- The HBO Original three-part documentary series THE MORTICIAN, directed and executive produced by Joshua Rofé and executive produced by Steven J. Berger for Number 19 and Strong Baby’s Jonah Hill and Matt Dines, debuts Sunday, June 1 at 9 p.m. ET on Crave. New episodes will debut subsequent Sundays at the same time.
- Synopsis: A darkly gripping series, THE MORTICIAN chronicles a trusted family-owned funeral home that hid behind a façade of decency and propriety to take advantage of loved ones at their most vulnerable moments. In the early 1980s, David Sconce, scion of the Lamb family, took over the family business and sought to exploit the deceased in numerous ways to expand their earnings. Driven by profit, the Lamb Funeral Home in Pasadena, California engaged in years of morally questionable and inhumane practices.Featuring an exclusive interview with Sconce, newly released from prison, the series examines the lucrative and ubiquitous multibillion-dollar mortuary industry and illuminates what can happen behind closed doors, away from public scrutiny. With emotional interviews with families of the victims of the Lamb Funeral Home and revelations from former employees, THE MORTICIAN unravels a dark, troubling story that involved mass cremations and stealing from the dead in a multitude of macabre ways. The scandal shook Southern California and as members of the Lamb family stood trial, the funeral industry took heed, bringing about tighter regulations and allowing for greater transparency into the business of death. A testimony from Sconce, who tells his side of the story with animated energy and candor, anchors the series.
- Episode Descriptions:
Episode One
Debut date: Sunday, June 1 (9-10 p.m. ET)
The Lamb Funeral Home, a respected family-owned mortuary in Pasadena, descends into grisly practices after David Sconce, scion of the Lamb family, takes over the business. Deeply ambitious, Sconce covertly pursues extreme measures to beat his competitors. In 1985, a local funeral director, who starts making allegations about the crematorium’s high turnover rate, succumbs to a heart attack at 24.Episode Two
Debut date: Sunday, June 8 (9-10 p.m. ET)
When the Lamb Funeral Home’s crematorium is destroyed by a fire in 1986, David is undeterred and finds ways to expand the family business. As allegations of misdeeds mount, David is eventually arrested. When police investigate, they discover shocking evidence that points to David being possibly connected to the assault and later death of a rival mortician.Episode Three
Debut date: Sunday, June 15 (9-10 p.m. ET)
Members of the Lamb family are convicted of various crimes, including fraud. While in prison, a murder charge is brought against David for the death of his competitor, but in 1991, the charges are dropped due to a lack of hard evidence. In all, over 20,000 families were affected by the practices at the Lamb Funeral Home and David’s case brings about reforms and new regulations to the mortuary business. - Featured Participants: Alongside David Sconce’s interview is insight from Sconce’s ex-wife Barbara Hunt; mortician Jolena Grande; mortuary owners Jay Brown and Elie Estephan; journalists Ashley Dunn and David Geary; Lamb Funeral Home victims; former employees and acquaintances of Sconce; and law enforcement and judicial officials.
- Credits: HBO Documentary Films presents THE MORTICIAN, a Number 19 Production in association with Strong Baby. Directed and executive produced by Joshua Rofé; executive produced by Steven J. Berger, Jonah Hill, and Matt Dines; produced by M. Elizabeth Hughes and Alison Goodwin; For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Tina Nguyen.