Stars On Suspense (old Time Radio)

The wonderful character actor Everett Sloane steps back into the spotlight in three stories from "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." We'll hear him as a highway patrol cop in a dangerous mountain chase in "Speed Trap" (AFRS rebroadcast from December 8, 1957). Then, Sloane is a scientist with doubts about working on a weapon of war in "The Voice of Company A" (originally aired on CBS on August 3, 1958). Finally, he plots a murder at sea and plans to disguise it as a boating accident in "Blood is Thicker" (AFRS rebroadcast from July 5, 1959).

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 Series to starring in movies like It Happens Every Spring and Angels in the Outfield before his untimely passing. We'll hear him as a postmaster hunting for a mail bomb in "Fragile - Contents Death" (originally aired on CBS on February 1, 1951). Then, he's a newspaper columnist caught up in the middle of a spy hunt in "Man Alive" (originally aired on CBS on November 24, 1952).

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 stars in an adaptation of Charles Dickens' eerie story "The Signalman" (originally aired on CBS on March 23, 1953).

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 of a cocky killer in "You Take Ballistics" (originally aired on CBS on March 13, 1947). Then, he recreates his screen role as a tyrannical ship's captain as the Lux Radio Theatre presents Two Years Before the Mast (originally aired on CBS on September 22, 1947).

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 dance hall girl trying to stay out of the clutches of a serial killer in "Dime a Dance" (originally aired on CBS on January 13, 1944). Then, she's a hold-up artist who accidentally preys on a deadlier predator in "A Little Piece of Rope" (originally aired on CBS on October 14, 1948). Finally, she co-stars with her then-husband Desi Arnaz in "The Red-Headed Woman" (originally aired on CBS on November 17, 1949).

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 Love and Death of Joaquin Murrieta" (originally aired on CBS on February 16, 1953). Then, he gets too close to a beautiful - and dangerous - woman in "The Girl in Car Thirty-Two" (originally aired on CBS on March 15, 1954).

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 pond to Hollywood, mismanagement by a producer and her agent kept her from landing big roles. We'll hear her recreate one of her screen performances in "The Brighton Strangler" (originally aired on CBS on December 21, 1944). Then, she's a reclusive actress sharing her life story in "A Thing of Beauty" (originally aired on CBS on December 28, 1944). Finally, she is a woman on a dangerous train trip with her unstable husband in "Your Devoted Wife" (originally aired on CBS on June 20, 1946).

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 Terribly Strange Bed" (originally aired on CBS on June 7, 1954) - the final episode of the show to be sponsored by Autolite. We'll also hear him co-star with Shirley Temple and Arthur Treacher in "First Love" from the Screen Guild Theatre (originally aired on May 14, 1945). Click here to read the original Collins short story.

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 hunt in Hollywood. Though she continued to act in films and television, she rededicated her life to philanthropy and activisim, and she's still with us today. We'll hear her as a long-suffering niece who sees an opportunity to get rid of an abusive (and wealthy) aunt in "Pink Camellias" (originally aired on CBS on December 27, 1945). Then, she's a woman with no shortage of lovers, a husband she doesn't love, and a murder plan in "Self Defense" (originally aired on CBS on October 16, 1947).

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 on the very first episode of Suspense. We'll hear the star in "The Burning Court" (originally aired on CBS on June 17, 1942), an adaptation of the mystery novel by John Dickson Carr. Then, he stars in Dorothy L. Sayers' "Suspicion" (originally aired on CBS on February 10, 1944).

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 eyewitness in "Remember Me?" (originally aired on CBS on April 7, 1952). We'll hear him in that old time radio thriller, plus an episode of his radio police procedural The Man from Homicide. Duryea stars as Lt. Lou Dana in a radio mystery originally aired on ABC on July 16, 1951.

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 bank robbers in "The Big Heist" (originally aired on CBS on December 1, 1952). Then, he's a deep sea diver on a treasure hunt for a lost Spanish galleon in "Gold of the Adomar" (originally aired on CBS on January 19, 1953).

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. She co-stars with Fibber McGee and Molly in "Advice to the Lovelorn," a romantic comedy from Family Theatre (originally aired on Mutual on October 30, 1947).

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). Then we'll hear his trademark comedy in The Henry Morgan Show (originally aired on ABC on February 19, 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 (originally aired on CBS on December 18, 1950). Laraine Day co-stars in this romantic Christmas comedy about the sparks that fly when a department store clerk with big dreams meets a single mom and secret shopper.

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 story from "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." First, he's a sideshow performer who's grown tired of his boss's tyrannical behavior in "Carnival" (originally aired on CBS on January 28, 1952). Then, Cotten is first mate on a ship bound for the Canadian Arctic to find a pair of ships lost in the ice in "Arctic Rescue" (originally aired on CBS on December 22, 1952).

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 this bonus show, and I've selected my favorites of his six visits to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." First, he's a jealous husband with a devious plan for dealing with his young wife and the man she loves in "Till Death Do Us Part" (originally aired on CBS on December 15, 1942). Then - just in time for the holidays - Lorre plots a murder but a surprise gift from his victim may thwart his plans in "Back for Christmas" (originally aired on CBS on December 23, 1943).

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 podcast for her final visit to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." It's an episode where she shares the stage with Elsa Lanchester and Janet Beecher. They star in "Finishing School" (originally aired on CBS on December 30, 1943). Then, Margo takes Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on a tour of Mexico in an episode of the ventriloquist's NBC variety show (originally aired on NBC on March 16, 1947).

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 Supporting Actress award for Jezebel. But before that, she was a Broadway star whose performances on the stage paved the way to her work on the big screen. We'll hear her in "The Lucky Lady" (originally aired on CBS on February 14, 1946) and "Life Ends at Midnight" (originally aired on CBS on May 8, 1948).

After he introduced stories on Suspense as the "Man in Black," Joseph Kearns moved into starring roles on radio's outstanding theater of thrills. We'll hear him in "The Case for Dr. Singer," a tale of atomic espionage ripped from the headlines (originally aired on CBS on June 28, 1951). Then, he's one of history's most notorious murderers in "A Story of Poison" (originally aired on CBS on September 13, 1955). And as a bonus, we'll hear him as an arrogant murderer who concocts a less than perfect alibi in "The Sheriff's Assistant" from The Whistler (originally aired on CBS on April 7, 1947).