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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10.16.1947 | self defense |
+ "Self Defense". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines, Roma Wines. A woman tricks a man into murderin... | |
02.15.1945 | sell me your life |
+ "Sell Me Your Life". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A woman talks a suicide out of jumping...only to h... | |
06.22.1954 | sequel to murder |
+ "Sequel To Murder". An editor with no imagination follows the plot in a novel in order to commit... | |
09.22.1957 | shadow on the wall |
+ "Shadow On The Wall". A slightly mad man kills his brother and buries the body behind the firepl... | |
11.25.1954 | shooting star |
+ AFRTS rebroadcast. "Shooting Star". A good story about an aging movie star who enacts a strange r... | |
03.24.1957 | shooting star |
+ WGBI, Scranton Pennsylvania aircheck. "Shooting Star". A good story about an aging movie star wh... | |
08.16.1945 | short order |
+ "Short Order". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good story about a horribly disfigured man who visits ... | |
04.26.1955 | sight unseen |
+ "Sight Unseen". A British story about two ordinary looking men, coming to "get" a London reporte... | |
02.02.1958 | silver frame |
+ "The Silver Frame". A man just out of prison plans to frame himself for revenge on the D.A. that... | |
04.13.1950 | six feet under |
+ "Six Feet Under". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A man is buried alive every day at a carnival sideshow... | |
06.19.1960 | sixty grand missing |
"Sixty-Grand Missing". Sponsored by: Commercials deleted.. + A plain clothes detective is a man und... | |
03.06.1960 | sleep is for children |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Sleep Is For Children". A killer specializes in women who... | |
02.23.1950 | slow burn |
+ "Slow Burn". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A prize-fighter decides to get revenge on a war hero who st... | |
08.14.1947 | smiley |
+ "Smiley". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines, Roma Wines. A slow-witted but likable fellow is wron... | |
03.23.1944 | sneak preview |
+ "Sneak Preview". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A Hollywood movie director joins the New York police i... | |
07.15.1962 | snow on 66 |
+ "Snow On 66". A motoring couple is being annoyed by LeRoy, a drunken yokel during a snowstorm. +... | |
08.27.1961 | sold to satan |
+ "Sold To Satan". Two partners are plagued by a blackmailing model. There's only one way to get r... | |
03.29.1954 | somebody help me |
+ "Somebody Help Me". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A divorced loser commits a murder, but buys his vict... | |
08.26.1948 | song of the heart |
+ "Song Of The Heart". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. Boy meets girl and plans the murder of "Tante Alice... | |
08.21.1943 | sorry wrong number 2nd |
+ "Sorry, Wrong Number". An invalid woman battles the frustrations of the telephone system after s... | |
05.25.1943 | sorry wrong number afrs |
+ "Sorry, Wrong Number". The first broadcast of this thriller classic. Probably the best remember... | |
02.24.1944 | sorry wrong number |
+ "Sorry, Wrong Number". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An invalid woman battles the frustrations of the... | |
09.06.1945 | sorry wrong number |
+ "Sorry, Wrong Number". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An invalid woman battles the frustrations of the... | |
11.18.1948 | sorry wrong number |
+ "Sorry, Wrong Number". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An invalid woman battles the frustrations of the ... | |
10.20.1957 | sorry wrong number |
+ "Sorry, Wrong Number". Sponsored by: Kent, Johnson's Back Plasters (one commercial deleted). The ... |
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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