Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

By: Mean Streets Podcasts
  • Summary

  • Presenting the biggest legends of Hollywood starring in "Suspense," radio's outstanding theater of thrills! Each week, we'll hear two chillers from this old time radio classic featuring one of the all-time great stars of stage and screen.
    Stars On Suspense
    Show more Show less
Episodes
  • Episode 400 - Five Forties Favorites
    Jan 9 2025

    To celebrate 400 episodes of Stars on Suspense, I'm sharing five of my favorites from the first decade of "radio's outstanding theatre of thrills" - a star-studded showcase of classic chillers. First, Orson Welles wishes he only had a brain...and gets one with disasterous results in "Donovan's Brain," a two-part sci-fi/horror epic (originally aired on CBS on May 18 and May 25, 1944). Then, Robert Young isn't a father and he doesn't know best in "You'll Never See Me Again," a classic story from Cornell Woolrich (originally aired on CBS on September 5, 1946). Edward G. Robinson plays himself and "The Man Who Thought He Was Edward G. Robinson" in a comedic thriller (originally aired on CBS on September 30, 1948). Brian Donlevy is a psychiatrist whose new patient is a human lie detector in "Lazarus Walks" (originally aired on CBS on October 31, 1946). And finally, Lucille Ball is a crook who catches a bigger fish - a serial killer - in her trap in "A Little Piece of Rope" (originally aired on CBS on October 14, 1948).

    Show more Show less
    3 hrs and 8 mins
  • Episode 399 - Frank Lovejoy (Part 7)
    Jan 2 2025

    We're ringing in 2025 with the great Frank Lovejoy in three radio thrillers, including a belated New Year's Eve story. First, he tries to talk an amateur pilot safely down to the ground in "The Long Night" (originally aired on CBS on July 13, 1958). Then, an unusual watch leads him to find a lot of time on his hands in "The Thirty-Second of December" (originally aired on CBS on December 28, 1958). Finally, he's a bank teller with the inside track to steal $100,000 from a safe deposit box in "Death in Box 234" (originally aired on CBS on March 15, 1959). Plus, we'll hear Lovejoy in an episode of his own outstanding radio drama Night Beat - a show known as "The Football Player and the Syndicate" (originally aired on NBC on June 12, 1950).

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 42 mins
  • BONUS - Silver Bells, Silver Screen 2024
    Dec 24 2024

    Before we sign off for the year, it's time for our annual presentation of a classic Christmas film recreated for radio. This year, it's the holiday romantic comedy Remember the Night, recreated with original stars Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in a broadcast from The Lux Radio Theatre (originally aired on CBS on March 25, 1940).

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 1 min

What listeners say about Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Podcast Of Radio Plays

The "STARS ON SUSPENSE," put on by "Mean Streets Podcast," features suspenseful radio plays that feature the stars from Hollywood's Golden Age. These radio broadcasts were made back in the day before TV, Internet, etc., and are intriguing and fun to listen to. Some will even have you sitting at the edge of your seat!

If you never heard one of these radio plays, they're basically a movie without the picture. Different actors/actresses will voice the characters, you'll hear sound effects like cars, doors opening, footsteps, gunshots, etc., musical scores, and you get to hear the sponsors of the show (usually one sponsor), which are the commercial spots -- but they're so much better than today's commercials -- and that gives it a nostalgic feel, so I'm glad they weren't edited out.

"Suspense" was the name of the show that carried these radio plays, and you can purchase them in 7-15 hour broadcasts here on Audible, which is what I was doing originally, and then I stumbled upon the "STARS ON SUSPENSE" podcast! This is much better because the wonderful host chooses the episodes and provides info, trivia, and behind-the-scenes stuff on them. He also arranges them (grouping one celebrity's episodes together when there's a "spotlight" feature, whereas buying the shows are normally presented in broadcast order) so you can listen back-to-back shows that might have your favorite actor/actress.

I didn't realize that this podcast is active and so a new "Suspense" show is presented each week. You can also go back and listen to the earlier podcasts, so you've got lots to choose from. I have the Audible Premium Plus membership, so I get to listen to these shows without having to purchase any additional material.

I can't remember the host's name, but he has a nice speaking voice and sets each episode up and explains why he chose that particular show. I listen at night before I go to sleep and it's like having a bedtime story read to you every night.

Highly recommend it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really appreciate this gold mine of classic radio

Am so happy to discover this well-curated podcast. I wish I could recall the name of the producer/narrator; he has a pleasant voice and does a great job setting up the episodes with background lore and context. It has been a delight to accompany my spring gardening chores by listening via my phone to these carefully selected episodes.

It's also nice to be able to scroll the episodes for favoite stars like Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Raymond Burr, etc., as well as to discover actors that were new to me but clearly contributed lots of talent to Suspense. I also love the old radio commercials for Roma Wines, Signal, etc., that are included in the podcasts.

Thank you so much for your efforts and expertise!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best curated suspense program

Excellent narrator Sounds informed and suspenseful Best cast professional! commercials are are classic! News briefs are facsinatinq

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!