Edward Norton’s Murder Mystery SOLVED | Finding Your Roots | PBS

Official website: to.pbs.org/FYRS9 | #FindingYourRoots
Edward Norton and Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. discover an astonishing crime scene and solve a family mystery via DNA tests.
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About the series:
Renowned scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. guides influential guests into their roots, uncovering deep secrets, hidden identities and lost ancestors. Using genealogical detective work and cutting-edge DNA analysis, Gates guides twenty-one influential guests deep into the branches of their family trees, revealing surprising stories of forgotten ancestors that transcend borders, illuminating an American root system fortified by its diversity.

[@jaymeleadmon6755]

“I guess I’m done for” is kind of iconic tbh

[@flannerymonaghan-morris4825]

Honestly, that non chalant “oh well” kind of response is hilarious.

[@khemanig2]

Kudos to the person that came up with the title 🤣

[@llennox7915]

Exactly! I was like Did Edward Norton died?? I didn't know.

[@noomwa]

Lol

[@Sarah99007]

One of my ancestors fled his father's farm because he lost a cow, he was too scared to face him, his father cried looked for him everywhere but couldn't find him after a while a letter arrived saying he was safe and starting a life in ANOTHER COUNTRY he gave an address but he wasn't there (he was smart about it) his family asked him to come home but he wouldn't 💔 his parents died without seeing him. Whenever I see our family name in that country I wonder if it's his children because it's a rare name especially for that country.

[@kellietaylor9913]

Probably is right

[@biegebythesea6775]

because he lost a cow?

[@Sarah99007]

@@biegebythesea6775 Yep sadly, it was in the late 1800s

[@Sarah99007]

@@biegebythesea6775 I'm not sure but I think they found it after some local stole it and got caught

[@gigglyme2001]

That broke my heart ☹️

[@alarcon99]

Literally Edward Norton’s ancestors had some Baals

[@junelupescu5334]

I'm not surprised that the story of his Great Great Grandfather was not passed down. Early in the 20th century families did not have conversations about any family embarrassments. I know there is something about my Great Great Grandmother that was a secret. I over heard my Grandmother and her sister refer to The Secret. I asked at several different points in our lives but The Secret was never revealed

[@kathyastrom1315]

My grandmother’s parents passed down very little about their families. It was only when I started working on the family genealogy that I figured out why. My great-grandmother’s mother died when she was only 31 and her widower couldn’t handle their five kids so he split up four of them amongst his in-laws and a Chicago orphanage and then moved hundreds of miles away with the youngest. My great-grandfather’s mom walked out of her marriage when he was just five, and even though she fought for custody of her four kids, it took her five years to finally get them all. I can see why those kinds of childhoods would have been traumatic to them both and they’d want to forget them. It’s a pity nothing was passed down (other than one rumor that Alexander Hamilton was a 6th great granduncle, which was true, except he wasn’t THE Hamilton-ours was born 20 years after the founding father), because my grandmother’s tree is full of amazing stories that I’ve only learned by researching.

[@brookskelley]

I can concur. My great grand uncle was an alcoholic who died because of it at a young adult. I knew nothing about him until a fellow researcher sent me an article written in a temperance magazine as a bio of how he died from the drink. Oddly enough, I knew more about his brother, my great grandfather, who ran off with another woman.

[@deannealbrecht774]

My aunt told me that my mother wasn't fathered by my "grandfather." I'm sworn to secrecy

[@Ohno-go2rp]

I’m often jealous of Americans or Europeans that can trace back their family trees. Even for y’all, it’s difficult though. It’s really cool to see what you guys find out about your families! If you’re an immigrant or come from a war torn or invaded country, it’s almost impossible sometimes to find any trace of anyone.

[@ModernDayRenaissanceMan]

My grandmother also kept a ton of secrets. I spent 10 years on my family tree and was able to get it back to 500 AD. A bunch of famous people are on there. However I was able to find my father since it was never introduced to him. And I found a secret that my grandmother was cheating on my grandfather. This means I have another grandfather out there who may or may not be alive. My mother has a brother who she doesn't know. And then you start going down the rabbit hole and everything that you saw as a child begins to make sense. All those conversations that they wouldn't share. We were always told that we were this or that but none of it ended up being true. Once I threw open that lid I was able to expose almost everything. Although every couple of months or years I stumble upon a new thing

[@DrNancyLivingCoCreatively]

Norton is a brilliant actor and Dr. Gates my hero.

