Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

Born into a family of performers, Joan Bennett enjoyed great success on stage and screen in her own right. She won acclaim from audiences and critics …

Leon Ames broke out with his portrayal of Judy Garland's dad in Meet Me in St. Louis, and he played several outwardly stuffy but inwardly sweet dads - and showed off a dry wit - in movies and TV shows through the 1980s. …

Nancy Coleman got her start in the casts of radio soap operas before she hit the Broadway stage and the big screen. We'll hear her as a young woman …

George Coulouris arrived on the Broadway stage from London and soon struck up a friendship with a young Orson Welles. It led to a long professional …

In this bonus show, I'm sharing my four favorite episodes of Suspense starring the great Vincent Price. First, he co-stars with Ida Lupino in "Fugue in C Minor," a Victorian-era chiller from Lucille Fletcher (originally …

In her final appearances on Suspense, singer Margaret Whiting found herself menaced by a pair of deranged villains. First, in "Never Follow a Banjo …

Before he was one of seven castaways stranded on Gilligan's Island, Jim Backus showed off his dramatic chops in two episodes of Suspense. Backus leaves Mr. Magoo behind - first as a blind man marked for death by the mob …

Oscar-winner Paul Lukas takes his final bow on the podcast as a blind man who witnesses a murder in "A World of Darkness" (originally aired on CBS on …

He made a name for himself in swashbuckling, sword and sandal movies, but Tyrone Power wanted to be more than a romantic hero. After his military service, he sought to leave the fencing of Zorro behind and embraced …

Robert Ryan was a classic big screen heavy, a memorable menace in Crossfire, Bad Day at Black Rock, and more. He was a terrific tough guy, but offscreen, he was a pacifist who supported the civil rights movement and …

The worlds of Ray Bradbury jump from the page to the airwaves with four old time radio adaptations of his stories. First, a ventriloquist's dummy …

Best known today as humanity's last hope in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Kevin McCarthy lent his voice to a pair of Suspense thrillers in the later years of the program. First, he plays a juror whose wife has been …

The wonderful character actor Everett Sloane steps back into the spotlight in three stories from "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." We'll hear …

Paul Douglas came out of the world of announcing and sportscasting to a successful career on the stage and screen. He went from announcing a World …

The "first lady of Suspense" returns to the podcast! We'll hear Agnes Moorehead in another production of the series' most famous drama "Sorry, Wrong Number" (originally aired on CBS on September 6, 1945). Then, she …

Before he sang his way through 1776 as Benjamin Franklin, Howard Da Silva was a busy screen and stage actor earning raves for his villainous turns on Broadway and on the big screen. We'll hear him as a cop on the trail …

Whether she's making us laugh or keeping us in Suspense, we love Lucille Ball. In this spotlight episode, we'll hear my three favorites from her six visits to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." First, she's a …

In his final appearances on Suspense, Victor Mature played an infamous Mexican outlaw and an undercover cop who falls for a gangster's girlfriend. We'll hear the star of My Darling Clementine and Kiss of Death in "The …

June Duprez broke out as a star in her native England in films like The Four Feathers and The Thief of Bagdad. Unfortunately, when she crossed the …

Actor, Rat Packer, and one-time presidential brother-in-law Peter Lawford made his final visit to Suspense in an adaptation of Wilkie Collins' "A …

Marsha Hunt began her career in Hollywood in the 1930s, but she was blacklisted after she took a stand against McCarthyism and the Communist witch …

Charles Ruggles was best known to audiences for his comedic roles in Bringing Up Baby and It Happened on Fifth Avenue, but he was also the guest star …

In his final Suspense appearance, big screen baddie Dan Duryea plays a hold-up man turned murderer who has to dispose of a very inconvenient …

Stage and screen John Hodiak returns to the podcast in two more old time radio thrillers. First, he's a fast-talking hustler who joins a group of …

In this bonus episode, we're celebrating the life and career of the late, great Betty White. The legendary Emmy-winning actress started her showbusiness career in radio, and we'll hear one of her on-air performances. …

In his only appearance on Suspense, sharp-tongued satirist Henry Morgan showed off his dramatic chops. He plays a man who suspects a neighbor is a murderer in "Dream Song" (originally aired on CBS on November 6, 1947). …

For our annual bonus holiday episode, we'll hear Robert Mitchum reprise his big screen role as The Lux Radio Theatre presents Holiday Affair …

For our final regular episode of 2021, we welcome Joseph Cotten back to "Stars on Suspense" for two old time radio thrillers, including a Christmas …

Note: No intro for this show; I'm still battling back from a cold and my voice isn't radio-ready.

We're revisiting the performances of Peter Lorre in …

Note: No intro for this episode, as I'm fighting a cold and a froggy throat.

Mexican-American actress, dancer, and activist Margo returns to the …

Fay Bainter made Hollywood history in 1938 when she became the first performer nominated for two acting Oscars in the same year - winning the Best …

After he introduced stories on Suspense as the "Man in Black," Joseph Kearns moved into starring roles on radio's outstanding theater of thrills. …

During a wartime break in her acting career, Sarah Churchill worked on the planning of the British invasion of North Africa, and she served as an unofficial advisor to her father Winston - who just happened to be prime …

Over the course of his long career, character actor Jerome Cowan prosecuted Santa Claus and took a bullet to kick off The Maltese Falcon. We'll hear …

In this bonus episode, we're saying goodbye to Dean Stockwell, the Oscar-nominated star whose career stretched over seven decades in Hollywood who …

Ann Sothern's career on the stage and screen stretched six decades from bit parts in the 20s to an Oscar nomination for her final performance in 1987. She was most famous for her ten B-picture comedies as brash but …

Richard Widmark takes on the role of Iago, one of Shakespeare's most complex characters, in this ambitious two-part adaptation of Othello (originally …

For this year's final bonus Halloween show, we're taking a trip to Transylvania. Orson Welles and The Mercury Theatre On the Air present a …

With Halloween right around the corner, we welcome Herbert Marshall back to the podcast in a pair of old time radio chillers. First, he has the title …

