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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03.08.1951 | a vision of death |
+ "A Vision Of Death". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite (the middle commercial has been deleted). A nightclu... | |
05.29.1947 | a thing of beauty |
+ "A Thing Of Beauty". Sponsored by: Roma Wines, Cresta Blanca Wines. An actress finds herself in n... | |
12.28.1944 | a thing of beauty |
+ "A Thing Of Beauty". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A good story about the rise and fall of a famous a... | |
06.07.1954 | a terribly strange bed |
+ "A Terribly Strange Bed". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The famous horror tale about the bed that pres... | |
02.08.1945 | a tale of two sisters |
+ "Tale Of Two Sisters". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A madwoman takes revenge on the son of her hated... | |
08.16.1955 | a study in wax |
+ "A Study In Wax". A good story and fine performance by William Conrad, about two men trapped in ... | |
09.09.1962 | a strange day in may |
+ "A Strange Day In May". An interesting story about an astronaut who returns to a very puzzling E... | |
09.13.1955 | a story of poison |
+ "A Story Of Poison". A British doctor, the infamous Neil Cream, poisons his wife...and a few oth... | |
09.18.1960 | a statement of fact |
+ The most lurid of crimes is the crime of passion. No mere bank robbery or stock swindle can compet... | |
11.23.1958 | a statement of fact |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Statement Of Fact". An ambitious District Attorney gets a... | |
06.19.1956 | a sleeping draught |
+ "A Sleeping Draught". Revolt aboard a prison ship to Australia. The system cue is added live. Th... | |
10.25.1945 | a shroud for sara |
+ "A Shroud For Sarah". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A scheming double-crossing woman gets hers in the... | |
04.03.1960 | a shipment of mute fate |
+ "A Shipment Of Mute Fate". A deadly bushmaster snake has broken loose and is hiding somewhere on... | |
01.06.1957 | a shipment of mute fate |
+ Christopher Warner has spent two months on the jungle trail where he was sent by the museum to ret... | |
12.28.1950 | a ring for marya |
+ "A Ring For Marya". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. John plans to burn his store for the insurance money... | |
09.04.1960 | a rest for emily |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "A Rest For Emily". A farmer has just murdered his wife an... | |
12.13.1955 | a present for benny |
+ "A Present For Benny". A comedy/gangster story about two boxes. One box contains an ermine coat,... | |
10.10.1946 | a plain case of murder |
+ "A Plane Case Of Murder". Sponsored by: Roma Wines. A scheming woman and her pre-war lover plan t... | |
09.23.1942 | a passage to beneris |
+ "A Passage To Benares". A beautiful Hindu maiden is beheaded in a temple on the island of Trinid... | |
12.03.1951 | a murderous revision |
+ "A Murderous Revision". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. The first murder by radio electrical transcripti... | |
03.24.1952 | a murder of necessity |
+ "A Murder Of Necessity" ("Frame Up"). Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. When a man kills his blackmailer, ... | |
09.14.1953 | a message to garcia |
+ "A Message To Garcia". Sponsored by: Auto-Lite. Shortly before the Spanish-American War, an agent... | |
06.12.1956 | a matter of timing |
+ "A Matter Of Timing". A man hires a professional killer to bump off his partner, with surprising... | |
08.30.1959 | a matter of execution |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "A Matter Of Execution". An eleven year old boy hears a de... | |
06.23.1957 | a load of dynamite |
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "A Load Of Dynamite". A good story about a dynamite truck ... |
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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