Suspense - Sorry, Wrong Number

"Sorry, Wrong Number" was the Suspense radio play that not only gave the series its biggest success, but it also became "radio's most famous play." This story was presented eight times between 1943 and 1960, and it created a phenomenon of its own by provoking tremendous listener response. The radio play was written by Lucille Fletcher and, aside from "The Hitchhiker," it is her best known work. "Sorry, Wrong Number" was the only Suspense story to be made into a film.

Lucille Fletcher had an exceptional flair for writing terror for radio, and nothing demonstrated that more than "Sorry,Wrong Number." The collection of episodes written by Fletcher and presented on Suspense includes "The Hitchhiker," "Fugue in C Minor," "Dark Journey," "The Thing in the Window," "The Diary of Safronia Winters," "The Furnished Floor," and "The Night Man."

In the sixty or so years since "Sorry, Wrong Number" was first presented on radio, it has made the transition to film, television, novel, and play. In recent years, it has made its way on to the internet via old time radio websites and YouTube videos.

However, to fully appreciate Fletcher's unique style of conjuring up suspense, one must listen to the story as it was presented on radio.

All eight versions of "Sorry, Wrong Number" starred Agnes Moorehead in the lead role of Mrs. Elbert Stevenson.

The first time this story was presented was on May 25, 1943. In the East Coast version, there was a flubbed line at the end that made the end of the story confusing. The performance done for the West Coast has the correct ending. William Spier directed.

. Download suspense_1943.05.25_ Sorry, Wrong Number (EAST COAST).MP3

. Download suspense_1943.05.25_Sorry, Wrong Number (WEST COAST).MP3

The second performance was on August 21, 1943.

. Download suspense_1943.08.21_Sorry Wrong Number.mp3

In response to listener requests, the story was presented again on February 24, 1944. William Spier directed.

. Download suspense_1944.02.24_Sorry, Wrong Number.mp3

Again, due to requests from the public, Suspense presented this story again on September 6, 1945.

. Download suspense_1945.09.06_Sorry Wrong Number.mp3

"Sorry, Wrong Number" was presented on Suspense for the fifth time in 1948 to coincide with the release of the film.

. Download suspense_1948.11.18_Sorry Wrong Number.mp3

The sixth version of this episode was presented on September 15, 1952, but there is no known recording of that episode at this time.

In 1957, William N. Robson brought "Sorry, Wrong Number" back to Suspense. As he states in his introduction, he felt that great radio plays, like great stage plays, should be revived from time to time.

. Download suspense_1957.10.20_ Sorry Wrong Number.MP3

Suspense presented this story for the last time on Valentine's Day in 1960.

.  Download suspense_1960.02.14_Sorry, Wrong Number.mp3

In the 1948 film Sorry, Wrong Number, the role of Mrs. Stevenson was played by Barbra Stanwyck, for which she later received an Academy Award nomination.  Stanwyck performed the role of Mrs. Stevenson once on radio, along with her costar Burt Lancaster, in an hour long adaptation of the film for Lux Radio Theater. This episode aired on January 9, 1950.

.  Download LuxRT.1950.01.09_Sorry_Wrong_Number.mp3

Here also, is the movie trailer for Sorry, Wrong Number. It mentions Suspense and how the craze over the radio version brought the story to the big screen.

Comments

[Grigs]

I'm some kind of a ghoul.

Agnes Moorhead's character annoys me to no end in this episode and I usually end up rooting for the bad guys.

It is a great piece of OTR, though. No doubt about that.

[david]

I think its acrime that agnes moorhead did not get the movie of of mrs.albert stevenson

[jigenbakuda]

I agree, I hated Agnes' character, but I thought it was an interesting story.