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 |
---|---|---|---|
11.16.1944 | dead of the night |
+ "Dead Of Night". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A story about the troubles getting rid of a dead body ... | |
05.15.1948 | deadline at dawn |
+ "Deadline At Dawn". The last "Suspense" program in the one hour format. A boy and a girl are tra... | |
05.15.1960 | deadmans story |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Dead Man's Story". An interesting story about an escaped ... | |
05.19.1957 | death and miss turner edited |
+ Agnes Moorehead in Death and Miss Turner, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense… please... | |
11.17.1952 | death and miss turner |
+ "Death and Miss Turner". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An artist paints four portraits of a man with n... | |
09.13.1959 | death and the escort |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Death and The Escort". An honest citizen, willing to test... | |
05.15.1947 | death at live oak |
+ A man is on death row for a crime he did not comm... | |
02.08.1954 | death at skreikerodd pond |
+ "Death At Skirkerud Pond". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite ($100,000 Charity Giveaway). An elderly couple... | |
05.04.1943 | death flies blind |
+ "Death Flies Blind". A story about a Nazi spy who highjacks a plane carrying an American million... | |
05.05.1949 | death has a shadow |
+ "Death Has A Shadow". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A clever lawyer proves to be a bit too smart when ... | |
03.15.1959 | death in box 234 |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Death In Box 234". A good story about an "inside job" ban... | |
02.08.1959 | death notice |
+ "Death Notice". Sponsored by: 4 Way Cold Tablets, Fitch Shampoo, Tums. A man has just learned he ... | |
10.29.1961 | death of an old flame |
+ "Death Of An Old Flame". A cocktail lounge pianist meets his old runaway wife...and adventure. +... | |
10.20.1952 | death of barbara allen |
+ "The Death Of Barbara Allen". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An excellent radio production based on an ... | |
10.04.1945 | death on highway 99 |
+ "Death On Highway 99". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. When a man kills a stranger in a hit-and-run acc... | |
05.10.1951 | death on my hands |
+ "Death On My Hands". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A southern musician accidentally kills a young girl... | |
03.29.1951 | death pitch |
+ "Death Pitch". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite (the middle commercial has been deleted). Love and brother... | |
11.04.1948 | death sentence |
+ "Death Sentence". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A man is given just ten days to live by a gangster. He... | |
04.27.1944 | death went along for the ride |
+ "Death Went Along For The Ride". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man driving across country (with a ... | |
04.26.1959 | deep deep is my love |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Deep, Deep Is My Love". Rapture of the deep...with a merm... | |
07.22.1948 | deep into darkness |
+ "Deep Into Darkness". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An excellent story with an unusual plot of murder ... | |
02.10.1949 | demortuis |
+ "De Mortuis". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A good story about an English doctor who tries his hand at... | |
07.27.1954 | destruction |
+ "Destruction". The story of a very small man, who is being cheated on by his wife, is fired from... | |
11.03.1942 | devil in the summerhouse |
+ "The Devil In The Summer House". A crime decades old is brought to light again by means of a rec... | |
09.30.1962 | devilstone |
+ "Devilstone". Sponsored by: Parliament Cigarettes. An Irishman goes to investigate his haunted ho... |
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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