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Quiz about Be Very Afraid Early TV Cold Warriors

Be Very Afraid! Early TV Cold Warriors Quiz

The Commies were coming! In the early '50s The Red Scare was very real, but you didn't learn about it in network entertainment programs. If you wanted to know about Red agents, you had to watch syndicated spy shows in non-prime time.

A multiple-choice quiz by wilbill. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
wilbill

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
350,737

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
699

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 98 (5/10), DCW2 (10/10), Guest 172 (5/10).

Question 1 of 10

1. Beginning in 1953, Richard Carlson starred for three years as Herbert A. Philbrick, ad executive, undercover 'commie' and FBI counterspy. Philbrick's televised story was "I Led ________ Lives". Fill in the blank.

Answer: (One word, spell the number)

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Based on a 1905 Edgar Wallace novel, Britain's ITC created this hour-long adventure series in 1959. Four former WWII commandos (Jack Hawkins, Dan Dailey, Richard Conte and Vittorio De Sica) went around the world to fight spies, crime, injustice, Nazi war criminals and other evils. What was this precursor of "The A-team" called? Hint

Five Easy Pieces

Two And A Half Men

The Three Amigos

The Four Just Men

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. While experimenting with invisible guinea pigs, Peter Brady became irreversibly invisible himself. Naturally, British Intelligence turned him into an invisible secret agent. Produced in 1958 for ITV in Britain, CBS hurriedly picked up the show to fill time opened by the sudden loss of scandal-ridden "The $64,000 Question". This unseen spy thriller was named after and loosely based on what popular H.G. Wells novella? Hint

War Of The Worlds

Attack Of The Invisible Cavy

The Invisible Man

The Time Machine

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. In 1959 "World Of Giants" introduced a six-inch tall secret agent who lived in a doll house and was carried to his assignments in a briefcase outfitted with a chair.

True

False

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Question 5 of 10

5. Michael Rennie starred for three years as Harry Lime, a character originally portrayed by Orson Welles in a 1949 movie. What was the name of this all-time great Cold War-era thriller? Hint

Citizen Kane

The Third Man

The Lady From Shanghai

Journey Into Fear

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. In 1952, NBC Films brought a successful radio spy drama to syndicated television. Brian Donlevy starred in both versions of the program as undercover agent Steve Mitchell. What kind of assignment took him around the world to protect American interests? Hint

Scary Assignment

Dangerous Assignment

Dull Assignment

Homework Assignment

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. "Foreign Intrigue" was the most successful syndicated spy drama of the '50s even though its main character wasn't a spy or a secret agent.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Bob Denver of "Gilligan's Island" was actually cast as a foreign agent in "Biff Baker, U.S.A.".

True

False

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. ABC's 1952 live spy drama "Rendezvous" set two standards for the genre. What were they? Hint

First spy drama in color, and only spy drama spelled with a 'Z'

Shortest lived spy drama, and first female star of a spy drama

First comedy spy program, and first 3-D television show

First animated spy show, and first show starring Boris and Natasha

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. American television's first spy drama was "Shadow Of The Cloak" which premiered in June 1951 on what now-defunct network? Hint

DuMont

UPN

The WB

ION

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Most Recent Scores

Apr 01 2024 : Guest 98: 5/10
Mar 30 2024 : DCW2: 10/10
Mar 28 2024 : Guest 172: 5/10
Mar 26 2024 : Dagny1: 9/10
Mar 08 2024 : Guest 209: 5/10
Feb 25 2024 : Guest 98: 10/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Three

The program's understated opening told us, "This is the fantastically true story of Herbert A. Philbrick, who for nine frightening years did lead three lives - average citizen, member of the Communist Party, and counterspy for the FBI." Philbrick testified in a 1949 trial in which several leaders of the American Communist Party were convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. government.

Answer: The Four Just Men

Each "Just Man" was accompanied by a secretary. Dan Dailey's secretary, Nichole, was played by Honor Blackman prior to her roles as Cathy Gale in "The Avengers" and Pussy Galore in "Goldfinger". The program was only seen in syndication in the United States.

Answer: The Invisible Man

Multiple unnamed actors portrayed the "clothed" Invisible Man at various times and his voice was dubbed by several different actors. The result was that, within episodes, the visible Peter Brady might change from thin to stocky while his voice changed from one episode to the next. No invisible guinea pigs were harmed during the filming of the show.

4. In 1959 "World Of Giants" introduced a six-inch tall secret agent who lived in a doll house and was carried to his assignments in a briefcase outfitted with a chair.

Answer: True

CBS ordered "W.O.G." from ZIV Television with the intent of filling the hour led by "The Invisible Man". Apparently they decided that two secret agents with gimmicks caused by radioactive leaks would be one too many. Ziv syndicated the program for one season.

5. Michael Rennie starred for three years as Harry Lime, a character originally portrayed by Orson Welles in a 1949 movie. What was the name of this all-time great Cold War-era thriller?

Answer: The Third Man

Anton Karas' "Third Man Theme", played on zither, was one of the most popular earworms of the 1950s. It held down the number one spot on the US Billboard chart for 11 weeks in 1950. The TV show was a co-production of BBC and National Telefilms, airing in both the US and Great Britain.

Answer: Dangerous Assignment

The radio production of "Dangerous Assignment" outlasted its TV counterpart by two years. One of Donlevy's TV co-stars was Lyle Talbot, a prolific B-movie performer, who went on to play parts in Ed Wood's "Glen Or Glenda" and "Plan 9 From Outer Space".

7. "Foreign Intrigue" was the most successful syndicated spy drama of the '50s even though its main character wasn't a spy or a secret agent.

Answer: True

Sheldon Reynolds produced 156 episodes of "Foreign Intrigue" for NBC films between 1951 and 1955. With no big name star, the show's espionage fighters were reporters (first three seasons) and a hotel owner (season four). "Intrigue's" unique feature was that it was filmed on-location in Europe, a very expensive indulgence for the time.

8. Bob Denver of "Gilligan's Island" was actually cast as a foreign agent in "Biff Baker, U.S.A.".

Answer: False

Biff Baker was actually played by Alan Hale, Jr. who was the Skipper in "Gilligan". Biff and his wife Louise (Randy Stuart) were a husband and wife secret agent team. The show aired for less than a full season in 1952-53.

9. ABC's 1952 live spy drama "Rendezvous" set two standards for the genre. What were they?

Answer: Shortest lived spy drama, and first female star of a spy drama

With a lifespan of four weeks, "Rendezvous" was TV's shortest lived spy drama. Hungarian-born Ilona Massey starred as former French resistance fighter Nikki Angell, owner of a Parisian nightclub frequented by Communist agents and other subversive elements. Her weekly musical performance in the club wasn't enough to salvage it.

10. American television's first spy drama was "Shadow Of The Cloak" which premiered in June 1951 on what now-defunct network?

Answer: DuMont

Peter House was the lead agent for "International Security Intelligence" in this drama which aired live during its 10 month run. House was portrayed by Austrian born actor Helmut Dantine.

Source: Author wilbill

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor guitargoddess before going online.
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