 Listen to 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. There was no warning, no presentment of impending disaster. The papers headlined the cliché of another impasse at the United Nations. Radio commentators announced a new gangland murder, the firing of a football coach. There was not the slightest hint that the entire civilized world might be in terrible danger. And then, a telephone started to ring in a certain New York City apartment. Hello? What's up, Chief? I'll be right there. Sure there's no mistake, Chief? Not a chance, Ken. It's formula H all right. The key to the most destructive weapon ever conceived by man and a set of the microfilm is missing. When was the last discovered? I got a call from Los Alamos 20 minutes ago. Any idea who? Take your choice, Ken. Sir John Saunders of England, Charles Gommar of France, Aline Nasda of Belgium. Good Lord. Yeah. Three of the world's greatest atomic scientists. All of them cleared to work with our top men and all of them had access to those plans. What's been done about them? The Washington just reported on the personal security search. And? No trace of the film. No, there wouldn't be. But what the devil are we going to do about it? We can't let those plans get out of the states. Why, Ken, if they fall into the wrong hands, the whole world could go up and smoke. Chief, weren't the three of them about to leave this country for a scientific convention in Paris? That's right. They were all set to take off at midnight from Washington in a chartered plane. But don't worry about that. We'll cancel the flight and hold them in custody. Why? Why? For Pete's sake, Ken. One of them's obviously using that trip as an excuse to get out of the country with those plans. That's why I think we should let them go. What? No, Chief. It's a hundred to one that Formula H is on its way out of the states right now. None of the three has the plans on him. So what are you going to accomplish by holding them in custody? Well, I don't know. But we just can't let them skip the country. Why not? If I go along. What have you got in mind, Ken? They are not leaving Washington until midnight. That gives us plenty of time to make arrangements for me to take over as co-pilot on the flight. Co-pilot? I'll have until we land at Shannon Island to come up with something. Maybe learn which one it is or get some hint as to what's happening to that microfilm. Oh, but you haven't anything to go on, Ken. Nothing to work with. Got any other ideas, Chief? All right. Let's go. You looking for somebody? Yeah. Captain Bill Allen. Have I found him? Well, you couldn't have done it better with radar, pal. You must be thirsty in the new coal. That's right. Hope we don't mind the last-minute switch. Oh, brother, there's been nothing but switches on this flight. We're going. We're canceled. We're going again. I've even filed two flight plans. One for Shannon and one for the Savoy bar. No, Thurston, you don't bother me a bit. Well, thanks, Allen. Is this our ship? Yep. Fuel check cleared and ready to go as soon as our three VIPs get in. Just the three of them going along? That's right. Two of us and a steward will make a total of six. We'll be flying light, high, and handsome. That's why I filed nonstop. But, hey, looky there seems if the brain tries showing up. Hey, Thurston, I thought we were carrying electronic greybeards. Who's that streamlined jet-jab? She must be one of them, Allen. Dr. Aline Knaschbell, Belgium. Well, don't tell me she's got all that and brains, too. Wow, we'll be flying the beam tonight. Are you all set to go, Captain? Well, just let them get aboard, sir, and we'll be off. Good. The plane's all ready. So, if you'll all get aboard, Dr. Najda. But, of course. Here, let me help you with that bag, Miss Najda. Well, thank you, Captain. Well, I think nothing of it, may him nothing at all. Oh, you button up after we're all aboard. Will you, Thurston, I'll see our passengers and may come. Sure. Passengers, did he say? That's a relief. For a moment, I thought Dr. Najda was the only one travelling tonight. So you were bored, Mr. Thurston? Hey, you are certain that this plane is capable of making the journey, Mr. Thurston? It does not seem very large, you're very strong. No need to be concerned, Professor Goma, we'll make it easily. Perhaps, perhaps. Still, it is such a long voyage and over water so much of the way. A boat would be so much safer, so much more... Well, it