1322 30th Street Northwest

International Federal Film sign (click to enlarge). Image stolen from IWSOD.In Washington, DC, the Agency functioned using a cover identity of International Federal Film, a documentary studio focusing on government contracted content. The Agency’s headquarters were located at 1322 30th Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20007.

This location, which is near the intersection of 30th and Dumbarton Streets in Georgetown, has the exterior appearance of a townhouse (and it was originally built as such in 1900). There is street parking in front but the majority of parking is in an underground garage nearby; the Agency also has an arrangement with a nearby street lot for overflow or additional parking. There is a loading dock in back, accessed from an alley off Dumbarton.

The Agency has been at this location since it was first established in 1954. In 1960, the organization was downsized and most of its operations were moved into a sprawling complex built in, and expanded from, the townhouse’s original basement. This underground complex included computer rooms, the Field Section’s “bull pen” area, several offices, interrogation rooms, a small medical clinic and dispensary, equipment supply/storage areas, and similar functions.

Agency Exterior (click to enlarge)
From a real estate listingAfter that move, the townhouse’s visible, upper floors only contained an entrance hall, a single conference room, the actual filming unit, offices primarily used for storage, and an elevator, disguised as a coat closet, leading down into the basement complex.

In the 1980s, the expanding nature of the Agency’s operations necessitated re-opening some of the upstairs offices, even though that part of the building was somewhat less secure. Around 1984, the Q-Bureau was one of the first operations relocated, into a second-floor office, with access to a secured storage vault, marked “Film Library.” It was originally manned by Larry Crawford, but in 1985, the Q-Bureau was taken over by Lee Stetson. Amanda King (later Amanda Stetson) was also assigned a desk in the Q-Bureau when she was promoted to Agent status in 1986.

The Q-Bureau was taken over by Francine Desmond and Nancy Zusterakos upon the Stetsons’ departure for London.

Notes:

  • There are any number of websites with screenshots and images of the Agency including the bull pen, Billy’s office, the Q-Bureau, the Georgetown Foyer, and other locations.
  • The actual 1322 30th Street Northwest in Washington is a private residence. It last sold for $1,375,000 in November 2016.
  • The Agency’s interiors were primarily custom-built film sets at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California. However, some early episodes shot interiors at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in Los Angeles.