About this season
A looks at the most contentious stories of inheritance and an exploration of the family dynamics, legal wrangling and high emotions surrounding real-life stories in a world where grief and greed collide.
Episodes (8)
1. The Estate of Howard Hughes
Aired 19 October 2011 • 60 min
Billionaire Howard Hughes dies, leaving behind an estate worth $2.5 billion, but no will. But 3 weeks later, a will appears, leaving $156 million to Melvin Dummar. An epic legal battle will ensue to prove whether the Will is genuine or counterfeit.
2. The Estate of Frankie Lymon
Aired 26 October 2011 • 60 min
Frankie Lymon, singer of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" dies from a drug overdose at 25. Who will inherit the royalties from this hit song? His bandmates Herman Santiago and Jimmy Merchant? Or, Morris Levy, allegedly credited with co-writing the song?
3. The Estate of Conway Twitty
Aired 2 November 2011 • 60 min
At the age of 59, famed country star Conway Twitty dies, leaving a $15-million estate to his four children. But Conway's widow is legally entitled to one-third of the estate. Fighting for her share, an ugly legal battle unfolds in the family.
4. The Estate of Art Hadly
Aired 9 November 2011 • 60 min
Sarah Hadley, daughter of Art Hadley, the inventor of the expansion bracelet, dies at the age of 75. Her death triggers the distribution of a $7-million trust, but relatives from near and far feud as to who should really take home the money.
5. The Estate of Johnnie Taylor
Aired 16 November 2011 • 60 min
Johnnie Taylor, R&B musician, dies at 66 leaving behind a million-dollar estate. His six children expect to split his estate, until three strangers claim they're Taylor's children as well. Challenging the news, a 2-year legal battle ensues.
6. The Estate of Lillian Garis Booth
Aired 30 November 2011 • 60 min
Philanthropist Lillian Garis Booth dies at 92, leaving $10-million to her nephew Robert Reldan: a convicted serial killer serving a life sentence. In an effort to stop the inheritance, the father of one of his victims wages an epic legal battle.
7. The Estate of Rock Hudson
Aired 14 December 2011 • 60 min
Rock Hudson dies in 1985 with AIDS. His death sparks a bitter lawsuit by Marc Christian who claims Hudson knowingly exposed him to HIV. The trial leads to a landmark decision about a partner's duty to disclose a potentially deadly diagnosis.
8. The Estate of Wayne Perry
Aired 28 December 2011 • 60 min
The death of renowned, 55-year-old Country songwriter Wayne Perry in Ohio on May 15, 2005, sparks a five-year legal battle between his four children and his faith-healing evangelical sister for an estate valued at over a million dollars.