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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03.15.1959 | death in box 234 |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Death In Box 234". A good story about an "inside job" ban... | |
03.08.1959 | the mad man of manhattan |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Madman Of Manhattan". A lunatic strangles his lawyer and ... | |
03.01.1959 | the waxwork |
+ "The Waxwork". Sponsored by: 4-Way Cold Tablets, Fitch Shampoo, Rambler, Tums, McCall's magazine.... | |
02.22.1959 | star over hong kong |
+ "Star Over Hong Kong". Sponsored by: 4-Way Cold Tablets, Fitch Shampoo, Tums. A comedy about a du... | |
02.15.1959 | the signalman |
+ "The Signalman". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A strange light has been seen at a lonely railroad outp... | |
02.08.1959 | death notice |
+ "Death Notice". Sponsored by: 4 Way Cold Tablets, Fitch Shampoo, Tums. A man has just learned he ... | |
02.01.1959 | return to dust |
+ "Return To Dust". A well-written and superbly produced horror story about a biologist shrinking ... | |
01.25.1959 | four of a kind |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Four Of A Kind". A hitch-hiker learns how to play "Licens... | |
01.18.1959 | ride down cajon |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Ride Down Cajon". An exciting story about a ride down a B... | |
01.11.1959 | night on red mountain |
+ The Mountain is the story of man’s assault against nature. + How often have you felt that you wo... | |
01.04.1959 | dont call me mother |
+ "Don't Call Me Mother". Sponsored by: 4-Way Cold Tablets, Fitch Shampoo, Tums. A good story about... | |
12.28.1958 | the thirty second of december |
+ "The Thirty-Second Of December". A good story about a man who buys a watch with many dials, incl... | |
12.21.1958 | out for christmas |
+ "Out For Christmas". Santa Claus has a gun and is out for revenge. He's really an ex-con out to ... | |
12.14.1958 | for old times sake |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "For Old Time's Sake". An ex-banker robber, who is now ref... | |
12.07.1958 | tom dooley |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Tom Dooley". The story behind the Kingston Trio hit tune.... | |
11.30.1958 | misfire |
+ "Misfire". A well-written story (by a CBS sound effects man) about an atomic-bomb test that fail... | |
11.23.1958 | a statement of fact |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Statement Of Fact". An ambitious District Attorney gets a... | |
11.16.1958 | my dear niece |
+ "My Dear Niece". Sponsored by: 4 Way Cold Tabs, Fitch Shampoo, Lysol, Tums, Kent, Ex-Lax. A good ... | |
11.09.1958 | two for the road |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Two For The Road". Two television actors driving across t... | |
11.02.1958 | the dealings of mr markham |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Dealings Of Mr. Markham". The story about an antique ... | |
10.26.1958 | headshrinker |
+ "Headshrinker". Sponsored by: Plymouth, 4 Way Cough Medicine, Kent. Psychiatrist...healing thysel... | |
10.19.1958 | three skeleton key |
+ "Three Skeleton Key". Sponsored by: Plymouth, Chrysler Corp., Four Way Cold Tablets, Fitch Shampo... | |
10.11.1958 | treasure chest of don jose |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Treasure Chest Of Don Jose". Buried treasure on old C... | |
10.05.1958 | the man who won the war |
+ One man’s war is another man’s history lesson yet was only in 1914 that the war before World W... | |
09.28.1958 | affair at aden |
+ "Affair At Aden". + A tale of trouble and oil and political ambitions overshadowed by romance. W... |
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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