Suspense | Old Time Radio

byOld Time Retro Radio

ArtsPerformingFictionDrama

Suspense | Old Time Radio brings you classic mystery, crime, psychological thrillers, and suspense from the golden age of radio. Enter gripping stories of murder, danger, deception, desperate choices, and unexpected twists performed by some of the era’s greatest stars. Each episode is an Old Time Retro Radio production, presenting the original broadcast with gently cleaned and mastered audio, a newly produced introduction and closing, and custom episode artwork. Suspense became one of radio’s most celebrated dramatic anthologies, known for exceptional performances, acclaimed writers, and unforgettable stories designed to keep listeners guessing until the end. Rediscover classic old time radi...

Episodes(40 episodes)

Suspense - "I Won't Take a Minute" (Old Time Radio, 1945)

Suspense presents “I Won’t Take a Minute,” originally broadcast on December 6, 1945. This local archival recording is episode 6. Lee Bowman stars as Kenny in this CBS production, directed and produced by William Spier.On a dark city street, Kenny waits while his fiancée, Stephanie Riska, makes what should be a quick delivery inside a shabby apartment building. When she fails to return, his search turns into a tense and increasingly baffling effort to find her. The drama adapts Cornell Woolrich’s story “Finger of Doom,” later published under the title “I Won’t Take a Minute.”Suspense prese...

Published: Oct 24, 2026Duration: 29m 55s

Suspense - "Blackbeard's Ace" (Old Time Radio, 1962)

Suspense presents “Blackbeard’s Ace,” episode 9, originally broadcast April 2, 1962. This local archival recording preserves a late-era tale of coastal mystery and mounting unease.At a secluded cottage near Teach’s Cove on the North Carolina coast, a woman troubled by recurring dreams finds herself drawn into legends of Blackbeard, buried treasure, and an unexplained death. A curious planchette discovered on the beach seems to offer a connection to the past. Written by Jack Buttram, the drama features Elaine Rost and John Thomas.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announce...

Published: Oct 23, 2026Duration: 24m 28s

Suspense - "Wet Saturday" (Old Time Radio, 1942)

Suspense presents “Wet Saturday,” episode 4, originally broadcast June 2, 1942. This local archival recording features an early radio adaptation of John Collier’s darkly comic story.A rainbound English country house becomes the setting for a mounting family crisis as the imperious Frederick Princey struggles to keep control of his household and his reputation. Clarence Derwent stars as Princey, with Joan Lorring as Millicent Princey, in a tense domestic drama adapted for radio by Harold Medford.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more c...

Published: Oct 22, 2026Duration: 30m 9s

Suspense - "The Blue Hour" (Old Time Radio, 1947)

Suspense presents “The Blue Hour,” identified in this archival source as episode 5, originally broadcast September 2, 1947.Claire Trevor stars as dancer Lois LePaul, who arrives at a shadowy nightclub while questions swirl around a recent murder and a valuable diamond. Written by Marty Schwartz, this noir-tinged drama also features Wally Maher and Hans Conried.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:40 Original Broadcast30:31 ClosingBecome a supporter of t...

Published: Oct 21, 2026Duration: 30m 40s

Suspense - "The Night Reveals" (Old Time Radio, 1943)

Suspense presents “The Night Reveals,” originally broadcast December 9, 1943. This local archival recording is identified as episode 9, though established program logs list this Robert Young and Margo production as episode 69.Insurance investigator Harry Jordan is drawn into a troubling series of unexplained fires that begins to feel uncomfortably close to home. Adapted from a Cornell Woolrich story, this psychological domestic thriller stars Robert Young as Harry and Margo as his wife, Marie, and was directed by William Spier.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audi...

Published: Oct 20, 2026Duration: 30m 25s

Suspense - "Three Skeleton Key" (Old Time Radio, 1956)

Suspense presents “Three Skeleton Key,” an archival recording labeled Episode 1 with an original broadcast date of November 1, 1956. Episode references identify this production as Suspense episode 673, originally broadcast on CBS on November 11, 1956.On an isolated lighthouse key off French Guiana, three keepers watch a crewless ship drift onto the reef—and find their lonely outpost under threat. Vincent Price stars as Jean in James Poe’s adaptation of Georges-Gustave Toudouze’s short story, directed by William N. Robson.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for...

