The Defection of Simas Kudirka
The Defection of Simas Kudirka
Release: 1978-01-23
·Runtime: 100m
·★ 6.0
TV Movie
Drama
Based on the true story of the attempted defection in 1970 by a Lithuanian seaman seeking political asylum in the United States. Kudirka was denied asylum and returned to the Soviets, charged with treason, and sentenced to ten years of hard labor. It was later discovered and verified that his mother had been born in Brooklyn and gone to Lithuania at a young age, which meant she was a U. S. citizen. As a result, Kudirka was declared a U. S. citizen and in 1974 released by the Soviets.
Production Countries
United States of America
Production Companies
Paramount Television
The Jozak Company
Cast
Alan Arkin
as Simas Kudirka
Richard Jordan
as Cmdr. Edward Devon
Donald Pleasence
as Capt. Vladimir Popov
George Dzundza
as Gruzauskas
John McMartin
as Phillip Chadway
Shirley Knight
as Genna Kudirka
Ted Shackelford
as Blain
Barton Heyman
as Dr. Paegle
Jack Blessing
as Kabek
Nicholas Guest
as Baltrunar
Matthew Arkin
as Petras
Salem Ludwig
as Assistant Supervisor
David Gibson
as Garvey
Clarence Felder
as Picnic Man
Michael Stein
as Yakov
