 I was a communist for the FBI. Starring Dana Andrews and an exciting tale of danger and espionage. I was a communist for the FBI. Many of the incidents in the story you are about to hear are based on the actual records and authentic experiences of Matt Sevettik. Who for nine fantastic years lived as a communist for the FBI. Here is our star, Dana Andrews, as Matt Sevettik. During my nine years with the Reds, I learned that the Communist Party has a strangely limited diet. They thrive on corruption. When the Reds feel their right to be corrupt is being challenged, they fight for it. This is the story of the Reds' defense of their dubious championship. In a moment, listen to Dana Andrews as Matt Sevettik, under cover man. Who's as Matt Sevettik under cover man. This story from the confidential file is marked, My Friend the Enemy. The control commission, puppet masters of the Communist Party, chief strategist for party treachery, judges and jury for the red concept of justice. The control commission in conference, ignoring me for the first time in more than three hours. At first, I worried about being called here. Was I to share their secret strategies or suffer a part of discipline? I worried at first, but that was three hours ago. I didn't care now. I was too tired to care. All right, Comrade Sevettik. Comrade Spate beckoning to me. Comrade Howard Spate, upper echelon red, lowercase human being. Sevettik! More questions? Aren't you satisfied yet? Quite satisfied, Comrade. In here, please. Why? In this room, Sevettik. We have a lot of talking to do. Tired of talking, Spate? What's all the hocus-pocus for? Your new assignment, Comrade. All these questions, all this grilling just for us. Our big assignment. We had to be absolutely sure you were the right man for it. Am I? If you're not, Sevettik, you'll never have a chance to be wrong again. Vincent Colombo, Sevettik. You know the name? The racketeer? The big-time mobster? Let's refer to him as the distinguished president of Enterprises Incorporated. Ah, the legal front of his crime syndicate. What's the party went with that bunch of mugs? They need our help. The party knows that Enterprises Incorporated is operating on a shaky ground these days. How do we know that? A red operator working close to Colombo. We know that their whole organization has been deteriorating ever since Max Lucas was deported. That's when Colombo took over, wasn't it? Yes, but he's just a figurehead. Lucas is still the guiding genius of the syndicate. He tries to run it even now from his exile in Europe. He's worried about his syndicate. He wants to come back to the States. And the party is going... The party intends to help smuggle Lucas in. What for? We'll give them Lucas. They'll give us financial support. Can we really deliver, Lucas? Of course we can. And after he's delivered? Then... Then we'll have enough on Lucas and Colombo and the whole mob to extort them into submission. Those boys play rough. Someone might get hurt. Yes. You'll have to be careful, Sevetik. Very careful. The irresistible force was heading toward the immovable object. And I was doing the driving. The first stages were simple enough. Just phone Colombo and ask for an appointment. If I could reach him. I entered the phone booth with two coins in my hand. One for the call to Colombo. The other for the FBI. Obika, this is red. My commie pals are playing footsie with the old Max Lucas mob. They've done that before, haven't they? This time it's for keeps. They want to make a deal with Colombo to smuggle Lucas into the States. Good. Good. Sure. Listen. After they get Lucas in, they intend to blackmail the syndicate. Take over into prizes incorporated. What's good about that? It just makes the red stronger. How do you fit in, Matt? Well, I'm the convincer. I have to sell Colombo the deal. Then doots will drop a net over both outfits. Good luck, Matt. Any call? I'm sure he'll talk to me if you'll just tell him. I'm sorry. He's taking no calls from anyone. We'd like to leave your name. Yeah. Tell him Matt's Sevetik called. Sevetik? That's right. One moment, Mr. Sevetik. What? One moment, please. I have Mr. Colombo on the line for you. It was easier than I'd figured. The next afternoon, I was visiting the headquarters of Enterprises Incorporated. The offices were part of Vincent Colombo's palatial home, a vast sprawling estate just outside of town. What was the sort of thing you'd expect? Well-manacured shrubbery, a tiled swimming pool, fountains featuring pot-bellied cupids, and everywhere the aroma of fresh green lawns and fresh or greener money. Looking for someone? Oh, yes, I... Yes, I'm looking for Mr. Colombo. You're Mr. Sevetik, aren't you? That's right. I'm