Top 10 Old Lifetime Movies Based On True Stories

[Left] Liz from Homeless to Harvard, [Right] gorgeous Anna Nicole Smith in the 1990s
[Left] Liz from Homeless to Harvard, [Right] gorgeous Anna Nicole Smith in the 1990s( Source : twitter )

Old Lifetime movies based on true stories are 1. Prosecuting Casey Anthony 2. Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story 3. Taken in Broad Daylight and 7 others.

The Network was launched on 29 June 1998 under the A&E Networks. The first TV movie created by the network is Memories of a Murder featuring Nancy Allen in the key role. 

The entertainment house is known to be women-centric because most of the films are led by females. Meanwhile, stories of strong female characters can be seen in most of its films.

The Originals from the American cable channel are loved by fans worldwide. That is why there are international versions of it in countries like Israel, South Korea, Australia, Canada, and others.

Old Lifetime Movies Based On True Stories

3. Taken in Broad Daylight15 February 2009
2. Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story7 April 2003
9. Drew Peterson: Untouchable21 January 2012
1. Prosecuting Casey Anthony19 January 2013
5. Britney Ever After18 February 2017
6. Anna Nicole30 August 2007
7. Girl in the Box10 September 2016
10. Pregnancy Pact23 January 2010
8. Coco Chanel13 September 2008
4. Natalee Holloway19 April 2009


1. Prosecuting Casey Anthony (2013)

Casey Anthony who was charged with 1st-degree murder and aggravated child abuse serves as a legal assistant to Patrick McKenna in the present time
Casey Anthony who was charged with 1st-degree murder and aggravated child abuse serves as a legal assistant to Patrick McKenna in the present time( Source : mylifetime )

Cast of Prosecuting Casey Anthony stars Rob Lowe and Elizabeth Mitchell as leads. Virginia Welch and Marisa Ramirez are also featured in the film.

  1. Director: Peter Werner
  2. IMDb Rating: 5.8
  3. Runtime: 1 hour 31 minutes 
  4. Where to Watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV

Prosecuting Casey Anthony is a film that entails the murder trial of Casey who is suspected of killing her own daughter Caylee Anthony.

The film is based on the true story of a 2-year-old Caylee who was found lifeless near her home in 2011. The whole world was in shock after this news circulated in the media.

The actual trial happened in May and lasted till July. Casey did not testify about any wrongdoings to her daughter. So, this case remains an unsolved mystery.

Lowe portrayed Jeff Ashton who served as the prosecutor in the murder case. Similarly, Mitchell essayed Linda Drane Burdick, the lead attorney in the infamous trial.

2. Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story (2003)

Thora Birch as the protagonist Liz in 'Homeless to Harvard' which was nominated for 3 Emmy Awards
Thora Birch as the protagonist Liz in 'Homeless to Harvard' which was nominated for 3 Emmy Awards( Source : pinterest )

Homeless to Harvard summary can be explained as the story of how homeless Liz Murray gets accepted into Harvard University. The film received critical acclaim.

  1. Director: Peter Levin
  2. IMDb Rating: 7.2
  3. Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes 
  4. Where to Watch: Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Lifetime Movie Club
  5. Cast: Thora Birch, Michael Riley, Robert Bockstael

The motion picture is inspired by the motivating story of Elizabeth a.k.a Liz Murray who was born on 13 September 1980 in New York to economically unstable parents. Meanwhile, Liz's mom and dad were dealing with substance abuse.

Despite personal trauma and a broken home, 15-year-old Liz achieves academic excellence leading to her admission to the coveted university. 

As of now, Murray is 42 and works as a teacher and motivational speaker. Her memoir titled Breaking Night became a Bestseller in 2010.

3. Taken in Broad Daylight (2009)

[Right] The poster of the crime thriller flick [Left] Sara who depicted Sluti onscreen is 35 years old currently.
[Right] The poster of the crime thriller flick [Left] Sara who depicted Sluti onscreen is 35 years old currently.( Source : instagram )

Taken in Broad Daylight cast Sara Canning, and James Van Der Beek are in the major role. Diana Reis, and Alexandra Castillo, are also in the film.

  1. Director: Gary Yates
  2. IMDb Rating: 5.4
  3. Runtime: 1 hour 33 minutes
  4. Where to Watch: Vudu, Amazon Instant Video

Canning performed the role of scared but courageous Sluti beautifully. The cinema revolves around the true story of Anne Sluti, who was kidnapped in April 2001 by Tony Zappa.

