Escape and Suspense!

Suspense - Too Hot to Live

Suspense's "Too Hot to Live" is the story of a stranger in a small prairie town who tries to run from a murder.

As the episode opens, we meet Jefferson, a former soldier turned drifter. After he is ousted from the freight train on which he has been hitching a ride, he walks down a sun-baked road towards the closest town, Marcus Junction. On the way, his worn-out shoes fall apart.

The first person he meets in Marcus Junction is Benjamin, the sheriff. He directs Jefferson to a place where he can have his shoes repaired and then offers to buy him a coffee in the diner next door. Jefferson leaves his shoes and socks at the repair shop and goes over to the diner.

Jefferson only came in for the coffee, but Rachel, the waitress, offers more. She invites him upstairs to her apartment for the afternoon. He accepts, and after a few too many strong drinks, he wakes to find Rachel murdered. Now he must outrun the law--in his bare feet.

"Too Hot to Live" was written by Sam Rolfe and starred Richard Widmark. This episode aired on October 26, 1950.

.  Download Suspense_1950.10.26_TooHotToLive.mp3

Suspense presented this story again with Sam Edwards in the role of Jefferson on June 29,1954.

. Download Suspense_1954.06.29_TooHotToLive.mp3

Suspense presented this story a third time with Van Heflin the role of Jefferson on April 12, 1959. This version is a little shorter, but just as good. The background music in this episode is effective.

. Download Suspense_1959.04.12_TooHotToLive.mp3

(Image of Richard Widmark from Flixster.com)

Suspense - A Man in the House

" A Man in the House" is one of many Suspense episodes that revolve around a relative, who is both an invalid and a terrible burden. In this story, a daughter has sacrificed her own happiness to care for her elderly mother. The Suspense episode, "The Copper Tea Strainer," portrays a similar mother-daughter situation but with a different outcome.

"A Man in the House" is hard to beat when it comes to depressing opening scenes. Violin music swells as Emily Barrett explains how she came to be a mousy, spinster librarian at a young age. It all began when her father's unexpected death turned her mother into a difficult, bitter woman. Later, her mother became chronically ill and bound to a wheelchair.

The neighbors think that what Emily and her mother need is a man in the house. As it turns out, that is what they get. One day, an intruder breaks into their home, kills their dog, and announces that he will be their guest for an unspecified amount of time. The intruder knows that no one will come to the house because no one can stand Emily's mother. He tells Emily to do what he says, or her mother will get hurt -- yet he disapproves of how Emily has sacrificed her youth for her mother.

"Man in the House" was written by Leslie Edgely and starred Joan Lorring as Emily. At the time, she was promoting the film The Corn is Green (1945), for which she would receive an Academy Award nomination. Joseph Kearns played the intruder. This episode aired on August 2, 1945.

. Download Suspense_1945.08.02_Man_In_The_House.mp3

This episode was also presented on the television show Suspense in 1949, with different results. For more information visit Suspense Television.

(Image of Alan Baxter and Kim Hunter from "Man in the House" (1949) from the television show Suspense.)

Suspense - Shooting Star

Suspense's "Shooting Star" is the story of a Hollywood actress and her peculiar revenge on a studio producer. The star of this episode is Virginia Christine, an actress familiar to most as friendly Mrs. Olsen from Folger's Coffee commercials of the 1960's and 70's.

Gay Lansing is an actress/dancer who has been working for J.D. Zimmer's studio for many years. She has been in one cheap movie musical after another, but she hopes that the studio will give her a serious role in their latest production.

Soon, however, Gay's agent informs her that not only will she not get a part in the new movie, but that J.D. Zimmer has dropped her contract. When Gay finds out that J.D. has gone down to his house in the desert for the weekend, she decides to pay him a visit. Gay wants to convince him, with her gun, to change his mind.

"Shooting Star" was written by Ruth Borne and produced/directed by Norman MacDonnell. Virginia Christine, in her only appearance on Suspense, played Gay Lansing. (She does break into a Scandinavian accent for a few minutes towards the end of this episode.) Joseph Kearns played J.D. Zimmer. Also appearing were John Dehner, Sam Edwards, and John Large. This episode aired on November 25, 1954.

. Download Suspense_1954.11.25_ShootingStar.mp3

Click below to watch Mrs. Olsen in action. Virginia Christine portrayed Mrs. Olsen in television commercials for 21 years.

Video from the Internet Archive.

Suspense - Goodnight Mrs. Russell

Suspense's "Goodnight Mrs. Russell" stars Bette Davis in a story about a woman who becomes the victim of a crazed short-order cook. It is an episode that will make you think twice about eating alone at night in an empty restaurant.

Bette Davis plays Mrs. Russell, an office worker who often spends her lunch hours with her co-workers at the cafe near their office. Henry, the young cook behind the counter, seems uncomfortable around the younger women, but likes Mrs. Russell. Although he never smiles, and stops to listen to sounds that only he can hear, she likes him, too.

One night, after working late, she drops in at the cafe for dinner. She becomes uneasy about being alone with Henry and leaves without finishing her food. Afraid that she has hurt Henry's feelings, she returns to have dinner again several weeks later.

Henry doesn't accept her show of interest in his food as a compliment. He knows, from the voices in his head, that she is really one of the many enemies out to get him.

"Goodnight Mrs. Russell" was written by Ben S. Hunter and it was Bette Davis' only appearance on Suspense. At the time, she was promoting the movie Beyond the Forest. Elliott Reid played Henry. This episode aired on October 20, 1949.

. Download suspense_1949.10.20_GoodNightMrs Russell.MP3

Suspense presented this radioplay again on August 3, 1954. Virginia Gregg played Mrs. Russell and Victor Perrin played Henry.

.  Download Suspense_1954.08.03_GoodnightMrsRussell.mp3

(Image of Bette Davis from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - The Guilty Always Run

Suspense goes to the beach, but not to frolic, in a story called "The Guilty Always Run." In his only appearance on Suspense, Tyrone Powers plays a man suspected of murdering a surfer girl.

As the episode opens, Janie and Jeff are at home in their rented summer house when they receive several strange calls from a young woman. The girl on the other end of the line is gasping for help, but the calls make no sense. Janie suspects that the calls are from Karen, a girl that Jeff had been seen with. Jeff swears to her there is nothing going on between the two of them, but Janie doubts him.

The next day, Jeff does find Karen -- floating in the surf. Jeff becomes the main suspect in Karen's murder until his best friend, Lou, steps in with an alibi.

"The Guilty Always Run" was written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. William Conrad played Lou and Cathy Lewis played Janie. Also appearing were Jack Kruschen, Frank Nelson, and Charlotte Lawrence. At the time he appeared on Suspense, Tyrone Powers was promoting the film, King of the Khyber Rifles. This episode aired on March 22, 1954.

. Download Suspense_1954.03.22_TheGuiltyAlwaysRun.mp3

(Image of Tyrone Power in 1953 by Carl Van Vechten. Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - Three Blind Mice

Suspense's "Three Blind Mice" stars Van Heflin in a radio noir about a publishing firm and its three partners. One is dead, the other is on Death Row, and the third has taken over the firm from the other two.

The episode opens inside the office of Lockwood, Bentley and Walsh Publishing. Mr. Arthur Lockwood knows that his partners are out to get him, and it appears that everyone in the company knows as well. By all appearances, he is on the way down.

Mr. Lockwood refuses to accept that. He wants his corporation back from his partners. He also wants Helen Conover, the head of the firm's promotion department, but she is involved with his partner, Mr. Walsh.

None of this worries Mr. Lockwood. He seems confident that there will be a day when he is back on top. When Mr. Lockwood finds one of his partners dead at the office, it appears that his problems may be resolved sooner than he thought.

"Three Blind Mice" was written by Kenneth Pettis and Robert L. Richards. Van Heflin starred as Arthur Lockwood. Also appearing were Cathy Lewis, William Johnstone, and Wally Maher. This episode aired on January 30, 1947.