Late at night, Jeanette Nolan takes the long way home all by herself as a killer stalks her town. Ray Bradbury's terrifying short story becomes a …

Before he was a big screen character actor in Psycho and Cloak and Dagger and a steady hand on network TV dramas like Naked City and Wagon Train, John McIntire was a busy radio performer. We'll hear him co-starring with …

We head into the mountains with William Conrad in this week's Halloween bonus episode. Here, he's part of a hunting party searching the Himalayas for the mythical yeti. It's a terrifying tale from Escape - "The …

Frank Lovejoy returns to the podcast in two of the mot intense stories to ever air on Suspense. First, Lovejoy and real-life wife Joan Banks run out of gas right in the middle of a classic radio horror story - "On a …

This week's bonus scary story comes from the mind of science fiction master Ray Bradbury. It stirred up controversy when it aired on CBS, and it still provides chills nearly 70 years later. It's "Zero Hour" (originally …

Character actor and comedian Jack Carson closes out his run on Suspense with three old time radio thrillers. First, he's an ambitious circus employee …

Our countdown to Halloween kicks off with one of the scariest shows to air on Suspense! The great William Conrad stars in "The Waxwork" (originally …

Suave and silver-haired, Otto Kruger made a name for himself as debonair villains on screen. He memorably ran a deadly domestic spy ring in Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur, menaced Philip Marlowe in Murder, My Sweet, and …

In this bonus episode, I'll share my picks for the best Suspense installments starring the legendary Orson Welles. We'll hear him first on a cross-country trip into a nightmare in "The Hitch-Hiker" (originally aired on …

Though he was born into Hollywood fame - the son of one of the movies' first major stars - Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. hadn't intended on becoming an …

Stage and screen star Victor Jory makes his final appearances on Suspense in a pair of episodes that didn't belong on "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." We'll hear the actor from Gone With the Wind and A …

Dorothy McGuire jumped from the Broadway stage to the big screen with acclaimed performances in Claudia and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. She earned an Oscar nod for her turn as a woman confronting her bigotry in …

In his final visits to Suspense, Charles Boyer played two legendary lawmen from his native France. First, the four-time Oscar nominee plays Eugene Vidocq, the master thief who switched sides and became the head of the …

Stan Freberg was a master of satire and memorably sent up politics, history, and popular culture over his 70 years in show business. His spoofs of …

Our annual birthday salute to Alfred Hitchcock isn't just a celebration of the legendary director and big screen master of suspense. It's also a tribute to his daughter, Patricia Alma O'Connell, who passed away on …

Actor and singer Robert Horton broke out with his stint on Wagon Train, where he spent several years on one of the top-rated TV shows in the country. …

For the start of our sixth season, we're shining a spotlight on Suspense MVP Cathy Lewis. One of the busiest and most talented actresses of the era, Lewis was a standout supporting player on "radio's outstanding theater …

Charles Laughton stars in a pair of stories pulled from the pages of two great English writers. These tales of murder have plenty of dark comedy …

Jackie Cooper began his career in Our Gang shorts and earned an Oscar nomination at the age of nine. After serving in the Navy during World War II, …

After making her first visits to Suspense in 1945, Joan Lorring returned to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills" in 1960. By then, both the …

It was ironic that Helmut Dantine broke out in Hollywood playing Nazis in wartime dramas; he'd been part of the anti-Nazi resistance in his native …

Michael O'Shea dropped out of school at the age of 12 and wound up on stages in the vaudeville circuit and in speakeasies before he arrived on …

Actress and singer Virginia Bruce introduced a Cole Porter classic and starred as the quintessential showgirl in The Ziegfeld Follies, but studio …

Through the 40s and 50s, Margaret Whiting was one of America's most popular singing stars. She recorded and performed through the 90s, but she took …

Warren William, one of the kings of pre-Code Hollywood, won over audiences with his powerful portrayals of slightly unscrupulous characters. He was …

Character actor Keenan Wynn returns for his final appearances on Suspense in a pair of shows that show of the silly and serious sides of "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." First, Wynn co-stars with Hume Cronyn in …

Phil Silvers broke out on Broadway before he became a household name as the scheming Sgt. Bilko on TV's The Phil Silvers Show. The funny man showed …

The star of Shadow of a Doubt and The Third Man returns for more old time radio thrillers. Joseph Cotten stars in two tales of Suspense and plays …

With her powerful, belting voice and inimitable stage presence, Ethel Merman became one of the biggest stars on Broadway and the queen of musical …

Jeff Chandler returns to the podcast in another pair of old time radio thrillers. First, he stars in a story set to the lyrics of a haunting ballad …

Two-time Oscar nominee John Garfield broke out of the New York theatre scene, and his star burned brightly until he ran afoul of the House …

In his final Suspense appearance, Brian Donlevy played a doctor coming to the aid of a man recently returned from the dead. The Oscar nominee stars in "Lazarus Walks" (originally aired on CBS on October 31, 1946). Then, …

Irish-born actor Dan O'Herlihy broke out on the big screen when he earned an Oscar nod for the title role in Robinson Crusoe. Over the course of his …

Katina Paxinou came to the United States at the outset of World War II, unable to return to her native Greece. The theatre star made a big Hollywood …

Dane Clark prided himself on playing average joes on the big screen, and in the two episodes we'll hear this week he plays a pair of men caught up in murder. One falls into a trap, and the other plots the perfect crime, …

When Suspense was revamped as an hour-long series, two-time Academy Award nominee and director Robert Montgomery was on hand as producer, host, and …

Hitchcock leading man, sitcom star, wartime flight instructor, and godson of a Wright Brother - Robert Cummings wore many hats during his life and career. The Emmy-winning actor made a pair of visits to Suspense ten …

For his final appearances on Suspense, Vincent Price starred in an encore production of one of the scariest shows of the series, as well as an adaptation of a classic short story.  We'll hear him in "Three Skeleton Key" …

Hailed as the "Queen of the B-movies," Marie Windsor carved out a career playing tough femme fatale roles in noir dramas like The Narrow Margin and …

