All Episodes

January 19, 2021 • 539 mins

Agent FBI - Serial 3, Episode 41 - 60

Title: I Was a Communist for the FBI

Overview: I Was a Communist for the FBI was based on a series of stories written by Matt Cvetic that appeared in The Saturday Evening Post. The stories were later turned into a dramatic film nominated for an Academy Award as the Best Documentary Feature of the year, best-selling book, and a radio show starring Dana Andrews that ran for 78 episodes from April 23, 1952, until October 14, 1953. The story follows Cvetic, who infiltrated a local Communist Party cell for nine years and reported back to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on their activities. I Was a Communist for the FBI consisted of 78 radio episodes syndicated by the Frederick W. Ziv Company to more than 600 stations, including KNX in Los Angeles, California. The program was made without the cooperation of the FBI. Real-life undercover agent Matt Cvetic was portrayed by Dana Andrews. The show had a budget of $12,000 per week, a very high cost to produce a radio show at the time. The program frequently dealt with the great stress that Cvetic was under, as he covertly infiltrated a local Communist Party cell. There were many personal and family problems caused by his being a Communist as well as a certain amount of mental torment. He saw the party as being hypocritical and a great danger to society. The film and radio show are, in part, artifacts of the McCarthy era, as well as a time capsule of American society during the Second Red Scare. The purpose of both is partly to warn people about the threat of Communist subversion of American society. The tone of the show is ultra-patriotic, with Communists portrayed as racist, vindictive, and tools of a totalitarian foreign power, the Soviet Union.

Original Air Date: April 23, 1952 - October 14, 1953

Series: I Was a Communist for the FBI Radio Series (1952 - 1953)

Star: Dana Andrews

Actors: William Conrad, Peter Leeds, Sam Edwards, Byron Kane, Olan Soule', Jeff Silver, Marvin Miller, Personne Inconnue

Writers: Personne Inconnue

Genre: Espionage Thriller Drama

Episode: Agent FBI - Serial 3, Episode 41 - 60

Serial: 3 of 4

Length Serial: 8:59:45

Episodes: 41 - 60 of 75

Length Series: 33:47:39

Announcer: Truman Bradley

Creator: Matt Cvetic

Director: Frederick W. Ziv Company

Producer: Frederick W. Ziv Company

Origin: United States

Language: English

Rated: Guidance Suggested

Edition: Complete, Unexpurgated, Classic, Broadcast

Running Time: 30 Minute

Audio: Monaural

Keywords: true, official, fbi, adventure, anthology, cvetic, espionage, crime, drama, espionage, historical, thriller, news, music, mystery, police, detective, investigator, mccarthy, spy, fiction, truth, undercover, patriotism, variety, communist, war, radio, old-time, serial

Hashtags: #freeoldtimeradio #freeradio #oldtimeradio #podcast #audible #amazonmusic #spotify #googlepodcasts #radio #vintageradio #vintage #oldradio #oldies #goldenageradio #retro #otr #old #amradio #radiomuseum #midcentury #radiovintage #retroradio #radioonline #vacuumradio #transistorradio #oldschool #golden #oldtimes #yesteryear #timeless #oldtime #drama #radioshow #20s #30s #40s #50s #60s #70s #80s #90s #00s #mixtape #classic #legend #nostalgia #iconic #flashback #backintheday #relaxing #nostalgic #lifestyle #anxiety #relax #sleep #rest #listen #radioprogram #antique

Credits: Old-Time Radio Era Recordings in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream.

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.