Published: Oct 19, 2026Duration: 30m 46s

Suspense - "Murder by the Book" (Old Time Radio, 1947)

Suspense presents “Murder by the Book,” listed in the supplied archival metadata as episode 0, with an original broadcast date of July 1, 1947. Multiple episode logs, however, identify it as episode 253, originally aired July 10, 1947.Gloria Swanson stars as mystery novelist Emily Carlyle, whose troubling memory lapses and personal grief shadow her involvement in a psychiatrist’s murder case. As Emily looks beyond the circumstantial evidence against a young woman in custody, the investigation becomes an unnervingly personal mystery. Joseph Kearns co-stars as Lieutenant Hahn in this CBS broadcast, written by Robert L. Richards.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a...

Published: Oct 18, 2026Duration: 30m 52s

Suspense - "An Evening's Diversion" (Old Time Radio, 1946)

Suspense presents “An Evening’s Diversion,” originally broadcast July 4, 1946. This archival recording is identified as episode 4, though established series logs list the broadcast as episode 200. Leon Ames stars, with Gerald Mohr also featured, in this CBS presentation sponsored by Roma Wines.Overworked businessman Mr. Edwards follows his doctor’s advice to take an evening off, only to find his quiet visit to a bar or restaurant disrupted by an overheard conversation and a troubling situation that demands his attention.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned...

Published: Oct 17, 2026Duration: 30m 30s

Suspense - "Dame Fortune" (Old Time Radio, 1946)

Suspense presents “Dame Fortune,” listed in the supplied archival metadata as episode 4, with an original broadcast date of October 2, 1946. Independent program listings identify it as episode 216, broadcast October 24, 1946.Susan Hayward stars as Jean Nicholson, a successful singer whose comfortable life is shaken by a call from Charlie Prescott, a man connected to her past. As old secrets resurface, Jean and her husband are drawn into a tense blackmail threat. The noir-tinged drama was written by Max Wilk and Ed Murkland and directed by William Spier.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a sh...

Published: Oct 16, 2026Duration: 31m 17s

Suspense - "Yellow Wall-paper" (Old Time Radio, 1948)

Suspense presents “Yellow Wall-paper,” episode 9, originally broadcast July 2, 1948.Agnes Moorehead stars as a woman sent to an isolated summer house while recovering from what her physician husband calls a temporary nervous depression. Adapted from Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s classic short story, this intimate psychological drama follows her growing fixation on the unsettling wallpaper in her upstairs room. Produced by Anton M. Leder for CBS’s Autolite-sponsored Suspense.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00...

Published: Oct 14, 2026Duration: 30m 37s

Suspense - "Dead Ernest" (Old Time Radio, 1947)

Suspense presents “Dead Ernest,” originally broadcast May 8, 1947. This archival recording is listed as episode 8. Written by Seeleg Lester and Merwin Gerard and directed by William Spier, the CBS Radio Network drama features Junius Matthews, Wally Maher, Howard Duff, and Cathy Lewis.After an automobile accident, Ernest Bowers is presumed dead despite a condition that can make him appear otherwise. As Lieutenant Steve Healey and the authorities follow the trail through police and coroner procedures, a misplaced warning may be the only safeguard against a terrible mistake.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual intr...

Published: Oct 13, 2026Duration: 30m 46s

Suspense - "Beyond Reason" (Old Time Radio, 1948)

Suspense presents “Beyond Reason,” originally broadcast on CBS on February 21, 1948. Episode 285 of the series, this hour-long drama stars Robert Ryan and Ruth Warrick and was written by Devery Freeman.After businessman Payton Carr is killed in a hit-and-run, his estate passes to his three daughters. Eldest daughter Vangie grows uneasy when an unknown business partner, Harry Newton, shows an interest in both the family’s undeveloped land and Vangie herself. As tensions mount at the Carr estate, she struggles to tell grief and coincidence from a more troubling threat.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly...

Published: Oct 12, 2026Duration: 1h 0m 56s

Suspense - "The Long Shot" (Old Time Radio, 1958)

Suspense presents “The Long Shot,” originally broadcast February 9, 1958, and supplied here as episode 9. This CBS thriller is a remake of Harold Swanton’s earlier Suspense story, with Herbert Marshall starring as financially pressed gambler Kelly Raymond.Raymond answers an Englishman’s newspaper advertisement seeking a companion for a drive from New York to San Francisco. But as the miles pass, the increasingly talkative Walker Hendricks, played by Ben Wright, gives Raymond reason to question the true purpose of their cross-country journey.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gent...

