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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03.01.1951 | the gift of jumbo brannigan |
+ "The Gift Of Jumbo Brannigan". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A safecracker is released from jail after... | |
03.08.1951 | a vision of death |
+ "A Vision Of Death". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite (the middle commercial has been deleted). A nightclu... | |
03.15.1951 | strange for a killer |
+ "Strange For A Killer". Unedited tape. A killer trapped by the cops is holding a man's wife and ... | |
03.22.1951 | three lethal words |
+ "Three Lethal Words". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A former screenwriter describes her story about a ... | |
03.29.1951 | death pitch |
+ "Death Pitch". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite (the middle commercial has been deleted). Love and brother... | |
04.05.1951 | murder in g flat |
+ "Murder In G-Flat". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A meek piano tuner's bag of tools is switched in the... | |
04.12.1951 | early to death |
+ "Early To Death". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A fight for $300,000 in stolen loot in the Mexican des... | |
04.19.1951 | the rescue |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Rescue". A woman on a hotel ledge is threatening to ju... | |
04.26.1951 | the 13th sound |
+ "The Thirteenth Sound". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A woman who murders her jusband is plagued by a ... | |
05.03.1951 | when the bough breaks |
+ "When The Bough Breaks". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. Tensions mount between newlyweds after the brid... | |
05.10.1951 | death on my hands |
+ "Death On My Hands". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A southern musician accidentally kills a young girl... | |
05.17.1951 | another mans poison |
+ "Another Man's Poison". An interesting story about a man who finds $98,000 in cash...and what... | |
05.31.1951 | overdrawn |
+ "Over Drawn". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A bank teller with seventeen years of faithful service emb... | |
06.07.1951 | tell you why i shouldnt die |
+ "Tell You Why I Shouldn't Die". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A pitchman tries to explain...to the man... | |
06.14.1951 | the truth about jerry baxter |
"The Truth About Jerry Baxter". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. When a teenaged drug dealer is paroled, he... | |
06.21.1951 | the greatest thief in the world |
+ "The Greatest Thief In The World". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. Is Peter Marriott really "The Squire,... | |
06.28.1951 | the case for doctor singer |
+ "The Case For Dr. Singer". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The last show of the season. Someone is passi... | |
08.27.1951 | report on the jolly death riders |
+ "Report On The Jolly Deathriders". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. Hot rodders on the loose; a serious p... | |
09.03.1951 | the steel river prison break |
+ "Steel River Prison Break". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A good story about a prison escape during a ... | |
09.10.1951 | the evil of adelaide winters |
+ "The Evil Adelaide Winters". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The program opening is slightly upcut. A go... | |
09.17.1951 | neal cream doctor of poison |
+ "Neil Cream, Doctor Of Poison". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The story of the most notorious poisoner... | |
09.24.1951 | the mckay college basketball scandal |
+ "The McKay College Basketball Scandal". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. "A story based on actual events.... | |
10.01.1951 | case study of a murderer |
+ "The Case Study Of A Murderer". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. "A story based on actual events." A marr... | |
10.08.1951 | betrayal in vienna |
+ "Betrayal In Vienna". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. "A story based on actual events." A colonel in the... | |
10.15.1951 | the flame |
+ "The Flame". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A pyromaniac decides to help his best friend, in the only w... |
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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