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The Hollywood Spy

The Report by BBC

Sep 17, 201528:26News & Politics

British writer, Cedric Belfrage, avoided prosecution after passing top secret documents to Russia in World War Two. But was he acting under orders or was he a Soviet spy? Gordon Corera examines new evidence from recently...

About This Episode

The Hollywood Spy is an episode from The Report by BBC. British writer, Cedric Belfrage, avoided prosecution after passing top secret documents to Russia in World War Two. But was he acting under orders or was he a Soviet spy? Gordon Corera...

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Episode Details

Published Sep 17, 2015, 28:26 long, audio available.

Questions About This Episode

What is The Hollywood Spy about?

British writer, Cedric Belfrage, avoided prosecution after passing top secret documents to Russia in World War Two. But was he acting under orders or was he a Soviet spy? Gordon Corera examines new evidence from recently declassified MI5 files, which help explain how Belfrage went from being a Hollywood film critic in the 1930s to having access to highly confidential British and US intelligence material in the 1940s which he later admitted passing to Russia. After being named as a Soviet spy in 1945, Belfrage appeared before The House Un-American Activities Committee and was later deported from the US for having been a member of the Communist Party. We talk to some of those who met him after he later settled in Mexico, including the son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed by the US in 1953 for being Soviet spies. And we explore why MI5 was anxious to avoid prosecuting Belfrage in case it proved embarrassing for the British security service. Producer: Sally Abrahams.

Where can I listen to The Hollywood Spy?

You can listen to The Hollywood Spy online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Which podcast is The Hollywood Spy from?

The Hollywood Spy is an episode from The Report by BBC.

How long is this episode?

This episode is 28:26 long.

When was this episode published?

This episode was published on Sep 17, 2015.

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Are there related episodes from The Report?

Yes. This page shows related episodes from The Report when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.