It is a survival story that showcases how the 17-year-old strategically escapes from her captive. The actual event happened in Hilltop Mall, Kearney, Nebraska.

Anne was rescued only on the 7th day of her kidnapping. The brave girl made headlines for carefully leaving hints to the cop and also keeping the pieces of evidence for strengthening the case.

Even today, after 22 years of that incident people wonder if Anne is still alive, but there is no information about her whereabouts.

4. Natalee Holloway (2009)

Joran Van der Sloot, a Dutch murderer is the prime suspect in the Holloway disappearance case as she was seen with him for the last time
Joran Van der Sloot, a Dutch murderer is the prime suspect in the Holloway disappearance case as she was seen with him for the last time( Source : imdb )

Natalee Holloway movie centers around the disappearance of a girl named Natalee Ann Holloway in 2005. The body of the young girl was never found.

  1. Director: Mikael Salomon
  2. IMDb Rating: 5.5
  3. Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
  4. Where to Watch: fubo TV
  5. Cast: Tracy Pollan as Beth Twitty, Wayne Harrison as Dave, Jolloway Grant Show as George, and Amy Gumenick as Natalee

When Holloway was only 18 years old, she went on a trip to Aruba along with her classmates. But she never came back.

In January 2012, after 7 years of missing, Natalee was declared expired. Since the real culprit has not been caught, the film does not give a closer to the audience.

Nevertheless, the events that led to this tragic incident have been recreated in the biographical film. Also, the pain of Holloway's parents Beth and David who lost their daughter has been documented.

5. Britney Ever After (2017)

The makers of Britney Ever After failed to create an engaging movie from the fascinating life of Britney Spears
The makers of Britney Ever After failed to create an engaging movie from the fascinating life of Britney Spears( Source : instagram )

Britney Ever After reviews have been negative making it below average. Per Rotten Tomatoes that the film has received a 15% audience score.

  1. Director: Leslie Libman
  2. IMDb Rating: 2.6
  3. Runtime: 2 hours
  4. Where to Watch: 7plus
  5. Cast: Natasha Bassett plays Britney Spears, Peter Benson plays Larry Rudolph, and Clayton Chitty portrays Kevin Federline

According to Guardian, this biopic of Britney Spears, the Princess of Pop is tacky but oddly compelling. All in all, many audiences found the acting of the leads to be weak and important events of her life were not shown, causing dissatisfaction among the viewers.

Spears found immense success as a singer and songwriter, but her personal life has not been so smooth. She has been surrounded by controversies all her life.

The Oops!… I Did It Again singer is only 41 years old, but there are around 8 films made about her life.

6. Anna Nicole (2007)

Vickie Lynn Hogan is real name of Anna and she used to work as a stripper before making it into the modeling industry
Vickie Lynn Hogan is real name of Anna and she used to work as a stripper before making it into the modeling industry( Source : twitter )

The Anna Nicole Story 2007 is based on the life of the famous American model Anna Nicole. Anna stepped into the entertainment world as a Playboy girl in 1992.

  1. Director: Keoni Waxman
  2. IMDb Rating: 4.1
  3. Runtime: 1 hour 27 minutes 
  4. Where to Watch: Tubi TV, Prime Video
  5. Cast: Willa Ford in the titular role, Patrick Ryan Anderson, Richard Herd, Lesli Kay 

The attractive entertainer also got the opportunity to show her acting skills in movies and television shows like The Hudsucker Proxy, Skyscraper, and The Naked Truth.

Nicole's life may have been short but it was extremely glamorous that intrigued many people. From her days as Playmate to marrying an 89-year-old guy allegedly for money, her life became the talk of the town.

In the meantime, she portrayed herself in the 1998 video Anna Nicole Smith: Exposed directed by Raymond Martino. Nicole would have been 55 right now, but she breathed her last on 8 February 2007.

7. Girl in the Box (2016)

Girl in the Box is a psychological crime flick about a young girl who spent 7 years of her life in a coffin-sized box
Girl in the Box is a psychological crime flick about a young girl who spent 7 years of her life in a coffin-sized box( Source : imdb )

Girl in the Box story is the real incident that happened to a girl named Colleen Stan. Colleen Stan was kidnapped while hitchhiking on the 19th of May 1977.

