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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03.08.1945 | loves lovely counterfeit |
+ "Love's Lovely Counterfeit". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A Bogie-type gangster role and a very well... | |
03.03.1949 | lovebirds |
+ "The Lovebirds". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A wife is trying to kill her husband, while everyone is... | |
08.09.1955 | love honor or murder |
+ "Love, Honor or Murder". A cab-driver's wife goads him into committing murder, so he can keep th... | |
06.29.1950 | love honor or murder |
+ "Love, Honor or Murder". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A cab driver finds a wallet with $12,000 in his... | |
10.14.1954 | lost |
+ "Lost". A woman with amnesia is found lost in New York City and is accused of murder! + Lost pr... | |
10.27.1942 | lord of the witch doctors |
+ "The Lord Of The Witchdoctors". English diplomats outwit the Germans in the eyes of the dumb Cal... | |
02.09.1958 | long shot |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Long Shot". A cross-country drive with a $200,000 pot... | |
03.21.1946 | lonely road |
+ "The Lonely Road". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man plans to kill his wife at the urging of the be... | |
12.02.1951 | log of the marne |
+ The Log Of The Marne is a true story concerning a British gun boat trapped by communist fire 141 m... | |
10.14.1948 | little piece of rope |
+ "A Little Piece Of Rope". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A woman makes her living enticing men, hitting... | |
02.14.1956 | listen young lovers |
+ Listen Young Lovers is a Suspense story dedicated to the crusade for freedom. It is a true story i... | |
05.31.1954 | listen young lovers |
+ "Listen Young Lovers". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A supposedly true story about a young Czechoslova... | |
05.17.1955 | lili and the colonel |
+ "Lily and The Colonel". A story of the British fighting the Mau Mau in Kenya. Life and death in ... | |
08.16.1959 | like man somebody dig me |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Like Man, Somebody Dig Me". The adventures of a beatnik, ... | |
05.25.1958 | like man somebody dig me |
+ "Like Man, Somebody Dig Me". The adventures of a beatnik, so cool that not even his own lynching ... | |
10.18.1955 | life ends at midnight |
+ Life Ends At Midnight is the story of a prodigal son’s return from prison but for no better reas... | |
05.08.1948 | life ends at midnight |
+ "Life Ends At Midnight". An unusual Mother's Day story. A bad boy returns home to mom with a pre... | |
02.17.1944 | life ends at midnight |
+ "Life Ends At Midnight". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A throughly bad son returns to his mother for... | |
09.20.1945 | library book |
+ "The Library Book". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A silly story about a prudish librarian who deduces... | |
04.08.1962 | let there be light |
+ "Let There Be Light". Four people are in a snowbound cabin in the dark. The blind man welcomes t... | |
11.29.1959 | leinengen vs the ants |
+ The story centers on plantation owner called Leiningen, and his stubborn refusal to abandon his pl... | |
08.25.1957 | leinengen vs the ants |
+ "Leinengen vs. The Ants". Sponsored by: Kent, Jet Bon-Ami, Scott Towels, Look Magazine. A determi... | |
05.30.1946 | leading citizen of pratt county |
+ "The Leading Citizen Of Pratt County". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A con-man plans to take a small ... | |
10.31.1946 | lazarus walks |
+ "Lazarus Walks". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man dies but came back to life after four minutes...... | |
10.19.1943 | lazarus walks |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Lazarus Walks". A good story about a man who came back fro... |
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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