 I was a communist for the FBI. Starring Dana Andrews in an exciting tale of danger and espionage. I was a communist for the FBI. We're about to hear a strange story. Names, dates, and places are for obvious reasons fictional. But many of the incidents are based on the authentic experiences of Math Severic, who for nine fantastic years lived as a communist for the FBI. Yes, for nine years I posed as a communist for the FBI. I was one of them, lived with them, did their dirty work. It was a strange life, being friends with people I hated, and being hated by people I would have liked to have had as my friends. For nine years a communist for the FBI. This is a story of my work and why it had to be done. In a moment listen to Dana Andrews as Math Severic, undercover man. Dana Andrews as Math Severic, undercover man. This story from the confidential file is marked, Traders for a hire. Commies wanted a man in the United States Employment Service, and they wanted it bad. My job? To find out why. So temporarily I found myself nine to fiving it as an employment counselor. It was pretty dull until I got a call to visit a certain sporting goods store. Yes, sir. I'll show you our new shipment of fishing tackle. A spinning reel, perhaps? The winter is the time to catch a red trout. How many times do red trout bite on flies? Seven in the morning, four at noon. And seven at night? Step in the back room, please. Hello, man. What's up, Morgan? Your message sounded urgent. It is. When the FBI helped you swing that new job of the U.S. Employment Service week, apparently did you a bad turn. Why? The party seemed tickled if you'll pardon the pun pink. Oh, the party wants a man in that spot, no doubt, but your quick promotion made some comrades suspicious. We've got a report from my agent in New York. The entire communist racket's being checked by Red Secret Police. Oh, that's just swell. It's worse. You're slated to be called up before Communist Control Commission investigation. When? When the MVD agents have finished checking you. How about the application cards of the communists at place? I'd better get them back in the file. No can do. You get them back only after we've made photo stats of them. And any new ones must continue to be sent to us. If the Reds don't check your office, you'll be okay. But if they do... I know. Please admit the flowers. United States Employment Service. Mr. Servetik's office. Yes, sir. Notification has been made. Goodbye. Yes, sir. Can I... Just a moment, sir. I had you in appointment. Charles, do not be a fool. I need no appointment. Good morning, M. Servetik. Good morning. I am Pierre le Monsieur. You will place me as head barber at the Victoria Aircraft Plant. They have a shop for the executives, I understand? Well, yes, but head barber. No, I'm sorry, but I... I want to begin work on Monday. You're a dreamer, Mr. LeVesseur. The position at Victoria is not open. It will be. It will be. It seems that a few minutes ago there was a tragic accident. A man was injured. A head barber? Yes. The poor man was struck by a company vehicle while returning from the Plant Commissary. You'd better give me a fast reason why I shouldn't call the cops. But certainly. It will suffice if I introduce myself properly. Comrade Servetik. You have identification? Of course, but not on my person, obviously. You'll be shown them at a special meeting tonight, Comrade. What meeting? I'm taking over this territory, Comrade. You will find my methods different than I am sure much more efficient. For example, a party inspector will check your office and files to make certain of your efficiency. Inspector? Who? When? He'll introduce himself at the proper time. If you are wise, you'll be ready for his inspection at any moment. And now, about the job for Pierre. Thank you, Monsieur. You have been most kind. Bonjour. Goodbye. Betty, Mr. Lavasseur is to be placed in the Executive Barber Shop at Victoria, starting as of Monday. Draw up five copies and have them on my desk for signature this evening. You're really going to place that... Yes, Mr. Servetik. I'm going out for a while to my dentist. Is there a number where I can meet you? No. No number. Mr. Burns. Yes, Mr. Servetik. Is something wrong, Mr. Servetik? You're in charge of this outer office, Mr. Burns. It would be nice if you could see that it's more like an office and less like a quilting beam. Yes, sir. I'll put out a memo right away. You put out too many memos. Tell them. They can discuss their social life somewhere else, but it works. And put out that pipe. Oh, yes, Mr. Servetik. Not in the way of paper basket, you idiot. You want to set the place on fire? All right, what are you all gaping at? Get to work. Are you sure about this? Of course I'm sure. If that