The final performance of Boris Karloff, broadcast November 30 1968, two months before his death on February 2 1969.
The plot of this segment seems to be inspired by the true story of how the Italian publisher Feltrinelli smuggled the manuscript of "Doctor Zhivago" out of Russia. Indeed, it seems clear from the fact that several of the character names are Russian, not Czech, that the story originally had a Russian setting and that this was tastelessly and opportunistically altered just before filming to Czechoslovakia to take advantage of the Russian invasion in August of 1968.
Roddy McDowall's character is a voracious photographer. In real life, McDowall's photography was highly respected.
It is strongly implied that Miss Haggblad and her assistant Hedrika have a lesbian relationship - a most unusual detail for an American TV segment of this period, especially as it is irrelevant to the plot. However, as Miss Haggblad is depicted as an unpleasant and unprincipled person (and a leftist), this detail may be included for reactionary and reprehensible reasons.