Old Time Radio Show of the Week - Suspense

SUSPENSE

"End Game"

July 31st 1960

A chess master is forced to play a game against a mad sheriff...with murder as the stakes

Old Time Radio Show of the Week

Our show this week is "Suspense" and its to celebrate what would have been the 94th birthday of a radio legend, William Conrad.  Famous for being Marshall Matt Dillon on the radio version of "Gunsmoke" during its entire run from 1952 to 1960.  He was also know for being in almost every dramatic show on radio at some point, the narrator of "Escape", roles in "X Minus One", etc., he narrated this classic episode :

"The Whole Town's Sleeping" 

June 14th 1955

Old Time Radio Show of the Week

This week's presentation is from the legendary show "Suspense", which aired from 1942 until 1962 (the "end" of the golden age of radio drama.

"Doom Machine" 

March 4th 1962 

(the last season).

thanks to Brent Abrahamson

The Golden Age of Radio - Halloween #5

Suspense
November 1st 1945
The Dunwhich Horror
Starring Ronald Coleman
An HP Lovecraft story, considered one of the "core stories" of the Cthulhu Mythos.



Inner Sanctum
October 30th 1945
The Man Who Couldn't Die



Suspense
December 5th 1946
The House in Cypress Canyon
Starring Robert Taylor and Cathy Lewis

Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

One of the most famous short stories of the 19th century was Ambrose Bierce's 1890 tale of the civil war hanging of confederate sympathizer Peyton Farquhar, Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.
In the 20th century this story was interpreted in both radio and television, during the Golden Age of Radio by Escape and Suspense to tremendous effect.
On television, first by Alfred Hitchcock Presents in the 5th season, episode 13 aired December 20th 1959.



Thanks to Buck Benny's OTR podcast he brought us this version
The radio adaptations began with Escape's airing on December 10th 1947, starring Harry Bartell as Peyton Farquhar.


Suspense gave us its adaptation in July 9th 1959 with Vincent Price as Farquhar.


Maybe the most famous adaptation on American television was the airing on The Twilight Zone (Season 5, episode 22, Feb 28 1964) of the french short film that won the award for Best Short Subject at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival and the 1963 Academy Awards.


Again on radio by the great OTR revival show CBS Radio Mystery Theater June 4th 1974, starring William Prince as Peyton Farquhar.

New OTR Season Starts!

Today the new season for Buck Benny's OTR podcast begins today! 

YAY!

Soon, a "new" season of Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Phil Harris, Red Skelton, Dennis Day and today it all begins with SUSPENSE!

September 2nd 1942 Episode 10 of Season 1
"The Hitchhiker" starring Orson Welles.

Happy Birthday Buck!

Today is the birthday of my friend and podcaster elite Buck Benny!  Lets all head over to his site, Buck Benny Podcast,, and follow his podcast and send a little donation his way to make it a great birthday.

Today I would like to highlight a new favorite of mine that Buck helped me get hooked on...Suspense!

I had been listening to Suspense since my friend Rick recommended it but I just wasn't all that into it, but then Buck started posted episodes and giving a little podcast for them now and again and lo and behold now I am addicted to them have been downloading and listening to them every day.   So thanks to Rick and Buck for getting me hooked on Suspense.

Here from the Ray Bradbury life celebration is the Suspense episode from November 25th 1948,
The Screaming Woman



 Here is the version from Ray Bradbury Theater aired February 22nd 1986 (Episode 5)

Tales Well Calculated to Keep you in.....

Well my friend Buck Benny at buckbenny podcast is at it again and its, as usual, wonderful stuff.  He is doing a summer of adventure while his regular shows are on summer vacation.   We get to hear Suspense from its beginnings as an audition show in 1940 on CBS' Forecast along with Gunsmoke from its first season in 1952, Escape, X Minus One and The Voyage of the Scarlett Queen and the wonderful radio series from 1984 Bradbury 13

So please stop over and listen to some of the best Old Time Radio on the internet with Buck Benny.
Enjoy his latest podcast and I have also included a couple of great episodes from Suspense one of the finest radio dramas ever that ran regular shows from 1942-1962.

Here is the audition episode for Suspense from July 22nd 1940 "The Lodger" 



Bradbury 13 from April 9th 1984 "Night Call Collect" 

  

 The first regular run episode of Suspense "The Burning Court" with Charles Ruggles. June 17th 1942

Episode 2 Suspense - "Wet Saturday" June 24th 1942