[@eviehammond9509]

One of the greatest & most diverse actors of our time. If Edward Norton is in a film regardless of what it's about I know it will be worthy of my time invested in watching it soley based on him having a role in it.

[@rustyhowe3907]

Which is quite an interesting point seeing I keep hearing how Edward Norton is highly opinionated on set about it should be run hence lots of people don't like working with him, lol.

[@rachellem1248]

Edward Norton is the best actor!

[@aforbush1]

I live in WV, just across the river from Catlettsburg KY where this happened. It’s awesome that Ed Norton descended from this area! I love this show!!

[@lynnturman8157]

I remember hearing about my grandmother's brother who "died from drinking." Never heard any more details than that because in our family, the subject of him was taboo.

[@AdultThirdCultureKid1971]

I heard a story about my maternal second great-grandfather's brother, who allegedly did something bad and was never heard from again. I didn't hear any more details than that, either.

[@bpe9578]

Remember....if our grandparents who were born before 1920 could not even discuss tuberculosis, we know that they would keep even more shocking issues a secret.

[@AdultThirdCultureKid1971]

@@bpe9578 That's true. 😔

[@thednaladyukgenealogist]

Amazing programme, look forward to watching this.

[@gmamah9559]

I love this program!

[@banzand]

He needs to make a movie about the Rat killing Frank. 😆

[@DementedCaver]

My family has the story that my Great Grandmother's brother was captured by enemy forces in West Virginia led by a George S. Patton (old blood and guts Patton's grand daddy), and then sent to a pow camp outside of Andersonville Georgia. He only lived for 4 months there before the effects of hardly any food and the bad water there finished him off. That is probably the most interesting recent thing in the family tree that I know of.

[@patriciajrs46]

Wow! I have heard that Andersonville was horrible. I'm sorry for them.

[@bobanderson6656]

Geez. Andersonville was bad. My wife's family mythology held that a gg-grandfather "escaped from Andersonville" and returned to the fighting..... Turns out he got tossed in the brig after the war for being AWOL.

[@Hollergirlohio]

My ancestors were from the same place and worked for the railroad too. How cool.

[@dhlbruin]

I’m a child. Cannot stop laughing when he says Baals 😂😂😂😂

[@anouk6644]

The name Baals sounds Dutch, as does his straight forward, blunt attitude 😄

[@biegebythesea6775]

the subtitles are hilarious 'had a pension for arguing' lol

[@susanglenn5498]

should be"penchant". I feel sorry for the deaf that are stuck with badly spelled subtitles.

[@francesw9008]

I love Finding Your Roots so much. I never noticed though how oddly distracting and loud the music is.

[@Rocketroyale555]

Pocahontas is also a member of my family. My grandmother’s maiden name is Smith, which, as I’m told, is along that line. Amazing.

[@Ceelle2]

One of my favorite actors.

[@thestentorian9461]

Found out he’s a distant cousin

[@slangyrussianwords5972]

iconic actor

[@hannah1948]

frank sounds like a fun guy!!

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

Amazingly tragic

[@orionfoote2890]

Maybe he was playing his ancestor when he played ‘Worm’ in Rounders - he sounds kind of similar. Looks like a great episode; I hope I can get to watch the whole thing.

[@tothelighthouse9843]

Or maybe Norton was playing his ancestor when he played Mike Shiner in 'Birdman'. Shiner is talented but volatile & an instigator.

[@jessicahawks3223]

I wish this show would help with just my grandfather on my dad's side..he was in his late 40s marrying my grandmother when she was 13 and apparently that wasn't the scandalous side of him. And that shocks me but no one on that side will even mention his name ever or tell me anything about him. I know he was married multiple times and what my other side of my family gossiped about but still nothing that would tell me why his name is never even mentioned my entire life

[@mchllwoods]

Frank Baal's traits almost reminds me of Alexander Hamilton.😂

[@robertshows5100]

Like grandfather like grandson

[@durangodoug338]

Is he out for revenge?? Sounds like a movie.