barber dies, Lavasseur is a murderer. The barber's case can advise the local authorities when and if they can move in. If you're nail Lavasseur, let me know. I'll help with the embalming. You better keep your mind on your own problem. Wherever the comrade is that has a knife out for you, he's close. How close? Right next to you, according to our last report. Someone in your office, probably. They don't miss any bets. Look, we'll continue to use this shop for meeting when you can get away and think it's safe. Otherwise, we'll use a car picker. We have a new phone number to call. What is it? Number will be Brighton 91950. My name will be Worcester, Harry Worcester. Identification? Golf score. Use a low score for all as well. A high score for urgency or danger. Got it? Except for one thing. I've never played golf. How the devil do you score it? I left the FBI man, Morgan, and returned to the office to find things running normally. The girls were busy chattering about last Saturday night's failure and next Saturday night's hope, except one named Carol who was batting her blue eyes at Wally Burns until the nervous little office manager was ready to jump right out of his chair. Waiting in my private office was a 200-pound man with a one-ounce brain. Well, aye, Comrade Sverick. I need a new job on account I get... Get out of my chair! Oh, sure, Comrade, only thought... You never thought in your life, Sargo. You've been fired from eight jobs already because you can't keep quiet about being a party member. Only I didn't get fired this time because I'm a party member. I was fired because I carried out the orders on a new leader. Your leader. What are you talking about? I was kicked out of Victoria because I had an accident. They said I was careless. Only they don't know how careless. So you drove the truck that hit the barber. That's right. An instruction from Comrade Lavasseur. And that ain't all. He wants me to get together a police unit firm. I see. Lavasseur is here representing the party's control commission. And you're going to head his private goon squad. Well, you fit, Sargo. Yes, Mr. Sverick. Get me the personnel manager, Mr. Lewis, at the Marshall Plant. Yes, sir. A few minutes of talk and I had Comrade Sargo placed again, this time in the Marshall Plant. The rest of the day, I spent examining my office force, wondering which one was the commie spy. Betty, my impulsive but efficient secretary? Wally Burns, maybe. Or was it Carol? Or some other typist? Whoever it was, I had to find out soon. When I got off at 5.30, I was picked up by Comrade Sargo. He took me to the special meeting in a shabby hotel room, giving me no chance to contact the FBI as to its whereabouts. Here he is, Comrade Lavasseur. Hello, Comrade Lavasseur. Where are the others? Other? There are no others. This is a special meeting for the three of us. I prefer that what we discuss remains with us. That way, any leak can be quickly traced. To one of us, I understand. Then to business. I am bringing in hundreds of loyal communist workers from all over the country. You will see that they are placed in vital positions. I want them in every plant. That's quite an order. You must do it, Comrade Siretik. With our men in key positions, we can disrupt the war production of this area at will. Harry Wooster? Speaking. My golf game's lousy, Harry. Shot 115. It's big, Morgan. Lavasseur is planning on flooding the war plants in this area with commies from all over the country. Well, I prefer sign of trouble, before they can sabotage so much as a bold. All right. But I'll have to stop sending in the application cards with this bigger plan on the party's bounder send an agent to inspect my file sometime. Meet those cards more than ever. But, Morgan, if the party's buying my office, checks my file, I'll be caught. Here's a locked file. Keep the only key. I'll stop them. But not a Soviet secret police investigator. That's a chance you're just going to have to take. It's a communist for the FBI and the second act of our story. 146 communists I placed in the war plants and still they kept coming. My locked file at the office became more and more of a threat with its empty sections. Sections that were in FBI hands. Always over my head hung the fear of the surprise inspection by a Soviet agent. And to make life just that much worse, I had the knowledge of a communist spy being in my office staff. A spy that had me facing an inevitable trial by the control commission, the party's equivalent of a Gestapo. Yes, Mr. Sargo, may I help you? Well, I don't know, baby, try and see. Mr. Sevedic is out at the moment. Will you wait? Well, sure. But you it might be fun, honey. The name is Miss Ward, do you? Oh, is it? Well, me, I got just a remedy for a snooty little