Before his Oscar-nominated turn in The Defiant Ones and before he wore a dress and wooed Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot, Tony Curtis made his one …

Burly character actor Alan Hale was a regular presence in films through the 30s and 40s, lending support to stars like Barbara Stanwyck, Basil …

B-movie leading man Dennis O'Keefe grew up in a vaudeville family and embarked on a screen career - both starring in films and writing them. We'll hear the star of T-Men, Brewster's Millions, and Cover Up in a pair of …

For her final visit to Suspense, Dame May Whitty recreated a performance she'd memorably played on stage and screen. In this hour-long adaptation of Emlyn Williams' play Night Must Fall (originally aired on CBS on March …

Bonita Granville's screen career was short, but she made the most of it. She earned an Oscar nomination at age 14, and she starred in four films as junior detective Nancy Drew before she switched gears to produce …

Lloyd Bridges' final appearances on Suspense took him from the gym to his Sea Hunt haunts on the ocean floor. But no matter where he went, murder was close at hand. We'll hear the star of High Noon and Airplane! in "Rub …

Known to old time radio fans everywhere as Sam Spade, Howard Duff was one of the biggest names of the radio era. Not only was he a skilled dramatic …

We'll kick off a new year with the "First Lady of Suspense!" Agnes Moorehead returns in a pair of old time radio thrillers, including her very first …

For our final podcast episode of 2020, we welcome Frank Lovejoy back to the podcast for two more old time radio thrillers. He stars as one of the …

Christmas is almost here, and to celebrate here's a bonus episode light on suspense but heavy on the stars. We'll hear David Niven, Jane Greer, and …

Raymond Burr was doing double duty when he starred in these installments of Suspense. He could be seen every week on television in the earliest …

Paul Lukas started his career in his native Hungary, but he found more stage and screen stardom when he journeyed to Hollywood. Lukas won an Oscar …

Susan Hayward earned five Oscar nominations and one win for her dynamic performances in stories pulled from real life. Hayward took home her Academy …

Before he spent four seasons on a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Richard Basehart was a rising Hollywood star and made a visit to the Suspense …

Leading man Robert Taylor made his Suspense debut as a reporter who stumbles into the story of the century in "The Argyle Album" (originally aired on CBS on December 13, 1945). Then we'll hear him join Mary, Phil, …

Actress Lynn Bari enjoyed a long career on the big and small screens, and though she never really broke into the starring sphere she appeared in hundreds of films opposite some of the major stars of the era. Her …

Before he solved TV crimes as Cannon, William Conrad was one of the titans of the golden age of radio. With his booming voice, Conrad gave life to …

John Lund's big screen career started with a bang but faded by the mid-1950s. Still, he was able to display his versatility during his appearances on Suspense. We'll hear him as a writer who finds inspiration in a …

I've saved the best - and scariest - for last. In our final Halloween Haunts bonus episode, we'll hear my pick for the most terrifying tale to ever air on "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." Robert Taylor and …

Ray Bradbury brought science fiction into the mainstream with stories like The Martian Chronicles, and his works were adapted for some of the best …

A car out of gas, a frightened couple, and a homicidal maniac on the loose - they all come together in "On a Country Road," still one of the most terrifying stories ever produced on Suspense seventy years after it first …

Lee J. Cobb was still a rising star in Hollywood - years before his Oscar-nominated turns in On the Waterfront and The Brothers Karamazov and his …

This week's scary story from Suspense was made to be enjoyed with the lights out. Join Ralph Edwards as a DJ who spends a night in a haunted house for a radio show stunt and gets more than he bargained for in "Ghost …

Hungarian-born actor and director Cornel Wilde displays his versatility at the microphone in a pair of old time radio thrillers. First, he's a …

Our month-long Halloween celebration continues with another Friday bonus episode. We'll hear another one of my picks for the scariest Suspense episodes of all time. This week's installment pits Vincent Price, Ben …

Ezio Pinza sang on the stages of the greatest opera houses in the world, and he played nearly 100 characters over the course of his long career. When …

With Halloween right around the corner, I've picked five of the most frightening episodes of Suspense for bonus shows that are sure to get you in the trick-or-treating mood. Up first is Orson Welles in Lucille …

Tony-winning and Oscar-nominated actress Nancy Kelly returns in two more old time radio thrillers. Best known as the mother of The Bad Seed on stage …

Frequently cast as characters from the Emerald Isle, Pat O'Brien was known as "Hollywood's Irishman in residence." Best known as the street tough …

In his final visit to Suspense, Eddie Bracken sheds his lovable and dopey screen persona honed in comedies from Preston Sturges. We'll hear him in …

Character actor Everett Sloane broke out in radio and onstage before he moved to movies like Citizen Kane and The Lady from Shanghai. His voice was …

For his final Suspense appearance, Edmond O'Brien starred in a grim tale of the frontier pulled from the history books. We'll hear him in "Ordeal in …

Debonair British star David Niven lent a touch of class and charm to his roles during his long Hollywood career. Whether he was racing the globe in …

Best known for his physical presence in epics like The Robe and Samson and Delilah, Victor Mature starred on stage, screen, and television in musicals, westerns, and noir dramas. We'll hear him in a pair of thrillers, …

For our 200th episode, I'm sharing five of my favorite "tales well calculated to keep you in Suspense." We'll hear Dana Andrews in Ray Bradbury's …

We're celebrating the birthday of Alfred Hitchcock with one of the big screen master of suspense's films adapted for radio. In this Screen Directors' Playhouse production, Mercedes McCambridge and Joseph Cotten star in …

Peter Lawford broke out in Hollywood in British war stories at the outset of World War II, and the English-born actor appeared in The Picture of …

Dan Duryea was a big screen heavy - equally at home in urban noir dramas and westerns. His looks, combined with his knack for movie villainy, earned him the nickname "the heel with sex appeal." He put that talent for …

Lloyd Nolan stars on opposite sides of the law in a pair of Suspense thrillers. First, he's a man driven to murder in "Double Ugly" (originally aired …

Merle Oberon broke out on the big screen in England, and Hollywood producers were quick to bring her across the pond for their own films. She rose to …

