One would think that a program helmed by one of the greatest film directors of all time would be a ready-made hit out of the gate, regardless of the medium. It’s likely that CBS Radio felt that way when they introduced Suspense originally on their experimental show Forecast in 1940. Forecast was an innovation all its own, an opportunity for the network to run first episodes of programs in hopes of some of them picking up a sponsor. Although it ran a variety of programs, the most hyped and probably most hopeful to get picked up was Suspense, a show directed by none other than Alfred Hitchcock.

 

This pilot episode was an adaptation of Hitchcock’s film The Lodger, a practice that wasn’t unusual, especially with the fact that Forecast was a fill-in for The Lux Radio Theatre, a program known for adaptations. What made this particular show stand out was more its subject matter, along with Hitchcock’s involvement. This was a story about Jack the Ripper, truly written to keep listeners interested and on the edge of their seats. Hitchcock meant for this to happen so much that he intentionally, following the true facts of the case, left the show unresolved, never revealing who the Ripper was. This caused a ripe amount of controversy and backlash from the listeners, which was something that Hitchcock counted on to boost publicity of a new film and his most favorite thing to publicize-himself.

 

Even Hitchcock, however, was not enough for Suspense to be picked up immediately. Two years after the first episode, however, the program returned, again as a summer replacement, but this time with an emphasis on the stories themselves, not the director behind them. And, from that, the Suspense adored by fans for decades was born.

 

Thrill and chill to twelve excellent shows of mystery, action, and adventure in Suspense, Volume 29, restored to Sparkling audio quality by Radio Archives.