A Tiny Bit Of Microfilm by The Man Called X

Relic Radio Thrillers (Old Time Radio)

This February 24, 1951 broadcast of The Man Called X follows espionage agent Ken Thurston as he navigates a Cold War plot in Iran involving stolen Soviet military plans. After a

Key takeaways

• Herbert Marshall stars as Ken Thurston (alias The Man Called X) in this classic NBC radio thriller broadcast on February 24, 1951.
• Soviet agent Dagilev and Iranian intelligence Major Chugga both attempt to intercept microfilm containing Russia's military plans regarding Iran.

Main topics

• Cold War espionage
• Microfilm intelligence

Notable quotes

Wherever there is mystery, intrigue, romance, in all the strange and dangerous places of the world, there you will find The Man Called X.

Conclusion

Listeners are left with a tense Cold War narrative that highlights the

Transcript preview

Speaker 7 (0:11) RelicRadio.com presents stories of mystery and intrigue, espionage and suspense. Hear tales of ticking time bombs, mysterious crime scenes, and cloak and dagger action. This is Relic Radio Thrillers. Speaker 4 (0:38) Now we present Herbert Marshall as The Man Called X, the Saturday night feature on NBC's five-show festival of comedy, music, mystery, and drama, brought to you by Chesterfield, the only cigarette that combines mildness with no unpleasant aftertaste, the cigarette that brings you Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. By the makers of Anacin for fast relief from pain of headache, neuritis, neuralgia. And by RCA Victor, world leader in radio, first in recorded music, first in television. Speaker 4 (1:17) Herbert Marshall as the man called X. Wherever there is mystery, intrigue, romance, in all the strange and dangerous places of the world, there you will find The Man Called X. Speaker 4 (1:34) Hey, wait. Here are those two guys again. Speaker 7 (1:36) Bob, Speaker 4 (1:37) do Speaker 7 (1:37) you realize we only have one thing in common? Hardly enough for a happy marriage, is it? What's that, Bing? Chesterfields, of course. We both like them, we both sell them. And we'd better get to selling them now. You know, folks, better tasting Chesterfield is the only cigarette that combines for you mildness with no unpleasant aftertaste. How do you know they're mild? Well, you just make our mildness test. You buy them, open them up, and enjoy that milder aroma. Then smoke a Chesterfield. you'll know it's milder because it smokes milder. And Chesterfield leaves no unpleasant aftertaste. That fact has been confirmed by the country's first and only cigarette taste panel. So, always buy Chesterfield. Join me, Junior. Let's sum it up musically. Chesterfield, Chesterfield always takes first place. That milder mild tobacco never leaves an aftertaste. So, open a pack, give them a smell, then you'll smoke them. Speaker 4 (2:41) There are some who say that the history of modern man began in ancient Persia, now called Iran. And there are others in the capitals of the Western world who fear that the end of modern man may begin there also, with the thunder of the weapons of war as the hordes from the North march down to seize the oil-rich lands of the Middle East. Speaker 4 (3:08) On a lonely windswept plateau in the socialist Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan, just north of Iran, a sheepherder huddles in his tiny hut, huddles over a shiny, portable shortwave radio transmitter. Speaker 5 (3:21) This is Outpost calling X in Tehran. Outpost calling X in Tehran. Listen closely. May not be able to repeat. Listen closely. The information will be aboard the Tehran-Bagdad plane on the 25th. Take seat 10B. Your contact will be... Oh! Speaker 7 (3:40) Contact... Contact will be... Speaker 5 (3:49) Pig. Oh, dang it. Speaker 5 (3:53) Dagilev, we have finally caught up with the traitor. It was inevitable, comrade. But the message he was sending about the information, we found him too late, Dagilev. Speaker 8 (4:03) No, we did not find him too late. I assure you that information will never reach the man called X. Speaker 2 (4:23) Looks like it, Chief. I haven't been able to raise him again. Speaker 2 (4:29) Yep. Russia's military plans regarding Iran. What? That's right. Everything she's been doing about messing up troops, moving military supplies and material. The works. Speaker 5 (4:43) Yep. Speaker 2 (4:43) And it'll be somewhere aboard the Tehran-Baghdad plane on the 25th. Speaker 2 (4:53) That's an interesting question, Chief. I'll give you the answer later, after I land in Baghdad. Speaker 1 (5:13) but please get a board at once. Speaker 1 (5:18) That's the Speaker 2 (5:19) entire passenger Speaker 5 (5:20) list, Major Chugga? That is correct, Mr. Thurston. And we have complete intelligent dossiers clearing all but three of them. Uh-huh. Who are they? The first is a Professor James Gilbert, an English archaeologist. James Gilbert? He was recently stricken with a heart attack and is accompanied by a nurse, Reza Hussain. Well, Speaker 2 (5:38) and Speaker 5 (5:38) the third? He terms himself a financier from Luxembourg. Rather strange person. What's his name? He calls himself Count P. Vonetsu Zeltschmidt. Zeltschmidt? Yeah. He is perhaps the contact you were seeking? He'll contact me, all right, but as for being the man I'm seeking... Oh, time for you, time for you to get aboard, Mr. Thurston. Yeah, thanks for the help, Major Chugga. Let you know how I make out. Well, please do, until we know definitely just how strong is the threat from the north. There is little sleep for anyone in Iran. That goes for the rest of the world, too, Major. We see you. Good luck, Mr. Thurston. Speaker 5 (6:20) Your pardon, Effendi. Your pardon. Speaker 8 (6:23) It is nothing, sir. Nothing. Speaker 5 (6:27) Did you recognize that man, Dagilev? Speaker 8 (6:29) Major Chagat, Iranian intelligence. Then we must be Speaker 5 (6:33) right, Dagilev, Speaker 8 (6:34) about the information being aboard. There is no doubt of that, comrade. The man with whom Chagat was speaking is the man known as X. The man called... Speaker 5 (6:43) But Speaker 8 (6:44) you let him get aboard the plane, Dagilev. Once he obtains that information and lands at Baghdad... There is no cause for alarm, comrade. That plane will never land at Baghdad. Speaker 6 (7:07) Pardon, my dear sir, but would this seat next to you happen to be unoccupied with nobody in it? Like I was saying, my friendly traveling companion, if this seat is empty without any passengers, I mean, and you would like to spend a few pleasant moments discussing financial-type matters with a brother financier. Speaker 2 (7:27) Oh, sit down, Pagan. Speaker 6 (7:30) Thank you. Clever how I did it, eh, Mr. Hanks? Nobody on board this flying jalopy could even know we know each other. Speaker 2 (7:37) All right. What's the pitch this time? Speaker 6 (7:39) Pitch? I don't get it, Mr. X. I'm not after no money from you. Speaker 2 (7:43) Then who asked you to get aboard this plane? Speaker 6 (7:46) Always joking, eh, Mr. X? You asked me naturally. What? Speaker 2 (7:51) I didn't even know you were in Tehran. Well, Speaker 6 (7:53) that's not what my Uncle Ahmed told me. Your Uncle Ahmed... Sure, I'm working for him in Tehran. A big importing and deporting business. He's got big connections, you understand. Now, wait a minute. Just what did your Uncle Ahmed tell you? Speaker 3 (8:04) Just what you told him. that you wanted me to take the strip with you. It was all very hush-hush, important, top-secret stuff. So here I am. Well, so what's cooking, Mr. Ray? Speaker 2 (8:14) Hang on, if I could believe for one minute that... I beg your pardon, Speaker 1 (8:16) sir, but would you happen to be a Mr.