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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04.04.1946 | post mortem |
+ "Post Mortem". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. Josephine Archer has a winning sweepstakes ticket...but ... | |
04.11.1946 | the name of the beast |
+ "The Name Of The Beast". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good role for Vincent Price as a slightly ma... | |
04.18.1946 | the night reveals |
+ "The Night Reveals". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A fire inspector suspects his wife is a pyromaniac... | |
04.25.1946 | dark journey |
+ "Dark Journey". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A thwarted woman plans a horrible revenge...and succeed... | |
05.02.1946 | crime without passion |
+ "Crime Without Passion". Sponsored by: Roma Wine. After an attorney murders his chorus-girl lover... | |
05.09.1946 | the clock and the rope afrs |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Clock and The Rope". Time is running out for a man fac... | |
05.16.1946 | the plan |
+ "The Plan". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good story about a woman terrorized by her husband's insa... | |
05.23.1946 | spoils for victor |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Spoils For Victor". | |
05.30.1946 | leading citizen of pratt county |
+ "The Leading Citizen Of Pratt County". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A con-man plans to take a small ... | |
06.06.1946 | high wall |
+ "The High Wall". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man wakes up in a hospital for the criminally insane... | |
06.13.1946 | too many smiths |
+ "Too Many Smiths". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man kills the winner of a slogan contest so he can... | |
06.20.1946 | your devoted wife |
+ "Your Devoted Wife". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A woman is bringing her insane husband to Chicago ... | |
06.27.1946 | return trip |
+ KQW, San Jose aircheck. "Return Trip". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. Four people are trapped in a sno... | |
07.04.1946 | an evening diversion |
+ "An Evening's Diversion". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man overhears a murder plot and plans to fo... | |
07.11.1946 | feast of the furies |
+ "Feast Of The Furies". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A friendly and somewhat stupid killer is about t... | |
07.18.1946 | photo finish |
+ "Photo Finish". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A street photographer takes a picture of a man being mu... | |
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... | |
08.01.1946 | commuter ticket |
+ "Commuter's Ticket". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A commuter's attempt at murder with a great alibi ... | |
08.08.1946 | dead ernest |
+ "Dead Ernest". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. The classic about the not-quite-dead man lying in the mo... | |
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, ... | |
08.22.1946 | great horrell |
+ "The Great Horrell". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A woman tries to escape from the mental clutches o... | |
08.29.1946 | blue eyes |
+ "Blue Eyes". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A meek man can finally take it no longer. He quits his job... | |
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 ... | |
09.12.1946 | hunting trip |
+ "Hunting Trip". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man is sure that his hunting companion and friend is ... | |
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 ... |
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