Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1960s
    Movies - 1960s Movies - R 2 Mins Read

    Ring of Spies (1964)

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    This intriguing and unglamorous Cold War thriller is based on the true story of the Portland spy ring – a Soviet operation active in southern England from the late 1950s until January 1961, when the core members were arrested.

    Produced in 1964, Ring of Spies charts a duel between Soviet intelligence and British counter-espionage and a trade in deadly secrets directed from a bungalow at 45 Cranley Drive in suburban Ruislip, hidden for years from unsuspecting neighbours and British spy catchers.

    The story begins when alcoholic Henry Houghton (Bernard Lee) causes a ruckus at an embassy party in Warsaw and is sent home to England by the Polish Ambassador as a bad security risk. Back in England, he is posted to the Underwater Weapons section at the Portland Naval establishment.

    Heavily bribed and gently blackmailed, he is persuaded to borrow documents from the secrets safe for the Russians. He meets his contact, smooth charmer Gordon Lonsdale (William Sylvester) – in reality, a Russian spy called Konon T Molody – in a pub.

    He also meets Miss Elizabeth Gee (Margaret Tyzack), a lonely respectable spinster who is responsible for the keys to the safe at Portland. Gradually, Houghton breaks down Elizabeth’s resistance and she is cajoled into removing the files.

    The material is photographed, the files are returned, and Lonsdale makes his way out to Ruislip. Beneath the kitchen in his quiet bungalow is concealed a powerful transmitter beaming the information to Russia.

    Then a naval photographer receives a series of poison pen letters, another spy ring starts to break, Houghton is checked and microphones subtly planted in his home, and the police begin to follow him, Miss Gee and Lonsdale.

    Lonsdale finally leads the police to the bungalow in Ruislip.

    Released in some markets as Shadow of Treason.

    Henry Houghton
    Bernard Lee
    Gordon Lonsdale (Konon T Molody)
    William Sylvester
    Elizabeth Gee
    Margaret Tyzack
    Peter Kroger
    David Kossoff
    Helen Kroger
    Nancy Nevinson
    Cmdr. Winters
    Thorley Walters
    Chief Supt. Croft
    Derek Francis
    Supt. Woods
    Hector Ross
    Captain Warner
    Patrick Barr
    Christina
    Justine Lord
    Marjorie Shaw
    Gillian Lewis
    PO Meadows
    Newton Blick
    Captain Ray
    Philip Latham
    Anderson
    Cyril Chamberlain

    Director
    Robert Tronson

    Related Posts

    • To Trap a Spy (1964)
      To Trap a Spy (1964)
      This first movie spin-off from the highly successful TV spy show The Man from UNCLE also stands as one of…
    • Intelligence Men, The (1965)
      Intelligence Men, The (1965)
      For their big-screen debut, star British comedy duo Morecambe and Wise chose this espionage spoof. The two were never really…
    • 633 Squadron (1964)
      633 Squadron (1964)
      Lieutenant Erik Bergman (George Chakiris), a Norwegian Resistance fighter, tells British Air Intelligence that the Germans are about to launch…
    • Beach Movies
      Beach Movies
      The rise of Surf Music in the early 60s, coupled with the general surfing craze that was sweeping the USA,…
    • Fräulein Doktor (1969)
      Fräulein Doktor (1969)
      During World War I, a morphine-addicted female German super-spy known as "Fraülein Doktor" (Suzy Kendall) seduces a laundryman to find…
    • Ice Station Zebra (1968)
      Ice Station Zebra (1968)
      John Sturges' masterclass in how to adapt mediocre material for the big screen takes Alistair MacLean's potboiler and produces a…
    • Naked Runner, The (1967)
      Naked Runner, The (1967)
      Frank Sinatra's only British film is an espionage thriller with a fistful of twists. Sam Laker (Sinatra) is a widower…
    • I Deal in Danger (1966)
      I Deal in Danger (1966)
      This 90-minute film was edited together from a number of episodes of the 1966 television series, Blue Light David March…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleGhoul, The (1974)
    Next Article Lonelyhearts Kid, The

