Behind Closed Doors (Season 1)

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.

  • Poster for The Cape Canaveral Story

    The Cape Canaveral Story (Episode 1)

    Writer: Paul Monash

    Air date: 1958-10-02

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for Flight to Freedom

    Flight to Freedom (Episode 2)

    Writer: Fenton Earnshaw

    Air date: 1958-10-09

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for Double Jeopardy

    Double Jeopardy (Episode 3)

    Writer: Leonard Lee

    Air date: 1958-10-16

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for Mig 9

    Mig 9 (Episode 4)

    Air date: 1958-10-23

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for Trouble in Test Cell 19

    Trouble in Test Cell 19 (Episode 5)

    Writer: Richard Tregaskis

    Air date: 1958-10-30

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for Man in the Moon

    Man in the Moon (Episode 6)

    Writer: Irving Wallace

    Air date: 1958-11-06

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for The Nike Story

    The Nike Story (Episode 7)

    Writer: John Hawkins

    Air date: 1958-11-13

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for It Was Learned on High Authority

    It Was Learned on High Authority (Episode 8)

    Writer: Stanley Niss

    Air date: 1958-11-27

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for The Enemy on the Flank

    The Enemy on the Flank (Episode 9)

    Writer: Alan Caillou

    Air date: 1958-12-04

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for A Cover of Art

    A Cover of Art (Episode 10)

    Writer: George Fass

    Air date: 1958-12-11

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for The Middle East Story

    The Middle East Story (Episode 11)

    Writer: Fenton Earnshaw

    Air date: 1958-12-18

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for The Brioni Story

    The Brioni Story (Episode 12)

    Writer: Charles Bennett

    Air date: 1958-12-25

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.).

  • Poster for The Obelisk

    The Obelisk (Episode 13)

    Air date: 1959-01-01

    Runtime: 30 min

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

  • Poster for The Germany Story

    The Germany Story (Episode 14)

    Air date: 1959-01-08

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for The Alkaloid Angle

    The Alkaloid Angle (Episode 15)

    Air date: 1959-01-22

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for Crypto 40

    Crypto 40 (Episode 16)

    Air date: 1959-01-29

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for The Alaskan Story

    The Alaskan Story (Episode 17)

    Air date: 1959-02-05

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for The Quemoy Story

    The Quemoy Story (Episode 18)

    Air date: 1959-02-12

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for The Espionage Students

    The Espionage Students (Episode 19)

    Air date: 1959-02-19

    Runtime: 30 min

  • Poster for The Geneva Story

    The Geneva Story (Episode 20)

    Air date: 1959-02-26

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for The Meeting

    The Meeting (Episode 21)

    Writer: Robert C. Dennis

    Air date: 1959-03-05

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for Mightier Than the Sword

    Mightier Than the Sword (Episode 22)

    Writer: Robert Leslie Bellem

    Air date: 1959-03-12

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for The Gamble

    The Gamble (Episode 23)

    Writer: Robert Leslie Bellem

    Air date: 1959-03-19

    Runtime: 30 min

  • Poster for Double Agent

    Double Agent (Episode 24)

    Air date: 1959-03-26

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for The Antidote

    The Antidote (Episode 25)

    Air date: 1959-04-02

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

  • Poster for Assignment Prague

    Assignment Prague (Episode 26)

    Writer: Alan Caillou

    Air date: 1959-04-09

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: 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.

Behind Closed Doors - Movie poster from The Movie Database (TMDB)