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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04.01.1962 | you died last night |
+ "You Died Last Night". An Earthman must convince an alien not to destroy the Earth. Atomic Energy... | |
03.25.1962 | memory of a murder |
+ "Memory Of A Murder". Sponsored by: Alpine Cigarettes. The young janitor in a theatre falls in lo... | |
03.18.1962 | perchance to dream |
+ "Perchance To Dream". Sponsored by: Alpine Cigarettes, Rexall. A woman suspects that her husband,... | |
03.11.1962 | heads you lose |
+ "Heads You Lose". Sponsored by: Alpine Cigarettes. A private eye searches for Joshua Franklin, mi... | |
03.04.1962 | doom machine |
+ "Doom Machine". Sponsored by: Alpine, Ford. In the year 2500, an artificial brain named "Max" is ... | |
02.25.1962 | date night |
+ "Date Night". A father imagines terrible evil befalling his daughter on her first date. + A fath... | |
02.18.1962 | the old boyfriend |
+ "The Old Boyfriend". Sponsored by: Alpine Cigarettes, Ford. A man just out of prison asks his old... | |
02.11.1962 | the man who went back to save lincoln |
+ "The Man Who Went Back To Save Lincoln". A time travel story about an attempt to alter the prese... | |
02.04.1962 | friday |
+ Written by: Jonathan Bundy | |
01.28.1962 | please believe me |
+ "Please Believe Me.". A cheap, two-voice production with a cop-out ending. It nevertheless has a... | |
01.21.1962 | 2462 |
+ "2462". A frightening story of the future, another "Brave New World." He woke up on the floor sh... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
| |
01.14.1962 | feathers |
+ "Feathers". A predictable ghost story, as a gangster is forced to confess by the spirit of his v... | |
01.07.1962 | breakthrough |
+ Willy has come back to his communist homeland for his mother but they have no time to waste as the... | |
12.31.1961 | old man |
+ "The Old Man". An amusing New Year's Eve story. Old man 1961 claims geriatric discrimination and... | |
12.17.1961 | yuletide miracle |
+ "Yuletide Miracle". A very well-written, heartwarming Christmas story, Sir Benjamin being a most... | |
12.10.1961 | and so to sleep my love |
+ "And So To Sleep My Love". A good story about a man determined to kill his wife for her money. +... | |
12.03.1961 | the luck of the tiger eye |
+ "The Luck Of The Tiger Eye". An eccentric millionaire's last request is to have his body burned ... | |
11.26.1961 | man trap |
+ "Man Trap". Who blew up Artie Finch? Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets! + A construction gang boss ... | |
11.19.1961 | the black door |
+ "The Black Door". The story of the search for "The City Of The Fire God," and the strange secret... | |
11.05.1961 | till death do us part |
+ | |
10.29.1961 | death of an old flame |
+ "Death Of An Old Flame". A cocktail lounge pianist meets his old runaway wife...and adventure. +... | |
10.22.1961 | witness to murder |
+ "Witness To Murder". + Louise and her husband Larry are travelling home from Europe on the same s... | |
10.15.1961 | seeds of disaster |
+ Anger and frustration engulfs him as he tries desperately to contact his wife before she can give ... | |
10.08.1961 | dreams |
+ A young man knocks desperately on the door of Dr Harris. The young man is called Robert and he wor... | |
10.01.1961 | no hiding place |
+ "No Hiding Place". The family with the first fallout shelter in town puts it to use sooner than ... |
Air Date | Title | Synopsis | Rating |
---|---|---|---|
01.21.1962 | 2462 |
+ "2462". A frightening story of the future, another "Brave New World." He woke up on the floor sh... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
|
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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