I Led 3 Lives
Herbert Philbrick was a young professional and pacifist in 1939 Boston. He joined an anti-war group and quickly found himself caught up in the secret world of underground communist activity. He agreed to spy on the Communists for the FBI, and spent the next 9 years of his life as a Communist, FBI spy, and Communist counter-spy, since they had asked him to follow other comrades to test their loyalty. Hence the 3 lives; and his family, co-workers, and church never knew. This TV show is based on the TRUE story of how Philbrick (played ably by Richard Carlson) could never relax, but had to sneak to secret cell meetings and meet FBI agents in clandestine places to make info drops, never knowing when he might be found out, and if he would live to see the next rendezvous.
- 1953-1956
- 3 seasons
- Drama
Herbert Philbrick was a young professional and pacifist in 1939 Boston. He joined an anti-war group and quickly found himself caught up in the secret world of underground communist activity. He agreed to spy on the Communists for the FBI, and spent the next 9 years of his life as a Communist, FBI spy, and Communist counter-spy, since they had asked him to follow other comrades to test their loyalty. Hence the 3 lives; and his family, co-workers, and church never knew. This TV show is based on the TRUE story of how Philbrick (played ably by Richard Carlson) could never relax, but had to sneak to secret cell meetings and meet FBI agents in clandestine places to make info drops, never knowing when he might be found out, and if he would live to see the next rendezvous.
Season 2 Episode Guide
39 Episodes 1954 - 1955
Episode 1
Counterfeit
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Episode 2
Relatives
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Comrade Mike asks Philbrick to take over the party fund raising. Main plan involves persuading people to pay big money to have their relatives rescued from East Germany. In reality the relatives have already been killed by the Communists.
Episode 3
Close Factory
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
The comrades ask Philbrick to help them destroy a ceramics factory belonging to his clients. The factory owners are also campaigning in Europe for freedom from Communism.
Episode 4
Martyr
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Episode 5
Homing Station
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Comrade Quentin, an old friend of Philbrick's, is now working as electronics engineer for the party. The reds plan to install a series of radio homing stations which will enable radio-controlled missiles to hit the United States.
Episode 6
Infiltration
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Comrade Mitchell is gearing up for Project F10, a major plot to burn down chemical plants. But first he tells Philbrick there must be a thorough purge to eliminate FBI infiltrators.
Episode 7
Assassination Plot
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Congressman Tom Leahy is delivering a series of radio broadcasts denouncing Communism. Comrade Taylor decides to assassinate him.
Episode 8
The Bomb
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Ex-commie Professor Marlowe is to testify at the Washington hearings. The comrades send Philbrick on the same plane to Washington, but his brief case seems to contain a time bomb.
Episode 9
Atomic Antidote
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
The reds are anxious to delay American testing of nuclear weapons. Farmer comrade Roy Owens plans to spread a major rumor among the US farming communities that fall out will poison the land, (with a little help from the Communists).
Episode 10
Day Camp
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Comrade Hilda urges Philbrick to enrol his daughters and her school friends at the Poconino day camp where American kids are brainwashed into rejecting the ways of capitalism.
Episode 11
The Guest
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Important commie Joe Macklin fails to appear before an anti-Communist committee and goes on the run. The Philbricks are asked to hide him at their home until he can flee the country.
Episode 12
Narcotics
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
To corrupt the minds of American youngsters, the reds are importing new opium derivatives that are both cheap and effective. Philbrick is horrified to be asked to handle the marketing.
Episode 13
Charity
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
The Communists do not believe in Christmas, but Comrade Irene Clark organizes a Christmas charity racket that will raise a hundred thousand dollars. Naturally, all the money will go to the party.
Episode 14
Fifth Amendment
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Philbrick's friend and ex-commie Clay Jennings receives a subpoena from the Un-American Activities Committee. Should he name names, or take the Fifth Amendment?
Episode 15
Rest Home
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
The comrades book Philbrick into a rest home for tired businessmen who are being drugged into revealing company secrets.
Episode 16
Deportation
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Elena Moretz, a pretty diplomat from an Iron Curtain country, is being deported from the US. The comrades suspect she is a double agent and ask Philbrick to follow her.