Joyce Cooper, Mr. Colombo's secretary. Come on, he's over at the pool. I see you've been there, too. My hair's a mess. Not at all. Frankly, I didn't feel like swimming today, but Vince, Mr. Colombo, did. And he doesn't like me out of his sight. That's understandable. Thank you. Come here. Come here? What are you... There's the pool over there. Comrade Spate had mentioned the red operative working close to Colombo. Here she was. One look at Joyce, with that robe sunk carelessly over her swimming suit, and a man could envy Colombo. One look at Colombo, a punchy, pasty-faced walrus rising out of the pool, and you knew Joyce had to be a loyal commie to play her role so well. Ah, man. The water's good. Vinnie, this is Mr. Sevetik. Oh, oh, yeah, yeah. Give me that towel, will you, baby? I didn't mean to break in on you like this, Mr. Colombo. Oh, forget it, forget it. I do all my business pools. What's on your mind? I'd like to talk to you in private. Okay, talk. This is private. Alone. Can't be more alone than this. Talk. He means me, Vinnie. Oh, no, no. Don't worry about Joyce, Sevetik. She's one of the boys. Talk. Lucas wants to get back to the States. He went to our comrades overseas for help. Yeah, I know. And the party knows how much you want him back here, Mr. Colombo. Yeah, yeah, okay. Tell you what, Sevetik. I'll make the deal, but I want a daily progress report. Where Max is, are you handling the job from day to day? Exact details. Fair enough. One more condition. I want a watchdog on the job. A watchdog. Watchdog, yeah. Somebody to represent my outfit, to sit in on your strategy meetings, to keep a check on the whole project. We've got more than money in this, you know. We've got to protect Max Lucas. Sounds like you don't trust us. We'll leave it, Sevetik. All right. Let's draw up the agreement. It's agreed. Nothing on paper? People don't break agreements with enterprises incorporated, Sevetik. They know better. Even the commies should know that. The irresistible force was gathering speed now. I reported to Comrade Spath at party headquarters, told him about Colombo's conditions. Giving me his progress reports. But ignore that watchdog business. I'd be wise to toast the watchdog a bone now and then. Just to keep the peace. Not this time. You're seeing Dr. Hermes tomorrow. Who's he? Hermes is the doctor who's been treating Lucas in Europe. He's here on a visit, awaiting orders from us. One of our comrades? An important comrade. The link between the party and Max Lucas. You'll visit Hermes at his hotel tomorrow. You'll tell him to return to his home on the first available plane. He's to admit Lucas to his hospital immediately. And prepare him for treatment. Hermes knows. He'll see that Lucas has smuggled on to the right boat for America. Then he'll send us word through the usual channels. Here. What's this? The name of Hermes Hotel. Be there at nine o'clock and spedic. I can't overemphasize this man's importance to us. Be there on time. Hello, Matt. Joyce. Been waiting for you. How'd you know that? How about Dr. Hermes? Comrade Spath keeps in touch with me. And remember, Columbus watched out. What about it? It's me. You? He appointed you? Of course that trusts me. I must have an honest face of something. Yes, or something. He wants me to watch every move you make. Mind, comrade? Not at all, comrade. Come on. Oh, pardon me. Yes, sir. What room is Dr. Hermes in? Uh, Dr. Hermes checked out late last night. Checked out? That's impossible. He was all rather sudden, sir. He evidently got last minute reservation. Where'd he go? He didn't go back home, did he? No, sir. He said something about attending a medical convention in South America. South America? Well, that's preposterous. Hermes had specific orders to stay here until now. I know, Spath. I know. But we still have to report to Colombo. He's called three times already. Yes, yes. We'll have to stall him. Tell him this. Tell him that shipping schedules were changed suddenly overseas. You want more than that? Well, tell him that in order to protect Lucas, the party put him on a freighter bound for the West Indies. This will prolong the trip, but it's safer. Thank you. Believe that? He must believe it, Spathic. It's your job to make him believe it. If he doesn't, I'll lose more than my job. Who cares about shipping schedules, Spathic? Tell me something else. Tell me about this character, Dr. Hermes. What do you know about Hermes? Hey, listen, kids, you're not dealing with the neighborhood boy scout troop. We know Dr. Hermes was your contact with Max Lucas, and we know Hermes is on his way to South America. So... Well, that was just a dodge, a decoy. Oh. The party knew word would get out about