Corey Ford was an American humorist, author, outdoorsman, screenwriter, and occasional member of the famed Algonquin Round Table in New York City. He penned several famous works, including the 1946 Cloak and Dagger. It became a film starring Gary Cooper, Lili Palmer, and Robert Alda.

It’s the story of an undercover agent for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, on a mission to make contact with a Hungarian nuclear physicist, and thwart a German nuclear project. The film earned more than $4.5 million at the box office.

In May of 1950, NBC brought a version of these tales to the air, as part of their Sunday afternoon block of mystery programs. It would be produced in New York, and star some of the east coast’s most famous character actors, like Raymond Edward Johnson, Joseph Julian, Lili Darvas, Everett Sloan, and Santos Ortega.

Cloak and Dagger debuted on May 7th.

Twenty-two episodes aired with four preemptions over the next twenty-six weeks. With no sponsorship ensuing, NBC cancelled Cloak and Dagger after October 22nd. The network lacked the patience of CBS to sustain costs in growing their own internal productions.