THE MAN CALLED X
Beginning in the summer of 1944, at the height of World War II, The Man Called X was originally a kind of "FBI" program. The series soon developed a more international approach, however, featuring danger, intrigue, and romance in exotic settings. On any given Saturday or Sunday evening, Wendell Niles would say, "Wherever there is mystery, intrigue, romance, in all the strange and mysterious places of the world, there you will find "The Man Called X".
The Man Called X starred British-born actor, Herbert Marshall as suave, sophisticated Ken Thurston, undercover international troubleshooter for a mysterious American governmental agency. He is aided and abetted by that shady character Pegon Zeldschmidt played by Leon Belasco. The Man Called X was underwritten by various companies, most notably Frigidaire and General Motors as dual sponsors. The show was directed by Jack Johnstone, and Johnny Green is credited with its music.
The Man Called X began as an eight-week series for CBS, airing from July 10 to August 28, 1944. It was picked up by the Blue Network, and ran for about six months there from September 9, 1944 through March 3, 1945. After that, The Man Called X found its final home at NBC where the series was a summer filler for the Bob Hope Show in 1945 and again in 1946. In 1947, The Man Called X finally became a regular part of the NBC lineup. It was broadcast on a variety of days and times, mostly Friday and Saturday evenings, for another seven years. The final radio show was broadcast on May 20, 1952. It was picked up as a television show in the early 1950s starring Barry Sullivan, but it did not have a long run.
- complied and edited by Claire Nava