doll like your little kiss. Let go of me, you big ape. Let's go. I'll see you pay for it. My arm. Milk face, little fascist. I'll teach you some respect for the party. I go. Let her go. No, not until I teach you something. Oh, you filthy communist knucklehead. I said let go. What? Why you? What? No, wait. Don't hit me again. I'll show you to manhandle a decent girl. You sick cunt. Come on. Slime. You're not out, you dirty red. Get up and get out of here. Take your smelly communist ideas of decency with you. Get out. All right. All right. I'm going. Just give me a chance. Go on. Get off. Good heavens. What was all that about, Mr. Sevedic? Nothing. Get back to work. I'll be quick. Why, of course, Mr. Sevedic. I'm sorry, Mr. Sevedic, but the noise and all I can... Gee, thanks, Mr. Sevedic. I hope this fight won't get you into any trouble. Sorry I go ahead. That one coming, Betty. He sure did. Funny. You know, for a long time I thought you might be a communist. It was a bad mistake. I knew the spy had heard me spouting off. And I knew it was coming. It came at four in the morning when I was asleep in my hotel room. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I owe you money. I'm coming. Good morning, Mr. Sevedic. What... What do you want, Sargo? Who are those guys with you? Don't act so scared, tough man. We just come to invite you to party. At four in the morning? Go back to the store and sleep it off. Get your pants on. Come here. The party wants to ask you a few questions. Now. Layton's journey. Did you search him? We did better. We watched him dress. The control commission has been checking your record, comrade Sevedic. We have been quite thorough. Yeah. And? Unfortunately for you, the record shows only the best service to the party. Well. And what's the idea of bringing me... A clear record does not mean you are free of suspicion. Your promotion to counselor in the U.S. employment service. And did you manage it so easily? You got it for you. I worked for you. Perhaps the FBI helped a little. I've told you. I have no connection with the FBI. But you have changed. You lost your faith in the party. No. But you did attack the comrade today. Well. Yes. And during this attack you said things. May I speak? By all means, comrade. First of all, I'm surprised that you would listen to an idiot like comrade Sargo. What are you doing? Do I understand by this that you deny his accusation? If he says I haven't anyway been disloyal to the party, yes. Ah. You've made the mistake. I was waiting for comrade Sargo. It was not only comrade Sargo's word. Another comrade testified to your comments. Open the door. Yeah, comrade. Ah. Well. Comrade Sargo. Comrade Sargo. Comrade Sargo. Comrade Sargo. Yes, this is me, you rotten spy. Me, wally Burns. I knew you were a traitor when they put you in as counselor. That was my job. You stole. Enough. Comrade Burns. Well, comrade Sargo. Do you still persist in your lies? I repeat, I have never been disloyal to the party. Explain. My proof lies in common sense, comrade Lavasseur. If I've done anything else except throw Sargo out of my office and make a big pretense pretense of hating communism. How long do you think I'd have kept my job. As you say comrade sir I think common sense not not just a moment you're not going to swallow that that hogwash that hogwash comrade burns makes a great deal of logic. I will you I would examine my own loyalty to the party. My loyalty that the jealousy over a fascist job is a grave weakness. No I know you comrade Sargo your stupid behavior jeopardized months of work I'm recommending you to be transferred to another district for proper disciplinary action. None are please. That's all comrade. Good night. Just a moment comrade LaVassar. If I'm cleared I want to request that comrade burns leave my office at once. I prefer he stay. He's the logical choice for your position in case anything should happen to you. When LaVassar smile that sly wet smile at me I knew I had only partially won. He was reserving judgment and waiting waiting for me to be overconfident enough to make that one slip. I had an idea so I called my FBI contact and in half an hour a sleepy Morgan picked me up in his car as we rode around the dark streets we talked Matt you know I want to pin that barbers accident on Sargo and LaVassar but Sargo leave me Morgan he's ready to crack wide open. I know he looks tough but he showed a yellow streak a yard wide in our fight and now that he's in bad trouble with the party he's right. All right we'll pick him up do it now while he's off balance. Throw us care into him about having a witness and when he starts talking talk himself into prison and LaVassar with him. Okay Matt that all all what do you want from one night's work Stalin. I