.  Download Suspense_1947.01.30_ThreeBlindMice.mp3

(Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - The Shelter

Suspense's "The Shelter" is the story of two people waiting at a shelter for a midnight bus, while somewhere in the night, an escaped lunatic is on the loose.

As the episode opens, a young girl is dropped off at a lonely bus stop late at night. She has just heard an alert on the car radio about a mental patient who has escaped from the county hospital, but she feels certain that she will be safe inside of the bus shelter.

To her suprise, she discovers that she is not the only one waiting there. Inside of the darkened shelter is a man who insists on coversing with her. Despite her attempts to extricate herself from his chattering, she can't get away. Is the strange man in the dark shelter the escaped mental patient? She isn't sure, but if she leaves the safety of the bus stop, she might meet up with the lunatic out on the empty highway.

"The Shelter" was written for Suspense by Don Yerrill and starred Joyce McClusky and Vic Perrin. Also appearing were: Herb Ellis, Helen Kleeb, Dick Ryan, and Frank Gerstle. This episode aired on October 28, 1954.

.  Download Suspense_1954.10.28_TheShelter.mp3

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Suspense - End of the Road

Suspense's "End of the Road" stars Glenn Ford in a radio noir about a car salesman who gets involved with a troubled woman.

Ford plays Speed Evans, a man for whom women have been an "expensive" habit. He wants to turn over a new leaf, but when he meets a captivating woman in his showroom, he quickly finds himself back to his old ways. Her name is Sylvia, and she is there with her wealthy husband, Mr. Ganlon, to buy a new car. Speed takes her on a flirtatious test drive and convinces Syvlia that she must have the car--and the salesman.

Sylvia and Speed have an affair, but she is unable to leave her older husband or her mysterious past behind. Speed drives Sylvia back to her hometown in Arizona to find the truth, but their trip leads them into danger.

"End of the Road" was written by Irving Moore and Robert L. Richards. At the time Glenn Ford appeared in this episode, he was promoting the 1947 noir film Framed. "End of the Road" was the first of Ford's two appearances on Suspense. Cathy Lewis played Sylvia Ganlon. Also featured were Hans Conried, Joseph Kearns, William Johnstone, and Wally Maher. This episode aired on February 6, 1947.

.  Download Suspense_1947.02.06_EndOfTheRoad.mp3

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Suspense - The Lady in the Red Hat

"The Lady in the Red Hat" is the story of a killer-on-the-loose who goes by the names "The Thirteenth Apostle" and "The Avenger."

The story begins when Mitch, a newspaper columnist, is told by his editor to stop writing articles about the psychology behind the crimes of the "The Avenger." The police think that the articles are a nuisance. Mitch, however, thinks that his theories are sound and, he isn't surprised when the killer contacts him.

A mysterious note requests a meeting at a community chapel at midnight, but Mitch isn't the only one who receives the invitation. Jeannie, the newspaper reporter who has been following the case, and the policeman in charge of the investigation are also contacted.

That night, the three of them go together and wait in the empty, darkened church for "The Avenger" to come.

"The Lady in the Red Hat" was written by Clot Daily and adapted for Suspense by Antony Ellis. Van Heflin starred as Mitch. Also appearing were Joan Banks, Joseph Kearns, and Lou Merrill. This episode aired on November 30, 1950.

.  Download Suspense_1950.11.30_LadyintheRedHat.MP3

This story was presented a second time on August 30, 1955. (The script is the same, but the sound quality of the later recording in better.) Victor Perrin starred as Mitch. Also appearing were Larry Thor, Jack Carroll, Virginia Gregg, Barney Phillips, and Jenny Stevens.

.  Download Suspense_1955.08.30_LadyintheRedHat.mp3

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Suspense - Three Lethal Words

Suspense's "Three Lethal Words" stars Joan Crawford as a woman who goes mad after being jilted by her younger husband.

Crawford plays Jane Winters, a screenwriter in Hollywood. As the story opens, she has just arrived in the office of Phillip Lewis, the head of a studio story department. She has come to pitch him an idea for a screenplay.

As she explains her idea for a movie about a screenwriter named Sally, who takes revenge on her younger husband, the boundaries between Jane's fictional character and her own life become blurred.

Joan Crawford's performance in this episode is captivating. Her ability to speak every single word of her dialogue with clarity and conviction is impressive. This was the second of Joan Crawford's two appearances on Suspense. At the time, she was promoting the film Goodbye, My Fancy.

"Three Lethal Words" was adapted for radio by Academy award nominated screenwriter Walter Brown Newman from a story by Charles Vion. Joseph Kearns played Phillip and Hy Averback played Chris. Also appearing were: Bea Benadaret, Lillian Buyeff, Ted de Corsia, Don Diamond and Sylvia Simms. This episode aired on March 22, 1951.

.  Download Suspense_1951.03.22_ThreeLethalWords.mp3

(Image of Joan Crawford from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - The Bridge

"The Bridge" is a campy Suspense drama about a husband, a wife, and a hussy.

The story begins at a Saturday night party in the suburban community of Westchester. The introduction is narrated by Liz, an unhappy party-goer. She is upset because her husband, Max, is noticeably smitten with a younger woman named Edith. Liz is certain that Max is fooling around behind her back.

When she encounters them together, Liz confronts her husband about his relationship with Edith. Max denies everything, of course, and even insists that they give Edith a ride home.

Liz duly tolerates the indignity of riding home in the same car with Edith, but then, the unexpected happens. As they are driving in the rain, their car spins off the road near a bridge. The three of them wind up trapped inside of the car while it hangs precariously off the side of a cliff. Faced with the danger of falling into the river, their true personalities are revealed.

"The Bridge" was written by Alan Botzer and William N. Robson. Cathy Lewis starred as Liz. Also appearing were Virginia Gregg, Jerry Hausner, and Bill Quinn. This episode aired on August 17, 1958.

.  Download Suspense_1958.08.17_TheBridge.mp3

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Suspense - The Old Man

In "The Old Man," Suspense takes us to Times Square in New York City for the annual New Year's Eve celebration. The new year, 1962, is still six hours away, but the crowds are already out on the streets, ready to celebrate the passage of the old year to the new. We hear the sounds of the city as a CBS radio news reporter describes the scene around him.

Next, we are transported to the New Year's celebration in the heavenly realms of the Office of Time. "The Director" and his secretary are discussing the plans for that night's farewell ceremony for the old year. She thinks it is a shame that the Old Man has to be shoved out of the organization in favor of an infant, but "The Director" tells her that "when a man's job is done, he must step aside."

Old Man 1961 doesn't agree with his boss and refuses to retire. He wants to stay on the job and make a better name for himself.

"The Old Man" was written by Bob Corcoran. Leon Janney starred as the Old Man and "The Director" was played by Reynold Osborne. Also appearing were: Ralph Camargo, Ivor Francis, Larry Haines , Rita Lloyd, Guy Repp, and Lawson Zerbe. This episode aired on December 31, 1961.

.  Download Suspense_1961.12.31_OldMan.mp3

(Image from MorgueFile.com)

Suspense - The Too Perfect Alibi

Suspense's "The Too Perfect Alibi" stars Danny Kaye as man with an obsession for his friend's fiance.

Danny Kaye plays Sam, the sweetest friend a couple could ever have. Jack and Catherine think he is wonderful, but honestly, Jack thinks Sam is too wonderful. Sam gives them a house for a wedding present, he gives Catherine a high-paying job, and he always picks up the tab when they do things together. All of this annoys Jack because it makes him look cheap.

Sam doesn't care what Jack thinks. He is consumed with a fairy tale perception of love, and he is determined to get Catherine for himself. The first part of Sam's plan to win Catherine involves getting rid of Jack, but the first part of his plan goes too well. As a result, the second part doesn't work out the way it was supposed to.

"The Too Perfect Alibi" was written by Martin Stern and produced/directed by Anton M. Leader. This was the first of two appearances that Danny Kaye made on Suspense. Also appearing were Hy Averback, Wally Maher, John McIntire, and Paul Frees. This episode aired on January 13, 1949.