  1. Director: Stephen Kemp
  2. IMDb Rating: 6.2
  3. Runtime: 2 hours
  4. Where to Watch: Roku Channel, Prime Video, discovery+
  5. Cast: Addison Timlin plays Colleen, Zane Holtz and Zelda Williams portray the pair who kidnapped Colleen

Cameron and Janice Hooker abducted Colleen from Eugene, Oregon who was going to Northern California to celebrate her friend's birthday. The ruthless pair kept her locked in a box from 1977 to 1984. 

Meanwhile, Stan was physically abused, and hit by Cameron. It is hard to believe how a 20-year-old girl survived the excruciating torture.

Nonetheless, she did not lose hope and escaped the horrendous abduction. At the present time, she is living a normal life with her family. Colleen has reached 56 and has become a grandmother.

8. Coco Chanel (2008)

The eminent fashion designer was born in 19 August 1883 and she left her heavenly abode in 1971 at age of 87
The eminent fashion designer was born in 19 August 1883 and she left her heavenly abode in 1971 at age of 87( Source : imdb )

Coco Chanel movie 2008 chronicles the life events of Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel. Gabrielle Bonheur is the woman behind the establishment of the brand Chanel.

  1. Director: Christian Duguay
  2. IMDb Rating: 6.8
  3. Runtime: 2 hours 18 minutes
  4. Where to Watch: Netflix
  5. Cast: Shirley MacLaine in the lead role as Coco, Robert Dawson, Olivier Sitruk, Anny Duperey 

The biographical film was written by Jeffrey Hatcher, Enrico Medioli, and Lea Tafuri. It was nominated for two Emmy Awards in 2009.

A year later, another film called Coco Before Chanel directed by Anne Fontaine came out. 

Coco Chanel a.k.a Gabrielle is a skilled and popular French fashion designer of the 80s. Her luxury brand Chanel has had a big impact on the fashion world even today.

Renowned celebrities like Keira Knightley, Kylie Jenner, Lily-Rose Depp, Kim Jennie, and Kristen Stewart among many others have graced the red carpet sporting Chanel outfits.

9. Drew Peterson: Untouchable (2012)

The last wife of Drew, Stacy Ann portrayed by Cuoco has not been found yet
The last wife of Drew, Stacy Ann portrayed by Cuoco has not been found yet( Source : imdb )

Drew Peterson Untouchable cast features Rob Lowe, and Kaley Cuoco in key roles. Catherine Dent, Cara Buono, and William Mapother also appear in the film.

  1. Director: Mikael Salomon
  2. IMDb Rating: 6
  3. Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes
  4. Where to Watch: Google Play, iTunes

In 2012, police Sergeant Drew Walter Peterson was held responsible for the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.

But he was not found guilty until his fourth wife Stacy Ann Cales went missing in 2007. Currently, the murderer is in jail, and he may be released in 2081.

Written by Teena Booth, Drew Peterson Untouchable is an engaging watch. Lowe played the titular role of Drew whereas the Big Bang Theory fame Kaley acted as the 4th wife.

10. Pregnancy Pact (2010)

The Pregnancy Pact Preview ( Source : youtube )

Cast of the Pregnancy Pact consists of Thora Birch, Madisen Beaty, and David Clayton Rogers in starring roles. Teen parenthood is the main subject of the film.

  1. Director: Rosemary Rodriguez
  2. IMDb Rating: 4.8
  3. Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
  4. Where to Watch: Amazon Instant Video

Pregnancy Pact showcases how teenage girls from Gloucester High School get pregnant simultaneously. The naive girls make a pact to conceive babies while hoping to raise them together. 

After learning that 18 girls were pregnant in the span of a few weeks, a reporter called Sidney Bloom comes to the school to investigate the situation.

Thora acted as Sidney, Madisen performed the role of Sara, and David essayed the role of Brady Leary. This film became the 4th highest-rated among the movies launched by the entertainment channel up to 2011. 

New Lifetime Movies Based On True Stories

Best Lifetime movies based on true stories are 1. Betty and Coretta, 2. Held Hostage, 3. The Capture of the Green River Killer, and many others.

Here is a list of new motions pictures based on real events:

  • Trapped with my husband (24 June 2022)
  • 'Death' Of A Cheerleader ( 2 February 2019)
  • Girl in the Bunker (12 January 2018)
  • A Tale of Two Coreys (6 January 2018)
  • Cocaine Godmother: The Griselda Blanco Story (12 November 2017)

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