The Untold Story: Unmasking the Forgotten True Crime Case behind The Fugitive

Summary

The Fugitive, both the TV series and movie, is believed to have been inspired by a real crime case, namely the Sam Sheppard murder case.

Dr. Sam Sheppard, similar to the fictional character Dr. Richard Kimble, was mistakenly found guilty of his wife's murder and then exonerated after serving several years in jail.

Although the creators deny drawing inspiration from the Sheppard case, they acknowledge that The Fugitive's storyline was mainly influenced by Les Misérables, portraying Kimble as a counterpart to Jean Valjean and Lt. Gerard in a role akin to Inspector Javert.

The Fugitive, both the popular TV series and its blockbuster movie adaptation, is based on a fascinating true crime story. It revolves around Dr. Richard Kimble's efforts to escape the law and prove his innocence after being wrongly convicted of murdering his wife. The show's finale attracted a large audience as it was one of the earliest to promise answers to a long-standing mystery. Although Kimble is a fictional character and his adventures were created by talented writers, The Fugitive is considered a sensationalized portrayal of a real-life case. Premiering in 1963, the TV series aired for four seasons and gained inspiration from a national media-covered true crime case that occurred in 1954.

The Fugitive Might Be Based On The Sam Sheppard Murder Case

In 1954, Dr. Sam Sheppard was wrongfully convicted of murdering his pregnant wife, Marilyn Reese Sheppard, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Unlike the fictional character Kimble, Sheppard did not go into hiding. However, in 1966, his conviction was overturned based on the case of Sheppard v. Maxwell, where the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that widespread media portrayal of Sheppard as a villain had denied him a fair trial. After spending a decade behind bars, Sheppard was acquitted in a subsequent trial.

While the creators of The Fugitive series, as stated in Cynthia L. Cooper's book Mockery of Justice: The True Story of the Sheppard Murder Case, have consistently denied using Sheppard's story as inspiration, the similarities between the actual events and the plot of the TV show were too striking to be mere coincidence. Notably, both Sheppard and the show's protagonist Kimble held similar professions - Sheppard a neurosurgeon and Kimble a pediatrician. Besides, the Sheppard murder case has also served as inspiration for other movies and true crime documentaries, including the 1975 made-for-TV movie Guilty or Innocent: The Sam Sheppard Murder Case, featuring George Peppard, and the 2021 Hallmark film Reunited and It Feels So Deadly.

Les Misérables Was The Main Inspiration For The Fugitive

The creators of The Fugitive do not recognize the real-life Sheppard case as an influence on the series. However, they have acknowledged Les Misérables as a significant inspiration for the story. In his 1993 book The Fugitive Recaptured, producer Quinn Martin described the series as a contemporary interpretation of the essence of Les Misérables. Kimble, the protagonist, can be seen as a modern-day Jean Valjean, evading the authorities and constantly moving from place to place to stay hidden. His relentless pursuer, Lt. Philip Gerard, bears resemblance to Inspector Javert from Les Misérables.