48 things you didn't know about "48 Hours"

Some things are a mystery no more...

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1. "48 Hours" began as a two-hour groundbreaking documentary in September 1986 titled "48 Hours" on Crack Street."

2. "48 Hours" was launched as a regular series in January 1988.

3. The show gets its name from the original concept of shooting one subject straight for 48 hours.

4. "48 Hours" is the third longest running primetime show on television.

5. "48 Hours" has had 15 different time slots over 25 years.

6. "48 Hours"' most-watched episode, "Get Rich Quick," aired Jan. 26, 1992, and attracted 24.82 million viewers.

7. "48 Hours" has been Saturday's No. 1 primetime (nonsports) program for the past six seasons.

8. "48 Hours" aired 79 episodes in one season alone (1998-1999).

9."48 Hours" has won numerous awards since its premiere, including three Peabodys, an Alfred duPont award, 17 news Emmys, five Edward R. Murrow awards and five Overseas Press Club Awards.

10. Most number of shows on one case: Six separate hours on Marty Tankleff, a teenager convicted of murdering his parents. His sentence: two consecutive 25-year-to-life terms. An appellate court overturned his conviction 17 years after he had gone to prison. Tankleff, 41, is now in law school.

11. While working on a story in Palm Springs, Calif., correspondent Peter Van Sant received a note reading, "You have seconds, perhaps a minute, before you are in extreme pain. I suggest that you leave." When he saw heavy wiring running from giant batteries to a steel plate under his feet, he left.

12. An hour after watching correspondent Maureen Maher's report, "The Boy Next Door," about the 18-year-old mystery surrounding the murder of Tricia Pacaccio, a viewer came forward with the identity of the killer, Michael Gargiulo. He was revealed to have killed two more women and attempted to kill a third. After 20 years, Gargiulo was finally indicted for Pacaccio's murder.

13. Most hours on a celebrity: Michael Jackson, five shows.

14. Most days on the road in one year: Erin Moriarty, 150.

15. Prosecutor who has appeared the most on "48 Hours": Texas lawyer Kelly Siegler, 11 times.

16. Longest number of years following a story: 20. Correspondent Erin Moriarty began reporting on the brutal murder of four Austin, Texas, teenagers in 1992. Two suspects were eventually tried, convicted and later exonerated because of DNA. The case has never been solved.

17. While working on a story about Hustler magnate Larry Flynt, senior coordinating producer Suzanne Allen met the publisher, starting a 15-year friendship.

18. "48 Hours"' youngest killer: Christopher Pittman, age 12, who was sentenced to 30 years when the jury rejected his claim that an antidepressant made him shoot his grandparents.

19. There are 11 current staff members who have been with "48 Hours" since its beginning.

20. There are six regular on-air correspondents for "48 Hours": Maureen Maher, Erin Moriarty, Troy Roberts, Richard Schlesinger, Susan Spencer and Peter Van Sant, and contributor Tracy Smith.

21. There have been 67 guest correspondents on "48 Hours" since its debut, including Walter Cronkite and Mike Wallace.

22. Most unusual 48 Hours story title: "Two Wigs, a Gun and a Murder," told the story of a wife who killed her professor husband. The twist was--did her sister help her cover up the crime?

23."48 Hours" helped solve the murder of racing legend Mickey Thompson and his wife, Trudy, who were killed in 1988. Nineteen years later, Thompson's business partner Michael Goodwin was convicted of their murder.

24. "48 Hours" has helped exonerate seven people after they were falsely convicted of crimes.

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