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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12.27.1945 | pink camellias |
+ "Pink Camellias". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A meek and quiet lady decides to poison her rich aunt... | |
12.20.1945 | double entry |
+ KQW, San Jose aircheck. "Double Entry". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A comedy about a bookkeeper's b... | |
12.13.1945 | the argyle album |
+ "The Argyle Album". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. Blackmail evidence causes multiple murders. The sto... | |
12.06.1945 | i wont take a minute |
+ KQW, San Jose aircheck. "I Won't Take A Minute". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A girl walks into an a... | |
11.29.1945 | a week ago wednesday |
+ KQW, San Jose aircheck. "A Week Ago Wednesday". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A woman has a horroribl... | |
11.22.1945 | 19 deacon street |
+ "Nineteen Deacon Street". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A brash tie salesman arrives in Chicago and c... | |
11.15.1945 | murder off key |
+ "Murder Off Key". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man can't stand the horrible singing of the obnoxio... | |
11.08.1945 | the bet |
+ "The Bet". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. Can an artist do productive work for two years? It's worth $... | |
11.01.1945 | the dunwich horror |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Dunwich Horror". A confusing story about a monster loo... | |
10.25.1945 | a shroud for sara |
+ "A Shroud For Sarah". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A scheming double-crossing woman gets hers in the... | |
10.18.1945 | summer storm |
+ "Summer Storm". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. East coast broadcast. A simple man finds himself a kill... | |
10.11.1945 | beyond good and evil |
+ "Beyond Good and Evil". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An escaped convict murders a man and takes his ... | |
10.04.1945 | death on highway 99 |
+ "Death On Highway 99". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. When a man kills a stranger in a hit-and-run acc... | |
09.27.1945 | the earth is made of glass |
+ "The Earth Is Made Of Glass". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man decides to commit a "laboratory mur... | |
09.20.1945 | library book |
+ "The Library Book". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A silly story about a prudish librarian who deduces... | |
09.13.1945 | furnished floor |
+ "The Furnished Floor". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. Mr. Jennings moves back into his old room after ... | |
09.06.1945 | sorry wrong number |
+ "Sorry, Wrong Number". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An invalid woman battles the frustrations of the... | |
08.30.1945 | nobody loves me |
+ "Nobody Loves Me". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A well-done, tour-de-force performance by Lorre as a... | |
08.23.1945 | this will kill you |
+ "This Will Kill You". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A not-too-bright wartime assembly line worker is ... | |
08.16.1945 | short order |
+ "Short Order". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good story about a horribly disfigured man who visits ... | |
08.09.1945 | murder for myra |
+ "Murder For Myra". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A woman's lover is hiding in the closet with a hamme... | |
08.02.1945 | the man in the house |
+ "A Man In The House". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A spinster librarian and her crippled mother are ... | |
07.19.1945 | bank holiday |
+ "Bank Holiday". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A bank teller is kidnapped by a pair of robbers, and is... | |
07.12.1945 | footfalls |
+ "Footfalls". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good story about a blind cobbler and his no-good son who... | |
07.05.1945 | last detail |
+ "The Last Detail". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A complex plan to use a professor as a frame for mur... |
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- Tales Of The Frightened
- Appointment with fear
- Armed Forces Radio Theater
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Tommy
Jim
Robert
Joe
Jay
Russ
David
Dale
David
Kenneth
Jamie
Archie
Scott
David
Mark
Rick
Annette
John
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Damian
Randy
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Steve Hodel
SUSPENSE
Martin
Lynne
Dan
Bert
SM
Norma
Judy
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