don't understand. - Sure you do.
Sometimes it's easier living the lie.
I'm gonna let you fly tonight, Frank.
I won't even try to stop you, because I know you'll be back on Monday.
Yeah.
How do you know I'll come back?
Look.
Frank.
Nobody is chasing you.
Alice, has he still not called?
No, he hasn't.
Good morning.
I've called this meeting to discuss
a new type of check fraud and counterfeiting.
The unsub is washing and altering checks,
then passing them throughout Arizona.
This unsub is a big dog, passing checks as large as five figures.
Sorry I'm late.
Sorry.
We have a recovered check on Agent Reiter's desk.
Why don't we step out to the bullpen?
There's impressions on every line.
Looks like the original amount was for $60.
Mind if I take a look?
Cashed in Flagstaff a week ago.
Cost the bank $16,000.
- It's a real check. - Yeah.
It's been washed. The only thing original is the signature.
But it's perfect.
I mean, this isn't hydrochloride or bleach.
No.
Something new.
A nail polish remover where the acetone removes the ink that's not been printed?
How did you do it, Frank?
How did you cheat on the bar exam in Louisiana?
I didn't cheat.
I studied for two weeks and I passed.
Is that the truth?
I'll bet this guy steals checks out of mailboxes.
He washes off their names and puts on his own.
You're saying he's a local?
If it were me, I'd call the bank first. Check out the balance...
Make sure there's enough money in there to make it worth your while.
Exactly.
You know, Carl, I think this guy is pretty smart.
Guess all we have to do now is catch him.