Suspense - Old Time Radio Thriller
Suspense was one of the most popular and successful old time radio dramas during it's run of over 900 episodes, spanning 1942-1962. Guest stars included Orson Welles, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, Agnes Moorehead, Marlene Dietrich and Humphrey Bogart. Suspense is renowned for its gripping tales of mystery, horror, and psychological tension. Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. - All Podcasts @ Spreaker | Apple | YouTube | Spotify | Amazon | iHeart
Format
Iconic Hosts & Opening
Format
- 30-minute standalone episodes (later expanded to 60 minutes in the 1950s).
- Each episode was a self-contained story, often featuring ordinary people in extraordinary, life-threatening situations.
- Known for its tight scripting, atmospheric sound effects, and dramatic musical scores (often by Bernard Herrmann, who later composed for Hitchcock films).
- Famous for its twist endings and unreliable narrators.
Iconic Hosts & Opening
- Early episodes were introduced by "The Man in Black" (a mysterious narrator, played by Joseph Kearns and later Paul Frees).
- The show’s chilling opening theme (a heartbeat-like rhythm followed by the announcer’s voice) became legendary: "Suspense! As quiet as fog creeping in on little cat feet…"
- Considered the pinnacle of radio suspense drama, setting the standard for later shows like The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
- Many episodes were adapted for TV and film (e.g., Sorry, Wrong Number became a 1948 movie).
- Preserved by collectors and still aired on radio nostalgia stations today.
- Why Suspense Still Holds Up
- Masterful storytelling – Relied on dialogue and sound to terrify listeners (no visuals needed!).
- A-list Hollywood talent – Rare chance to hear major stars in intimate, voice-only performances.
- Timeless themes – Paranoia, betrayal, and moral dilemmas still resonate today.
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 30 minutes
- Episodes
- 455
- Years Active
- 2024 - 2025
Wet Saturday - Suspense | 06/24/1942 (Ep002)
Commercial-free OTR stations at creepytalesradio.net --- Suspense was one of the most popular and successful old time radio program during it's run of over 900 episodes, spanning 1946-1962. Guest sta…
00:29:02 |
Mon 05 Aug 2024
The Burning Court - Suspense | 06/17/1942 (Ep001)
OTR commercial-free stations at creepytalesradio.net --- Suspense was one of the most popular and successful old time radio program during it's run of over 900 episodes, spanning 1946-1962. Guest sta…
00:29:40 |
Mon 05 Aug 2024
Suspense - Featured Episode: "The Butcher's Wife" | February 2, 1950
Kirk Douglas stars in a play about a love triangle that goes very wrong. He’s a young clerk in supermarket who notices an attractive, young woman making eyes at him. He soon finds out she is married …
00:29:35 |
Wed 17 Jul 2024
Suspense - Featured Episode: "Flesh Peddler" | August 4, 1957
A talent agent reluctantly attends a carnival and discovers a ventriloquist he becomes obsessed with signing up, but instead learns a terrible secret.
We provide 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio s…
We provide 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio s…
00:30:01 |
Wed 17 Jul 2024
Suspense - Featured Episode: "Death in Box 234" | March 15, 1959
A bank teller, played by Frank Lovejoy, finds the perfect way to rob a bank - an inside job! Get ready for another surprise ending from the mystery and adventure master William N. Robson.
We provide…
We provide…
00:22:55 |
Tue 16 Jul 2024
Suspense - Featured: "The Pit and the Pendulum" | November 28, 1947
Based on Edgar Allan Poe's classic tale about the grisly atrocities of the Spanish Inquisition.
Check out our 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio stations at creepytalesradio.net or TuneIn Radio.
Suspe…
Check out our 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio stations at creepytalesradio.net or TuneIn Radio.
Suspe…
00:29:12 |
Mon 15 Jul 2024
Suspense - Featured Episode: "Seeds of Disaster" | October 5, 1961
A man is engulfed in ire and frustration as he tries desperately to contact his wife before she can, unbeknownst to her, give their daughter a present of a poison-laced bracelet.
We provide a 24/7 com…
We provide a 24/7 com…
00:23:34 |
Fri 12 Jul 2024
Suspense - Featured Episode: "Mad Man of Manhattan" | March 8, 1959
A lunatic strangles his lawyer and escapes form the Bellevue mental ward...bent on revenge.
We offer 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio streams at OTRclassics-az.com or TuneIn Radio.
Suspense was one …
We offer 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio streams at OTRclassics-az.com or TuneIn Radio.
Suspense was one …
00:24:26 |
Fri 12 Jul 2024
Suspense - "A World of Darkness" | January 20, 1944
A young girl has been murdered, but the foul deed was "seen" by a blind man!
Downloads: @ Spreaker
---- Check out our 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio stations at OTRclassics-az.comor TuneIn Radio.
…
Downloads: @ Spreaker
---- Check out our 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio stations at OTRclassics-az.comor TuneIn Radio.
…
00:29:53 |
Thu 11 Jul 2024
Suspense - Featured Episode "The Dark Tower" | May 6, 1944
A "Suspense" episode about coming back from the dead....and extortion
Check out our 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio stations at OTRclassics-az.comor TuneIn Radio.
Suspense was one of the most popu…
Check out our 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio stations at OTRclassics-az.comor TuneIn Radio.
Suspense was one of the most popu…
00:29:51 |
Wed 10 Jul 2024
Suspense - Featured Episode: "Dead of Night" | November 16, 1944
"Dead of Night" - Something terrible happens to a man's sister when he leaves her alone.
Check out our 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio stations at OTRclassics-az.comor TuneIn Radio.
Suspense was on…
Check out our 24/7 commercial-free Old Time Radio stations at OTRclassics-az.comor TuneIn Radio.
Suspense was on…
00:29:46 |
Wed 10 Jul 2024
Suspense - Featured Episode: "Ghost Hunt" | June 23, 1949
"Ghost Hunt" (1949) is a well-written ghost story about a disc jockey spending the night in a haunted house. He records the sounds and gets more than he bargained for! --------
Suspense was one of t…
Suspense was one of t…
00:29:40 |
Fri 05 Jul 2024
Suspense - Featured Episode "Nightmare" | March 13, 1948
This episode: A man dreams that he's murdered someone. When he learns that it actually happened, he depends on his cop friend to find out who, why, and when. -----
The Whistler was a suspenseful myste…
The Whistler was a suspenseful myste…
00:28:03 |
Wed 03 Jul 2024
Suspense - Hunting Trip | Sept. 12, 1946 - Ep.9
Plot: A man is sure that his hunting companion and friend is trying to kill him.
Suspense was one of the most successful old time radio program during it's run of over 900 episodes spanning 1946-1962.…
Suspense was one of the most successful old time radio program during it's run of over 900 episodes spanning 1946-1962.…
00:29:48 |
Tue 02 Jul 2024
Suspense - The House in Cypress Canyon | December 5, 1946
A real estate agent finds a manuscript in a house that's never been lived in. The manuscript tells the story of a couple that rented that house, and on their first night, strange noises are heard, th…
00:30:16 |
Sat 29 Jun 2024
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