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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03.08.1955 | nobody ever quits |
+ "Nobody Ever Quits". It's a snowy night atop a mountain, and the leader of the old gang is comin... | |
03.01.1955 | screaming woman |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Screaming Woman". A couple of kids hear a screaming w... | |
02.22.1955 | waiting |
+ "Waiting". As the execution hour approaches, the relatives of the condemned man are waiting. An ... | |
02.17.1955 | the man with steel teeth |
+ "The Man With The Steel Teeth". An American journalist is arrested in Moscow by the Secret polic... | |
02.10.1955 | diagnosis of death |
+ "Diagnosis Of Death". A hypochondriac overhears the wrong diagnosis and thinks he's going to die... | |
02.03.1955 | a killing in abilene |
+ "A Killing In Abilene". A Texan arrives in Pleasant Valley to bring the man who killed his broth... | |
01.27.1955 | the operation |
+ "The Operation". A robber holding up a doctor's office is forced to join a nurse when the two of... | |
01.20.1955 | study of a murderer |
+ "The Case Study Of A Murderer". "The study of a man who was determined to finish a murder he nev... | |
01.13.1955 | final payment |
+ "Final Payment". Two old army buddies plan the perfect insurance fraud. Nothing can go wrong...r... | |
12.30.1954 | odd man out |
+ "Odd Man Out". An adaptation of the famous film about the Irish rebellion and its betrayal. The ... | |
12.23.1954 | premonition |
+ "Premonition". In a small inn on a snow covered side of the Alps, a stranded American has a fear... | |
12.16.1954 | pretty girl |
+ "Pretty Girl". A campus "tease" meets up with the one man who won't take "No" for an answer. + P... | |
12.09.1954 | on a country road |
+ "On A Country Road". A couple runs out of gas during a storm while "the crazy woman" is chopping... | |
12.02.1954 | the shot |
+ "The Shot". A well-written story about an "affair of honor" during the Confederacy. The script w... | |
11.25.1954 | shooting star |
+ AFRTS rebroadcast. "Shooting Star". A good story about an aging movie star who enacts a strange r... | |
11.18.1954 | blind date |
+ "Blind Date". A good story about a madman with a knife, threatening a vaudeville performer in he... | |
11.11.1954 | the sure thing |
+ "The Sure Thing". A bookie bets $250,000 on a sure thing...and loses. + The Sure Thing is the st... | |
11.04.1954 | last letter of dr bronson |
+ "The Last Letter Of Dr. Bronson". A doctor who is slowly going insane, tries to get someone to m... | |
10.28.1954 | the shelter |
+ "The Shelter". A man and a woman wait at a deserted bus stop. One of them is possibly an escaped... | |
10.21.1954 | rave notice |
+ "Rave Notice". A good story about an actor who commits a murder and then tries to convince the p... | |
10.14.1954 | lost |
+ "Lost". A woman with amnesia is found lost in New York City and is accused of murder! + Lost pr... | |
10.07.1954 | chicken feed |
+ "Chicken Feed". For want of a nickel, a great deal was almost lost. The story was produced on "S... | |
09.30.1954 | a little matter of memory |
+ "A Little Matter Of Memory". A mad killer is loose on the English moors, but where is he...and w... | |
08.10.1954 | never steal a butchers wife |
+ "Never Steal A Butcher's Wife". A clerk in a supermarket plays around with the wife of the big s... | |
08.03.1954 | goodnight mrs russell |
+ "Goodnight Mrs. Russell". A madman imprisons a woman and plans to kill her in half an hour, when... |
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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