John Hodiak broke out in Hollywood when Alfred Hitchcock cast him in Lifeboat, but his subsequent screen career had ups and downs. A sensational turn …

Van Heflin returns to the podcast in two more old time radio thrillers, including a tale pulled from the history books. We'll hear the star of 3:10 …

One of Hollywood's most popular and beloved child stars, Margaret O'Brien turned in performances on Suspense that outshone some of the adult …

Eddie Cantor was one of the most beloved showmen of the 20th century; he kept audiences entertained on stage, screen, and for nearly two decades on radio. The singer and comedian made one trip to Suspense for a …

In his final appearances on Suspense, James Mason starred in a tale of intrigue from the court of Elizabeth I and a mystery from genre master John Dickson Carr. Mason co-stars with his then-wife Pamela in "The Queen's …

Actress, singer, and activist Lena Horne kept audiences entertained over her long screen and stage career, and she fought tirelessly for civil rights alongside some of the giants of the movement. We'll hear her as a …

For his final appearance on the podcast, Ray Milland stars in a Suspense story from Raymond Chandler. Milland plays a private eye in the comedic caper "Pearls are a Nuisance" (originally aired on CBS on April 20, 1950). …

Nearly 80 years after it first aired, Lucille Fletcher's "Sorry, Wrong Number" remains a powerful masterpiece of suspense. It's one of the all-time …

Susan Peters was one of Hollywood's brightest rising dramatic stars before a tragic hunting accident paralyzed her. But she didn't stop acting, and …

Oops! This week's episode contained the wrong version of "A Vision of Death," so here is the June 1, 1953 episode starring Ronald Colman, Mary Jane …

In 1953, Ronald Colman took his final bows on Suspense with a pair of terrific thrillers. We'll hear him in an encore performance of "A Vision of …

Dancing her way from the stage and on to the big screen, Margo won acclaim for her screen performances in the 1930s and 40s. The blacklist ultimately …

In Singin' in the Rain, Donald O'Connor showed us how to "Make 'Em Laugh," but in his two visits to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills" the actor, singer, and dancer kept audiences in Suspense. We'll hear him in …

Actress and groundbreaking director Ida Lupino takes her final bow on the podcast in her first and last appearances on Suspense. We'll hear her co-starring with Agnes Moorehead in a story of deadly sibling rivalry - …

Herbert Marshall returns to the podcast in stories of prewar and postwar Suspense. First, he's a schoolmaster blackmailed by a delinquent student in …

Though he was rarely the star of the show, Joseph Kearns was one of the most frequently heard voices on Suspense. For years, he played supporting …

John Lund plays a pair of villains - one reluctant and one cold and calculating - in two "tales well calculated to keep you in Suspense." Though he …

Jack Carson came out of the vaudeville comedy circuit and carved out a niche as an arrogant, but ignorant, know-it-all in films and on his own radio …

One of the screen's most intense and engaging presences, Richard Widmark always turned in a terrific performance when he visited the Hollywood sound …

For her final appearance on the podcast, we're going back to Claire Trevor's first visit to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." The Oscar-winning star of Key Largo co-stars with Nancy Kelly in "A Tale of Two …

A big screen tough guy who could also play comedic and sensitive, Brian Donlevy carved out an impressive career on the big screen in movies like Beau …

As a sitcom dad, Robert Young always "knew best," but he was no slouch in the Suspense department during his visits to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." We'll hear Young co-star with Virginia Bruce in …

For over twenty years on radio, Jim and Marian Jordan (better known as "Fibber McGee and Molly") kept audiences in stitches with their unique blend …

We're saluting the late Kirk Douglas with all three of the legendary actor's performances on Suspense. The star of Spartacus and Paths of Glory headlines "Community Property" (originally aired on CBS on April 10, 1947); …

Loretta Young won an Oscar and delighted audiences in comedies, dramas, and thrillers before she entered the new frontier of television. Her …

For her memorable performances in classic thrillers like "Sorry, Wrong Number" and "The Diary of Saphronia Winters," Agnes Moorehead earned the title "First Lady of Suspense." We'll hear the four-time Oscar nominee and …

It was said Ginger Rogers could do everything her dancing partner Fred Astaire could do, but backwards and in high heels. Her dazzling dances won …

Van Johnson is back in the Suspense spotlight in his final three visits to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." The star of Battleground and The Caine Mutiny (and a Batman TV villain) stars in "Salvage" (originally …

Dane Clark prided himself on playing regular guys and described himself as "Joe Average." But his wasn't an average story: he broke out on the big …

Actor and director Robert Montgomery was part of the family on Suspense. During the show's era as a sixty-minute series, the star of Here Comes Mr. Jordan and Night Must Fall, he was the master of ceremonies for …

We wrap up 2019 with one of the biggest movie stars of all time - Humphrey Bogart. We'll hear the legendary leading man in his one and only visit to Suspense - "Love's Lovely Counterfeit" (originally aired on CBS on …

In a bonus episode just in time for Christmas, we'll hear past "Stars on Suspense" Maureen O'Hara and Edmund Gwenn recreate their film roles as The …

One of Hollywood's biggest box office draws during the World War II years, Greer Garson earned seven Oscar nominations and one win for her memorable …

Clifton Webb's breakthrough role in Laura earned him an Oscar nomination and a place in film history as one of Hollywood's most colorful character …

Character actor and occasional screenwriter Hume Cronyn (Shadow of a Doubt, Cocoon) returns to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills" in two stories of unhappy marriages that put the "death" in "till death do us part" …

Joseph Cotten - the charming serial killer of Shadow of a Doubt - returns for two more visits to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills" in tales of a missing wife and a deadly experiment. We'll hear "You'll Never See …

For his final visit to the podcast, legendary screen gangster and tough guy Edward G. Robinson stars as himself and "The Man Who Wanted to Be Edward G. Robinson" (originally aired on CBS on October 19, 1946). Then, …

Curly-haired character actor Sam Jaffe lent a memorable presence to everything from film noir (The Asphalt Jungle) to classic sci-fi (The Day the Earth Stood Still) to Disney musicals (Bedknobs & Broomsticks). The …

