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 |
---|---|---|---|
06.30.1957 | the yellow wallpaper |
+ "The Yellow Wallpaper". Sponsored by: Kent. A well-written story, excellently performed by Agnes ... | |
07.07.1957 | alibi |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Alibi". A businessman hires an assassin to murder his par... | |
07.14.1957 | flood on the goodwins |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Flood on the Goodwins". A Nazi and a one-armed Englishman... | |
07.21.1957 | americas boyfriend |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "America's Boyfriend". A murder is solved by a two-year-ol... | |
07.28.1957 | murder on mike |
+ "Murder On Mike". Sponsored by: Kent. A radio mystery writer, fired by the show's producer, plans... | |
08.04.1957 | flesh peddler |
+ "Flesh Peddler". Sponsored by: Kent. A well-written, suspenseful story about a strange ventriloqu... | |
08.11.1957 | pigeon in the cage |
+ "Pigeon In The Cage". A paperhanger trapped in an elevator overhears a murder, and finds himself... | |
08.18.1957 | peanut brittle |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Peanut Brittle". A good story about a new guy in the peni... | |
08.25.1957 | leinengen vs the ants |
+ "Leinengen vs. The Ants". Sponsored by: Kent, Jet Bon-Ami, Scott Towels, Look Magazine. A determi... | |
09.01.1957 | the man from tomorrow |
+ "Man From Tomorrow". An interesting story about a Korean war jet jockey chosen to develop his se... | |
09.08.1957 | old army buddy |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Old Army Buddy". A pompous foreign correspondent is amazed... | |
09.22.1957 | shadow on the wall |
+ "Shadow On The Wall". A slightly mad man kills his brother and buries the body behind the firepl... | |
09.29.1957 | vamp till dead |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Vamp 'Til Dead". A woman goes to work for a crazed writer... | |
10.06.1957 | misfire |
+ "Misfire". A well-written story (by a CBS sound effects man) about an atomic-bomb test that fails... | |
10.13.1957 | the well dressed corpse |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Well-Dressed Corpse". One of the "ten best dressed wo... | |
10.20.1957 | sorry wrong number |
+ "Sorry, Wrong Number". Sponsored by: Kent, Johnson's Back Plasters (one commercial deleted). The ... | |
10.27.1957 | country of the blind |
+ "The Country Of The Blind". The classic tale set in ther land of the eyeless. The script was pre... | |
11.03.1957 | firing run |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Firing Run". Two kids are trapped in a drone "Flying Fort... | |
11.10.1957 | the pit and the pendulum |
+ "The Pit and The Pendulum". Sponsored by: Kent, Pontiac, Ex-Lax, Heinz Soup (classical LP premium... | |
11.17.1957 | the city that was |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The City That Was". A murder story of old Hollywood. The ... | |
11.24.1957 | the star of thessaly |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Star Of Thessaly". A British gentleman undertakes an ... | |
12.01.1957 | jet stream |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Jet Stream". An interesting story about an Air National G... | |
12.08.1957 | speed trap |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Speed Trap". A story about a break-neck ride down a kille... | |
12.15.1957 | an occurrence at owl creek bridge |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "An Occurence At Owl Creek Bridge". The shocking story abo... | |
12.22.1957 | dog star |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Dog Star". All that a little girl wants for Christmas is ... |
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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