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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01.03.1948 | the black curtain |
+ "The Black Curtain". A man suddenly finds himself with a new identity: that of an accused murder... | |
12.26.1947 | too little to live on |
+ "Too Little To Live On". Sponsored by: Autolite. The decision is finally made to kill mean-but-we... | |
12.19.1947 | wet saturday |
+ Frederick Princey was just an ordinary family man with a son a daughter and a wife. He would have ... | |
12.12.1947 | man who couldnt lose |
+ "The Man Who Couldn't Lose". An insurance salesman kills his wife, sells a big annuity, wins the... | |
12.05.1947 | clock and the rope |
+ "The Clock and The Rope". A good story about a man to be hanged for murder because the only witn... | |
11.27.1947 | the pit and the pendulum |
+ "The Pit and The Pendulum". The classic story about the French officer in the clutches of the In... | |
11.20.1947 | one hundred in the dark |
+ "One Hundred In The Dark". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. West coast version. Fiv... | |
11.13.1947 | riabouchinska |
+ "Riabouchinska". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca, Roma. A murder is solved by a ventriloquist's d... | |
11.06.1947 | dream song |
+ "Dream Song". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines. Henry Morgan appears in a murder mystery about a... | |
10.30.1947 | subway |
+ "Subway". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. An unsuccessful actress plans to kill th... | |
10.23.1947 | the xray camera |
+ "The X-Ray Camera". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good story about a "perfect crime" to blow up a m... | |
10.16.1947 | self defense |
+ "Self Defense". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines, Roma Wines. A woman tricks a man into murderin... | |
10.09.1947 | the man who liked dickens |
+ "The Man Who Liked Dickens". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines, Roma Wines. A strange old man in ... | |
10.02.1947 | the story of markhams death |
+ "The Story Of Markham's Death". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines. A has-been writer discovers a ... | |
09.25.1947 | blue hour |
+ "The Blue Hour". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A Chicago hoofer and a New York reporter team up to so... | |
09.18.1947 | the visitor |
+ "The Visitor". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines, Roma Wines. A young man returns home to his wea... | |
09.11.1947 | twist |
+ "The Twist". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A strange story about two radio comedy writers and the you... | |
09.04.1947 | argyle album |
+ "The Argyle Album". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good adventure yarn about a reporter who encounte... | |
08.28.1947 | double ugly |
+ "Double Ugly". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, the first two commercials have been deleted. An ugly boy... | |
08.21.1947 | murder aboard the alphabet |
+ "Murder Aboard The Alphabet". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. A tugboat with a mad... | |
08.14.1947 | smiley |
+ "Smiley". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines, Roma Wines. A slow-witted but likable fellow is wron... | |
08.07.1947 | quiet desperation |
+ "Quiet Desperation". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines, Roma Wines. A bank employee living a life... | |
07.31.1947 | mortmain |
+ "Mortmain". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines, Roma Wines. A lawyer double-crosses his partner to... | |
07.24.1947 | murder by an expert |
+ "Murder By An Expert". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. A dancer plans a "perfect c... | |
07.10.1947 | murder by the book |
+ "Murder By The Book". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines, Roma Wines. A murder mystery authoress i... |
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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