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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09.06.1955 | strange for a killer |
+ Strange For A Killer is the story of a killer and the family which he held in a night of fear. Hen... | |
08.30.1955 | the lady in the red hat |
+ "The Lady In The Red Hat". Two reporters and a cop trying to track down a killer known as "The T... | |
08.16.1955 | a study in wax |
+ "A Study In Wax". A good story and fine performance by William Conrad, about two men trapped in ... | |
08.09.1955 | love honor or murder |
+ "Love, Honor or Murder". A cab-driver's wife goads him into committing murder, so he can keep th... | |
08.02.1955 | black death |
+ Black Death is the story of a pet black cat and the fear it carried with it… | |
07.26.1955 | the greatest thief in the world |
+ "The Greatest Thief In The World". Scotland Yard pursues "The Squire," a notorious jewel thief. T... | |
07.19.1955 | backseat driver |
+ "Backseat Driver". A killer commandeers the car of a couple leaving the movies. The story has a ... | |
07.12.1955 | kaleidoscope |
+ "Kaleidoscope". After a space ship explodes, the surviving crew members have a last conversation... | |
07.05.1955 | the cave in |
+ The Cave In is the story of murder in a sealed coal mine. Produced and directed by: Antony Ellis ... | |
06.28.1955 | the holdout |
+ "The Holdout". The score is 11 to 1 in the jury room. Slowly, opinions start to charge. A good st... | |
06.21.1955 | the bounding main |
+ "Over The Bounding Main". A two-timing woman plans to kill her husband aboard a broken down fish... | |
06.14.1955 | the whole towns sleeping |
+ "The Whole Town's Sleeping". "The Lonely One" is roaming the night, strangling women out oafter ... | |
06.07.1955 | frankenstein |
+ "Frankenstein". Many liberties have been taken with the original, but the story is still a winne... | |
05.31.1955 | beirut by sunrise |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Beirut By Sunrise". A modern tourist looks for romance an... | |
05.24.1955 | i saw myself running |
+ "I Saw Myself Running". A surrealistic story about a woman's battle with the creatures of her dr... | |
05.17.1955 | lili and the colonel |
+ "Lily and The Colonel". A story of the British fighting the Mau Mau in Kenya. Life and death in ... | |
05.10.1955 | going going gone |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Going, Going, Gone". A couple buys a sealed trunk at an a... | |
05.03.1955 | remember me |
+ "Remember Me?". A good story, making creative use of radio sound. A killer is alone with his vic... | |
04.26.1955 | sight unseen |
+ "Sight Unseen". A British story about two ordinary looking men, coming to "get" a London reporte... | |
04.19.1955 | speed trap |
+ "Speed Trap". A gripping tale about two highway cops on a treacherous rain slicked road, chasing... | |
04.12.1955 | the lunch kit |
+ "Lunch Kit". A worker is planning to blow up the factory in which he works and must leave before... | |
04.05.1955 | zero hour |
+ "Zero Hour". The classic tale about "Drill" and the game of "Invasion." The script was previousl... | |
03.29.1955 | give me liberty |
+ "Give Me Liberty". A good story about an escaped prisoner trying to get those damn handcuffs off... | |
03.22.1955 | the cellar |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Cellar". A British bloke murders his wife, buries the... | |
03.15.1955 | the game |
+ "The Game". An exciting story about two kids, a bottle and a game of Russian Roulette. A drama f... |
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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