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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04.14.1957 | thou shalt not commit |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Thou Shalt Not Commit". A doctor's wife on a tropical isl... | |
01.30.1947 | three blind mice |
+ "Three Blind Mice". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man frames his partner for murder when the third ... | |
02.27.1947 | three faces for midnight |
+ "Three Faces At Midnight". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. "Muscles" applies for a job, and finds himse... | |
03.22.1951 | three lethal words |
+ "Three Lethal Words". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A former screenwriter describes her story about a ... | |
03.10.1949 | three o clock |
+ "Three O'Clock". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A man is tied to a time bomb, which set to explode. Th... | |
11.11.1956 | three skeleton key |
+ "Three Skeleton Key". The story of a lighthouse island over-run by large rats. The story was pre... | |
10.19.1958 | three skeleton key |
+ "Three Skeleton Key". Sponsored by: Plymouth, Chrysler Corp., Four Way Cold Tablets, Fitch Shampo... | |
10.03.1946 | three times murder |
+ "Three Times Murder". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A greedy prosecuting attorney swears to hang the ... | |
12.15.1942 | til death do us part |
+ ''Til Death Do Us Part". A well-written tale of a would be murder and suicide in a desolate Engl... | |
11.05.1961 | till death do us part |
+ | |
09.19.1946 | till the day i die |
+ "'Til The Day I Die". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A killer and his moll are holed up after pulling ... | |
09.25.1960 | time on my hands |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Time On My Hands". A middle aged couple go back in time t... | |
01.18.1945 | to find help |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "To Find Help". An old woman is terrorized in her own house... | |
01.06.1949 | to find help |
+ "To Find Help". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An old woman is terrorized by a madman that she has hire... | |
10.25.1955 | to none a deadly drug |
+ "To None A Deadly Drug". A druggist gives a small boy the wrong medicine and tries to find the y... | |
03.30.1953 | tom dooley |
+ "Tom Dooley". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The story behind the hit tune by the Kingston Trio...a pos... | |
12.07.1958 | tom dooley |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Tom Dooley". The story behind the Kingston Trio hit tune.... | |
04.17.1960 | tonight at five fifty five |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Tonight At 5:55". A good story of Armageddon. The U. S. m... | |
10.26.1950 | too hot to live |
+ "Too Hot To Live". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A drifting soldier finds himself on the run from a ch... | |
06.29.1954 | too hot to live |
+ "Too Hot To Live". A guy wandering through town finds himself accused of murder...and barefoot! ... | |
04.12.1959 | too hot to live |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Too Hot To Live". A drifter with a hole in his shoe comes... | |
12.26.1947 | too little to live on |
+ "Too Little To Live On". Sponsored by: Autolite. The decision is finally made to kill mean-but-we... | |
06.13.1946 | too many smiths |
+ "Too Many Smiths". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man kills the winner of a slogan contest so he can... | |
02.04.1952 | treasure chest of don jose |
+ "The Treasure Chest Of Don Jose". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An impoverished Floridian moves to Cap... | |
10.11.1958 | treasure chest of don jose |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Treasure Chest Of Don Jose". Buried treasure on old C... |
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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