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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05.04.1944 | the dark tower |
+ "The Dark Tower". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. Orson appears in several roles in a story about actor... | |
04.22.1962 | the curse of kamoshek |
+ "The Curse Of Kamoshek". Sponsored by: Alpine Cigarettes. A bone from an ancient Egyptian, the cu... | |
01.19.1958 | the crowded void |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Crowded Void". One public announcement has been delet... | |
09.21.1950 | the crowd |
+ "The Crowd". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An excellent radio sound picture of a homicidal maniac on t... | |
09.16.1943 | the cross eyed bear |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Cross-Eyed Bear". A continuously twisting adventure in... | |
10.18.1959 | the crisis of dirk diamond |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Crisis Of Dirk Diamond". A comic-strip cartoonist cre... | |
03.15.1945 | the cricket |
+ "Cricket". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. The story of a little girl and her strange-but-unseen friend... | |
12.13.1959 | the country of the blind |
+ "The Country Of The Blind". Sponsored by: Winston, Yardley, Four Way Cold Tablets, Fitch Shampoo,... | |
04.21.1949 | the copper tea strainer |
+ "The Copper Tea Strainer". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A woman poisons her nagging mother, but is su... | |
11.15.1959 | the companion |
+ "The Companion". Sponsored by: Winston, Fitch Shampoo, 4-Way Cold Tables, Kellogg's All-Brn. The ... | |
05.09.1946 | the clock and the rope afrs |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Clock and The Rope". Time is running out for a man fac... | |
10.30.1960 | the city that was |
+ "The City That Was". Sponsored by: Sylvania Flash, French's Worcestershire Sauce, Kellogg's All-B... | |
11.17.1957 | the city that was |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The City That Was". A murder story of old Hollywood. The ... | |
03.09.1958 | the chain |
+ "The Chain". A woman appears to be in desperate trouble when her husband leaves her and then her... | |
04.27.1950 | the chain |
+ "The Chain". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A nagging woman vindictively sends a cursed chain letter to... | |
03.22.1955 | the cellar |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Cellar". A British bloke murders his wife, buries the... | |
01.24.1956 | the cellar door |
+ "The Cellar Door". A predictable and annoying story about a two-year-old boy trying to free his ... | |
12.20.1955 | the cave |
+ "The Cave". The thoroughly delightful Christmas story about two boys who enter a cave filled wit... | |
08.19.1942 | the cave of ali baba |
+ "The Cave Of Ali Baba". An adventure of Lord Peter Whimsey, the gentleman crime buster. A secret... | |
07.05.1955 | the cave in |
+ The Cave In is the story of murder in a sealed coal mine. Produced and directed by: Antony Ellis ... | |
06.08.1950 | the case of henri vivard |
+ "The Case Of Henri Vibard". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An amnesiac denies any knowledge of his wife... | |
12.17.1951 | the case history of a gambler |
+ "The Case History Of A Gambler". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A nineteen twenties melodrama about the... | |
06.28.1951 | the case for doctor singer |
+ "The Case For Dr. Singer". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The last show of the season. Someone is passi... | |
01.07.1952 | the case against loo doc |
+ "The Case Against Loo Doc". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A well-written story of the San Francisco To... | |
01.28.1952 | the carnival |
+ "Carnival". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. Rene, a side show "mechanical man," has very human feelings ... |
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Tommy
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Robert
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Jay
Russ
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Kenneth
Jamie
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SUSPENSE
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Lynne
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