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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10.25.1959 | the easy victim |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Easy Victim". A man $10,000 in debt to gamblers, deci... | |
06.15.1954 | the earth is made of glass |
+ "The Earth Is Made Of Glass". A laboratory experiment in murder? It's not as easy as it sounds! ... | |
09.27.1945 | the earth is made of glass |
+ "The Earth Is Made Of Glass". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man decides to commit a "laboratory mur... | |
11.01.1945 | the dunwich horror |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Dunwich Horror". A confusing story about a monster loo... | |
10.23.1956 | the doll |
+ "The Doll". The first show of the program's 15th year on the air. This is the first show of the ... | |
02.02.1943 | the doctor prescribed death |
+ "The Doctor Prescribed Death". The good doctor's theory is that a person about to commit suicide... | |
10.09.1956 | the digger |
+ "The Digger". Three men are in a mine shaft that's filling with smoke...and man-eating rats! + T... | |
08.17.1944 | the diary of sophronia winters |
+ "The Diary Of Saphronia Winters". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A great horror tale about a new bride... | |
04.27.1943 | the diary of sophronia winters |
+ "The Diary Of Saphronia Winters". A great horror story about a new bride, a madman, and an hotel... | |
10.06.1952 | the diary of dr pritchard |
+ "The Diary Of Dr. Pritchard". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The story of the most infamous poisoner th... | |
02.28.1956 | the diary of captain scott |
+ "The Diary Of Captain Scott". A well-done story of a tragic journey to the South Pole. The story... | |
04.21.1952 | the diary of captain scott |
+ "The Diary Of Captain Scott". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The story of the explorer who was second t... | |
01.19.1943 | the devils saint |
+ CBS net."The Devil's Saint". The "Man In Black" introduces Peter Lorre playing a sinister noblema... | |
10.06.1949 | the defense rests |
+ "The Defense Rests". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An ex-con trying to go straight gets a job in the s... | |
03.09.1944 | the defense rests |
+ "The Defense Rests". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A story about an ex-con, framed for murder, who ge... | |
05.15.1956 | the death parade |
+ The Death Parade is the story of a woman who finds a letter warning of death and has only three ho... | |
02.15.1951 | the death parade |
+ "The Death Parade". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A story almost identical to "Sorry, Wrong Number," b... | |
05.26.1952 | the death of me |
+ "The Death Of Me". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A man working in a remote lumber camp witnesses a mur... | |
09.02.1962 | the death of alexander jordan |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Death Of Alexander Jordan". A week after the death of... | |
11.02.1958 | the dealings of mr markham |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Dealings Of Mr. Markham". The story about an antique ... | |
06.28.1945 | the dealings of mr markham |
+ "The Dealings Of Mr. Markham". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. An antique dealer, who stocks up-to-date... | |
03.30.1943 | the dead sleep lightly |
+ "The Dead Sleep Lightly". A tingling ghost story about a rich old man and the ghost of his long ... | |
06.19.1947 | The Dead Of The Night |
+ "Dead Of Night". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. Here's an interesting way to get ... | |
03.09.1953 | the dead alive |
+ "The Dead Alive". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A fine story of the supernatural, set shortly after th... | |
06.30.1949 | the day i died |
+ "The Day I Died". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A man kills his business partner, but finds himself th... |
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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