Hermes by using him to throw the FBI off the track. Oh. Is that the truth? Sure it's the truth. The FBI's tailing Hermes to South America looking for Lucas, and Lucas is safe and sound on a freighter headed for the West Indies. Why the West Indies? We'll smuggle them in through Mexico. It'll take time, but... Hi, Betty. Who's your friend? Oh, oh, yeah. You two don't know each other, do you? This is Matt Spathic. I'm happy to know you, Mr. Spathic. I heard a lot about you since I got back. Were you, uh, been traveling? Yeah. Yeah, I've been away. My name is Lucas. Max Lucas. As Matt Spathic and I was a communist for the FBI, and in the second... Face to face with a lie. A lie named Max Lucas deported mobster. He wasn't in Europe pleading with the commies to smuggle him home. He wasn't on the freighter bound for the West Indies, as I just told Vincent Colombo. He was here, here at the pool on Colombo's estate, shaking my hand and grinning. But how? How? How did this lie come to life? Something wrong, Mr. Sivetti? You look a little green. Yeah, well, well, you've just seen a ghost, Max. You afraid of ghosts, Mr. Sivetti? Oh, yeah, yeah. He's afraid of this one. All right, Colombo. You called my bluff. But now... Well, ask the boss. Max is the boss here now. Consider yourself my guest, Mr. Sivetti. I'm flattered. Just for a while. We'll see that you're adequately entertained. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, entertained. Before showing me to the guest room, Lucas and Colombo ushered me into the cabana Colombo used as his poolside office. There was no way out of this for me now. None at all. I was penned to my own double cross, the one I'd built from a Communist blueprint. Sit down, Mr. Sivetti. Well, stand, Lucas. Sit down, he said. Thank you, Benny. It's more comfortable, isn't it, Mr. Sivetti? You're pretty considerate of your guests. Why not? You're a most important guest to us, Mr. Sivetti. Well, bet. We need you. Like you needed the Communist Party to help smuggle you into the state. Oh, that. Actually, when I established contact with your Dr. Hermes, I was sincere about asking the Reds for help. Why? You didn't need it? No. No, not really. Our syndicate could get me an arm. Which is just what we did. But I felt this way about it. There's a risk involved, I thought. Now, why put my own organization in danger when you commies would be willing to take the risk for us? Well, our syndicate can use your front organizations to extend our operations in countless directions. You think the Party would permit that? The Communist Party is bigger and stronger than your syndicate would. Politically, perhaps, in other parts of the world. But tonight, in this part of the world, enterprises incorporated will dictate the terms of a working agreement with your comrades. Don't be an idiot, Lucas. The Party doesn't need your outfit. They will. Remember, we have you. We can extract enough secret red information from you to force your red leaders to meet any terms we demand. What makes you think I'd sell out the Party? They'd sell you out, wouldn't they? We won't ask you to sell out, Mr. Sivetti. I said we'd extract information from you. How? How we service. The conference is tonight, Mr. Sivetti. The executives of my organization will meet with your Party leaders. If the Reds refuse to accept their terms, we'll, uh, you'll learn quite a bit about our extraction techniques. Yeah, we wrote the book on the subject, Sivetti. All right, Vinnie. See that the guest room is prepared for Mr. Sivetti. The two mobsters walked out, leaving me alone in the cabania. But I knew I wasn't alone at all. I was being watched, carefully, secretly watched. I'd be under guard until tonight, at least. After that, I made the thing beyond the next few hours. It was nice to see the commies on the losing end for a change, but I was losing the most this time. I had to get away from here long enough to get word to the FBI before tonight, before Max Lucas was smuggled out of the country again, before the Reds and the hoods... Right this way, Mr. Sivetti. Hmm? Oh, hello, Joyce. Why so formal? I'll show you to your room. No smile, no expressions of friendship. Who's a friend right now, Comrade? Oh, shut up. Joyce, the secret party worker operating close to the heart of this syndicate. She could help. She could be the key to my escape. She could win the praise of the party. But why this sudden freeze? Why so cold, so formal? Here's your room. Get in. Wait a minute. Get in. Now. Since when do you use a gun on a Comrade? Comrade? Look, Joyce, you've got to help me get out of here. I have to warn Comrade's faith... Nope. Sorry. Little Joycey has her chips on the winner this time. What? See