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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11.10.1957 | the pit and the pendulum |
+ "The Pit and The Pendulum". Sponsored by: Kent, Pontiac, Ex-Lax, Heinz Soup (classical LP premium... | |
06.07.1959 | the pit and the pendulum |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Pit and The Pendulum". Poe's tale of the Inquisition.... | |
05.16.1946 | the plan |
+ "The Plan". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good story about a woman terrorized by her husband's insa... | |
10.16.1956 | the prophecy of bertha abbott |
+ "The Prophecy Of Bertha Abbott". The story of the brief but doomed criminal careers of two young... | |
12.28.1953 | the queens ring |
+ "The Queen's Ring". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The tumultuous love story of Queen Elizabeth and Ess... | |
11.17.1949 | the red headed woman |
+ "The Red-Headed Woman". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An embezzling red-head meets a bank robber down ... | |
04.19.1951 | the rescue |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Rescue". A woman on a hotel ledge is threatening to ju... | |
05.17.1954 | the revenge of captain bligh |
+ "The Revenge Of Captain Bligh". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The story of how the captain brought the... | |
12.02.1956 | the rim of terror |
+ "The Rim Of Terror". The story of a spy in the desert and a beautiful girl with a Mercedes. The ... | |
11.25.1948 | the screaming woman |
+ "The Screaming Woman". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A little girl hears a screaming woman who is buri... | |
07.06.1944 | the search for henri lefevre |
+ "The Search For Henri LeFevre". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man who has just finished writing a s... | |
04.24.1948 | the search |
+ "The Search". A couple in South Dakota go on the run during the winter, after they're accused of... | |
05.06.1962 | the second door |
+ "The Second Door". Sponsored by: Marlboro Cigarettes. A man's neighbor has a special door that ca... | |
09.05.1956 | the security agent |
+ "The Security Agent". A dramatized version of one of the first airplane highjackings. The story ... | |
04.17.1956 | the seventh letter |
+ "The Seventh Letter". The story of the death of a postman and the search for a missing letter. A... | |
10.28.1954 | the shelter |
+ "The Shelter". A man and a woman wait at a deserted bus stop. One of them is possibly an escaped... | |
04.28.1952 | the shooting of billy the kid |
+ "The Shooting Of Billy The Kid". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The well told story of the life and vio... | |
10.12.1953 | the shot |
+ "The Shot". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A well-written story about an "affair of honor" during the C... | |
12.02.1954 | the shot |
+ "The Shot". A well-written story about an "affair of honor" during the Confederacy. The script w... | |
03.23.1953 | the signalman |
+ "The Signalman". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A strange light has been seen at a lonely railroad outp... | |
11.04.1956 | the signalman |
+ "The Signalman". Sustaining. + More often than not a classic suffers in transition from one mediu... | |
02.15.1959 | the signalman |
+ "The Signalman". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A strange light has been seen at a lonely railroad outp... | |
08.12.1962 | the silver shoe |
+ "The Silver Shoe". Sponsored by: Alpine Cigarettes, A. T. & T.. The system cue has been deleted. ... | |
07.08.1962 | the sin eater |
+ | |
09.02.1943 | the singing walls |
+ "The Singing Walls". A man has committed murder, or has he? Where does that music come from? 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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