.  Download Suspense_1949.01.13_TheTooPerfectAlibi.mp3

(Image from Morguefile.com)

Suspense - Beyond Good and Evil

Suspense's "Beyond Good and Evil" gives us Joseph Cotten in the story of an escaped prisoner, who murders a minister and assumes his identity.

The episode begins with church bells and a young reverend named Dr. Howard Pierce. He is visiting the home of his parish's previous minister, Dr. McKillip, who was paralyzed by a stroke. Dr. McKillip is unable to speak or to move, and Dr. Pierce has been making regular visits since the stroke occurred three months earlier.

Soon we realize that Dr. Pierce isn't what he pretends to be. His real name is Philip Gentry and he murdered Dr. Pierce after escaping from the state penitentiary. Dr. McKillip is the only person in town who knows the truth, but he is unable to communicate that information to anyone. Meanwhile, Philip Gentry torments the helpless man by flaunting his sins in front of him. On this night, Philip Gentry has come to say goodbye. He plans to leave town, but before he does, he has a few wicked things he wants to tell Dr. McKillip. 

"Beyond Good and Evil" was written by Academy-award winning screenwriter Ben Hecht and adapted for Suspense by Douglas Whitney. Joseph Cotten played the Reverend Pierce. Also appearing were Cathy Lewis, Joseph Kearns, Herbert Butterfield, Wally Maher, and Jane Morgan. This episode aired on October 11, 1945.

. Download Suspense_1945.10.11_BeyondGoodandEvil.mp3

This radioplay was presented again with Vincent Price in the role of the Reverend Pierce on July 17, 1947. Unfortunately, no recording of that episode is known to exist at this time.

(Image from Morguefile.com)

Suspense - Yuletide Miracle

Suspense's "Yuletide Miracle" is a tale about a Christmas ghost named Sir Benjamin and a parolee named Chris.

As the story opens, Chris attempts to dodge his parole officer by hiding in a mission hall for the poor. Inside the lonely shelter, he meets a young man named Tommy, who is ill and knows that he will be unable to get home for Christmas. He asks Chris to deliver the presents to his mother and sister, and then he dies.

Chris doesn't take the request too seriously until Sir Benjamin materializes. He explains to Chris that he has a responsibility to follow through on the young man's last wish.

"Yuletide Miracle" was written for Suspense by John Roberts and starred Santos Ortega and Larry Haines. Also appearing were Joe DiSantis, Bill Lipton, Rosemary Rice, and Katherine Rott.

This episode aired on December 17, 1961.

.  Download Suspense_1961.12.17_YuletideMiracle.mp3

(Image from Morguefile.com)

Suspense - Return Trip

Suspense's "Return Trip" is a vivid tale of three nervous passengers on a bus trip down a mountain road in a blizzard. The bus has just left an isolated mental asylum in the mountains and has to travel fifty miles to return to civilization. Why are the passengers so nervous?  Shortly after leaving the asylum, the bus was stopped by policemen looking for an escaped inmate. The police warned the bus driver not to go down the road, but the passengers wanted to keep going.

If they had stayed, they might have been snowbound at the asylum for days, but now they run the risk of meeting the escaped lunatic on the road.

"Return Trip" was written for Suspense by Maurice Zimm and was produced/directed by William Spier. Elliott Reid, in one of his six appearances on Suspense, starred as the bus driver. Also featured were Cathy Lewis, Wally Maher, and Raymond E. Lawrence. This episode aired on June 27, 1946.

.  Download Suspense_1946.06.27_Return_Trip.mp3

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Suspense - A Present for Benny

Suspense's "A Present for Benny" is yet another story about a time-bomb that goes missing, but it is also an endearing Christmas story about making friends with your enemies.

This is a tale of two neighborhood gangsters who want each other out of the way. As the story opens, Ricky McQueen reads aloud from a letter of holiday greetings that he has received from Machine-Gun Benny.  In it, Benny explains that he and his boys plan to bump Ricky off the next time they see him. Ricky, in response, decides to send Benny a Christmas present -- the kind that goes "BOOM!"

While this is going on, Ricky's wife is steadily campaiging for the Christmas present she wants the most, an ermine coat. When Ricky does buy her the coat, he asks the salesman at the department store for an extra box. His plan is to put the bomb in the extra box and have the store deliver it the next day. So now, he has two presents wrapped in identical boxes. One box contains the gift for his wife, and one contains the present for Benny. Do the two boxes get mixed up? Of course they do.

"A Present for Benny" was written, produced and directed by Antony Ellis.  Jack Kruschen starred as Ricky. Also appearing were Eve McVeagh, Stacy Harris, Joseph Kearns, Junius Matthews, and Benny Rubin. This episode aired on December 13, 1955.

.  Download Suspense_1955.12.13_APresentforBenny.mp3

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Suspense - Pink Camellias

"Pink Camellias" begins with weepy violin music, and the woeful story of a woman named Martha. Orphaned at a young age, she has spent her life in servitude to her invalid aunt, Abby. Martha's joyless life has turned her into a drab spinster, but she has become accustomed to it.

Into this situation, appears Neil, the nephew of Aunt Abby's second husband. Things brighten up for Martha, and she immediately falls in love with this handsome stranger. Martha knows that Neil is only after her aunt's money, but she doesn't mind.

As it turns out, Neil does take a liking to Martha, but in an insincere sort of way. Together, the two of them decide that the fastest route to a happy future means clearing their path of the crabby aunt upstairs. We know that Aunt Abby is in trouble, but does she? It seems that all she cares about is complaining and eating cream cakes.

"Pink Camellias" was written by Charmine McGurk and starred film and television actress Marsha Hunt as Martha. Verna Felton played Aunt Abby and Wendell Holmes played Neil. This episode aired on December 27, 1945.

.  Download Suspense.1945.12.27_PinkCamillias.mp3

(Image of Marsha Hunt in Cry Havoc (1943) from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - Christmas for Carol

Suspense's "Christmas for Carol" is a Christmas tear-jerker, but a smart one. This is an episode about listening to your conscience and acting upon your better instincts.

Paul is a bank teller with a pregnant wife who needs a home-nurse. He doesn't have enough money to hire one, but he is determined to find a way. His childhood friend, Eddie, offers him a job, but Paul refuses. Eddie is a bookie who is always in trouble with the law. Paul doesn't want a life of crime, but he would consider doing one clean and quick job to get the money he needs.

That opportunity comes when one of Paul's customers at the bank, Mr. Forbes, withdraws all of his funds. Mr. Forbes is going to surprise his wife on Christmas with the news that he is retiring and that they are moving to the country. Foolishly, he is keeping the money hidden inside of his house, and Paul knows where Mr. Forbes lives. Paul asks Eddie to put him in touch with Rocky, a local hoodlum with an excellent track record for not getting caught. He wants Rocky to join him on what he thinks will be an easy and foolproof burglary.

The two of them successfully break into the house, but Paul has a change of heart. He goes back to set things right, but the older couple is smarter than he realizes.

"Christmas for Carol" starred actor/singer Dennis Day as Paul. (At the end of the episode he sings "Noel.") Also appearing were Elliott Lewis, Ed Max, Sidney Miller, Joseph Kearns, and Jeannette Nolan. This episode aired on December 21, 1950.

.  Download Suspense_1950.12.21_ChristmasForCarol.mp3

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Suspense - Bells

"Bells" is the story of a young couple and their hope of finding the perfect place to live. The wife, Lucy, believes that through the help of her guardian angel she has been guided to an advertisement for a country cottage with an affordable monthly rent. Her husband, Henry, doesn't believe that she is psychic or that she has a guardian angel, but he desperately wants to get out of their lousy apartment. So, he agrees to follow up on the ad.

When they meet the rental agent, everything about the country cottage seems perfect. The rental agent seems a bit nervous when the subject of the previous renters comes up and mutters his way out of that discussion.

The night they move into the new house, there is a terrible storm. Their phone starts to ring over and over again, but the operator swears that she isn't sending any calls through to their phone. When they receive another call and the voice on the other end tells them to go, Henry rips the phone out the wall. Yet, the phone continues to ring. Next, the doorbell starts to ring. Perhaps the rent was so low because the cottage is haunted?

