Smoke Screen (Aired May 27, 1951)
Mr. Moto is small in stature but strong and an expert in judo. He was the title character of a series of books, beginning with No Hero (1935; British title: Mr Moto Takes a Hand, reprint title: Your Turn, Mr. Moto), and of eight films between 1937 and 1939, in which he was portrayed by Peter Lorre. With the beginning of World War II, Mr. Moto fell out of favor with Americans, and no new books or movies about him appeared between 1942 and 1957. A dedicated and cold-blooded spy for Imperial Japan, Moto is not a conventional hero. He does not look for opportunities to commit violence but has no problem with killing people who obstruct his plans, and he would not hesitate to take his own life if necessary. But he is a master of concealing his true nature while under cover, and usually appears dull, naive, utterly harmless. He does not try to correct the bigoted attitudes of Westerners toward him and other Asians, and is not above encouraging such condescension. It often works to his advantage, leading Westerners to ignore or underestimate him. His black hair was carefully brushed in the Prussian style. He was smiling, showing a row of shiny gold-filled teeth, and as he smiled he drew in his breath with a polite, soft sibilant sound. From May to October 1951, the NBC Radio Broadcasting network produced and aired 23 half-hour episodes starring James Monk as Mr. I.A. Moto, International Secret Agent. Born in San Francisco but still retaining his international connections, the show focused on Mr. Moto’s fight against Communism although occasionally he also solved more mundane mysteries such as murder and blackmail.
THIS EPISODE:
May 27, 1951. NBC network. "The Smoke Screen". Sustaining. The Chinese Communists have smuggled tons of opium into America in a plot to destroy our country. A graphic if somewhat simplistic portrait of dope addiction. Mr. Moto makes a speech about bigotry and how he hates being called, "a dirty Jap." Bernard Grant, Robert Haag, Carol Irwin (producer), Edwin Bruce, Fred Collins (announcer), Harry W. Junkin (writer, director), James Monks, John P. Marquand (creator), Ross Martin. 29:29.
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