Edmond O'Brien returns to the podcast in an hour-long installment of "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." The Oscar-winning character actor extraordinaire of The Barefoot Contessa and The Wild Bunch plays a man …

It's Halloween, and our star this week headlines one of the scariest shows Suspense ever aired. Ralph Edwards, best known as the jovial host of madcap game shows, stars as a radio DJ narrating his trip through a haunted …

For their final visit to Suspense, Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard starred as themselves. The couple finds their plans for an anniversary date thwarted by the mysterious "Mr. Diogenes" (originally aired on CBS on …

He was one of Hollywood's brightest stars - obsessively committed to bringing his characters to life and a master of make-up to transform himself on …

After she came to Hollywood and made her American movie debut at age 72, Dame May Whitty carved out a niche (and earned two Oscar nods) by playing …

In his final appearances on Suspense, William Powell played against type as characters far removed from debonair drunkard Nick Charles of The Thin Man. We'll hear him as a Soviet embassy clerk desperately trying to …

Lloyd Bridges' name may conjure up memories of goofy comedy in Airplane! and Hot Shots!, but long before those films he was a busy dramatic actor on the big and small screens. We'll hear the father of actors Beau and …

For the 150th episode of the podcast, we welcome another star to our "five-timer's club." Vincent Price is back in the Suspense spotlight in two more …

One of Hollywood's greatest leading men takes his final bow on the podcast as James Stewart headlines two more old time radio thrillers. First, he's …

After she broke into Hollywood at the age of 15, Linda Darnell established herself as a leading lady opposite Tyrone Power and in films from Otto …

Oscar-winner William Holden stars in a wartime drama and a science fiction adventure in his final visits to Suspense. We'll hear the star of Stalag 17

Before he starred on screen in The Hitch-Hiker and In a Lonely Place, Frank Lovejoy was a busy radio actor. He played the Blue Beetle, menaced the …

Character actor Lloyd Nolan returns to the podcast for two more visits to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." The big screen Michael Shayne …

The master of suspense was born 120 years ago today, and we're saluting Alfred Hitchcock with one of his classic films recreated for radio. Ray Milland and Frank Lovejoy star in the cautionary tale about talking to …

Orson Welles called her "the world's greatest living radio actress," and it's easy to see why when you hear Mercedes McCambridge at the microphone. The Oscar-winning actress cut her teeth in radio before bringing home …

A classic big screen tough guy, Broderick Crawford took home an Oscar for his turn as a fiery corrupt politico in All the King's Men and he kept the …

The first lady of Suspense is back! Agnes Moorehead returns to the podcast for a pair of old time radio thrillers, including a production of the most …

J. Carrol Naish shows why he was "Hollywood's one-man U.N." in his first and last visits to Suspense. The two-time Oscar nominated actor could …

Adept at both romantic leads and dastardly villainous roles, Victor Jory enjoyed a long career on stage, screen, and television. His jet black eyes …

Before he entered the small screen courtroom as Perry Mason, Raymond Burr was a big screen heavy and a busy radio actor. He played everything from killers to cops to cavalrymen, and he supported stars in their visits to …

In his final appearance on the podcast, Dana Andrews plays a man plotting a murder and a cop on the trail of a killer. The star of Laura and Where …

For Cary Grant's final visit to the podcast, we're going back to his first visit to Suspense - an adaptation of Cornell Woolrich's "The Black …

Dinah Shore was one of the most popular singers of the 1940s, with nearly 100 chart-topping hits like "Blues in the Night" and "Baby, It's Cold …

In movies like 3:10 to Yuma and Shane, Van Heflin shined as ordinary men standing up to evil. But in his visits to Suspense, Heflin usually shed his heroic trappings and kept audiences thrilled as villains. We'll hear …

Though he's best known to old time radio fans as lovable lug Chester A. Riley, William Bendix made a name for himself as rough and tumble tough guys …

Before he was an Oscar nominee, Jeff Chandler was a busy radio actor. He played a western lawyer, private eye Michael Shayne, and bashful biology …

For his final visit to Suspense, three-time Academy Award nominee Kirk Douglas starred as a man whose wandering eye lands him and his new love in …

We take a break from “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills” to salute the late legend of Hollywood, Doris Day. The Oscar-nominee, box office star, …

Marie Wilson was best known for her radio, TV, and film work as the ditzy, scatterbrained sweetheart Irma Peterson in My Friend Irma. She played to her comedy strengths in her only appearance on Suspense – the …

In Casablanca as resistance leader Victor Lazlo, Paul Henreid rallies a crowd to drown out the Nazis with a spirited rendition of “La Marseillaise.” …

Oscar-winning star and Batman villain Anne Baxter makes her final visit to the podcast in “The Thirteenth Sound,” a Suspense story from April 26, 1951. We’ll also hear her as she recreates her big screen, …

Over the course of a nearly sixty-year career that spanned two continents, Charles Boyer was one of the screen’s most popular stars. The French actor …

Fred MacMurray leaves flying cars and Flubber behind for his third and final appearance on Suspense. We’ll hear the star in “The Great Train Robbery” (originally aired on CBS on April 13, 1953) – a story that finds …

One of the earliest winners of the "Triple Crown" of acting, Thomas Mitchell was an always-welcome presence in some of the greatest movies of old …

For his third and fourth visits to Suspense, James Mason played two criminals who feel the pressure of the law closing in on them. In two different tales, the star of North by Northwest and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea …

Sometimes the stars who appeared on Suspense were up and comers in Hollywood, and they made their visits to “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills” …

Oscar-winner Ray Milland makes two more visits to “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills” as two men in two very different but equally desperate situations. First, the star of The Lost Weekend is a man whose wife has …

Vincent Price delivers a pair of terrifically unhinged performances in two more tales well calculated to keep you in Suspense. The star of House on …

Four-time Oscar nominee Barbara Stanwyck was one of the biggest stars of Hollywood, dazzling audiences with her dynamic turns in Double Indemnity, …