is too late for that now, eh? That's fine. Yet, as you say, the die is now cast. Weep, it has been cast. Everything all right, Ken. Okay, here, Chief, what about you? They've been under constant surveillance. I'll guarantee not one of them is carrying the plans aboard. What about Alan? He's been checked. Not a thing on record against him. You're going on a wild goose chase, Ken. You haven't got a prayer of turning anything up. Why don't I take them all into custody before it's too late? If I can't turn anything up, it's already too late, Chief. I'll let you know how I come out. See you later. Come on, Ken. NC 6X 943 to Tower, ready for takeoff. All right. Tower, NC 6X 943. Runway's yours. Letter it over and over. How do you make the altitude, Thurston? Ten thousand one. Of course. Zero seven zero degrees. Well, check and triple check. It's all in known hours, man, says. Nothing to do but relax now, won't it? Yeah. Suppose I go out, check on the passengers, and have the steward rustle up some coffee. Yeah, you do that, Thurston, only don't you get lost on the way. I'm reserving hand-holding privileges with that beautiful hunk of atomic vision for yours truly. How did I know, Ellen? You just do that, Thurston. You just do that. Nice takeoff, Mr. Thurston. If the rest of the trip is as pleasant, I'll be more than satisfied. Thanks, Sir John. We'll try to keep you that way. By the way, do you happen to have the time? It's, um, 12.35. Everything all right, Dr. Narschdon? Oh, it is indeed, Mr. Thurston. We've got one exception. Oh, what's that? Well, traveling by airplane always stimulates me. And as I do not feel the least a bit sleepy, I am certain that some coffee could do me no harm. You will have it, Doctor. I'm going back to light a fire under the steward now. Mr. Thurston, Mr. Thurston, some attention, please. What's the trouble, Professor Goma? That Captain Allen, he did not do as I wished. I told him I wanted my briefcase here on the seat beside me, and he has put it up there. But I cannot easily reach it. Well, that's a simple matter, Professor. Here you are. Yeah, it matters to me, sir. I have important notes you understand. If anything should happen to the plane, perhaps I might be able to save them. I wouldn't worry about it, Professor. You'll be in Paris before you know it. Hello, Pagan. Boy, am I ever glad to see you, Mr. X. I've been sitting back here cooped up in this coop waiting for you to show. What's going on here anyways? Didn't the Chief tell you? And nobody tells me nothing. All I know is that I was working busy in my Uncle Ahmed's elite haberdashery imporium, and this bureau agent walks in right in the middle of a 400-spade hand with double pinnacle besides. Then you didn't see the Chief? He took me out of this airplane. I didn't see nobody. And he told me to stay in here until I heard from him. Yeah, well... But believe me, I would have walked right off this thing if I didn't figure you wanted my invaluable services. Yeah. And don't forget, we were playing double in Spain. Pagan, somebody on board this plane has got some missing microfilm. All knows where it is. I've got to find it before we reach Ireland, and you're going to help me. Oh, sure. Now, what do you want me to do? Hang around the passengers, drop a few remarks about scientific secrets, H-bombs, microfilm. Let them know you've got a few friends behind the iron curtain. The sins? Then what? That's all. That's all? It'll be enough to stop putting the pressure on. I'll handle the rest of it. Wait a minute. Something you wanted, Sir John? Uh, that coffee you spoke about. I'll just kill it. I'll have it ready in a minute. Anything else? Uh, yes. Captain Adam asked me to get you. He'd like to see you up forward. Thanks for your trouble, Sir John. Perfectly all right, Mr. Thurston. Perfectly all right. You wanted to see me on him? Not nearly as much as I want to see Miss Nuclear Fish in 1951 and 2 and 3. Why don't you take over here, and I'll take over there? Fair enough, Bill. Oh, and you might bend your ears around that radio headset. Some friend of yours in Washington wants to yankity-yack with you for a while. Oh, thanks. Yeah. Now, you just keep your Geiger counters handy, chilling, Dad. He's going to be a radio actor. Yeah. NC66943 Thurston calling Washington 37. NC66943 Thurston calling Washington 37. Come in, please. All clear, Chief? Talk up. That's not news, Chief. Come in. Of course, sir. I got the nausea. Please