The Max Original documentary THEY CALLED HIM MOSTLY HARMLESS from Investigation Discovery, directed and executive produced by Emmy® winner Patricia E. Gillespie (“The Fire That Took Her”) and produced by Anchor Entertainment, debuts THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8 on Max.
Synopsis: When an unidentified hiker is found deceased in the Florida wilderness, authorities release a sketch. Multiple hikers call in claiming to have met the man. There’s only one problem – he never told them his name. It would take two years, thousands of devoted internet sleuths, and a miracle of science to identify him, and that’s when the trouble really starts. A character-centric reimagining of a classic true crime genre, THEY CALLED HIM MOSTLY HARMLESS is about finding yourself when you’re looking for someone else.
After a buzzy sneak peek at the Florida Film Festival, the film had its world premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival. Other notable festival appearances include Miami GEMS and the documentary was also one of eight films selected for the inaugural Jackson Hole Film Festival.
Jason Sarlanis, President, TNT, TBS, TruTV, ID, and HLN, quote: “THEY CALLED HIM MOSTLY HARMLESS is a gripping mystery surrounding the identity of a John Doe found dead in the swamplands of Florida and the legion of dedicated true crime fans who make it their mission to solve the case. But the interpersonal drama that erupts amongst these armchair detectives becomes just as compelling as the mystery itself as both take dark, unexpected turns.”
Patricia E. Gillespie, director, quote: “I was drawn to this story because of its potential to help us think more deeply about what it means to live in the digital age. I hope we’ve made a film that manages to both honor the citizen detectives who worked tirelessly to identify Mostly Harmless, while encouraging audiences to get involved in the issue of unidentified persons.”
Featured participants: Christie Harris (citizen detective), Natasha Teasley (outdoor enthusiast and internet sleuth), Nicholas Thompson (CEO of The Atlantic and former Editor in Chief of Wired), David Hurm (lead detective), Kristin Adams (criminal research investigator), Kristine Gill (Collier County Sheriff’s Office PR), Kelly Fairbanks (trail angel), Marge “MJ” Creech (hiker who encountered “Mostly Harmless”), Brandon Dowell (hiker who encountered “Mostly Harmless”), Mike Gormley (hiker who encountered “Mostly Harmless”), and David and Kristen Mittelman (founders of Othram – a cutting edge autosomal DNA company).
Credits: Investigation Discovery presents an Anchor Entertainment Production; directed by Patricia E. Gillespie; produced by Ethan Goldman, Keayr Braxton, Danielle Franco, and Amy Brown; consulting producer, Nicholas Thompson; executive produced by Patricia E. Gillespie and Eric Cook.