[@checkle1]

I have only ever heard crazy dark crimes that my ancestors committed lol. I feel like I am letting them down without any murders.

[@squamish4244]

Of course there was a murder in Edward Norton's family history 🤣

[@terrywade3696]

The title is misleading. I looked up Edward Norton on Wikipedia and he’s very much alive! However, I found a surprising fact that he’s a 12th great grandson of Pocahontas! I’m an 11th great granddaughter of her! So, I’m guessing Edward is a distant cousin of mine!

[@galndixie]

It didn't say Edward was murdered, it said his murder mystery was solved. It even told that murder mystery in the video.

[@sandragray4598]

@@galndixie I'd say that title is very vague and can be read multiple ways. It certainly didn't make it sound like it was what it turned out to be.

[@KentPetersonmoney]

I been trying to find season 9 epoisdes on here but can't find it.

[@denisesmith8067]

Cat-letts-burg...not cattlesburg...lol

[@my11badkids78]

I thought it was gonna read. "He was made to bite the curb and then.."

[@tonyhill1141]

Fort Wayne has a famous (for this area) mayor named Baals. I wonder if he is related to Norton considering Frank was from here.

[@KoolT]

Wow

[@owoodford]

The music at the beginning drowned out the narration

[@quinntheeskimo9846]

Ugh the music

[@frigidtk]

The music is WAAAY too loud, almost drowning out his voice at the beginning of the video.

[@clanpsi]

Looks interesting. If only I could watch the entire episode. To bad it's locked behind the Great PBS Firewall.

[@ladyhonor822]

The more you know.

[@Yellowwasp20]

He is not dead. Very much alive.

[@jennslifeinhuntingtonwv2678]

Lots of famous people come from Ashland KY.

[@sofhispalis]

All we know that Aaron Stampler murdered him, but maybe it was Roy…

[@testruelove2530]

😁😁😁😁😎

[@evilferris]

Edward _Baals?_

[@arlenemorzinsky2639]

The background music is too loud and, anyway, unnecessary.

[@astheskylarksings]

Larry Bird’s love child? 😮

[@albertoavena]

The resemblance is uncanny haha Now I can’t unsee it!😂

[@astheskylarksings]

@@albertoavena talented bloodline! 😅

[@spider46531]

Indiana records are the best

[@Tassiedevil127]

i heard he's decended from pocahontas

[@venconmige]

Frank Baal X

[@LambentLark]

I can't speak for others but your audio is torture for a person with a hearing impairment like mine.your music is louder than the narrator's voice. It makes it difficult to understand. 47 seconds and my thoughts are, "I'm out".

[@chienpo672]

Wow! That music is annoying. I couldn’t even hear or focus on the story.

[@dagger6467]

Just a few years ago we had our family history done back in our home country and here in the USA. Some very interesting history, except for my Great Great Uncle on my fathers side was hanged, for being a Horse Thief in 1896. It was never ever passed along until we researched.

[@thestentorian9461]

Pocahontas is my 13th grandmother so what does that make him to me?

[@MyIneffablePonyyy]

Loosely related I guess

[@kristibrown5899]

Getting 'canceled' or 'unalived' for speaking your mind about something?? My oh my... The more times change, the more things stay the same.

[@jj-bv3ui]

Consequences are indeed perennial ;)

[@dalex60]

Hey, it’s the “Only celebrity’s lives matter” show…

[@edcrichton9457]

Less people watched the original version about ordinary people.

[@DVD927]

Baals.

[@RikodiusRex]

Dang I didn't even know Edward was dead. Who killed him?!

[@jamescopen9817]

same as the the english show..who do you think you are....getting bogged down with one ancestor and ignoring the rest.....stick to the formula ...warts and all

[@CH0MP4]

yikes... i hope eddy got paid well for this mostly drab and inconsequential horseshit :D

[@DrTadStoermer]

What a nauseating program, and an ignorant way to treat the subject.

[@MrMarlowe3488]

sounds like it was self defense