come in. Thank you to speak with you about the steward, Mr. Thurston. Zell Schmidt, what about him? He was talking to Charles Gommar a little while ago, using your name quite frequently. If I am not mistaken, he was linking it with a certain letter of the alphabet. Is that supposed to mean something to me? I would not know, Mr. Thurston. Well, then why tell me about it? Perhaps it is because I am a woman as well as a scientist. And like most women, my heart yearns for peace. For your time, Mr. Thurston, I hope I have not wasted it for you. Mr. Thurston, coffee time. Come in here, you idiot, and close that door. Oh, sure. Happy to oblige any old aeroplane pilot any old time. Now, I had a visit from Dr. Nazdo a little while ago, Pagan. She told me you were up your old tricks again. Well, once a Zell Schmidt, I'll just leave him laughing, you know. Well, here you are, Mr. Rex. Did you learn anything out there? Did I learn anything? Believe me, I learned plenty. You know that smells so good, I think I'll have a cup myself. Come on, let's have it. Well, don't breathe the door so, Mr. Rex, but those three jokers out there, they're all spies. What? That's right. I heard them telling that Captain Allen all about it. All three of them were in that atom bomb place down in New Mexico, and you know nobody but spies can get in there. Oh, fuck. Well, that stays this good old job, huh, Mr. Rex? Here's mud in your eyes. Drop that coffee, there you are. Now, here, get you knuckin' that coffee out of my hand. I'm dying for a drink of that stuff. You almost were dying for a fact. Huh? Yeah. Smell this coffee. So what? It smells like coffee? Maybe burnt nuts of some kind? Yeah, better almonds. But I didn't put any nuts in that coffee. No, but one of our friends out there put something in it. Poison. We'll return to the man called X in just a moment. The blood plasma reserve for the fighting men in Korea is exhausted. Unaccountably, donations have decreased sharply in the last few months. Now, this condition must not continue. The lives of our loved ones must not be lost needlessly. Our soldiers in Korea are giving their blood for their buddies. Can we do less? Call your local headquarters of the American Red Cross now. Make an appointment this week to give just a pint of your blood to save a life. Now, act two of the man called X starring Herbert Marshall with Leon Balasco as Pagan Zelchman. It is known simply as formula H, and yet it holds the key to the most powerful, the most terrifying weapon ever conceived by man. And a microfilm set of the plans is suddenly discovered to be missing. Ken thirsts enacting as co-pilot is aboard a transatlantic plane chartered by three international atomic scientists all under equal suspicion of having stolen the missing plans. And now, in the pilot's compartment, Ken has just become aware of an attempt to kill him with poison coffee. Poison? That's right, Pagan. But why? Oh, but what? Take your pick. Four to choose from. Four? Our pilot. He's a phony. The real Bill Allen was found a couple of hours ago by the Washington police. Murdered. Oh, we've got to get out of here. We've got to get out. Oh, sure. Go right ahead. Sure, why not? We can, we can. Yeah. But we're stuck up here in the middle of nothing with somebody who wants to bump us out. What do we do, Mr. Therson? What do we do? I don't think we'll have much to say about it. Huh? The ship's beginning to ice up. What are you talking about, Ice? It's plenty of open here. Take a look at those wings. The ice is piling up fast. Another 30 minutes of that and we'll spin down out of control. We will. Ice missing plans, poison coffee. That puts us right between the devil. Well, pals, it sounds like our putt-putts are playing knock-knock. What gives out the ice? That's right. We're building up fast. Well, that lovely whistle-bader lean, what do we got aboard? I switched on the D.I. since half an hour ago. Something's wrong with them. They're not working. Well, now that's a revolving thought. You got any suggestions? There's an old deserted landing field this side of Ganda, Newfoundland. The ferry in command used it during the war. And there's just a prayer we can make it. Fair enough. I'll let our paying passengers in on the scoop then come back and help you set it down. I got a hunch though that somebody aboard this flying chemistry class ain't gonna like to change your plans. You know, Alan, or whatever your name is, I