Ep 9. Final Curtain

In season 27 episode 9 of Dateline titled "Final Curtain," viewers are taken through the perplexing case of a successful Broadway producer, Gary Goddard, who finds himself facing allegations of sexual abuse that go back to the 1970s. Goddard had already made a name for himself in the theater world by the time the first accusations were leveled against him, and he would go on to work in Hollywood, designing theme park attractions and dabbling in movie production.

But as some men started to come forward with stories of Goddard allegedly using his position of power in the entertainment industry to take advantage of young boys, Goddard found himself at the center of a media storm. The episode features interviews with some of Goddard's accusers, as well as details about the secret deal he made with Disney to avoid any public outcry.

Viewers will see how Goddard's career in theater and film was put on hold as more and more allegations came forward. Yet, the question of whether or not the accusations were true is still a subject of debate. Friends and colleagues of Goddard's argue that nothing untoward ever took place; but others tell tales of inappropriate touching and coercion.

In "Final Curtain," Dateline's investigative journalists take a deep dive into the case and the details that led up to the eventual public shaming of Goddard. Some of the information presented will be familiar to those who followed the case closely, but there are some startling new revelations that come to light as well.

Overall, "Final Curtain" is a gripping and thought-provoking episode of Dateline which shows how the glare of the media spotlight can cause long-held secrets to be suddenly revealed. The silence of the alleged victims of Goddard's abuse only reinforces the notion that there are still many dark corners of Hollywood which have yet to be fully exposed.