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 |
---|---|---|---|
04.03.1948 | suspicion |
+ "Suspicion". Who is the mysterious poisoner plaguing London? Evidence points to the new cook. Th... | |
04.10.1948 | crossfire |
+ "Crossfire". A murder mystery about a fanatical anti-Semite. Which of thre soldiers committed mu... | |
04.24.1948 | the search |
+ "The Search". A couple in South Dakota go on the run during the winter, after they're accused of... | |
05.01.1948 | the blind spot |
+ "The Blind Spot". A complex murder-mystery about an author who tries to solve the murder of an e... | |
05.08.1948 | life ends at midnight |
+ "Life Ends At Midnight". An unusual Mother's Day story. A bad boy returns home to mom with a pre... | |
05.15.1948 | deadline at dawn |
+ "Deadline At Dawn". The last "Suspense" program in the one hour format. A boy and a girl are tra... | |
07.15.1948 | summer night |
+ "Summer Night". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A good story about a mad "Lipstick Killer" on the loose ... | |
07.22.1948 | deep into darkness |
+ "Deep Into Darkness". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An excellent story with an unusual plot of murder ... | |
07.29.1948 | yellow wallpaper |
+ "The Yellow Wallpaper". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A madwoman suspects that things are coming out o... | |
08.05.1948 | an honest man |
+ "An Honest Man". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A psychotic's best friend isn't always his mother. 44 y... | |
08.12.1948 | beware the quiet man |
+ "Beware The Quiet Man". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A two-timing wife learns that her meek, bank-tel... | |
08.19.1948 | crisis |
+ "Crisis". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A well-written story about a mother's vision of the future. + ... | |
08.26.1948 | song of the heart |
+ "Song Of The Heart". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. Boy meets girl and plans the murder of "Tante Alice... | |
09.02.1948 | the morrison affair |
+ "The Morrison Affair". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A wealthy woman steals a baby on train, and convi... | |
09.09.1948 | big shot |
+ "The Big Shot". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An American mining engineer, working in a crooked Mexica... | |
09.16.1948 | hitchhiker poker w gregory peck |
+ "Hitch-Hike Poker". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A war veteran hitchhiking home for the weekend is pi... | |
09.23.1948 | celebration |
+ "Celebration". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A man and his "hypo-maniac" wife "celebrate" their eighth... | |
09.30.1948 | the man who thought he was edward g robinson |
+ "The Man Who Wanted To Be Edward G. Robinson". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A meek man decides to kil... | |
10.07.1948 | night cry |
+ "Night Cry". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. After a man is killed at a gambling club, a bitter detectiv... | |
10.14.1948 | little piece of rope |
+ "A Little Piece Of Rope". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A woman makes her living enticing men, hitting... | |
10.21.1948 | give me liberty |
+ "Give Me Liberty". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A train crash en route to the state penitentary allow... | |
11.04.1948 | death sentence |
+ "Death Sentence". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A man is given just ten days to live by a gangster. He... | |
11.11.1948 | muddy track |
+ "Muddy Track". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A horse player down on his luck gets a job with a bookie,... | |
11.18.1948 | sorry wrong number |
+ "Sorry, Wrong Number". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An invalid woman battles the frustrations of the ... | |
11.25.1948 | the screaming woman |
+ "The Screaming Woman". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A little girl hears a screaming woman who is buri... |
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