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 |
---|---|---|---|
01.14.1952 | fall river tragedy |
+ "The Fall River Tragedy". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. Lizzie Borden tells her side of the story! + T... | |
07.12.1959 | eyewitness |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Eyewitness". A newspaper reporter finds himself a hostage... | |
12.16.1956 | eyewitness |
+ What you are about to hear is more than the lurid figment of this writers imagination. It has happ... | |
09.22.1949 | experiment 6r |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Experiment 6-R". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An assistant ho... | |
08.09.1959 | everything will be different |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Everything Will Be Different". A story about a new bride ... | |
01.24.1948 | eve |
+ "The Black Angel" (also referred to as "Eve"). A better than usual one-hour "Suspense" script. Wh... | |
10.19.1944 | eve |
+ CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Eve". A wife with a shady past tries to get the evidence n... | |
04.28.1957 | escape to death |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Escape To Death". A Hungarian doctor is forced by the Com... | |
07.09.1961 | epitaph |
+ "Epitaph". Sponsored by: Pepsi, NP-27. After a woman's death, her sister is romanced by a suitor ... | |
01.17.1956 | end of the string |
+ "The End Of The String". A jeweler steals a million dollar necklace, and then learns that it's n... | |
01.31.1960 | end of the road |
+ "End Of The Road". An unusual "beauty-and-the beast" story; well-written. No open or close, body... | |
02.06.1947 | end of the road |
+ "End Of The Road". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. "Speed" is a fast talking car salesman who falls for... | |
07.31.1960 | end game |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "End Game". A che... | |
03.06.1947 | elwood |
+ "Elwood". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. The mental reflections of Elwood, a young gas station attenda... | |
06.12.1960 | elemental |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Elementals". Can a man and a woman go without food for on... | |
11.07.1946 | easy money |
+ "Easy Money". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A man decides to kill his wealthy wife to be free of her.... | |
04.12.1951 | early to death |
+ "Early To Death". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A fight for $300,000 in stolen loot in the Mexican des... | |
12.06.1959 | dynamite run |
+ "Dynamite Run". A last truckful of dynamite is complicated by an escaped killer. + If he goes on... | |
10.26.1953 | dutch schultz |
+ "Dutch Schultz". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. A well-done drama/documentary about the famous gangster... | |
01.25.1945 | drurys bones |
+ "Drury's Bones". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A Scotland Yard inspector with an amnesiac past tackles... | |
06.14.1959 | drive in |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Drive-In". Hamburgers and a murderer-to-go. The story was... | |
01.11.1945 | drive in |
+ "Drive-In". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A car-hop is threatened by a homicidal maniac. The script w... | |
11.21.1946 | drive in judy garland |
+ "Drive-In". Sponsored by: Roma Wine. A car hop is threatened by a homicidal maniac.. The story wa... | |
10.08.1961 | dreams |
+ A young man knocks desperately on the door of Dr Harris. The young man is called Robert and he wor... | |
11.06.1947 | dream song |
+ "Dream Song". Sponsored by: Cresta Blanca Wines. Henry Morgan appears in a murder mystery about a... |
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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