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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05.08.1960 | the legend of robbie |
+ "The Legend Of Robbie". Sponsored by: Commercials adeleted. A young supermarket clerk yields to t... | |
04.28.1949 | the lie |
+ "The Lie". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A fine performance by Mickey as the recently expelled college... | |
05.12.1949 | the light switch |
+ "Death Has A Shadow". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A clever lawyer proves to be a bit too smart when t... | |
01.27.1944 | the locked room |
+ "The Locked Room". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. Introduced by "The Man In Black." Murder stalks the ... | |
12.14.1944 | the lodger |
+ "The Lodger". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A couple suspects that their lodger is really "The Avenge... | |
02.14.1948 | the lodger |
+ "The Lodger". The story of a very unusual "lodger." Is he really Jack the Ripper? The story was ... | |
04.10.1956 | the lonely heart |
+ Lonely Heart is the story of a murder and a body that couldn’t be found. | |
11.18.1956 | the long night |
+ "The Long Night". An air traffic controller tries to talk down an inexperienced pilot through a ... | |
07.13.1958 | the long night |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Long Night". A chilling story about a lost pilot and ... | |
01.10.1960 | the long night |
+ George Porter is armed and dangerous and has escaped from the insane hospital. A man turns up late... | |
01.31.1946 | the long shot |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Long Shot". A cross-country drive with a $200,000 pot ... | |
11.24.1949 | the long wait |
+ "The Long Wait". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A well-written story about a man just out of prison who... | |
08.26.1962 | the lost ship |
+ | |
09.30.1943 | the lost special |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Lost Special". A fascinating story and Orson is excell... | |
02.16.1953 | the love and death of joaquin murieta |
+ "The Love and Death Of Joaquin Murietta". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A well told story about the ri... | |
12.03.1961 | the luck of the tiger eye |
+ "The Luck Of The Tiger Eye". An eccentric millionaire's last request is to have his body burned ... | |
02.14.1946 | the lucky lady east coast |
+ "The Lucky Lady". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A boarding house for young ladies is the scene of sev... | |
02.14.1946 | the lucky lady west coast |
+ "The Lucky Lady". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A boarding house for young ladies is the scene of sev... | |
06.17.1962 | the lunatic hour |
+ "The Lunatic Hour". Sponsored by: Alpine Cigarettes, A. T. and T.. A railroad station-master is h... | |
06.09.1949 | the lunch kit |
+ "Lunch Kit". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A worker is planning to blow up the factory and must leave ... | |
04.12.1955 | the lunch kit |
+ "Lunch Kit". A worker is planning to blow up the factory in which he works and must leave before... | |
03.08.1959 | the mad man of manhattan |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Madman Of Manhattan". A lunatic strangles his lawyer and ... | |
09.01.1957 | the man from tomorrow |
+ "Man From Tomorrow". An interesting story about a Korean war jet jockey chosen to develop his se... | |
09.24.1961 | the man in the fog |
+ "The Man In The Fog". A man prowls the London fog, killing women. + A man walks in the fog and a... | |
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 ... |
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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