“We invite you to enjoy stories that keep you in…Suspense!”
Baffling tales of mystery and terror were most assuredly the core of the storytelling of Suspense, but William Spier always wanted more from his creative team. Rather than present fantastic or bizarre stories, Spier wanted them kept close to home, insisting upon tales where an average man or woman, apparently minding their own business, ends up caught in an ever more tangled web of disaster, fear, and confusion. Conclusions would be left until the very last minute, allowing listeners the chance to not only visualize the story but, in fact, see themselves in the same situation. How would they react? What would they do? And could such a thing, in fact, actually happen to them? It’s no wonder that William Spier soon earned the title of “the Hitchcock of the Airwaves” - and that Suspense very quickly became a major success for CBS.
This insistence on investing the audience into each episode of Suspense by essentially making them believe the story they heard could be their own also forced the actors that Spier utilized to stretch their own limits. From the crew of actors Spier had to work with at the show’s beginning, including Hans Conreid, Alice Frost, Frank Readick, and Ted de Corsia to bigger names, like Cary Grant, Lucille Ball, Orson Welles, and Agnes Moorhead, he demanded that they push themselves for roles as commonplace people thrust into horrific situations. Being made to play parts they were not used to, made Suspense one of the favorite shows for many Hollywood stars.
Very few programs are as fondly remembered as one that left listeners sitting on the edge of their seats, biting their nails and even a bit afraid at times. Suspense provided its audience with not only chills, thrills, action and adventure, but also expertly written stories and some of the finest performances given by radio’s best actors, as you will hear in Suspense Volume 13 from Radio Archives. Enjoy 6 hours of this classic program restored to Sparkling audio quality.
The Bet
Thursday, November 8, 1945 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Roma Wines
Murder Off Key
Thursday, November 15, 1945 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Roma Wines
Nineteen Deacon Street
Thursday, November 22, 1945 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Roma Wines
A Week Ago Wednesday
Thursday, November 29, 1945 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Roma Wines
I Won’t Take a Minute
Thursday, December 6, 1945 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Roma Wines
The Argyle Album
Thursday, December 13, 1945 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Roma Wines
Double Entry
Thursday, December 20, 1945 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Roma Wines
Pink Camelias
Thursday, December 27, 1945 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Roma Wines
The Angel of Death
Thursday, January 3, 1946 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Roma Wines
The Pasteboard Box
Thursday, January 17, 1946 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Roma Wines
My Dear Niece
Thursday, January 24, 1946 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Roma Wines
The Long Shot
Thursday, January 31, 1946 - 30:00 - AFRS, no commercials