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    You May Also Like
    • Mrs Brown , You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter (1968)
      A showcase for Peter Noone and British beat group Herman’s […]
    • Sidekicks
      1 9 8 6 (USA) 23 x 30 minute episodes Sgt Jake Rizzo (Gil […]
    • Posies, The
      Formed around the nucleus of Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer, The […]
    • Roland Rat
      Roland Rat was introduced to the ailing breakfast television […]
    • Silver Streak (1976)
      George Caldwell (Gene Wilder) is an overworked and exhausted […]
    • B.L. Stryker
      1 9 8 9 – 1 9 9 0 (USA) 12 x 120 minute episodes Having […]
    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    OUR LATEST FACEBOOK POSTS

    edition.cnn.com/2023/01/30/entertainment/cindy-williams-dead/index.html

    More sad news 😢
    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    'Laverne & Shirley' star Cindy Williams dead at 75 | CNN

    edition.cnn.com

    Cindy Williams, the dynamic actress known best for playing the bubbly Shirley Feeney on the beloved sitcom "Laverne & Shirley," has died, according to a statement from her family, provided to CNN by a...
    1 day ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64442824 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Television frontman Tom Verlaine dies at 73

    www.bbc.co.uk

    His band rose to fame in the 1970s New York punk scene, scoring UK hits including Marquee Moon.
    3 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64418847 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Mr Blobby costume sells for more than £62,000 on eBay

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The character, made famous by BBC show Noel's House Party, had been in storage since the 1990s.
    4 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Put some beefiness into your mid-week menu with these recipe ideas published in a Birds Eye advertisement from the Radio Times on 30 September 1965.

    Put some "beefiness into your mid-week menu" with these recipe ideas published in a Birds Eye advertisement from the "Radio Times" on 30 September 1965. ... See MoreSee Less

    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 3
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    They were awful. An overpowering savoury flavour that lingered in your mouth for hours. Heaven knows what unmentionable parts of a bull went into making them 😳

    More sad news 😪

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    US rock legend David Crosby dies aged 81

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Crosby, who co-founded both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash, had been ill for some time.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    This is what they promised us when I was a kid. What happened? 

All I have is 700 channels of rubbish on the TV in High Def, TikTok, Facebook and a phone I can take photographs with . . .

    This is what they promised us when I was a kid. What happened?

    All I have is 700 channels of rubbish on the TV in High Def, TikTok, Facebook and a phone I can take photographs with . . .
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 54
    • Shares: 22
    • Comments: 7

    Comment on Facebook

    I thought we would have moving pavements by now when I was a kid 😂

    Totally agree!!!

    The new Tesla, 4.6 next century.

    We got transvestite story hour instead

    We appear to be going backwards

    There's actually a very good David Graeber essay on this very topic: thebaffler.com/salvos/of-flying-cars-and-the-declining-rate-of-profit

    The Jetsons strike again.

    View more comments

    Renowned Australian singer Renee Geyer is dead at 69 following complications from hip surgery. Such a fabulous voice. RIP😢

https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-r/renee-geyer/

    Renowned Australian singer Renee Geyer is dead at 69 following complications from hip surgery. Such a fabulous voice. RIP😢

    nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-r/renee-geyer/
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    That is so sad to hear 😥 rest in peace 🙏 🕊 xx

    Gina Lollobrigida: Italian screen star dies at 95
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64292026

    Gina Lollobrigida: Italian screen star dies at 95
    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64292026
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 4
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    😍😍😍😍

    Vale Jeff Beck. Dead at 78. 😢

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Jeff Beck: British guitar legend dies aged 78

    www.bbc.co.uk

    One of rock's most influential guitarists, he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Hi everyone. Were in the process of moving www.nostalgiacentral.com to new dedicated servers to better cope with the volumes of traffic. Please ignore any SSL security errors you may receive when visiting the site over the next 24 hours while the move completes.

    Hi everyone. We're in the process of moving www.nostalgiacentral.com to new dedicated servers to better cope with the volumes of traffic. Please ignore any SSL security errors you may receive when visiting the site over the next 24 hours while the move completes. ... See MoreSee Less

    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 5
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    Ironically, this post has jumped off the page at me. You'll probably get most traffic today because everyone will want to see what they might be missing!

    Martin Platt

    Load more
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Sport Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.