Mandell Kramer Don MacLaughlin Counterspy 1952

''Counterspy'' was an

espionage Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information ( intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tang ...

drama radio series that aired on the

NBC Blue Network The Blue Network (previously known as the NBC Blue Network) was the on-air name of a now defunct American radio network, which broadcast from 1927 through 1945. Beginning as one of the two radio networks owned by the National Broadcasting Com ...

(later ABC) and Mutual from May 18, 1942, to November 29, 1957.Dunning, John. (1998). ''On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio''. Oxford University Press. . P. 181. David Harding (played by Don MacLaughlin) was the chief of the United States Counterspies, a unit engaged during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

counterintelligence Counterintelligence is an activity aimed at protecting an agency's intelligence program from an opposition's intelligence service. It includes gathering information and conducting activities to prevent espionage, sabotage, assassinations or o ...

against Japan's Black Dragon and

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

Gestapo The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one or ...

.Reinehr, Robert C. and Swartz, Jon D. (2008). ''The A to Z of Old-Time Radio''. Scarecrow Press, Inc. . Pp. 69-70. United States Counterspies was a fictional government agency devised by the program's creator,

Phillips H. Lord Phillips Haynes Lord (July 13, 1902 – October 19, 1975) was an American radio program writer, creator, producer and narrator as well as a motion picture actor, best known for the ''Gang Busters'' radio program that was broadcast from 1935 to ...

after Lord "had a certain amount of difficulty with J. Edgar Hoover over story content in

Gang Busters ''Gang Busters'' is an American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered on January 15, 1936, and was broadcast over 21 years through November 27, 1957. Histo ...

."Erickson, Hal (2014). ''From radio to the big screen: Hollywood films featuring broadcast personalities and programs''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 253-255.

Mandel Kramer Mandel Kramer (March 12, 1916 – January 29, 1989) was an American actor. As a voice actor, he is best known as the last Johnny Dollar from '' Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar'' radio show. Early years Kramer grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where his ...

played Peters, Harding's assistant.Buxton, Frank and Owen, Bill (1972). ''The Big Broadcast: 1920-1950''. The Viking Press. SBN 670-16240-x. P. 62. The program's plots progressed through three phases. During World War II they involved "threats from the Axis powers."Blottner, Gene (2012). ''Columbia Pictures Movie Series, 1926-1955: The Harry Cohn Years''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 80-83. After the war ended, Cold War threats took precedence. In the third phase, "they addressed all manner of illegal activities. Scriptwriters for the series included Milton J. Kramer, Emile C. Tepperman and Stanley Niss.

Adaptations

The radio drama was adapted to film twice, as ''

David Harding, Counterspy ''David Harding, Counterspy'' is a 1950 American film noir crime film directed by Ray Nazarro and starring Willard Parker. It was based on the radio series '' Counterspy''. Plot An American spy is killed under suspicious circumstances. His frie ...

'' (July 1950) and as ''

Counterspy Meets Scotland Yard ''Counterspy Meets Scotland Yard'' is a 1950 American film noir B movie directed by Seymour Friedman and starring Howard St. John, Ron Randell and Amanda Blake. Plot When enemy agents obtain leaked secrets about a guided missile system, an Ame ...

'' (November 1950). Both

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the multi ...

productions starred Howard St. John in the title role. An unsuccessful pilot for a television version of ''Counterspy'' was produced in England in 1958, with

Don Megowan Don Megowan (May 24, 1922 – June 26, 1981) was an American actor. He played the Gill-man on land in '' The Creature Walks Among Us'', the final part of the ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' trilogy. Early life Don Megowan was born in Ingle ...

as David Harding. The trade publication Broadcasting also reported on plans of Bernard L. Schubert Inc. to produce 39 episodes of ''David Harding, Counterspy'' with

Reed Hadley Reed Hadley (born Reed Herring, June 25, 1911 – December 11, 1974) was an American film, television and radio actor. Early life Hadley was born in Petrolia, Texas, to Bert Herring, an oil well driller, and his wife Minnie. Hadley had on ...

in the title role and Telestar Films' releasing of ''Counterspy'' for syndication. A Spanish version of ''Counterspy'' was transmitted to South America via shortwave radio in 1942. An article in Broadcasting reported that commercial were deleted and that the effort was "in cooperation with the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs."

References

{{reflist

External links

Logs

Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs: ''Counterspy''Episodic log of ''Counterspy'' from RadioGOLDINdex

Audio

Script of "Case of the Framed Congressman" episode of ''Counterspy''Zoot Radio, free old time radio show downloads of "David Harding Counter Spy"

TV pilots

Pilot of TV version of ''David Harding, Counterspy,'' starring Reed HadleyPilot of TV version of ''Counterspy'' starring Don Megowan

Magazine article

Radio and Television Mirror article "by David Harding" with information from "actual cases from the Counterspy files."
American radio dramas 1940s American radio programs 1950s American radio programs NBC Blue Network radio programs ABC radio programs Mutual Broadcasting System programs 1942 radio programme debuts 1957 radio programme endings Radio programs adapted into films