was just thinking the same thing. Nice flying thirst. Bill Allen couldn't have done better himself. I don't know about Bill Allen, but I think you could have put it down. Well, that friend of yours back in Washington tipped you off to the switch. That's right. Well? Well, now, you can't chew out a guy for helping out a pal in a jam. What kind of jam? Too much elbow bending. When this flight was canceled the first time he made for the Savoy bar, he wasn't in no fit in condition when it was scheduled again, so I took over. It won't wash. Alan's dead. Murdered. Are you leveling, Thurston? Yeah. Well, then I'll tell you what. Let's take care of the pay-and-frait while I think it over. Whether ought to clear in a couple hours, and it could be I'll have something... something mighty interesting to talk over with you by then. I knew that some disaster would overtake us upon this trip. Did I not see so miserly? Did I not? Oh, it's not as bad as all that Goma. Can't you look upon it as an adventurer's luck? I do not care for adventure in a nice-bound wilderness, Sir John. Only in a safe passage back to Paris. What is to be done now, Mr. Thurston? I ask of you. As soon as the steward and Captain Alan secure the plane, we'll head for that shelter hut at the end of the runway. You can light a fire and be comfortable in there till the weather clears. Now, those are pleasing words, Mr. Thurston. What is more inviting than a roaring fire and good company when the storm rages outside? Yes, very well, very well. If we have no alternative, let us be a button. Eileen and I will go with him, Thurston. We'll have the fire going by the time you get there. Thanks, Sir John. Oh, by the way, do you have the time? Hmm? Yeah, it's 7.15. Thank you. One of the penalties of exacting and scientific research seems to be a nervous stomach. And pills have to be taken on schedule. Come along, Eileen, my dear. Hello, Thurston. Yeah. I got the sandwiches and the hot drinks, Mr. X. A tea, that is. So let's take a powder for that ramshack over there. Where's Alan? I haven't seen him. I guess he's still on board the airplane somewhere. Ah, but who cares? I think we'd better care, Pager. Come on. Hey, it's cold on that board of that plane. It'll be a lot colder here if he takes off without us. Huh? Now, why would he do that? We still haven't found the missing planes. And they are more than worth a gamble with the little ice. Mr. X, he's not here. He's got to be. Let's try the office. This time the coffee gag worked, Pager. Poisoned. Poisoned? But it does not make any sense, Mr. Thurston. It makes plenty of sense to one of you here, Dr. Najda. I'm not certain that I understand, Thurston. That man wasn't Bill Alan. He was helping one of you get some stolen microfilm out of the United States. What kind of nonsense is this, Mr. Thurston? We are scientists of international repute. It is ridiculous to accuse one of us of stealing formula H. I didn't know I'd mentioned what formula was missing. Well, perhaps you did not. But this kind of accusation. The inquiry and searching back in Washington. I but drew the natural conclusion. Yeah. You know, Thurston, I'm almost convinced that Gorma is right. And this pilot of ours was a confederate in stolen microfilm. Why would he have been killed? There can only be one answer, Sir John. To prevent him from telling what he knows. Is that guesswork, Dr. Najda? Or knowledge? Why can't we term it fundamental deduction, Mr. Thurston? Maybe we would. If it wasn't for this. Now, what in the world would that be? A charm from a lady's bracelets, Sir John. I found it on the floor of the plane. Under the pilot's body. Well, I presume you have some explanation for that, Aline, my dear. Well, of course, the simple truth. And that is? All I noticed that charm was missing from my bracelet hours ago. I must have lost it aboard the plane and someone else picked it up. For what purpose is now rather obvious? The only thing obvious about all this, Menzel, is the identity of the guilty party. Suppose we let the new little authorities decide about that, Professor? But while she is free, all our lives are in danger. They won't be for long. The weather's starting to clear now. Another hour and we'll wind up the civil affair in the town of Gander. Read you loud and clear, Chief. Glad to hear you got to Gander all right. Sure. Had a little trouble, Chief. Ice. Murder. What? Auto land in about 30 minutes now. Have a private