by Delmer Padgett

Created on: May 18, 2010

"Radios outstanding theater of thrills, with tales well calculated to keep you in SUSPENSE!" This was the way announcer Paul Frees began one of radios longest running and most popular mystery series "Suspense". Created by Charles Vanda "Suspense first hit the radio airwaves on the CBS radio network in 1942. The program had a very talented staff of writers, among them were Ferrin Fraser and Joseph Greene. Its directors were greats Norman Macdonnell and William Spier.

It was William Spier who had the novel idea to cast some of Hollywood's leading talent against type on "Suspense", with outstanding results as it turned out. Among these performers were; Jack Benny,Cary Grant, Lucille Ball, Fred Allen, Mickey Rooney, James Stewart, Jim and Marian Jordan; (Fibber McGee and Molly), and many others.

The show was not only popular with audiences but critically acclaimed as well. It received a Peabody award and a special achievement award from the Mystery Writer's America.

Without a doubt the most popular episode of "Suspense" was"Sorry, Wrong Number"  which starred the very talented character actress Agnes Moorehead, (best known today perhaps as Samantha Stephens mother "Endora" on ABC's 1960s TV situation comedy "Bewitched"). In this episode Moorehead plays a very wealthy, disabled woman with a nasty disposition. She is confined to her bed in a New York City apartment building, her servants have the night off and her husband is out of town on business. She tries to make a phone call and gets a crossed line where she over hears a woman's murder being planned. The woman makes call after call attempting to report what she has heard, but is ignored. The shows end reveals that she is the intended victim and after doing away with her the killer hangs up her phone after saying"Sorry, wrong number". This episode was written by Louise Fletcher and was repeated by popular request many times over the years. It was also made into a Hollywood film.

In 1949 William Spier took the series to television where CBS broadcast it live until the fall of 1954.Among the better episodes of the TV version were; "The Tortured Hand" and "This is your Confession". Some of the notable actors to appear on the television series were; Lloyd Bridges, Basil Rathbone, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Eva Gabor and Cloris Leachman.

CBS tried to revive the series in 1964 with Sebastion Cabot (later "Mr. French" on the sitcom "Family Affair) as its host. many of the same stars that had appeared on the live version of the 1950s also were in this one. The attempt was a failure however and it didn't last a full season.

The television versions never quite duplicated the success "Suspense" had enjoyed on the radio. The radio series completed its twenty year run on September 30, 1962 on the final evening of radios golden age.

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