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 |
---|---|---|---|
03.30.1958 | the sisters |
+ "The Sisters". Twin sisters live alone in a large house. One of them is crazy; the sane one buys ... | |
03.23.1958 | affair at loveland pass |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Affair At Loveland Pass". An escaped killer, along with a... | |
03.16.1958 | game hunt |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Game Hunt". A white hunter in Africa is not too sure of h... | |
03.09.1958 | the chain |
+ "The Chain". A woman appears to be in desperate trouble when her husband leaves her and then her... | |
03.02.1958 | never follow a banjo act |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Never Follow A Banjo Act". A mature caberet performer is ... | |
02.23.1958 | five buck tip |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Five Buck Tip". A very well-written story about a crimina... | |
02.16.1958 | one chef well done |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "One Chef Well Done". A comedy about a new French chef who... | |
02.09.1958 | long shot |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Long Shot". A cross-country drive with a $200,000 pot... | |
02.02.1958 | silver frame |
+ "The Silver Frame". A man just out of prison plans to frame himself for revenge on the D.A. that... | |
01.26.1958 | 19 deacon street |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Nineteen Deacon Street". A brash tie salesman arrives in ... | |
01.19.1958 | the crowded void |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Crowded Void". One public announcement has been delet... | |
01.12.1958 | the island |
+ "The Island". What is the secret of a hidden Japanese island, the most terrible weapon during th... | |
01.05.1958 | a week ago wednesday |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "A Week Ago Wednesday". A dream of murder and counter-murd... | |
12.29.1957 | never steal a butchers wife |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Never Steal A Butcher's Wife". A clerk in a supermarket p... | |
12.22.1957 | dog star |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Dog Star". All that a little girl wants for Christmas is ... | |
12.15.1957 | an occurrence at owl creek bridge |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "An Occurence At Owl Creek Bridge". The shocking story abo... | |
12.08.1957 | speed trap |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Speed Trap". A story about a break-neck ride down a kille... | |
12.01.1957 | jet stream |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Jet Stream". An interesting story about an Air National G... | |
11.24.1957 | the star of thessaly |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Star Of Thessaly". A British gentleman undertakes an ... | |
11.17.1957 | the city that was |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The City That Was". A murder story of old Hollywood. The ... | |
11.10.1957 | the pit and the pendulum |
+ "The Pit and The Pendulum". Sponsored by: Kent, Pontiac, Ex-Lax, Heinz Soup (classical LP premium... | |
11.03.1957 | firing run |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Firing Run". Two kids are trapped in a drone "Flying Fort... | |
10.27.1957 | country of the blind |
+ "The Country Of The Blind". The classic tale set in ther land of the eyeless. The script was pre... | |
10.20.1957 | sorry wrong number |
+ "Sorry, Wrong Number". Sponsored by: Kent, Johnson's Back Plasters (one commercial deleted). The ... | |
10.13.1957 | the well dressed corpse |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Well-Dressed Corpse". One of the "ten best dressed wo... |
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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