Catch Me If You Can

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 F.B.I. 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.

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?

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? FRANK, SR.: 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.

FRANK, SR.: 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.

Uh-huh.

Must have slipped right off your neck.

FRANK, SR.: 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?