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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12.21.1944 | the brighton strangler |
+ "The Brighton Strangler". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A British actor is hit on the head during the... | |
12.14.1944 | the lodger |
+ "The Lodger". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A couple suspects that their lodger is really "The Avenge... | |
11.30.1944 | the black curtain |
+ "The Black Curtain". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man wakes up lying on a street, with no memories... | |
11.23.1944 | fountain plays |
+ "The Fountain Plays". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A delightfully British little murder. The script ... | |
11.16.1944 | dead of the night |
+ "Dead Of Night". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A story about the troubles getting rid of a dead body ... | |
11.09.1944 | you were wonderful |
+ "You Were Wonderful". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A west coast repeat broadcast. A wartime nightclu... | |
11.02.1944 | the singing walls |
+ "The Singing Walls". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A cop's brother wakes from a drugged stupor to fin... | |
10.26.1944 | the night man |
+ | |
10.19.1944 | eve |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Eve". A wife with a shady past tries to get the evidence n... | |
10.12.1944 | the merry widower |
+ "The Merry Widower". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A well-written story about a music box that plays ... | |
10.05.1944 | dateline lisbon |
+ "Dateline: Lisbon". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. During the war, in a neutral port, Nazi and Allied ... | |
09.28.1944 | the man who couldnt lose |
+ "The Man Who Couldn't Lose". Sponsored by: Roma Wine. A story about an incredible run of luck...b... | |
09.21.1944 | the bluebeard of bellac |
+ "The Bluebeard Of Belloc". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. During the Nazi occupation of France, an ama... | |
09.14.1944 | youll never see me again |
+ "You'll Never See Me Again". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. Wifey goes home to mother... with a surpri... | |
09.07.1944 | voyage through darkness |
+ "Voyage Through Darkness". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. The "Blackout Killer" is hiding somewhere a... | |
08.31.1944 | the black path of fear |
+ "The Black Path Of Fear". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An excellent story about murder and revenge i... | |
08.24.1944 | actors blood |
+ "Actor's Blood". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A very well-written murder story with a touch of ghost... | |
08.17.1944 | the diary of sophronia winters |
+ "The Diary Of Saphronia Winters". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A great horror tale about a new bride... | |
08.10.1944 | the man who knew how |
+ "The Man Who Knew How". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An interesting story about a man who knows the ... | |
08.03.1944 | banquos chair |
+ "Banquo's Chair". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A detective tracking down an elusive murderer uses a ... | |
07.27.1944 | the black shawl |
+ "The Black Shawl". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good mood piece about a young girl kept in the man... | |
07.20.1944 | of maestro and man |
+ "Of Maestro and Man". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. Peter Lorre is typecast as "The Maestro," a prize... | |
07.13.1944 | the beast must die |
+ "The Beast Must Die". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man vows to kill the hit and run driver who kil... | |
07.06.1944 | the search for henri lefevre |
+ "The Search For Henri LeFevre". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man who has just finished writing a s... | |
06.29.1944 | walls come tumbling down |
+ "The Walls Came Tumbling Down". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. There's some nice detection by a newspap... |
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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