"Bells" was written by Jack Bundy and starred Rosemary Rice and Bill Lipton. This episode aired on August 6, 1961.

.  Download Suspense_1961.08.06_ Bells.mp3

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Suspense - The Last Trip

"The Last Trip" is a tense story about a woman named Myra Jason, her boyfriend, and her husband, Mr. Jason. Myra and her boyfriend want her husband out of their lives. So, they devise a way to get rid of him with a simple time bomb. Mr. Jason is about to leave on a business trip, and their plan is to put their little gift in his suitcase and blow up the whole plane. Myra manages, with some difficulty, to get the gift into his suitcase, and Mr. Jason leaves for the airport. Then, Myra and her boyfriend wait for the news. They wait and they wait. Soon, they realize they didn't anticipate all of the things that could go wrong with their plan.

This episode is a good old-fashioned suspense tale with a ticking time bomb at the center of the action, but it is also an episode with something to say about thoughtfulness.

"The Last Trip" was written by Ralph Bell and Eugene Francis, who also appeared in this episode along with Robert Dryden and Connie Lempke.

This episode aired on November 8, 1959.

. Download Suspense_1959.11.08_TheLastTrip.mp3

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Suspense - No Hiding Place

"No Hiding Place" has one of Suspense's more dramatic intros. Who is narrating? It appears to be the "voice of all humankind" giving us a sermon. What better way to begin an episode that has something to say about nuclear war, television, and the media?

The story opens with Sam Endover, his wife, Mary-Lou, and their two children. They are the first family in Happy Valley to have their own fallout shelter. Mary-Lou is annoyed by the shelter and by the media attention that has come upon them without warning. Their son, Sandy, thinks the shelter is "cool and a half." Their daughter Cindy thinks... well actually, Cindy isn't much of a thinker.

When one of the reporters doubts that the family would be able to survive down in the shelter for a long period, Sam tells him that he and his family will spend the whole weekend in the shelter to demonstrate just how easy it is.

By the end of the day they are all ready to give up on their demonstration. When they try to leave, however, they realize that a natural disaster has trapped them inside.

"No Hiding Place" was written for Suspense by William N. Robson. Court Benson and Grace Matthews starred as Sam and Mary-Lou.  Leon Janney played the mayor and Lee Vines played Charlie Lemon. This episode aired on October 1, 1961.

.  Download Suspense_1961.10.01_NoHidingPlace.mp3

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Suspense - The Sisters

"The Sisters" begins with the purchase of a coffin for someone who has not yet died. Lydia Haskell explains that she has had a premonition of her own death and wants to plan her own funeral arrangements. The mortician and the police don't believe her story and think she is suicidal. It appears, however, that Lydia may have someone else in mind for that coffin. Her sister, Ellie, is a madwoman who lives in the attic of Lydia's house. One of them is going to die, but which one?

"The Sisters" was written for Suspense by screenwriter George Wells and was presented three times. The script is more or less the same in each version, but the performances vary with the actresses in the lead roles. The first time this story aired, Ida Lupino starred as the cold and calculating Lydia Haskell and Agnes Moorehead put in a gentle performance as Ellie. This episode was produced/directed by William Spier and aired on February 3, 1944.

.  Download Suspense_1944.02.03_TheSisters.mp3

The second time Suspense presented this story, Rosalind Russell and Lurene Tuttle starred. In this version, the sister fight scenes are the best and we get a better sense of how disturbed Lydia is.  This episode was produced/directed by Anton Leader and aired on December 9, 1948.

Download Suspense_1948.12.09_TheSisters.mp3

The third time this story was presented Francis Farmer and Cathy Lewis starred. This version is shorter and less intense . It was produced/directed by William N. Robson and aired on March 30, 1958.

Download Suspense_1958.03.30_The Sisters.MP3

(Image of Rosalind Russell and Lurene Tuttle performing "The Sisters" from Library of Congress/American Memory)

Suspense - Melody in Dreams

"Melody in Dreams" was Suspense's idea of an anti-drug cautionary tale.

The episode begins with an overwrought father, named Mr. Graf, who has made a citizen's arrest of his 16-year old daughter, Joanie. He found marijuana in her room, and not just a little. The police arrive and question Mr. Graf and Joanie. The narcotics division has been trying to find the source of the drugs that are permeating the local high schools and they hope that Joanie's arrest will lead them toward that source. It isn't just marijuana that is being sold to the local kids, but opium and heroin as well.

At first, Joanie plays the tough little minx when interrogated, but then she realizes the pain she has caused her father, and starts to 'fess up. She now seems adorable and innocent.

Joanie tells the police about her boyfriend, Nicky Malone. He's the no-goodnick who has been supplying her with the stuff. She remains innocent and adorable through the rest of the episode, which is a let-down.

"Melody in Dreams" was written by Richard George Pendicini. It is more of a police drama than a show about the dangers of drugs, but overall, it is an interesting time-capsule from 1952. The background music throughout this episode is nicely done. John Lund and Joseph Kearns starred as the detectives. Junius Matthews played Mr. Graf. Also appearing were Sam Edwards, Howard McNear, Shepard Menken, and Anne Whitfield.

This episode aired on December 29, 1952.

.  Download Suspense_1952.12.29.MelodyInDreams.mp3

(Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - Dame Fortune

Suspense's "Dame Fortune" is set in Southern California and when the story opens, we are brought into the fashionable home of Jean and Frank Nicholson. They are throwing an elegant soiree to celebrate their fifth anniversary and Jean, played by guest star Susan Hayward, sings a little bit of Cole Porter's, "I've Got You Under My Skin." After that it turns into a tale of blackmail and murder.

During the party, Jean receives a phone call from an old "friend" named Charles Prescott. He has just been released from prison and wants her help. It seems that he went to prison for a murder they both committed and he feels that she owes him. When they meet to discuss his demands, Charles tells her that he wants to murder her husband so that Jean can inherit the estate. His blackmail threat ensures that she will then share the inheritance with him. Jean agrees, but then tells her husband what has happened. They hire a private investigator named Mr. Sparks to follow Charles.

Susan Hayward not only had a fantastic voice for radio, but she knew how to make a radio script come alive. At the time she appeared in this episode she was promoting her upcoming film, Smash Up: The Story of a Woman, for which she would receive an Academy Award nomination.

"Dame Fortune" was adapted for Suspense by Robert L. Richards from a story by Max Wilk and Ted Murkland. Wally Maher, who seemed to always play the detective in these kinds of episodes, played the sophisticated husband this time around. Also appearing were Hans Conried and William Johnstone.

This episode aired on October 24, 1946.

.  Download Suspense.1946.10.24_Dame Fortune.mp3

(Image of Susan Hayward in Smash Up from Wikipedia)

Suspense - I Had an Alibi

Suspense's "I Had an Alibi" is a radio noir that moves quickly through all of its twists and turns.

The story opens as a writer named Joseph Eichner is about to begin dictating his first novel to Miss Lansen, his new and unsociable secretary. He has a deadline to meet and they have to work fast. He then narrates to her a dark story of deception and murder. At the center of it is an aspiring mystery writer who tries to get ahead in life in all of the wrong ways.

"I Had an Alibi" was written for Suspense by Mindret Lord, a man with a colorful background. Although he achieved a fair amount of success as a screenwriter, Lord took his own life in 1955. His best known work was the screenplay for the Bette Davis movie The Virgin Queen, which he cowrote with Academy Award winning screenwriter Harry Brown.

Keenan Wynn played Joseph Eichner and Cathy Lewis played Miss Lansen. Also appearing were Wally Maher, John McIntire, Lurene Tuttle, and Joseph Kearns.

This episode aired on January 4, 1945.

Download Suspense_1945.01.04_IHadAnAlibi.mp3

(Image from stock.xchng)

Supense - Post Mortem

Suspense's "Post Mortem" was based on the Cornell Woolrich short story of the same name. It was first published in Black Mask magazine (April 1940) and it is currently available The Cornell Woolrich Omnibus.