Oscar-winner Ronald Colman was a radio fixture as Jack Benny’s long-suffering neighbor and a college president in The Halls of Ivy, but he could also …

Whether he was a thorn in the side of The Absent Minded Professor or reluctantly destroying Coke machines in Dr. Strangelove, Keenan Wynn was always a welcome presence on screen. We’ll hear the character actor in two of …

Charles Laughton plays two very different - but equally disturbed - men in these installments of “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills.” The star of Witness for the Prosecution and Mutiny on the Bounty is “An Honest …

After she worked on radio as a child actor, Joan Lorring broke out in movies at age 19 with an Oscar-nominated turn in The Corn is Green. It was one of many successes she’d have in a career that took her to the big and …

Oscar-nominated actor Richard Widmark brings more of his unique intensity to Suspense as he stars in a pair of dramas pitting man against nature. We’ll hear him in “The Track of the Cat” (originally aired on CBS on …

Oscar and Tony-winning actor Jose Ferrer came to Suspense before he made his Hollywood debut when he was the toast of the Great White Way for his …

Feisty, fiercely independent Maureen O'Hara - the red-headed Irish-American leading lady of old Hollywood - made only one visit to "radio's …

Joseph Cotten - hero of The Third Man and heel of Shadow of a Doubt - is back for two more visits to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." He stars as a director caught up in a real-life mystery in "Sneak Preview" …

We couldn't let 2018 end without one more Star On Suspense, and our final leading lady of the year is the great Judy Garland. She doesn't sing in her …

Dapper British leading man Herbert Marshall returns to the Suspense microphone in two radio thrillers - including a chiller of a Christmas story. The star of Foreign Correspondent and The Little Foxes stars in "My Own …

Oscar-winning actress Mary Astor started in the silent era, transitioned to the talkies, and worked on stage, screen, and television even as she struggled with tragedies and trials off screen. We'll hear her in the only …

For Gene Kelly's final performances on Suspense, he headlined two stories as a pair of dangerous, desperate men - characters who were miles from the men he played in musicals like Anchors Away and Singing in the Rain. …

Gregory Peck stars in a "ripped from the headlines" tale of teenage drug addiction in his fifth and final appearance on Suspense. Peck plays a juvenile investigator in "The Truth About Jerry Baxter" (originally aired on …

Jane Wyman won as Oscar for her performance as a deaf-mute woman in Johnny Belinda, but this week we'll hear her put her voice to excellent use acting and singing. She stars in "Catch Me If You Can" (originally aired on …

Edmund Gwenn may be best known as Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street, but in his two visits to Suspense no one would mistake him for Santa Claus. …

Gloria Swanson is ready for her close-up. The silent movie star and box office sensation ruled Hollywood in the 1920s and returned with a vengeance …

Edward G. Robinson - one of the great big screen gangsters, begins and ends his run on Suspense with these two old time radio thrillers. We'll hear …

"The man with the perfect profile" enjoyed great success as a Hollywood leading man, but Robert Taylor explored darker, more complex roles as his …

It's the 100th episode of well-calculated tales from Stars On Suspense, and we're marking the occasion with the first and last episodes of "radio's …

One of the screen's brightest stars, Myrna Loy broke out with her wry and sophisticated comedy turn as Nora Charles in The Thin Man and grew so …

Equally effective as weary heroes and psychotic villains, Robert Mitchum had a screen presence that few actors could replicate. Best known for his …

The great William Conrad lends his booming voice to two outstanding "tales well calculated to keep you in Suspense." One of the all-time legends of …

Actor, writer, and director Cornel Wilde was a gifted mimic with a talent for languages. It served him well in his screen career, and it especially …

In his second and final appearance on Suspense, Jimmy Cagney stars in "No Escape," a cautionary tale of distracted (and deadly) driving (originally aired on CBS on December 16, 1948). Then we'll hear the star of Angels …

Claire Trevor - the "queen of film noir" - returns to the Suspense microphone in two more old time radio thrillers. We'll hear Trevor as a woman …

Despite his long career in Hollywood (and his fantastic voice), Roddy McDowall made only one visit to Suspense. We'll hear the star of Planet of the …

Oscar-nominated actress and singer Ava Gardner turned in sensational performances in The Killers, Seven Days in May, and more, and her off-screen romances with Mickey Rooney and Frank Sinatra made for memorable chapters …

The "First Lady of Suspense" is back! Agnes Moorehead stars in a pair of eerie thrillers that will keep you on the edge of your seat: "Uncle Henry's Rosebush" (originally aired on CBS on June 23, 1943) and an adaptation …

Hail to the Chief! Before he sat in the Oval Office, Ronald Reagan made a pair of visits to the Suspense microphone. Tune in and “hear one for the Gipper.” Better yet, hear two as Reagan stars in “One and One’s a …

“Stars On Suspense” salutes the master of suspense – Alfred Hitchcock. We’re celebrating the anniversary of the legendary director’s birth with an …

We're back with more legends of Hollywood in tales well calculated to keep you in Suspense. This week, our star is John Lund, the boyishly good …

Father may have known best, but when Robert Young starred on Suspense he played characters miles away from beloved radio and TV dad Jim Anderson. We'll hear Young co-star with Geraldine Fitzgerald in "A Friend to …

With his good looks and affable demeanor, Van Johnson was a matinee idol to the bobbysoxer crowd during the war years. He went on to success on the …

Best known as the mother of The Bad Seed, Nancy Kelly made eight visits to Suspense during her long Broadway and Hollywood career. We'll hear the …

Emmy winner Hume Cronyn was no stranger to thrills and chills. A frequent collaborator of Alfred Hitchcock, Cronyn played the scene stealing true …

Best known for his strong, heroic performances on screen, Henry Fonda played presidents, farmers, cowboys, and killers with a quiet authority over a fifty year career. We'll hear the Oscar winner in "Summer Storm," his …

Big and small screen legend Mickey Rooney plays two small-time hoods yearning to be big and facing the consequences of their actions in these old …

To generations of radio, TV, and movie fans, Eve Arden lives in the halls of high school as Principal McGee of Grease or the titular Our Miss Brooks …

