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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07.14.1957 | flood on the goodwins |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Flood on the Goodwins". A Nazi and a one-armed Englishman... | |
09.28.1950 | fly by night |
+ "Fly By Night". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. After being deprived of sleep, a murder suspect is force... | |
07.12.1945 | footfalls |
+ "Footfalls". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good story about a blind cobbler and his no-good son who... | |
12.08.1949 | for love or murder |
+ "For Love Or Murder". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A fine performance by Mickey as a piano player in ... | |
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... | |
01.28.1949 | for the love of murder | ||
07.21.1940 | forcast the lodger audition |
+ CBS Presented The Lodger as its audition program of the hugely successful radio series Suspense. M... | |
06.10.1962 | formula for death |
+ Simon Templar is surprised when he arrives home to be greeted by a stranger in his home with a gun... | |
11.23.1944 | fountain plays |
+ "The Fountain Plays". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A delightfully British little murder. The script ... | |
01.12.1950 | four hours to kill |
+ "Four Hours To Kill". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A good story about a man who kills his brother and... | |
01.25.1959 | four of a kind |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Four Of A Kind". A hitch-hiker learns how to play "Licens... | |
02.01.1951 | fragile contents death |
+ "Fragile, Contents Death". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An interesting story about a postmaster's att... | |
05.22.1956 | fragile contents death |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Fragile, Contents Death". An interesting story about a Po... | |
11.03.1952 | frankenstein |
+ "Frankenstein". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The classic story about a scientist who creates a man, t... | |
06.07.1955 | frankenstein |
+ "Frankenstein". Many liberties have been taken with the original, but the story is still a winne... | |
05.05.1952 | frankie and johnny |
+ "Frankie and Johnny". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. They were lovers, oh lordy, how they could love! A... | |
02.03.1957 | frankie and johnny |
+ Suspense presents the celebrated murder story of Frankie and Johnny. Everybody knows whodunit, Fra... | |
01.27.1957 | freedom this way |
+ A Man’s got to have a good reason to renounce his native land forever, a reason such as death or... | |
02.04.1962 | friday |
+ Written by: Jonathan Bundy | |
05.17.1959 | friend of daddys |
+ "A Friend Of Daddy's". Sponsored by: Mutual of Omaha (other ). A friend of Daddy's during the wa... | |
08.03.1943 | friend to alexander |
+ "A Friend To Alexander". A man has a recurring dream about the Hamilton-Burr duel. The story was... | |
11.10.1952 | frightened city |
+ "The Frightened City". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A soldier returns home to find that his brother-i... | |
06.01.1944 | fugue in c minor |
+ "Fugue In C Minor". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good ghost story about a huge pipe organ built th... | |
09.13.1945 | furnished floor |
+ "The Furnished Floor". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. Mr. Jennings moves back into his old room after ... | |
03.20.1956 | gallardo |
+ "Gallardo". A triangle on the flying trapeze. + Gallardo is a story of jealousy and hatred in a ... |
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SUSPENSE
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