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 |
---|---|---|---|
03.30.1950 | blood sacrifice |
+ "Blood Sacrifice". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A playwright and an actor are injured in an auto acci... | |
08.29.1946 | blue eyes |
+ "Blue Eyes". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A meek man can finally take it no longer. He quits his job... | |
09.25.1947 | blue hour |
+ "The Blue Hour". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A Chicago hoofer and a New York reporter team up to so... | |
07.03.1960 | bon voyage |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Bon Voyage". An embezzler with $200,000 and a boat to cat... | |
12.30.1948 | break up |
+ "Break-Up". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A good gangster story despite the predictable ending. Willia... | |
01.07.1962 | breakthrough |
+ Willy has come back to his communist homeland for his mother but they have no time to waste as the... | |
04.15.1962 | brother john |
+ "Brother John". Sponsored by: Marlboro. The story of a plan to continue an extortion scheme, even... | |
03.16.1943 | cabin b13 | ||
11.09.1943 | cabin b13 |
+ "Cabin B-13". A very well-done and suspenseful drama about a new bride whose husband disappears ... | |
06.25.1961 | call me at half past |
+ "Call Me At Half-Past". Sponsored by: Pepsi Cola, NP-27 (athlete's foot treatment). A man is trap... | |
07.25.1946 | cant we be friends |
+ "Can't We Be Friends". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A psycho decides to murder his ex-girlfriend. Th... | |
06.08.1944 | case history on edgar lowndes |
+ "Case History Of Edgar Lowndes". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A railroad magnate visits a psychiatri... | |
06.01.1950 | case of nerves |
+ "A Case Of Nerves". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. Edward G. is featured in a typical role about an evi... | |
10.01.1951 | case study of a murderer |
+ "The Case Study Of A Murderer". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. "A story based on actual events." A marr... | |
03.30.1944 | cat and mouse |
+ "Cat and Mouse". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A story about two "hams" who are working on a secret d... | |
02.17.1949 | catch me if you can |
+ "Catch Me If You Can". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. After a woman kills her husband, she is forced to... | |
09.23.1948 | celebration |
+ "Celebration". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A man and his "hypo-maniac" wife "celebrate" their eighth... | |
05.05.1957 | celebration |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Celebration". A woman checks out of her "club"...which ha... | |
09.08.1949 | chicken feed |
+ "Chicken Feed". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An exciting story about a man who has all kinds of excit... | |
10.07.1954 | chicken feed |
+ "Chicken Feed". For want of a nickel, a great deal was almost lost. The story was produced on "S... | |
04.21.1957 | chicken feed |
+ "Chicken Feed". Sponsored by: Kent. For want of a dime (a nickel in previous broadcasts of this s... | |
12.21.1950 | christmas for carole |
+ "Christmas For Carol". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. Dennis Day does very well in a serious drama abou... | |
03.08.1954 | circumstantial terror |
+ "Circumstantial Terror". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite (a salute to Nash). A good story about an unempl... | |
11.22.1955 | classified secret |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Classified Secret". Spies and counterspies match wits on a... | |
12.05.1947 | clock and the rope |
+ "The Clock and The Rope". A good story about a man to be hanged for murder because the only witn... |
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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