Published: Oct 11, 2026Duration: 26m 5s

Suspense - "Deep into Darkness (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr )" (Old Time Radio, 1948)

Suspense presents “Deep into Darkness,” listed in this archival collection as episode 2, with an original broadcast date of July 2, 1948. Episode-level radio logs also identify the Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. production as Suspense #299, originally broadcast July 22, 1948.After seven years in prison for manslaughter, Ken Matthews is released and makes an impossible discovery: the man he believed dead appears to be alive. Starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., with Joseph Kearns and Lurene Tuttle, this tense CBS Radio mystery was written by Edward James and directed by Anton M. Leader.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a sh...

Published: Oct 10, 2026Duration: 30m 29s

Suspense - "Allen in Wonderland" (Old Time Radio, 1952)

Suspense presents “Allen in Wonderland,” identified in this archival recording as episode 7, originally broadcast October 2, 1952. Episode listings also associate the production with CBS’s Suspense broadcast of October 27, 1952, starring Cornell Wilde.Stranded in New York’s Pennsylvania Station, South Carolina attorney Mr. Stone is mistaken for someone else by a mysterious young woman who leaves him with an Alice in Wonderland quotation and a cryptic instruction. His attempt to follow the clue leads to West 15th Street and a troubling chain of coincidences. Written by Richard Chandlee and directed by Elliott Lewis.Suspense presents the original broadcas...

Published: Oct 9, 2026Duration: 30m 48s

Suspense - "The Long Wait" (Old Time Radio, 1949)

Suspense presents “The Long Wait,” episode 4, originally broadcast November 2, 1949. This archival recording features a hard-boiled drama of revenge, loyalty, and second chances.Recently released from prison, Dan Varrell returns to Manhattan still haunted by his brother’s death. His search leads him to Lois Williams and the dangerous world surrounding her, while a police lieutenant keeps a close watch. Burt Lancaster stars as Dan Varrell in an original play by Fred Freiberger.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listen...

Published: Oct 8, 2026Duration: 30m 49s

Suspense - "The Thing in the Window" (Old Time Radio, 1946)

Suspense presents “The Thing in the Window,” episode 9, originally broadcast December 1, 1946. Joseph Cotten stars in this original radio play by Lucille Fletcher.Actor Martin Aimes becomes obsessed with a shadowy figure he sees in a window across the street—though no one else can confirm it is there. As sleepless doubt and suspicion take hold, he must confront the unsettling possibility that the truth lies beyond anything he can explain.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.<...

Published: Oct 7, 2026Duration: 30m 36s

Suspense - "Lazarus Walks" (Old Time Radio, 1943)

Suspense presents “Lazarus Walks,” episode 9, originally broadcast October 1, 1943.After Roger Holcombe survives a period of clinical death during surgery, he seems to possess an unsettling new relationship with truth and lies. Orson Welles stars as psychiatrist Dr. Graham, with Hans Conried as Holcombe, in this early supernatural-tinged psychological mystery adapted for radio by Robert L. Richards from a story by J. Marion Speed.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction<br...

Published: Oct 6, 2026Duration: 29m 32s

Suspense - "Life Ends at Midnight" (Old Time Radio, 1944)

Suspense presents “Life Ends at Midnight,” listed as episode 7, originally broadcast February 1, 1944.When Mrs. Bates’s troubled son Walter arrives needing $1,500 before midnight, a discovery involving her elderly lodger’s insurance policy turns an already strained household into a pressure-cooker of desperation and danger. The drama features Fay Bainter, Dane Clark, and Ralph Morgan, and was written by Robert Tallman.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned/mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.Chapters:00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction00:49 Original Broadcast30...

Published: Oct 5, 2026Duration: 30m 44s

Suspense - "Portrait Without a Face" (Old Time Radio, 1944)

Suspense presents “Portrait Without a Face,” originally broadcast March 2, 1944. This local archival recording is identified as episode 2. The CBS drama was written by Corporal Louis Pelletier and sponsored by Roma Wines.In wartime France, refugee Colette is drawn to an art gallery and a troubling canvas whose blank face seems connected to her past. As she encounters painter Paul Degel and the suspicious Charles Gavenaud, old loyalties and dangerous questions gather around the portrait. Michèle Morgan stars as Colette, with Philip Dorn and George Coulouris.Suspense presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual intro...

Published: Oct 4, 2026Duration: 30m 25s