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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06.12.1956 | a matter of timing |
+ "A Matter Of Timing". A man hires a professional killer to bump off his partner, with surprising... | |
06.19.1956 | a sleeping draught |
+ "A Sleeping Draught". Revolt aboard a prison ship to Australia. The system cue is added live. Th... | |
06.26.1956 | the treasure chest of don jose |
+ "The Treasure Chest Of Don Jose". A search for a treasure chest is successful...too successful! ... | |
07.03.1956 | the music lovers |
+ "The Music Lovers". Scotland Yard is on the trail of a gang of spies who torture and murder for ... | |
07.11.1956 | want ad |
+ "Want Ad". A robber uses the newspaper to find mink coats to steal, but a murder complicates his... | |
07.18.1956 | the man who threw acid |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Man Who Threw Acid". Once a punk, always a punk. + The... | |
07.25.1956 | the tramp |
+ "The Tramp". A trio of Limeys has a go at the piracy of an old hulk and her drunken captain. The... | |
08.08.1956 | double identity |
+ "Double Identity". A man steals $50,000 from the company safe and heads off towards Paris. Who g... | |
08.15.1956 | a friend to alexander |
+ "A Friend To Alexander". The story of a very personal reaction to the Hamilton-Burr duel. The st... | |
08.29.1956 | hold up |
+ "Hold-Up". A quick-on-the-trigger grocer has killed three hold-up men, and is determined never t... | |
09.05.1956 | the security agent |
+ "The Security Agent". A dramatized version of one of the first airplane highjackings. The story ... | |
09.25.1956 | a case of identity |
+ "A Case Of Identity". A man takes out a $100,000 life insurance policy, then murders a bum whom ... | |
10.02.1956 | waiting |
+ "Waiting". A man's wife, mother and sister await his execution. The story was previously produce... | |
10.09.1956 | the digger |
+ "The Digger". Three men are in a mine shaft that's filling with smoke...and man-eating rats! + T... | |
10.16.1956 | the prophecy of bertha abbott |
+ "The Prophecy Of Bertha Abbott". The story of the brief but doomed criminal careers of two young... | |
10.23.1956 | the doll |
+ "The Doll". The first show of the program's 15th year on the air. This is the first show of the ... | |
10.30.1956 | red cloud mesa | ||
11.04.1956 | the signalman |
+ "The Signalman". Sustaining. + More often than not a classic suffers in transition from one mediu... | |
11.11.1956 | three skeleton key |
+ "Three Skeleton Key". The story of a lighthouse island over-run by large rats. The story was pre... | |
11.18.1956 | the long night |
+ "The Long Night". An air traffic controller tries to talk down an inexperienced pilot through a ... | |
11.25.1956 | the man who stole the bible |
+ "The Man Who Stole The Bible". It's Mardi Gras time in New Orleans, and a salesman has a date wi... | |
12.02.1956 | the rim of terror |
+ "The Rim Of Terror". The story of a spy in the desert and a beautiful girl with a Mercedes. The ... | |
12.09.1956 | an occurrence at owl creek bridge |
+ An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is a weird and wonderful story of the civil war. "A man stood up... | |
12.16.1956 | eyewitness |
+ What you are about to hear is more than the lurid figment of this writers imagination. It has happ... | |
12.23.1956 | back for christmas |
+ "Back For Christmas". A delightful British murder with a henpecking wife jolly well bashed on th... |
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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