Behind Closed Doors (1958)
Synopsis
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.
First Air Date: 1958-10-02
Last Air Date: 1959-04-09
Number of Seasons: 1
Number of Episodes: 26
Networks: NBC
Top Cast
- Bruce Gordon as Commander Matson
- Ellis M. Zacharias as Self (as Rear Admiral Ellis M. Zacharias)
- Jacques Aubuchon as Shulnik
- Virginia Christine as Julie Hollister
- Francis Lederer as Brauer
- Lester Matthews as Colonel Brookston
- Kenneth Tobey as Colonel Pete Kellogg
- Denver Pyle as Roger Woodson
- John Doucette as Capt. John Benson
- Richard Davies as Werner
Seasons
Season 1 (1958)
No overview available for this season.
Episodes:
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Ep. 1: The Cape Canaveral Story
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.
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Ep. 2: Flight to Freedom
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.
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Ep. 3: Double Jeopardy
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.
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Ep. 4: Mig 9
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.
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Ep. 5: Trouble in Test Cell 19
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.
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Ep. 6: Man in the Moon
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.
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Ep. 7: The Nike Story
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.
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Ep. 8: It Was Learned on High Authority
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.
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Ep. 9: The Enemy on the Flank
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.
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Ep. 10: A Cover of Art
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.
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Ep. 11: The Middle East Story
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.
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Ep. 12: The Brioni Story
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.).
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Ep. 13: The Obelisk
A British atomic scientist steals important papers and heads for the moors, where he is to meet a U.S.S.R. helicopter.
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Ep. 14: The Germany Story
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.
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Ep. 15: The Alkaloid Angle
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.
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Ep. 16: Crypto 40
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.
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Ep. 17: The Alaskan Story
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.
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Ep. 18: The Quemoy Story
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.
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Ep. 19: The Espionage Students
No overview for this episode.
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Ep. 20: The Geneva Story
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.
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Ep. 21: The Meeting
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.
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Ep. 22: Mightier Than the Sword
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.
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Ep. 23: The Gamble
No overview for this episode.
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Ep. 24: Double Agent
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.
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Ep. 25: The Antidote
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.
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Ep. 26: Assignment Prague
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.
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