For his final visits to Suspense, the great Orson Welles starred in an epic two-part adaptation of Curt Siodmak's "Donovan's Brain." Welles plays a scientist whose experiments into the power of the brain take a sinister …

Whether she was locked in a surfside embrace with Burt Lancaster or dancing with Yul Brynner, Deborah Kerr turned in memorable performances on screen …

Singer, actor, director, producer - Dick Powell wore many hats during his career in Hollywood. Starting out in musical comedies, Powell reinvented …

Actress, singer, and World War II pin-up legend Betty Grable brings her "million dollar legs" to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." Ms. Grable …

Oscar-winner Charles Laughton is back in more "tales well calculated to keep you in Suspense." We'll hear him co-star with his wife Elsa Lanchester …

Eddie Bracken endeared himself to audiences with winning turns as lovable losers in comedies like The Miracle oft Morgan's Creek and Hail the Conquering Hero, but on Suspense he turned his "aw shucks" persona on its …

Suspense regular Richard Widmark is back in the saddle for two more old time radio thrillers. In "Tell You Why I Shouldn't Die" (originally aired on …

Oscar-winner Edmond O'Brien was one of Hollywood's most colorful character actors, making memorable appearances in The Killers, The Man Who Shot …

Sophisticated and charming on screen, three-time Oscar nominee William Powell showed a different side in his performances on Suspense. His desperate characters - men on the run with greed and murder in their hearts - …

In her third and final performance on Suspense, four-time Oscar nominee Rosalind Russell is new bride whose marriage falls in the shadow of her grandfather's murder. We'll hear her in "When the Bough Breaks" (originally …

A comedian's ability to keep audiences in stitches didn't mean he couldn't deliver a strong dramatic performance, and our stars this week prove that …

Alan Ladd returns to the podcast for the end of his run on Suspense. Ladd's big break came in film noir classics like This Gun for Hire, and his characters in these two radio thrillers are cut from the same cloth as the …

Oscar and Emmy winner William Holden was one of Hollywood's biggest stars for decades, with his performances as cynical, conflicted men winning …

For her final appearances on Suspense, Lucille Ball was joined by her then-husband Desi Arnaz. But unlike I Love Lucy, where they played for laughs, Lucy and Desi were cast in radio thrillers: tales of greed and menace. …

Best known for crooning and comedy, Dennis Day shows off his dramatic side in a pair of thrillers from Suspense. The longtime cast member of The Jack Benny Program plays a beatnik who thinks a murder wrap is a gas in …

Generations of viewers knew Lloyd Nolan from B-movies of the 1940s and later in television appearances through the 1980s. The Emmy winning star …

Horror icon Vincent Price is back on Suspense in two more old time radio thrillers - including one of the scariest the medium ever produced. We'll …

You'd never guess J. Carrol Naish hailed from New York. Celebrated as "Hollywood's one-man U.N.", Naish could convincingly play characters from all …

Tough big screen leading man Dana Andrews made four visits to “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills,” and the star of Laura, Where the Sidewalk Ends, and The Best Years of Our Lives made memorable impressions as both …

With her glamorous looks and her mellifluous accent, Marlene Dietrich kept audiences captivated on stage and screen in her native Germany and later …

The "first lady of Suspense" returns to the podcast as Agnes Moorehead stars in two more old time radio thrillers. In these two shows - one a blend …

Oscar winner Van Heflin made memorable appearances in Johnny Eager, 3:10 to Yuma and Shane, and he lent his powerful presence to the radio role of …

For Halloween, “Stars On Suspense” presents two of the biggest names in horror cinema – Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff starring in “radio’s …

Fredric March was one of the most celebrated stars of stage and screen, a man whose performances earned him a pair of Oscars and two Tony Awards. Equally at home in comedy and drama, March brought to life characters …

With scintillating performances in Gilda and more, Rita Hayworth was a box office draw and a pin-up idol of the 1940s and 1950s. But there was more …

We bid adieu to Peter Lorre as the star of Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, and M makes his final appearances on “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills.” First, he’s a mysterious count who makes a dangerous offer to his …

When William Bendix visited Suspense, it was anything but a “revoltin’ development.” Best known as bumbling sitcom patriarch Chester A. Riley in The …

Angela Lansbury is a three-time Oscar nominee and a five-time Tony winner, and she’s still going strong. The legend of the stage and screen is known …

In a career that spanned five decades, Glenn Ford brought to tough, masculine characters on screen. Ford was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood in …

Kirk Douglas played heroes, villains, and morally ambiguous characters in between in a career that spanned six decades. He earned three Oscar nominations and turned in intense and memorable performances in Spartacus, …

In an extra-large edition for our 50th podcast episode, we welcome Orson Welles back to the show for three of his visits to Suspense. In the fall of 1943, Welles starred in several episodes of “radio’s outstanding …

In a special bonus episode of Stars On Suspense, we salute the late, great Jerry Lewis. Though he never made any visits to “radio’s outstanding …

Fred MacMurray may be best known to generations of movie and TV fans for his family-friendly roles in classic Disney films and the long-running …

After making a name for himself in the United Kingdom, James Mason came across the pond to Hollywood. With his silvery voice and leading man looks, …

Despite a tragically short career, Laird Cregar made his mark with several memorable big screen performances in films like This Gun for Hire and The Lodger. With his massive frame, Cregar was a natural fit as “heavies,” …

Joan Fontaine earned acclaim for her performances in classic films like Rebecca and Suspicion, and she appeared on the stage and the big and small screens for nearly sixty years. Like her sister, fellow actress, and …

Perennial Suspense favorite Joseph Cotten is back in two more "tales well calculated." The popular star of Shadow of a Doubt appears first as a man …

Ray Milland's screen career stretched from the 1930s to the 1970s, earning him an Oscar and leaving a series of memorable performances in The Lost Weekend, Dial 'M' for Murder, and more. A talented director as well as …

A real-life hero in Hollywood, Herbert Marshall lost a leg in World War I before he went on to a long career on the stage and screen. The handsome, …

Olivia de Havilland won two Oscars during her six decade screen career, and she's still making news today. The star of Gone With the Wind and The …

