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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07.01.1962 | black death |
+ WDNC, Durham North Carolina aircheck. "Black Death". Sponsored by: Parliament Cigarettes, Bell Sy... | |
07.08.1962 | the sin eater |
+ | |
07.15.1962 | snow on 66 |
+ "Snow On 66". A motoring couple is being annoyed by LeRoy, a drunken yokel during a snowstorm. +... | |
07.22.1962 | the next murder |
+ "The Next Murder". Sponsored by: Alpine, A. T. & T. Long Distance. A chance meeting takes place i... | |
07.29.1962 | weekend at gleebes |
+ "Weekend At The Gleebes". Sponsored by: Alpine, A.T.&T. Long Distance. A woman from America canno... | |
08.05.1962 | run faster |
+ "Run Faster". While an escaped mental patient menaces his wife, an air traffic controller tries ... | |
08.12.1962 | the silver shoe |
+ "The Silver Shoe". Sponsored by: Alpine Cigarettes, A. T. & T.. The system cue has been deleted. ... | |
08.19.1962 | pages from a diary |
+ "Pages From A Diary". Sponsored by: Marlboro. The system cue has been deleted. + John used to tel... | |
08.26.1962 | the lost ship |
+ | |
09.02.1962 | the death of alexander jordan |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Death Of Alexander Jordan". A week after the death of... | |
09.09.1962 | a strange day in may |
+ "A Strange Day In May". An interesting story about an astronaut who returns to a very puzzling E... | |
09.16.1962 | golden years |
+ "Golden Years". Sponsored by: Parliament (one commercial deleted). When the stepfather of a sixte... | |
09.23.1962 | at the point of a needle |
+ "At The Point Of A Needle". Sponsored by: Parliament Cigarettes, Chase and Sanborn Coffee. A nagg... | |
09.30.1962 | devilstone |
+ "Devilstone". Sponsored by: Parliament Cigarettes. An Irishman goes to investigate his haunted ho... |
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Jerry
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Peggie
Dave
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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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