The episode opens in the home of Josie and Stephen Archer as they go about their usual morning routine. After Stephen leaves for work, Josie is called from her bathtub by the clamoring of reporters at her front door. They inform her that she has just won $150,000 in the Irish Sweepstakes. Josie informs them that she didn't buy a ticket. So, how could she have won? 

Frances M. Nevins, Woolrich's biographer, singles this episode out for abuse as the "worst of all of Suspense's Woolrich based plays." In his book, First You Dream, Then You Die, he states: "As Woolrich wrote it, the story was an uncomfortable mix of serious and grotesquely comic elements, but it wasn't improved by the Suspense adapter's decision to play the whole show for laughs." (Pg. 497)

Suspense didn't do that badly. They just added their own flair to it. Their presentation, with all of its unique sound effects, has more originality than the lackluster version done for television by Alfred Hitchcock Presents twelve years later.

The Suspense television show adapted Woolrich's story in 1949, but that episode is not currently available.

"Post Mortem" starred Agnes Moorehead and Joseph Kearns. It was adapted for Suspense by Robert Tallman.

This episode aired on April 4, 1946.

.  Download suspense_1946.04.04_Post Mortem.mp3

See also: "Post Mortem" released last month on the Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season Three collection.

(Image from stock.xchng)

Suspense - The Lucky Lady

Suspense's "The Lucky Lady" is a story of theatrical superstition that stars a badass cat named Suzie.

The story begins in a boarding house for young actresses where the proprietress, Miss Leonora Plimm, is interviewing a man named George to be their handyman. Despite his lack of references, vague mentions of deceased family members, peculiar demeanor, and his hatred of cats -- the proprietress hires him anyway. The war has created a man-shortage and she has to hire someone to help keep the house together.  Her cat, "Lucky Lady Suzie" is unhappy about this. She yowls, spits and hisses her way through this episode with such ferocity that is hard to believe anyone would want to live with such an angry pet.

Suzie is considered lucky because struggling actresses who have been given a scratch by her have then become famous. One of the residents in the house, Dianne, receives a scratch and then becomes the "Toast of Broadway." She also dies mysteriously at the height of her fame.

"The Lucky Lady"  was written by Ruth Vital Nemick and was produced/directed by William Spier. Academy award winning actress Fay Bainter starred as Miss Leonora Plimm. Also appearing were Cathy Lewis as Dianne, Elliot Lewis and Wally Maher.

This episode aired on February 14, 1946.

. Download Suspense_1946.02.14_The LuckyLady (WC).MP3

(Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - Phobia

"Phobia" stars stage actress Eva Le Gallienne as woman with a peculiar terror of touching anything metal. It is one of a few episodes of Suspense broadcast from New York in 1947.

The story centers around a wealthy, wheelchair-bound woman named Emily Haven. She lives with her crabby, kleptomaniacal sister Grace and their crafty servant Anna. Emily meets Mr. Henry Lane when he comes to her house to collect for the items Grace has stolen from his store. Emily writes a check and the problem is resolved.  Mr. Lane continues to visit the ladies from then on, and soon finds out about Emily's phobia of metal. It is blatant that he is after her money, but Emily is entertained by the way he goes about it. It stops being amusing when he forces her to agree to his marriage proposal by caressing her with a silver candlestick.

"Phobia" was written for Suspense by Joel Hunt and produced/directed by William Spier. Eva Le Gallienne, an accomplished New York stage actress, director, and producer starred as Emily Haven. Also featured were Jeannette Nolan and Joseph Kearns.

This episode aired on June 26, 1947.

Download Suspense_1947.06.26_Phobia.mp3

(Image from Morguefile.com )

Suspense - The House in Cypress Canyon

"The House in Cypress Canyon" has a reputation as one the superior horror episodes produced during the "Golden Age of Radio." What makes this story about werewolves interesting is that it was not a Halloween episode--it was Suspense's idea of a Christmas story. As such, it has to be one the most chilling Christmas tales ever told.

The story begins in the office of a Hollywood real estate agent named Jerry. He is about to put up a sign advertising a new home in Cypress Canyon, but he is having doubts about doing so. This property has one peculiarity that he can't explain. A shoebox containing a manuscript was found by construction workers inside the unfinished house. The mysterious manuscript detailed a disturbing story about what would happen to the future occupants. Not sure what to do, Jerry asks his friend Sam, a detective, for advice.

"The House in Cypress Canyon" was written by Robert L. Richards and was produced/directed by William Spier.  Robert Taylor starred as James A. Woods and Cathy Lewis played Ellen. Also appearing were Wally Maher, Paul Frees, Howard Duff, Jim Backus, and Hans Conried. This episode aired on December 5, 1946.

.  Download Suspense_1945.12.05_TheHouseInCypressCanyon.mp3

(Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - Donovan's Brain

"Donovan's Brain" was based on the classic 1943 novel by Curt Siodmak and starred Orson Welles in multiple roles. It was the first two-part episode of Suspense and their first venture into science fiction.

The story is set in Phoenix, Arizona where a doctor named Patrick Cory is working on an experiment to keep a brain alive. His project isn't going well, but things perk up when a plane accident happens near his laboratory. A famous Wall Street millionaire named William Horace Donovan is brought to him for an emergency operation, but Cory refuses to do it. Instead, he removes Donovan's brain and attaches it to an apparatus that will keep it alive and allow it to communicate.

Dr. Cory is determined to make his experiment work. So determined, that he doesn't notice when his wife, Janice, disappears. Is that because he is consumed by his work, or because the brain of Donovan is controlling his thoughts?

"Donovon's Brain" was produced and directed by William Spier. Featured in the cast were, Hans Conried, Jerry Hausner, John McIntire, and Jeannette Nolan. Part 1 aired on May 18, 1944, and Part 2 aired on May 25, 1944.

Download Suspense_1944.05.18_DonovansBrainPart1.mp3

Download Suspense_1944.05.25_DonovansBrainPart2.mp3

In 1981, a release of this episode on LP won a Grammy for best Best Spoken Word, Drama, or Documentary.

On February 7, 1948, Suspense aired "Donovan's Brain" again as one hour long episode. John McIntire starred as Dr. Cory. Also appearing were William Johnstone, Wally Maher, and Jeannette Nolan.

Download suspense_1948.02.07_DonovansBrain(1hour).mp3

There have been numerous other adaptations of this story for film and television. The image above is from the 1953 film Donovan's Brain.

Suspense - The Sin Eater

Suspense's "The Sin Eater" is a creepy episode about city people and hillbillies. The story is centered upon the Welsh custom of sin-eating, but it takes place in an unspecified, remote part of the Appalachian Region. Sin-eating involves ritual drinking of ale and eating bread to absorb the sins of a deceased person. Welsh/English immigrants brought the ancient custom to Appalachia in the 18th century.

The story begins near a town named Pierre, in the home of the last of the local sin-eaters. Although the old man is on his deathbed and in agony, he has resisted succumbing to death because there is no one to eat his sins. The mother tells her husband and son to fetch someone who can perform the ritual so grandpa can die in peace.

They soon find someone. Mr. Reed, a specialist in folk music/ballads, and his young wife are driving through the area hoping to find undiscovered songs from the region. A policeman stops them to give them a warning about driving through this isolated, dangerous area. He suggests they drive through to Pierre as quickly as possibly, but they don't listen. Instead, the father and son, who overheard the conversation with the officer, lure the couple back to their house on the pretense of hearing local folk ballads.

"The Sin Eater" was written for Suspense by Bob Corcoran. It starred Jim Boles, Herbert Duncan, Ethel Everett, Ivor Francis, Rita Lloyd, Doug Parkhurst and Guy Repp. This episode was produced and directed by Fred Hendrickson and aired on July 8, 1962.

.  Download Suspense_1962.07.08_SinEater.mp3

(Image of Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - Sold to Satan

Suspense's "Sold to Satan" asks the question, "Can the devil really take posession of the mind of man?" In this case, Satan is an urbane sophisticate with an impish sense of humor.

