Turns out that Ian Fleming wasn't the only one to parlay a real-life espionage career into an even more gainful employment in the entertainment sector. Cary Grant, who memorably turned up in Hitchcock spy thrillers like North By Northwest and Notorious, was apparently the one to uncover the Nazi sympathies of fellow thespian Errol Flynn. And how did he do this? Because Grant was working for British intelligence, counter-spying on him. Yes, in between making films about being a spy, Cary Grant was actually...well, being a spy. In the summer of 1939, a Hollywood partnership was put together as a front for MI6, made up of a load of film producers and Cary Grant. Grant was to flush out Nazi sympathizers in Hollywood and its surroundings. Oh and Noel Coward was his main contact back in Britain, if this story wasn't star-studded enough for you as it is. Flynn had reportedly been in with Hitler since 1933, writing letters of support to the Nazi party, and it was up to Grant to rat him and his fascist mates out. After handing Flynn's name to authorities he went on to intercept the mail of suspected German spies, learned to crack safes and successfully hide top secret data from covert missions, and donated the salaries from several of his films to the war effort. During the Second World War Grant helped bring down Hitler both on and off the screen, to the point that when it was all over he received a special set of star and stripes from the US military, "for his work as a special agent, provider of funds for the war effort, and champion entertainer of the troops." Nice to be appreciated, innit.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
