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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07.03.1947 | money talks |
+ "Money Talks". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines, Roma Wines. A bank cashier spends almost three ... | |
06.26.1947 | phobia |
+ "Phobia". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. Who shot Henry? The crippled millionaire... | |
06.19.1947 | The Dead Of The Night |
+ "Dead Of Night". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. Here's an interesting way to get ... | |
06.12.1947 | stand in |
+ "Stand-In". Sponsored by: Roma Wines (two of the commercials have been deleted). The stand-in for... | |
06.05.1947 | make mad the guilty |
+ "Make Mad The Guilty". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An out-of-work Shakespearean actor fakes his own... | |
05.29.1947 | a thing of beauty |
+ "A Thing Of Beauty". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. An actress finds herself in n... | |
05.22.1947 | knight comes riding |
+ "Knight Comes Riding". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. A woman who dislikes her hus... | |
05.15.1947 | death at live oak |
+ A man is on death row for a crime he did not comm... | |
05.08.1947 | dead ernest |
+ "Dead Ernest". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. An unusual, and classically suspens... | |
05.01.1947 | lady in distress |
+ "Lady In Distress". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. A woman picks up a hitch-hiker... | |
04.24.1947 | win place and murder |
+ "Win, Place and Murder". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A Runyonesque tale about two bookies, two priv... | |
04.17.1947 | green eyed monster |
+ "Green-Eyed Monster". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man's car is stolen. When it's recovered by the... | |
04.10.1947 | community property |
+ "Community Property". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man with a huge inheritance and a bad case of g... | |
04.03.1947 | swift rise of eddie albright |
+ "The Swift Rise Of Eddie Albright". Sponsored by: Roma Wine. West coast broadcast. An elevator op... | |
03.13.1947 | you take ballistics |
+ "You Take Ballistics". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good police drama with Jack Webb playing a har... | |
03.06.1947 | elwood |
+ "Elwood". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. The mental reflections of Elwood, a young gas station attenda... | |
02.27.1947 | three faces for midnight |
+ "Three Faces At Midnight". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. "Muscles" applies for a job, and finds himse... | |
02.20.1947 | always room at the top |
+ "Always Room At The Top". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good story about the dirty infighting that ... | |
02.13.1947 | the 13th sound |
+ "The Thirteenth Sound". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A woman who murders her husband is plagued by a... | |
02.06.1947 | end of the road |
+ "End Of The Road". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. "Speed" is a fast talking car salesman who falls for... | |
01.30.1947 | three blind mice |
+ "Three Blind Mice". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man frames his partner for murder when the third ... | |
01.23.1947 | one way street |
+ "One Way Street". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A touching story about a London slum boy's attempt to... | |
01.16.1947 | overture in two keys |
+ "Overture In Two Keys". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A musician murders a deaf conductor when he fal... | |
01.09.1947 | will to power |
+ "The Will To Power". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. The secretary to a millionaire kills him, marries ... | |
01.02.1947 | tree of life |
+ "Tree Of Life". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An interesting story about a man who enters the wrong h... |
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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