Passport to Danger (TV series) explained

Creator:	Robert C. Dennis
Starring:	Cesar Romero
Country:	United States

Passport to Danger is an American TV series which ran 1954–1958 in first-run syndication.

Premise and actors

Passport to Danger starred Cesar Romero as Steve McQuinn, a U.S. diplomatic courier and spy. Episodes illustrated ways in which other countries' spies tried to steal classified U. S. documents.^[1] Other cast included Charles Horvath, and Victor Romito.^{[2] [3]}

Guest stars included Carolyn Jones.

Production

The show was created by Robert C. Dennis and produced by Hal Roach Jr. and Jerry Stagg. Two years elapsed between its 1952 pilot and the beginning of production in 1954. In that interval, Romero could have taken the lead in The Lone Wolf TV show, but a $16,000 option payment kept him available for Passport to Danger.^[4]

Filming occurred in Hollywood, with settings of foreign locales provided by use of stock footage.

An article in the trade publication Billboard described the show's pilot as having high production values and said the show "packs a suspense wallop".^[5]

Notes and References

1. News: Cain . Ira . 'Passport to Danger' New Adventure Series About U. S. Courier Service . March 11, 2023 . Fort Worth Star-Telegram . October 31, 1954 . 14 - Section 2. .
2. Terry Rowan Who's Who In Hollywood! Page 306-"On TV he was the star of 'Passport to Danger' (1956) and probably most remembered as 'The Joker' on the TV series ..."
3. December 15, 1956 . 10 . Pearl Beer on 'Grief' for Eight . Billboard . March 11, 2023.
4. Book: Irvin . Richard . Pioneers of "B" Television: Independent Producers, Series and Pilots of the 1950s . October 28, 2022 . McFarland . 978-1-4766-8996-8 . 39–40 . March 11, 2023 . en.
5. Zhito . Lee . 20 December 1952. 3 . December 20, 1952 . Billboard . March 11, 2023.