With over 900+ broadcasts written by various authors and directors of their time, Suspense is a conglomeration of some of the most acclaimed old time radio shows that graced the airwaves from the years 1942 until 1962.
Suspense was a radio series broadcasted on the CBS Radio Network in the early 1940’s that featured many of the era’s famous Hollywood stars. Most notable among them are the highly talented Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, Orson Welles and Marlene Dietrich to name a few.
Living up to its name, majority of the program’s episodes were dedicated to the thriller and mystery genre wherein the protagonist was usually thrown into strange and unusual circumstances that seemingly had no resolution. Miraculously, a means of salvation would somehow manifest towards the finale to illustrate the triumph of good over evil.
Suspense is one of the classics of old time radio. Some fans have special favorites in the thriller/chiller/macabre genre, but all will agree that Suspense did it best. The guiding light of this show was William Spier, who developed the formula into a human drama that attracted the finest of Hollywood's elite as well as the cream of radio's great actors.
Orson Welles was in many episodes, and Cary Grant was quoted in 1943, "If I ever do any more radio work, I want to it on Suspense, where I get a good chance to act." Spier's method with his show's stars was to keep them under-rehearsed, somewhat uneasy. In Suspense, as it were. He got great performances, and the show gained greater and greater popularity.
The Roma Wine sponsorship in 1943 allowed the show to create works that are a lasting part of the old time radio entertainment experience. All the production values were first class. The great Bernard Hermann did the musical scores. He previously had worked with Orson Welles in his Mercury Theater series, and went on to do of Alfred Hitchcock film fame. Lucian Moraweck did many of the greatest episode scores.
The "Man in Black" is your host, reminding one of the many thriller show presenters, but Suspense was the best of the bunch, and never did the show lapse into over-the-top melodrama. William Spier was so deft in his weaving of the spell of Suspense, he was dubbed "the Hitchcock of the airwaves."
The Suspense anthology marked the end of the golden age of radio drama as the 1960’s gave birth to other forms of more colorful entertainment. Relive the glory days of old time radio and hear Suspense! Click here to read more about Suspense
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Please enjoy these 914 old time radio episodes:
Air Date | Title | Synopsis | Rating |
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03.15.1945 | the cricket |
+ "Cricket". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. The story of a little girl and her strange-but-unseen friend... | |
03.22.1945 | hearts desire |
+ Henry had worked, as a Messenger for the bank for twenty years and in all that time had never once... | |
03.29.1945 | taming of the beast |
+ "The Taming Of The Beast". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A scheming phoney doctor is delighted to dis... | |
04.05.1945 | a guy gets lonely |
+ "A Guy Gets Lonely". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An interesting story about an old man in a penny a... | |
04.19.1945 | pearls are a nuisance |
+ "Pearls Are A Nuisance". A Runyonesque comedy about thieves and detectives and a trip to the unde... | |
05.03.1945 | fear paints a picture |
+ "Fear Paints A Picture". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An heiress is being driven crazy by a painting... | |
05.10.1945 | reprieve |
+ "Reprieve". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. From "Death Ro... | |
05.17.1945 | two birds with one stone |
+ "Two Birds With One Stone". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A writer kills his wife, making it look lik... | |
05.24.1945 | my own murderer |
+ CBS net."My Own Murderer". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A British solicitor is forced to shelter a mu... | |
05.31.1945 | august heat |
+ "August Heat". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A very hot day finds strange predictions of the future s... | |
06.07.1945 | two sharp knives |
+ "Two Sharp Knives". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man is arrested for murder in a small town and is... | |
06.14.1945 | the burning court |
+ "The Burning Court". Sponsored by: Roma Wine. The story was first heard on the initial Suspense p... | |
06.21.1945 | story of ivy |
+ "The Story Of Ivy". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. The story of the career of lovely Ivy...about to be... | |
06.28.1945 | the dealings of mr markham |
+ "The Dealings Of Mr. Markham". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An antique dealer, who stocks up-to-date... | |
07.05.1945 | last detail |
+ "The Last Detail". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A complex plan to use a professor as a frame for mur... | |
07.12.1945 | footfalls |
+ "Footfalls". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good story about a blind cobbler and his no-good son who... | |
07.19.1945 | bank holiday |
+ "Bank Holiday". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A bank teller is kidnapped by a pair of robbers, and is... | |
08.02.1945 | the man in the house |
+ "A Man In The House". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A spinster librarian and her crippled mother are ... | |
08.09.1945 | murder for myra |
+ "Murder For Myra". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A woman's lover is hiding in the closet with a hamme... | |
08.16.1945 | short order |
+ "Short Order". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good story about a horribly disfigured man who visits ... | |
08.23.1945 | this will kill you |
+ "This Will Kill You". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A not-too-bright wartime assembly line worker is ... | |
08.30.1945 | nobody loves me |
+ "Nobody Loves Me". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A well-done, tour-de-force performance by Lorre as a... | |
09.06.1945 | sorry wrong number |
+ "Sorry, Wrong Number". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An invalid woman battles the frustrations of the... | |
09.13.1945 | furnished floor |
+ "The Furnished Floor". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. Mr. Jennings moves back into his old room after ... | |
09.20.1945 | library book |
+ "The Library Book". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A silly story about a prudish librarian who deduces... |
Mike
Jerry
John
Peggie
Dave
Daniel
Daniel
John
Michael
Kristi
Travis
Dan
Michael
Tommy
Jim
Robert
Joe
Jay
Russ
David
Dale
David
Kenneth
Jamie
Archie
Scott
David
Mark
Rick
Annette
John
Mike
Damian
Randy
Kim
Joe
Steve Hodel
SUSPENSE
Martin
Lynne
Dan
Bert
SM
Norma
Judy
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