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 |
---|---|---|---|
10.20.1952 | death of barbara allen |
+ "The Death Of Barbara Allen". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. An excellent radio production based on an ... | |
10.29.1961 | death of an old flame |
+ "Death Of An Old Flame". A cocktail lounge pianist meets his old runaway wife...and adventure. +... | |
02.08.1959 | death notice |
+ "Death Notice". Sponsored by: 4 Way Cold Tablets, Fitch Shampoo, Tums. A man has just learned he ... | |
03.15.1959 | death in box 234 |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Death In Box 234". A good story about an "inside job" ban... | |
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 ... | |
05.04.1943 | death flies blind |
+ "Death Flies Blind". A story about a Nazi spy who highjacks a plane carrying an American million... | |
02.08.1954 | death at skreikerodd pond |
+ "Death At Skirkerud Pond". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite ($100,000 Charity Giveaway). An elderly couple... | |
05.15.1947 | death at live oak |
+ A man is on death row for a crime he did not comm... | |
09.13.1959 | death and the escort |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Death and The Escort". An honest citizen, willing to test... | |
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... | |
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... | |
05.15.1960 | deadmans story |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Dead Man's Story". An interesting story about an escaped ... | |
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... | |
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 ... | |
03.24.1949 | dead ernest |
+ "Dead Ernest". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The classic radio drama of the cataleptic about to be emb... | |
05.08.1947 | dead ernest |
+ "Dead Ernest". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. An unusual, and classically suspens... | |
08.08.1946 | dead ernest |
+ "Dead Ernest". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. The classic about the not-quite-dead man lying in the mo... | |
10.05.1944 | dateline lisbon |
+ "Dateline: Lisbon". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. During the war, in a neutral port, Nazi and Allied ... | |
02.25.1962 | date night |
+ "Date Night". A father imagines terrible evil befalling his daughter on her first date. + A fath... | |
04.25.1946 | dark journey |
+ "Dark Journey". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A thwarted woman plans a horrible revenge...and succeed... | |
10.24.1946 | dame fortune |
+ "Dame Fortune". The wife of a rich man is being blackmailed, but she has a few interesting ideas ... | |
06.26.1960 | daisy chain |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Daisy Chain". A killer is on the loose in England, but it... | |
05.20.1962 | dagger of the mind |
+ "Dagger Of The Mind". Sponsored by: Marlboro Cigarettes. A woman who is going mad decides that he... | |
03.23.1943 | customers like murder |
+ "The Customers Like Murder". An English mystery writer and his secretary are kidnapped. They use... | |
06.02.1957 | crossing paris |
+ "Crossing Paris". Sponsored by: Kent. Four suitcases of black-market pork, a meek man and a bully... |
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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