Episode 17
The Switch
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Comrade Burt, leader of Philbrick's cell, offers to work for the FBI as counter spy. How can Philbrick tip off the bureau that this is a Communist trick?
Episode 18
Servicemen
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Comrade Myra Houk creates an organization called Sweethearts for Servicemen. Pretty girl commies are assigned to befriend US military personnel to collect useful information.
Episode 19
Mailing List
Thu, Sep 24, 2026
Comrade Jack Blake plans to infiltrate the labor union of the Brotherhood of Aviation Craftsmen. By coincidence the offices of the BAC are in the same block as Philbrick's. Can he steal their mailing list?
Episode 20
Asylum
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Beautiful young Comrade Margaret instructs Philbrick to deliver a wristwatch camera to a Communist agent who is posing as an asylum seeker at a top secret establishment.
Episode 21
Moving
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Comrade Norma Baker orders Philbrick and his family to move house to Rexford, a suburb where the party hope he can recruit new members from young, middle-class couples.
Episode 22
Camera
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Philbrick manages to film the proceedings at a Communist party meeting. From the developed film the FBI spot a major person of interest.
Episode 23
Minority Control
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Comrade Ferrell comes up with a scheme to infiltrate the Tax Payers Alliance, a respected society of American land owners. The plan is for Philbrick to rig the TPA ballot box so that on election day the minority Communist members will win.
Episode 24
Goon Squad
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Members of Philbrick's Communist cell are being attacked by a mysterious masked gang. Could they be the party's own storm troopers trying to enhance public sympathy for the cause?
Episode 25
Convicts
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
The reds try to recruit ex-convicts into the party. Philbrick must tip off the FBI which senior comrade is in charge of the plan.
Episode 26
Investments
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Communist speculator Robert Faulk devises a scheme to manipulate the US stock market to boost party funds.
Episode 27
The Son
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Pretty young Comrade Lona Nedrick starts a phony romance with Bill Hoffman, son of Dr Heinz Hoffman who is developing jet engines for the military.
Episode 28
Vandalism
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Local hooligans are committing acts of vandalism. The comrades ask Philbrick to publish an article blaming capitalism, although in reality the vandals are being sent in by commie agitators.
Episode 29
Brainwash
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
James Hillary, a friend of Philbrick's from the Press and Advertising Club, has just returned from two years in prison behind the Iron Curtain. The reds have attempted to brainwash him into preaching the virtues of Communism.
Episode 30
Boss #2
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Cell boss Comrade Mitch sends Philbrick on a train ride to Woodland City where a vital government project must be sabotaged.
Episode 31
Revolt
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Regional leader Comrade John asks Philbrick to go undercover to investigate a local cell leader who is suspected of plotting an internal revolt. The three lives that Philbrick was leading have now become four.
Episode 32
Mr. and Mrs.
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Philbrick's neighborhood charity arrange for a couple of displaced persons to come over from Europe. But his local Communist cell tell him to substitute the refugees for two Soviet saboteurs.
Episode 33
Oilfield
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Influential comrade Gregory Collins arranges for Philbrick to win a lucrative recruitment contract with the Green Diamond Oil Company. He will engage only party employees and eventually the Communists will isolate the world oil supply.
Episode 34
Church
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
A number of undercover comrades are instructed to join their local church. The plan is to convert the faithful from their religious beliefs to the better Communist doctrine.
Episode 35
Lost Report
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Philbrick types a report for the FBI, but carelessly lets a neighborhood kid make it into a paper airplane. Where did it fly to?
Episode 36
Child Commie
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
A 12 year old girl (Isa Ashdown), who has been brainwashed by her communist father, infiltrates Philbrick's home and attempts to discredit him as a traitor to the communist party.
Episode 37
Commie Dies
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Comrade Arthur is gravely ill. Philbrick is asked to take over the dying commie's fraudulent fund raising.
Episode 38
Comrade Eva
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Philbrick's wife and fellow counterspy Eva is called in by their cell comrades for a key propaganda mission.
Episode 39
Comic Strip
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 30 mins
Comrade Nyby, a comic strip artist doing propaganda work for the party, tries to resign. But the comrades have other ideas.