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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12.26.1946 | philomel cottage |
+ "Philomel Cottage". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A woman living in an isolated English house discove... | |
12.19.1946 | the thing in the window |
+ "The Thing In The Window". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An interesting story with a surprise ending.... | |
12.12.1946 | they call me patrice |
+ "They Call Me Patrice". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good blackmail story about a woman who assume... | |
12.05.1946 | the house in cypress canyon |
+ "The House In Cypress Canyon". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A chilling story of the supernatural wit... | |
11.28.1946 | the strange death of gordon fitzroy |
+ "The Strange Death Of Gordon Fitzroy". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An interesting story about a con... | |
11.21.1946 | drive in judy garland |
+ "Drive-In". Sponsored by: Roma Wine. A car hop is threatened by a homicidal maniac.. The story wa... | |
11.14.1946 | the one who got away |
+ "The One That Got Away". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A bank auditor coerces an embezzling teller to... | |
11.07.1946 | easy money |
+ "Easy Money". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man decides to kill his wealthy wife to be free of her.... | |
10.31.1946 | lazarus walks |
+ "Lazarus Walks". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man dies but came back to life after four minutes...... | |
10.24.1946 | dame fortune |
+ "Dame Fortune". The wife of a rich man is being blackmailed, but she has a few interesting ideas ... | |
10.17.1946 | man who thought he was e g robinson |
+ "The Man Who Thought He Was Edward G. Robinson". Sponsored by: Roma Wine. A meek man decides to k... | |
10.10.1946 | a plain case of murder |
+ "A Plane Case Of Murder". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A scheming woman and her pre-war lover plan t... | |
10.03.1946 | three times murder |
+ "Three Times Murder". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A greedy prosecuting attorney swears to hang the ... | |
09.26.1946 | statement of employee henry wilson |
+ "Statement Of Employee Henry Wilson". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A perfect murder of a man's co-wo... | |
09.19.1946 | till the day i die |
+ "'Til The Day I Die". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A killer and his moll are holed up after pulling ... | |
09.12.1946 | hunting trip |
+ "Hunting Trip". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man is sure that his hunting companion and friend is ... | |
09.05.1946 | youll never see me again |
+ "You'll Never See Me Again". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A new bride "goes home to mother" after a ... | |
08.29.1946 | blue eyes |
+ "Blue Eyes". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A meek man can finally take it no longer. He quits his job... | |
08.22.1946 | great horrell |
+ "The Great Horrell". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A woman tries to escape from the mental clutches o... | |
08.15.1946 | last letter of dr bronson |
+ "The Last Letter Of Dr. Bronson". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A doctor who is slowly going insane, ... | |
08.08.1946 | dead ernest |
+ "Dead Ernest". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. The classic about the not-quite-dead man lying in the mo... | |
08.01.1946 | commuter ticket |
+ "Commuter's Ticket". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A commuter's attempt at murder with a great alibi ... | |
07.25.1946 | cant we be friends |
+ "Can't We Be Friends". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A psycho decides to murder his ex-girlfriend. Th... | |
07.18.1946 | photo finish |
+ "Photo Finish". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A street photographer takes a picture of a man being mu... | |
07.11.1946 | feast of the furies |
+ "Feast Of The Furies". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A friendly and somewhat stupid killer is about t... |
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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