Counter-Spy (sometimes referred to as David Harding,
Counter-Spy) arrived on radio in 1942. With the country deeply entrenched
in overseas battles, everyone was grateful for a program featuring a hero who
did nothing but solidify homeland security and foil acts of international
espionage.

Even after the war ended, Counter-Spy went on, ultimately lasting
for 15 years with Don MacLaughlin in the role of David Harding, Washington’s ace
agent. Though most of the wartime plots dealt with our real-life war enemies,
plots explored other seedy acts of destruction targeted toward the U.S. in the
show’s latter years.

With Pepsi Cola and Gulf Oil as chief sponsors, the show offered premiums
including matchbooks, Junior Agent glow-in-the-dark brass badges, club member
certificates and activity booklets.

As we know, interest in spies has yet to let up, but we can all be certain
that several of today’s spy spinoff series have Counter-Spy to thank for
inspiration.