The devil introduces us to the Figurette Company and their many problems. One of the two partners, Harry Feeney, is being blackmailed by a company model named Dianne Rodel. She has pictures to prove their dalliance and Dianne wants money, or else. Mr. Feeney can't come up with all of the money Dianne wants, so he turns to his business partner, Frank Wineglass, for help. Mr. Wineglass, however, has his own problems. He just learned that Dianne is engaged to his son. Now Satan is nudging Mr. Wineglass to commit the murder that will resolve all of this.

"Sold to Satan" was adapted for radio by Joseph Cochran and based on a short story by Jules Archer. (Another example of Archer's work is the Escape episode "Two Came Back.") Kermit Murdoch starred as Mr. Wineglass and as Satan, Elizabeth Lawrence as Dianne Rodel, and Robert Dryden as Harry Feeney.

This episode was produced and directed by Bruno Zirato Jr. and aired on August 27, 1961.

.  Download Suspense_1961.08.27_SoldToSatan.mp3

(Image of devil from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - The Kettler Method

"The Kettler Method" is one of Suspense's classic early episodes. So classic, that it borders on parody.

The story begins in an isolated sanitarium located in upstate New York. It is night, and there is a dramatic rainstorm outside. All of the patients are restless but one, named Kettler, seems particularly upset.  Dr. Kettler, once a famous brain surgeon, had to be institutionalized after performing an unsuccessful operation. He is convinced that the patient he operated on is still alive and that, in truth, the operation was a success. It is his reasoning that the other doctors locked him away because of their jealousy of his innovative technique, the "Kettler Method."

The radioplay was written for Suspense by Peter Barry. Roger DeKoven starred as Dr. Kettler and John Gibson as Leslie Winton. Actress and painter Gloria Stuart, who is best known for her role in the 1997 movie Titanic, played Claire Winton. Also appearing were Guy Repp, Martha Falkner, Winifield Hoeny, and Ralph Smiley. The episode was produced by William Spier and directed by John Dietz. The music was composed and conducted by Bernard Herrmann. Berry Kroeger was the announcer. This episode aired September 16, 1942.

.  Download Suspense_1942.09.16_The_Kettler_Method.mp3

(Image from Morguefile.com)

Suspense - Fugue in C Minor

"Fugue in C Minor" is the kind of radio horror that only Lucille Fletcher could write. As the Suspense announcer tells us at the beginning, this is a story of "brooding anxiety and sharpening suspicion, played against the severe and forbidding background of the late Victorian era." In this episode, two small children believe that their father, an organist, has killed their mother and hidden her body within the pipes of the organ in their home.

The story begins in April of 1900 in an east coast town called Pilotsville. Amanda Peabody is introduced by her sister to a handsome widower named Mr. Theodore Evans. He and his two children live in a home that was built around a colossal pipe organ. Amanda and Theodore's mutual love of classical music brings them together, but his strange, little children stand in the way of their happiness.

"Fugue in C Minor" was written by Lucille Fletcher and was produced/directed by William Spier. The title refers to the musical composition for organ by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is interesting to note that Suspense actor and announcer Joseph Kearns, "The Man in Black," really did have a home that was built around a Wurlitzer pipe organ. He unfortunately doesn't appear in this episode.

Vincent Price starred as Theodore Evans and Ida Lupino as Amanda Peabody. Bea Benaderet also appeared. This episode aired on June 1, 1944.

.  Download Suspense.1944.06.01_Fugue_In_C_Minor.mp3

(Image of the Passacaglia from Fugue in C Minor from Wikipedia)

Suspense - Motive for Murder

The mysterious murder of a vacuum cleaner salesman is a dilemna for Alan Ladd in Suspense's "Motive for Murder." He plays a detective named "Irish" whose wife, Mary, has just been found passed out alongside a dead salesman. All of the evidence points to Mary, but Irish believes she was framed. He intends to go through the facts one by one to prove her innocence. These are things he knows for sure:

Fact! -- Strangers usually don't kill each other.

The people involved in this scenario had to have known each other. He sets out to find their connection.

Fact! -- The vacuum cleaner salesman had come to do a demonstration, but there was no vacuum cleaner at the murder scene; therefore, someone had killed to get that vacuum cleaner.

If he can figure out who wanted it, he can find the murderer.

Appearing with Alan Ladd were Joseph Kearns as the lieutenant, Howard McNear, John Dehner, Ed Max, Jeannette Nolan, and Lurene Tuttle.  "Motive for Murder" was based on the 1948 short story by John and Ward Hawkins and was adapted for radio by  E. Jack Neuman.  This show aired on March 16, 1950.

Download suspense_1950.03.16_Motive for Murder.mp3

The same story had been presented the previous year by Radio City Playhouse. Bernard Grant played David Murphy and Mitzi Gould played Mary. The credits aren't given on the recording but the radio adaptation was probably written by Harry W. Junkin. It aired on June 20, 1949.

Download rcph.1949.06.20_Motive_for_Murder.mp3

(Image of Alan Ladd from classicsavers.com.)

Suspense - A Little Piece of Rope

"A Little Piece of Rope" stars Lucille Ball in the fourth of her six appearances on Suspense. It is a peculiar tale about a baby-faced actress in Hollywood named Isabelle who turns to a life of crime. Her youthful appearance and acting skills worked against her as a professional actress, but as a thief they serve her well. Isabelle's criminal inspiration came from an article she had once read in a Victorian-era Police Gazette. It had described "vicious females" who dressed as schoolgirls in order to "entice and trap unwary gentlemen."

Isabelle modernizes the scam and carves out a profitable niche for herself by passing herself off as a schoolgirl. She frequents the areas around high schools, where older men trolling for young girls are to be found, and when one offers her a ride, she accepts. Later, she clubs him with her blackjack and takes off with his cash.

Things are going well but one day she gets into a car with a dangerous man. Isabelle soon discovers that he is the strangler that the police are looking for but how can she prove it to them without exposing her own criminal activity?

"A Little Piece of Rope" was written by Virginia Cross. Anton M. Leader produced and directed. Lucille Ball played Isabelle and Berry Kroeger played the strangler. At the time she appeared on this episode of Suspense, Lucille Ball was promoting her own CBS radio show, My Favorite Husband as well as the movie Sorrowful Jones.  This episode aired October 14, 1948.

.  Download Suspense_1948.10.14_Little_Piece_of_Rope.mp3

(Image of Lucille Ball from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - The Twelfth Rose

In Suspense's cautionary tale "Pretty Girl" we learn what can happen when a girl plays games with the wrong guy. In "The Twelfth Rose" we learn what can happen when a guy makes a fool of the wrong girl.

This is a story about murder, revenge, and floristry in New York City. The episode begins when the police are called to investigate the murder of a young woman. The victim was strangled by floral wire taken from a bouquet of roses. The murderer was probably her date, the man who brought her the flowers, but no one saw him. The police think that the one person who could identify him would be the florist who sold him the roses. Now they have to find that florist before the killer strikes again.

"The Twelfth Rose" was written by Charles B. Smith.  Miss Craig was played by radio and television actress Paula Winslowe. Also featured were Stacy Harris, Virginia Gregg, Don Diamond, Eleanor Tanin, Herbert Ellis, Miriam Wolfe and Jack Carroll. This episode aired June 5, 1956.

.  Download Suspense_1956.06.05_TheTwelfthRose.mp3

(Image from Morguefile.com)

Suspense - The Black Door

With "The Black Door" Suspense puts forward a story that is engrossing yet absurd. This episode is about the discovery of a "dead city" once inhabited by dog-headed creatures from the moon.

"The Black Door" is a suspenseful adventure story but there are a couple of flaws. The most obvious is that man has visited the moon since this story was written and we know that it isn't populated by dog-headed creatures. The other flaw is that the main character never gives us his name.

The story begins with the main character, an archaeologist, describing the events that led his current situation.  From the sound of it, he is in a piano bar. As he tells it, he wanted to become a full professor and marry his sweetheart but before he could do that, he had to make his mark on the academic world. That opportunity came when he recieved a grant to search for the lost City of the Fire God.