this bracelet? I got it from Vinny for my tip on Dr. Hermes. If I hadn't told him, he never would have put the doctor on that boat for South America. Uh-oh. I see. You're a fool, Joyce. Am I? When did the party ever pay off like this? You'll keep the pamphlets, Comrade. I'll keep what these bums are giving me. You're still a fool. Once Lucas and Colombo work out a deal with Comrade Spath and the party, I'll be released. So? So you've talked too much. I know you're a traitor to the party. I'll see that the party knows, too. You wouldn't. The party does that to people, too. You wouldn't dare. I'd be disloyal not to tell our leaders about you, Joyce. And you know the party's penalties for disloyal... Wait. All right. All right. What do you want? I want you to get me out of here. How can I? They're watching every... Leave that door unlocked tonight. So you can spill your story to the party? Open the door, and I shut my mouth for keeps. How do I know for sure? You don't. You just have to take a chance. Get inside. Well? Get in the room. I'll think it over. She locked the door and left. All I could do now was wait. Wait and wonder if Joyce would return. If I'd been successful in frightening her. Wait. Wait and watch the darkness deep in outside. Listen to the crunch of car wheels and the driveway, and the voices of big-time thugs arriving to pay homage to their demigod, Max Lucas. Then Comrade Spate arrived. I saw his car, saw him and three other commie big-wigs head for the main house. The unholy alliance was about to be consummated. Wait. Later every minute. Too late, maybe. I had to get out of this room. I had to get out. I tried the door. No luck. No chance that it would open at all. The window. It was locked, but a chair would shatter it. Right now there was no time for curses and caution. I reached for the chair, swung it back. What? Who is that? Joyce. I had frightened her into helping me after all. It was late. The Reds and the Hoods were in the midst of their corrupt conference right now. But at least I had a chance, an outside chance, to get to the FBI. I opened the door, started out, then stopped. Joyce had the mind of a commie. She was trained in red treachery. This could easily be a trap for me. But I had to take that chance. There were a lot of important people in the main house for the FBI to grab. If I could get off these unholy grounds, I would reach the highway and a phone. Beaker, this is Red. You all right? Yeah, I'm fine. Listen, Lucas is here in the States. I know. Well, do it now. Don't wait. Right now. He and Colombo and all their muscle heads are at their state right now, making a deal with the Reds. Where are you, Matt? I'm supposed to be their prisoner, but I'm at the first gas station west of Colombo's place. Stay put. I'll be right out there. Well, make it fast, Beaker. If they find out I've ducked them, I'm going to be here. Well, I do have a distinctive sort of charm. Hey, wait. You're going the wrong way. Turn around. Relax, Matt. Relax. Three cars full of our men, plus the local police, are at Colombo's place right now. Oh, that's better. We've got Lucas for a legal entry. We've got Colombo and his pals for smuggling, violating immigration laws. What about the commies, faith in the others? What can you hold them for? Dr. Hermes. You want to vote for South America? They never got there. Your comrade, Spath, ordered the party goons to take care of Hermes. They did. Now we'll take care of Spath. What are you doing? Letting you out. Better start walking, Matt. So soon? Can't take a chance, Chum. You're not far from town now. Those are the lights up ahead. Go find yourself some more commies. I can hardly wait. I'll take you out and from the FBI. Okay, Beaker. See you around. Salong, hero. And Matt. Good luck, Matt. Beaker was gone and I was walking again. The highway was dark. There were lights ahead. I kept my eyes focused on them. Car passed and then another. They'd reach those lights sooner than I. But what could I do? You can only go so fast when you walk. You can only go so far when you walk alone. Andrews will return in just a moment. Andrews, friends. The word liberty probably has as many definitions as there are people in America. Here is Walt Whitman's interpretation. Liberty, he wrote, knows no discouragement. Only when all life and all the souls of men and women are discharged from the earth, then only shall liberty be discharged from the earth. In the story you just heard, names, dates, and places are fictitious to protect innocent persons. Many of these stories are based on incidents in the life of Matt Sevetic, who worked undercover for the FBI. Next week, another fantastic adventure. Join us then, won't you?