Behind Closed Doors

30min

War & Politics

Drama

Behind Closed Doors is an American drama series set during the Cold War hosted by and occasionally starring Bruce Gordon in the role of Commander Matson. The series, which aired on NBC from October 2, 1958, to April 9, 1959, focuses, among other themes, on how the former Soviet Union stole American missile secrets and proposes steps to prevent further espionage. Behind Closed Doors is based on the files and experiences of Rear Admiral Ellis M. Zacharias, who offers comments at the end of each segment. Behind Closed Doors, a Screen Gems production, replaced Jackie Cooper's sitcom The People's Choice, followed the NBC quiz show, Twenty-One, and preceded the The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show. Its competition was The Pat Boone Chevy Show on ABC and Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater western anthology series on CBS.

Production Companies

Screen Gems

Jane Gallu Productions Inc.

Episodes

Cast

The Cape Canaveral Story

1. The Cape Canaveral Story

30min

2nd Oct 1958

Wayne Hollister, a Florida fisherman, is approached by a Mr. Meyers who rents his boat for one day and demands to be taken to the waters off Cape Canaveral, not to fish, but to watch a rocket launching.

Flight to Freedom

2. Flight to Freedom

30min

9th Oct 1958

Brauer, a German scientist is held prisoner by the communists. The German scientist, forced to serve Russia’s guided missile program, attempts an escape when he sees his associate turned into a "human vegetable" by brain surgery.

Double Jeopardy

3. Double Jeopardy

30min

16th Oct 1958

British and U.S. intelligence agents learn that the Soviet ambassador to the U.N. is scheduled to arrive in London and divulge the Russian's new tactics to the Russian embassy there. The Allies try to plant a recording device in the embassy and ask a staid Britisher to help them.

Mig 9

4. Mig 9

30min

23rd Oct 1958

Lt. Tarkhanov, a Russian test pilot, sent to Germany on secret mission is hampered by Russian agents. The Russian Air Force lieutenant who wants to defect to the West, arranges to fly out the latest Rusian Mig jet to an American Air Force base in Germany.

Trouble in Test Cell 19

5. Trouble in Test Cell 19

30min

30th Oct 1958

A new jet engine that is being tested for its suitability for mass production blows up on the final test. Exam of the wreckage shows evidence of sabotage. U.S. Intelligence agents try to find the sabateur.

Man in the Moon

6. Man in the Moon

30min

6th Nov 1958

Clara Koller, a widow, has the important job of handling the budget of a manufacturing company engaged in a secret government project. When she is asked to join a friendship club she accepts, unaware that the club is a front for enemy agents.

The Nike Story

7. The Nike Story

30min

13th Nov 1958

Captain John Benson is sent to investigate when a fellow officer is murdered trying to trap an enemy agent on a missile base. Benson arranges to hold open house at the base in an attempt to capture the entire ring of agents at the base.

It Was Learned on High Authority

8. It Was Learned on High Authority

30min

27th Nov 1958

Fred Lang, an enemy agent, works as an engineer on a missile base in Los Angeles. He learns that a group of scientists is scheduled to fly to Cape Canaveral and is ordered to place a bomb on the plane.

The Enemy on the Flank

9. The Enemy on the Flank

30min

4th Dec 1958

U.S. Intelligence men learn that a U.S.S.R. sub operating from a base in Albania plan to interfere with movements of the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. Two agents are assigned to get information re the U.S.S.R. plans.

A Cover of Art

10. A Cover of Art

30min

11th Dec 1958

Commander Matson enters Czechoslovakia disguised as an art dealer, part of a plan to get atomic scientist Andrew Fleming out of the country. Tension mounts as the time of Fleming's trial nears and Matson has to call upon a group of Czech resistance fighters for help.

The Middle East Story

11. The Middle East Story

30min

18th Dec 1958

Jessica Tabor overhears a plot to assassinate King Hussein of Jordan and turns to secret agents James Foster and Harry Shaw to help forward information to Jordan and put the King out of danger.

The Brioni Story

12. The Brioni Story

30min

25th Dec 1958

This episode tells of an American secret operative (Sheldon Lawrence) who uncovers a plot to assassinate Marshal Tito and is warned to beware of a sculptress (Jeanette Strike.).

The Obelisk

13. The Obelisk

30min

1st Jan 1959

A British atomic scientist steals important papers and heads for the moors, where he is to meet a U.S.S.R. helicopter.

The Germany Story

14. The Germany Story

30min

8th Jan 1959

A Dr. Haas has set himself up as head of German fencing society, whose youthful members he uses to further his own subversive plans. Peter Gebhardt joins in an attempt to learn of plans to establish a new regime.

The Alkaloid Angle

15. The Alkaloid Angle

30min

22nd Jan 1959

During an investigation of a shipment of narcotics to a Mid East port, a U.S. agent is killed. Agent Robert Hatfield, called out of retirement to work on the case, learns that a traitor has revealed his identity to the Communists.

Crypto 40

16. Crypto 40

30min

29th Jan 1959

Scientist David Sparrow, developer of a code machine, is captured and held behind the Iron Curtain. Realizing that Sparrow will be forced to make a similar machine for the U.S.S.R., Captain Early devises a rescue scheme.

The Alaskan Story

17. The Alaskan Story

30min

5th Feb 1959

Attempting to break up a Communist spy ring in Alaska, Captain John Rand enters the penitentiary as a prisoner to become friendly with a Red agent, help him to escape in the hope that he will lead Rand to other members of the ring.

The Quemoy Story

18. The Quemoy Story

30min

12th Feb 1959

In Macao, Anna Sung, a U.S. agent, is kidnapped by the Reds. Searching for her, Commander Bennett and Mike Perrera, a local police detective, come across a plan to infiltrate and capture Quemoy Island.

The Espionage Students

19. The Espionage Students

30min

19th Feb 1959

The Geneva Story

20. The Geneva Story

30min

26th Feb 1959

A former Soviet official is released from prison to represent the U.S.S.R. at the Geneva arms conference. U.S. agent Nick Blake is assigned to learn why.

The Meeting

21. The Meeting

30min

5th Mar 1959

U.S. spies learn that a new chief of the U.S.S.R. secret police has been appointed. Agent Ralph Drake goes to Austria to meet with Western agents from six Iron Curtain countries.

Mightier Than the Sword

22. Mightier Than the Sword

30min

12th Mar 1959

U.S. agent Douglas Kincaid joins the Communist Party and learns that Feodor Mashay, once a top Kremlin official, wants to defect. Kincaid is assigned to help Mashay escape.

The Gamble

23. The Gamble

30min

19th Mar 1959

Double Agent

24. Double Agent

30min

26th Mar 1959

A British counterintelligence agent tries to track down a spy working for both East and West who is responsible for the shipment of arms to western sympathizers behind the Iron Curtain.

The Antidote

25. The Antidote

30min

2nd Apr 1959

Dr. Paul Matley, inventor of a radiation antidote and his wife Laura, are at a night club when Laura is poisoned by Communist agents. Matley is told that Laura will be saved only if he turns over the antidote.

Assignment Prague

26. Assignment Prague

30min

9th Apr 1959

In Warsaw, an anti-Communist uprising has somehow gone unreported in the West. A U.S. agent posing as a former American film director recruited by the Commies to direct propaganda films in Poland, has, along with his crew, compiled a documentary film about the rebellion and is trying to smuggle it to the West where it can be shown at the U.N.

First air date

2nd Oct 1958

Last air date

9th Apr 1959

Status

Ended

Type

Scripted

Original language

en

Networks