After two months searching the jungles of Central America in a helicopter, the archaeologist meets Pedro Ramidez. He claims to know the remote, mountain location of the legendary city because his grandfather had once been there. Pedro and the archaeologist make a deal to split any treasure that they find and soon they are on their way.

Like the Indiana Jones movies, this is an archeology story wherein priceless artifacts are destroyed and ancient buildings end up in ruins. That's not entirely the fault of Pedro and the archaeologist. It is the result of the earthquake and volcano that they accidentally set off.

"The Black Door" starred Robert Readick and Ralph Camargo. The radioplay was written by Robert Arthur but it was originally presented on the radio program The Mysterious Traveler. Unfortunately, that episode of Mysterious Traveler is one of the many that are now lost.

This episode aired on November 19, 1961.

.  Download Suspense_1961.11.19_TheBlackDoor.mp3

(Image of Alexander the Great fighting dog-headed men from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - The Voice of Company A

When William N. Robson was the producer and director of Suspense, he would begin the show by giving the audience a brief introduction to the story that was about to be performed. His monologues were always intriguing but his introduction for the episode "The Voice of Company A" speaks volumes. He described the episode this way: "During its long and distinguished career on the air Suspense has never taken an editorial stand, until now. Now we state unequivically that this program is against murder. Oh, we play around with the more titallating and entertaining aspects of murder from time to time, but fundamentally we are against it as a personal, national or international policy. Only those in favor of murder will find anything objectionable or controversial in the next half hour. The story you are about to hear is but a tiny word of protest, perhaps it is too little, but please God, let it not be too late."

This is a story about "celestial propaganda" that begins in a lab at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The world is on the verge of war and at midnight the United States is planning to launch a screamer satellite that will jam all of the radio and television transmissions on Earth. Dr. George Grieg has been put in charge of the satellite's message but he is haunted by his own experiences as a lieutenant in WWII. Not long before the satellite's launch, he is visited by the ghost of one of the soldiers who served with him. The ghost explains to George that he and all of the other soldiers who died in WWII would like him to put that screamer satellite to a better purpose.

"The Voice of Company A" was written by Michael Frost and starred Everett Sloane. Also appearing were Lillian Buyeff, John Dehner, Jack Kruschen, Barney Phillips, Sam Pierce. This episode aired on August 3, 1958.

.  Download Suspense_1958.08.03_TheVoiceofCompanyA.mp3

(Image from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - Plan X

Suspense's "Plan X" is set on the planet Mars in the year 2053. The story opens on the day before the first rocket ship from Earth is expected to land. The citizens of Mars aren't thrilled about the arrival of the Earthlings, but they knew it would happen sooner or later.

In response, the Martian Grand Council decides to put Plan X into effect. All Martians have been trained in the proper execution of this plan for the last fifty years and know what to do. The Grand Council also needs to appoint someone to head the mission and greet the Earthlings, but on Mars, diplomats have been obsolete for many years. Instead, the person with the necessary character traits for the job is selected by the Grand Council's computer. It chooses Xeno, an assembly line worker from an escalator factory.

"Plan X" is an episode of Suspense with subtle humor and a message about colonialism. Jack Benny stars as Xeno in what was the third of his four appearances on Suspense. William Conrad played the voice of the Grand Council. This episode had an unusually large cast, too. Also appearing were Joseph Kearns, Mary Jane Croft, Norma Varden, John McIntire, Trudi Marsden, Howard McNear, Jack Kruschen, William McNear and Stuffy Singer. "Plan X" was written for Suspense by television writer Richard Powell.

This episode was broadcast on February 2, 1953.

.  Download Suspense.1953.02.02_PlanX.mp3

(Image of Mars through the Hubble Space Telescope from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - The Furnished Floor

Suspense's "The Furnished Floor" invites us into the boarding house of Mrs. Hawkins. As the story begins, she is on the phone describing the unexpected reappearance of her former tenant,  Mr. Jennings. He and his beloved wife, Mabel, had previously rented her upstairs floor, but when Mabel died, he had moved away. Now, Mr. Jennings wants to return and live there again -- with his wife. She had assumed that he meant a new wife, but now, Mrs. Hawkins isn't sure. She doesn't know who has moved in upstairs with him and she doesn't like it. Has Mr. Jennings brought back his late wife's body, does he see her ghost, or has he just gone mad? Or is it all of these?

Mildred Natwick, in her only appearance on the Suspense radio show, starred as Mrs. Hawkins. Don Defore played Mr. Jennings. The radioplay was written by Lucille Fletcher and it demonstrates her particular talent for writing believable female dialogue. This episode was produced and directed by William Spiers and aired September 13, 1945.

.  Download suspense.1945.09.13_Furnished Floor.mp3

(Image of Mildred Natwick in Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 film The Trouble with Harry from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - Pretty Girl

To kick off the new school year, here is an episode of Suspense about a college girl who fools around with her professor. "Pretty Girl" is one of Suspense's better cautionary tales.

At the center of the story is a vixen named Emmy. We learn right away that she is pretty and that she easily exerts power over all men. Her prettiness makes her irresistable to them. Unfortunately, she is too young to understand all of the dangers that go along with physical attractions. Emmy has been dating her economics professor, Ray Hamilton, to get a passing grade, but when she tries to break it off, he doesn't take it well. This episode teaches us that girls who play games with men's feelings can wind up with more trouble than they bargained for.

Lynne Allen starred as Emmy and Vic Perrin as Ray. "Pretty Girl" was written by E. Jack Neuman and aired on December 16, 1954.

Download Suspense.1954.12.16_Pretty_Girl.mp3

(Image from Morgue File )

Suspense - Statement of Employee Henry Wilson

Everyone has a coworker who drives them crazy. Suspense's "Statement of Employee Henry Wilson" spins a tale of what can happen when one employee brings out the worst in another.

Henry Wilson had happily worked for his employer for eight years when Charles Dodd came along. Mr. Dodd was ambitious and in two years he overtook Mr.Wilson within the company ranks. Along the way he had also become condescending. One day Mr. Dodd catches a mistake in Wilson's work and tells him that he is going to bring it up with the boss. Mr. Wilson decides that he is going to put an end to any further interference with his livelihood.

"Statement of Employee Henry Wilson" was written by John Shaw. Suspense presented this story twice with the multi-talented Gene Lockhart in the role of Henry Wilson on both occasions. The first presentation was on November 2, 1943.

.  Download Suspense.1943.11.02_Statement_Of_Employee.mp3

Three years later it was presented again, with some changes to the script on September 26, 1946.

.  Download Suspense.1946.09.26_StatementofEmployeeWilson.mp3 

(Image from author's collection) 

Suspense - Lady Killer

"Lady Killer" is about an insurance investigator and her hunches. The story begins as Peg Lincoln boards a plane for Capital City with a ticket she bought from a woman in the airport's lobby. Shortly afterwards, the flight's take-off is delayed, and Peg suddenly needs to be taken to the hospital. She believes that she was poisoned by Grant Benton, the charming man who sat next to her on the plane. He appears to have saved her life by getting her to the hospital so quickly, but was he the one who caused the harm? The police tell her that he is above reproach and that she is imagining danger where there is none.

Her instincts tell her that he is trouble, neverthless she allows him to drive her home from the hospital. Just before they arrive at her home, he runs over a pedestrian! He says it was an accident, but Peg thinks it was murder. Why would he want to hurt Peg or that pedestrian crossing the street?

"Lady Killer" is a tight radio drama with a suspenseful ending. Loretta Young, in her only appearance on Suspense, starred as Peg Lincoln. At the time, she was also appearing in the film Key to the City (1950) and had just received an Academy award nomination for the 1949 film Come to the Stable. Lawrence Dobkin, John McIntire, and Sydney Miller also appear in this episode. The radioplay was written by William Bruckner, who later wrote an episode for the tv series Letter to Loretta starring Loretta Young. "Lady Killer" aired on March 2, 1950.