Some of the twentieth century's best singers made visits to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills" during the twenty year run of Suspense. This …

With his leading man looks and his mellifluous voice, Ronald Colman was a star of both the silent and talking eras of Hollywood. His appearances on …

A star in front of and behind the camera, Ida Lupino was one of Hollywood’s first female directors and producers. She turned in memorable …

Cary Grant returns to the podcast for one last “tale well calculated to keep you in Suspense.” We’ll hear the legendary leading man in “The Black …

Gene Kelly dances his way to “radio’s outstanding theatre of thrills” in two shows that are miles away from his screen persona. The star of An American in Paris and Singin’ in the Rain leaves his dazzling footwork at …

Gregory Peck returns to “Stars On Suspense” in two old time radio thrillers – a pair of tales about the dangers that can lurk on the highway. First, …

Glamorous leading lady Lana Turner had a career that spanned five decades from her discovery at a Hollywood café all the way up to her final …

One of the great gangster stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Edward G. Robinson excelled at playing all types of characters over his fifty year …

Known as "the queen of film noir," Claire Trevor was amazing on screen as tough dames and gun molls (including Murder, My Sweet and her Oscar-winning …

Before she was a TV star, and even before she kept audiences smiling with her radio comedy series, Lucille Ball delivered tough noir performances in episodes of Suspense. She was as talented in the world of drama and …

Two comedy legends trade jokes and laughs for thrills and chills when they visit “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills.” First, Bob Hope plays a man who has an appointment with a murderer in “Death Has a Shadow” …

Whether he was singing and dancing, breaking the law, or wielding a grapefruit, James Cagney never failed to deliver energetic, compelling performances on the big screen. The Oscar-winner gave audiences a series of …

Bette Davis made only one appearance on Suspense, but it was a doozy. The two-time Oscar winner and ten-time nominee stands as one of the biggest …

Jack Benny sets down his violin and climbs out of his Maxwell for his final appearances on Suspense. Radio’s most popular comedian returns to …

Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard were the stars of their own long-running radio and television sitcoms, but before they took their adventures to TV they made a pair of memorable appearances on Suspense. Playing …

Long before he wore the white coat of Marcus Welby, MD and even before Father Knows Best, Robert Young was a big screen star making visits to Suspense. Those only familiar with him from those kindly, classic TV …

In two appearances on Suspense, Danny Kaye traded singing, dancing, and his trademark silliness for thrills and chills. The star of White Christmas and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty plays very effectively against type …

Academy Award-winning actress Anne Baxter was a mainstay on stage and the big and small screens over her long career- from her first films at age 17 to her Oscar win for The Razor's Edge and her nomination for the title …

Vincent Price returns to “Stars On Suspense” for two more installments from “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills.” The big screen master of horror lends his voice to these chilling mysteries that deliver surprising …

Though his performances could be overshadowed by his turbulent personal life, Mickey Rooney was one of Hollywood’s most celebrated and enduring …

“Stars On Suspense” celebrates Valentine’s Day with two radio thrillers starring real-life spouses. First, we’ll hear Jim and Marian Jordan – better …

On the big screen, Charles Laughton earned acclaim and awards for playing larger than life characters – figures like the tyrannical Captain Bligh, King Henry VIII, and the cagey legal eagle Sir Wilfrid Robarts. He …

The “first lady of Suspense” returns as Agnes Moorehead stars in two more well-calculated tales. First, we’ll hear her in a production of the most …

Before he was an Academy Award nominated actor, Richard Widmark was a busy radio performer. Even after his big screen career took off, he remained active in radio and he made over a dozen appearances on Suspense. With …

In her appearances on Suspense, Rosalind Russell traded the fast-paced banter of His Girl Friday for tense psychological drama. The five-time Golden …

Best known as the titular gunfighter in Shane, Alan Ladd broke into stardom with his turn as a cold-blooded killer in the film noir classic This Gun …

Peter Lorre returns in two more “tales well calculated to keep you in Suspense.” First, Lorre plays a down-on-his-luck boxing manager who concocts a …

Burt Lancaster – the circus acrobat turned Oscar-winning actor – played a variety of complex characters in a screen career that spanned five decades. After early work in action and adventure films, he expanded into …

Oscar-winner Joan Crawford was one of Hollywood’s all-time greatest stars, from her early days in the silent era to her award-winning turn in Mildred …

Tall, lanky, and with that unmistakable drawl, Jimmy Stewart made memorable impressions in classic films from It’s a Wonderful Life to Mr. Smith Goes …

The man himself – Orson Welles – is back at the microphone in two “tales well calculated to keep you in Suspense.” First, he’s the dastardly General …

One of Hollywood’s top stars of the 1940s, Joseph Cotten was practically a member of the family on Suspense, making 18 appearances between 1944 and …

Before he was Atticus Finch, Oscar-winner Gregory Peck made five trips to Suspense. On “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills,” Peck was frequently cast as an everyman in over his head in dangerous situations, trying …

Before I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball delighted audiences on radio in comedies and dramas, including six appearances on Suspense. The red-headed comedienne took a break from her radio sitcom My Favorite Husband to visit …

Cary Grant once said "If I ever do any more radio work, I want to do it on Suspense." The legendary leading man made five appearances on "radio's …

Radio’s stingiest would-be violin virtuoso Jack Benny traded puns for peril when he visited Suspense. Benny was the star of one of radio’s most …

Before he was a big screen horror icon, Vincent Price was a busy actor in Hollywood – both on screen and on the air. In his 13 appearances on …

Hailed as “the first lady of Suspense,” Agnes Moorehead appeared on radio’s outstanding theater of thrills more than any other star. She is most famous for her performance in “Sorry, Wrong Number,” but this Emmy and …

An actor who could play both mysterious heroes and dastardly villains, Peter Lorre was able to employ the full range of his talents when he appeared …

We launch our show with the one and only Orson Welles. The legendary actor, writer, and director made nine appearances on Suspense, beginning with “The Hitch-Hiker.” We’ll hear that tale of terror on the highway …