didn't get much sleep but I felt good going to work the next morning. I was sure Sargo would sing and loud. I could even stand the sight of Wally Burns back in his role as a nervous little office manager who always forgot knocked his pipe out and wastebasket. He had reason to be nervous that morning and so did I only I didn't realize it until I was in my private office and found Pierre LaVassar waiting for me. Good morning comrades. Something wrong with your plant. No you will intrigue me last night. That is why I decided to look at your record this morning instead of waiting to have a regular inspector come in. Well the files locked the keys. I seem to have misplaced it. I hope you find it. I'm going to see those files. Yes naturally. Oh here's the key. The files in the other room I'll go open it and bring you the. I'll go with you. You may need help. This was the pay off one glance to that file and LaVassar would know I was an FBI agent. I led the way to the outer office trying desperately to think of some way out seeing Wally Burns gave me one faint hope as I remembered his habit of knocking out his pipe in wastebaskets. It was a thin chance but as I passed the wastebasket I palmed my lighter snapped it into a flame and dropped it unnoticed into the pile of crumpled papers. The file is over here Mr. LaVassar. Open it quickly. Good. Let's take it into your private office. Fire. Just as fast as fire. Give me that fire. Burning wastebasket made a lot of smoke and the excited clerks helped the confusion but Pierre LaVassar was not to be distracted. He yanked the file drawer from me and headed for the outer door. I knew if he reached it I was finished. So with my right foot I hooked his ankle going by causing him to fall headlong against the desk in a snowstorm of open files and papers. I said Mr. LaVassar let me help. I'll take care of him Burns. Get those girls and the others out of here. But Mr. Spettich he's uncart. I said get these people out of here. Yes. All right outside everyone outside I said move outside clear the room. Once the room was empty of people I went to work fast seeing to it that the wastebasket fired destroyed enough of my file cards and papers to make peers investigation useless in a few minutes with a fire extinguisher and the fire was a wet and smoldering mass of papers. Then I dragged the limp Pierre LaVassar out to the sidewalk and fresh air. It took a while to clear away the crowds and assure everyone things were all right. But by the time Pierre was recovering he and I and Wally Burns were alone while inside the office staff was starting to clean up the debris. Take it easy comrade. You had a bad fall in there. What happened. There was a fire you were running with a file and tripped over a phone cord. I tried to catch you but I missed. Too bad. I suppose it cannot be helped now only. I did such a fire start. Ask Wally Burns me why I had nothing to do as the habit of knocking his pipe cold into a wastebasket. It would seem he did it once too often. Is that true. Well yes that is I did forget once or twice but I swear I didn't do it today. You've got to listen to that. I've listened to you too often. You'll pay for your bongling. The party will see today. No. No you won't get me in that cellar. I'll quit first. I'll go away. You won't find me not me. You're not going to find me. Fool will find you comrade Burns when we want you. Help me up. Sure. Thank you. This time I am going. You are not going anywhere Mr. Except the jail. Jay. Where are you. What are you talking. Daniel's homicide. You are Pierre Lavasseur. No buts just come along. Cut them Frank. You hired the wrong boy my red friend Sargo told us the whole thing. Hey now wait lieutenant day out of it fella take it on this punk reads assault and battery with intent to commit murder. Come on. You got to date with a new cell the prison time. Sorry Mr. Lavasseur. It looks like I can't help you. Now. They went off friend and enemy and I started from my office. No my job wasn't ended. This was just another part a part of my undercover war against communism. As long as communists tried to murder freedom I would be in battle. A strange battle and a stranger battlefield across which I knew I would always be walking alone. Our star Dana Andrews will return in a moment. This is Dana Andrews all over America. People like Matt Severick are fighting to win over the forces of communism in our country. It's a never ending fight one that concerns you and me and all loyal Americans who love this country and hate the subversive forces that threaten to destroy our American way of life. Next week we bring you another strange and fantastic story based on the true life experiences of Matt Severick planned to be with us at that time want to