.   Download Suspense.1950.03.02_LadyKiller.mp3

(Image of Loretta Young on radio from the Loretta Young Paper Dolls & Coloring Book)

Suspense - The Death of Alexander Jordan

"The Death of Alexander Jordan" is set in the mid-Twentieth century, but it is rooted in the fear of premature burial that was prevalent in Europe and America in the Victorian era. When this story first aired on the radio in 1944 on Creeps by Night, there would have been many listeners old enough to have heard the macabre Victorian tales of premature burial referred to in this story.

This episode begins with a man named Ramsey and his wife Martha. They work on the farm of his uncle, Alexander Jordon. Ramsey is a brute and Martha is long suffering. Uncle Alexander, at age 82, is now on his deathbed and he admits that he is haunted by the stories he heard in his childhood about people being buried alive. He asks that his coffin be equipped inside with an electric buzzer. Should he awake, the buzzer will ring a bell back at the farmhouse. 

Shortly afterwards, Uncle Alex does die and before the first night is over, the bell does go off. Ramsey goes down to the family crypt to see if Uncle Alex has returned from the dead. Not because he loves his uncle, but because he is determined to sell the farm and move back to the city as soon as possible.

The electric buzzer in the coffin is a modern twist on the "safety coffin" of the 19th century.  These special caskets were equipped with gadgets that worked as alarms in case of premature burial. One of the more notable safety coffins from the Victorian era was the Bateson Belfry Coffin. This casket was outfitted with a bell on its top, above the head of the deceased. A cord placed in the hand of the deceased connected to the bell. Caskets with similar safety features are still manufactured.

Although the announcer states that the radioplay for "The Death of Alexander Jordan" was written by Hector Chevigny for Suspense, it first appeared on the short-lived 1944 radio show Creeps by Night under the title "The Strange Death of Alexander Jordan." This episode starred Connie Lempke, William Mason, Paul McGrath and Edgar Stelhi.  It aired on September 2, 1962.

.   Download suspense.1962.09.02_ DeathOfAlexanderJordan.mp3

Here is another show from the 1940's about a safety coffin from the series Murder at Midnight. This story, "The Line is Dead," is about a man who has already been buried alive once, so he puts a telephone in his coffin in case it happens again.

.  Download mamn.1947.04.07_The_Line_Is_Dead.mp3

(Image from coffin bell from Wikimedia Commons. Image of Antoine Wertz's The Premature Burial from Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - A Thing of Beauty

The Suspense episode, "A Thing of Beauty," tells of a beautiful London stage actress of yesteryear named Madeleine Tremaine. As the story begins, Madeleine is a recluse who accepts no visitors other than the local vicar, Father Benson. He is soon to retire and Father Benson wants Mr. Sedley, the new curate, to continue to counsel her. So, he has brought Mr. Sedley with him on his fortnightly visit to Madeleine.

They arrive at her house during a thunderstorm and sit with her in a darkened parlor. As she reminisces about her career, she tells them about her first stage role. Though she had a small part, Madeleine had upstaged the lead actress, Nell Garrett, too many times by showing off her ankles and performing other distracting "gutter antics" during Nell's scenes. It had all led to a confrontation with Nell Garrett in which Madeleine received a smack in the face. Later that same night, Nell Garrett was found with a knife in her back.

Suspense aired "A Thing of Beauty" twice. The first time, June Duprez starred as Madeleine. Herbert Rawlinson, and John McIntire also appeared. The radioplay was adapted from a story by Elizabeth Hiestand and written by Robert L. Richards. Produced and directed by William Spier, this episode aired on December 28, 1944.

.  Download suspense_1944.12.28_ A_Thing_Of_Beauty.mp3

The second time this episode was performed it starred Angela Lansbury as Madeleine. Hans Conried and Cathy Lewis also appeared. The second version includes a few script changes but the story is the same. It aired on May 29, 1947.

.  Download Suspense_1947.05.29_AThingofBeauty.mp3

(Image of Angela Lansbury from The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) Wikimedia Commons)

Suspense - Blackbeard's Ace

The Suspense episode "Blackbeard's Ace" takes place in a cabin on a beach in North Carolina. A beach that is haunted by a pirate ghost.

The story begins as Charles and Margo Reed set out for a impromptu vacation on the Carolina Coast. On the way to their cabin, the caretaker tells them the story of the previous owner, who died mysteriously at this same time a year earlier. Despite this creepy coincidence, they continue on. The cabin is an isolated one near Teach's Cove. The area is named after Edward Teach (1660-1718), the legendary English pirate known as Blackbeard.

Margo isn't happy about this trip but she puts on a brave face for her husband. She doesn't want him to think that any of this is getting the better of her.

"Blackbeard's Ace"is suspenseful and it keeps your attention throughout. Where is it going? You don't really know. Is Margo Reed, the wife, getting messages from a pirate ghost? She hears voices and has unexplained things happen to her. Is she crazy? Her husband thinks she isn't well in her mind, yet they both hear a woman's screams somewhere outside in the night. Is there an unknown entity lurking out on the beach in the dark light of a Pirate's Moon? You may have to listen to it twice to figure it all out.

This episode stars Elaine Rost, John Thomas, and Robert Dryden. It was written for Suspense by Jack Putrom. This episode aired on April 29, 1962.

.  Download Suspense.1962.04.29.BlackbeardsAce.mp3

(Image of Edward Teach (Blackbeard) from Wikipedia.com)

Suspense - Angel Face

Suspense's "Angel Face" is a radio noir set in New York City and narrated in the first person by Jerry Wheeler, a girl with an angelic face and a hard life as a nightclub performer. She does it all for her kid brother, Chick, whom she wants to see rise above their circumstances.

Chick gets himself into a serious mess when he hooks up with Ruby Rose Reading, the girlfriend of a mobster named Milt Militis.  Over his sister's objections, Chick plans to go with Ruby on a trip to Chicago. When Ruby is murdered that evening, Chick takes the fall. Jerry knows her kid brother didn't commit the murder and she sets out, with the help of one of the detectives, to prove his innocence.  As Chick heads for the electric chair, she has to work fast to find the real killer.

This episode was based on Cornell Woolrich's short story "Face Work" which was first published in the October 1937 issue of Black Mask magazine.  Columbia Pictures bought the rights shortly after it was published and turned it into the 1938 B-movie Convicted starring Rita Hayworth.

Suspense's version of "Angel Face" retains portions of the original text in the dialogue but changes the story, particularly at the end. Their version does keep the quick pace and the basic plot, but it was reduced in a number of ways to accomodate a half-hour radio format. Not surprisingly, Suspense' s version skips over the scene where Jerry is branded on the hip with a hot poker by Milt Militis.

Although the announcer states that this episode was "an original play written for radio by Cornell Woolrich," it was not. It is generally believed that Woolrich did not write the adaptations of his stories that appeared on radio.

"Angel Face" stars "Queen of Film Noir" Claire Trevor and Joseph Kearns. It was produced, edited and probably adapted for radio by William Spier. (The obvious problem with this recording is that it seems to run a bit fast, particularly at the beginning. After checking a few other OTR repositories, a better recording was not to be found.)

This episode aired on May 18, 1950.

Download Suspense.1950.05.18.Angel_ Face.mp3

(Image by Clayton Lord from Word for Word Theater's current production of Angel Face in San Francisco. Pictured above are Paul Finochiarrio and Laura Lowry as Milt and Jerry. )

Suspense - The Trap

In Suspense's "The Trap" we meet Helen, a woman who lives by herself in a big, empty house. That is, she thought she lived alone, but now she isn't sure. It seems that there is someone else in the house with her. Someone who whistles, steals muffins from the breadbox, and winds the clock. Someone who also seems determined to get her out of the house. Helen's boss thinks she is just seeing, "dark omens and bloody portents in normal everyday occurrences."  Helen thinks he is stupid.

This is a suspenseful story about a woman and the unseen enemy who appears to be arranging a long vacation for her.

Agnes Moorehead plays Helen, a sweet and patient lady who couldn't possibly have any enemies. "The Trap" was adapted for Suspense by Walter Brown Newman and Ralph Rose from a story by Virginia Meyer. This episode aired on June 16, 1949.

.  Download Suspense.1949.06.16.The_Trap.mp3

(Image from MorgueFile.com)