office ready for us. I'll tell you all about it then. You want everybody in to talk things over? It'll be simpler that way, Chief. Will you all step inside, please? Certainly. Care to oblige this. I am sorry to see, but I cannot see the scene. All this officiousness, this delay, it's inexcusable. Why should you object, Professor Gommar? After all, I am the one who is suspect at the moment. Come along. Yes, very well. Very well. You want to take over, Ken? You don't mind, Chief, won't take long. You all know, well, you know by now why we're here. One of you suspected of espionage. Of having stolen top-secret microfilm. Microfilm of formula H. Then Gommar's guess was right, Thurston. If it was a guess, Sir John... I told you, I but drew a natural conclusion, Mr. So you did. And Dr. Nasda told us she was innocent of the pilot's murder. Now, I'm wondering what Sir John has to say. What do I have to say? What about, Mr. Thurston? About your stomach pills, your wrist watch. What? A poisoned pellet can easily be disguised as an innocent pill. And I'm curious as to why a man who was wearing a watch is always asking the time. I don't know, but you're driving at Thurston. Is there anything unusual about a man's watch-stopping? Not unless it's a microfilm concealed in the case that caused it to stop. Microfilm? Ken? I told you I'd wind things up in Ganga, Chief. You better take him away. Well, I guess we put the wraps on this one, all right. Eh, Mr. Rex? I knew all the time it was that Sir John Saunders joker. Oh, sure. Sure, it was as plain as my nose. Hey, hey, what are we stopping at the airplane garage for? Our plane was put inside for repairs. What? But I thought Professor Goumoren that Aline Nasda were taking off for Paris in a little while. They are. We have to switch planes for them. The de-ices on this one don't work. Remember? Oh, oh, sure, sure, sure. It's dark in here, Mr. Rex. Why don't we turn on the light or something? It's bright enough for our purpose. Oh, that's right there. What is our purpose anyway? Keep right now, sure. But, but, but, Mr. Rex... Quiet. Oh, oh, oh. But we've, we've come to the end of this place. There's no plane in here. The hang is divided into two sections. It's in the next one. Through this door. There it is, Pedro. One there with that plane. The plate covering the alcohol tank being removed. What alcohol tank? The one used to fuel the de-ices. Where's the alcohol? That's why the de-ices didn't work. There's something else being taken out of that tank. You see? Mr. Rex, that's, that's the... Yeah. I'll take that if you don't mind, Aline. The microfilm, Aline. But, but it was so drunk. That is, well, I thought you... Oh. So it was a trap. That's right. That's proof. So Sir John played along with us. You had to feel safe enough to walk into it. I see. But, but the microfilm on the tank. How'd you know about that? It figured, Pedro. She had to get it out of the country some way. The pilot was working with her. And the de-ices didn't work. You know you're not going to walk out of here alive. Don't you, Mr. Thurston? Mr. Rex. Oh, put that thing away. The chief's got the hang of surrounded. You're all through. For the time being, I have lost. You lost a long time ago, Aline. When you decided you'd try to help destroy the world. Well, someday we'll find a remedy. For what's wrong with you and a lot of people like you. We've got to find it. Let's pray that it's short of war. And now, here's our star, Mr. Herbert Marshall. Thanks for being with us. And my thanks to Lucille Meredith, Will Wright, Dan O'Hurley, Howard McNeer, and Stacey Harris. Next week, well, who would dream that the icy slopes of the Matterhorn would hold the key to one of the most disruptive forces of work in the world today. And no, no, I don't mean Leon Bellasco, but he'll be along in the trip to Switzerland with Pagon Zeltschmidt. So join us, won't you, when next I return, as the man called X. Good night. Starring Herbert Marshall is a J. Richard Kennedy production with music by Milton Charles. Tonight's story was written by Sidney Marshall. This program is directed by Jack Johnstone. All characters and incidents on this program are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual characters or incidents is purely coincidental. And now, until next week, same time and station, this is Hal Gibney saying, good night for the man called X. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.