Suspense - Radio’s Outstanding Theater of Thrills

Dame Fortune: Blackmail, Betrayal, and the Price of Survival

In Suspense #216, “Dame Fortune,” former stage actress Jean Marley—now Jean Nicholson—receives an unwelcome call from her past: Charlie Prescott, a bitter ex-con with a shared history, fresh out of prison and hungry for a cut of her wealthy husband's fortune. What begins as a blackmail threat turns into a deadly game of manipulation, deception, and calculated murder. As Jean struggles to maintain her façade, she spirals into a trap of her own making—one where even love can’t save her. A searing noir drama that twists the knife with every turn.
Cast:Susan Hayward
Tags:Suspense, noir, femmefatale, SusanHayward, betrayal, murderplot, blackmail, oldtimeradio, 1940sradio, psychologicaldrama, mystery, vintageaudio, suspensepodcast

The Man Who Thought He Was Edward G. Robinson: A Doppelgänger's Delusion

Originally Aired: October 17, 1946
In Suspense #215, “The Man Who Thought He Was Edward G. Robinson,” mild-mannered Homer J. Hubbard is trapped in a miserable marriage, mocked and henpecked by his domineering wife, Ada. But after seeing Little Caesar, he becomes obsessed with Edward G. Robinson—so much so that he starts mimicking the actor’s gangster persona and plotting murder. When fate hands him a chance to meet his idol, Homer’s delusion deepens… and so does the danger. A darkly comic psychological thriller about identity, repression, and a man pushed to the edge by fantasy.
Cast:Edward G. Robinson (as himself and Homer J. Hubbard)
Tags:Suspense, psychological, darkcomedy, identitycrisis, EdwardGRobinson, oldtimeradio, murderplot, doppelganger, delusion, classicdrama, 1940sradio, vintageaudio, suspensepodcast

A Plane Case of Murder: Aviation, Greed, and Cold-Blooded Betrayal

Originally Aired: October 10, 1946
In Suspense #214, “A Plane Case of Murder,” war veteran Randy Judson returns home to find the woman he obsessed over during years of captivity married to someone else. When he re-enters Marion's life under the guise of wealth and success, she quickly reignites old feelings—and darker ambitions. Together, they plot to kill her husband in what seems like the perfect airborne alibi. But greed, deceit, and the taste for revenge turn the scheme into a deadly trap—with an ironic twist that not even Marion saw coming. A taut thriller that soars on treachery and lands in poetic justice.
Cast:John Lund, Kathy Lewis
Tags:Suspense, thriller, aviation, noir, betrayal, JohnLund, KathyLewis, oldtimeradio, greed, 1940sradio, classicdrama, vintagecrime, twistedromance, suspensepodcast, plottedmurder, psychological

Three Times Murder: A Killer's Acquittal, a Chemist’s Fate, and a Final Twist

Originally Aired: October 3, 1946
In Suspense #213, “Three Times Murder,” Rita Hayworth stars as Laura, a woman whose charm hides a calculating will to survive—and profit. When her husband dies from a conveniently faulty electric razor, Laura stands trial and narrowly escapes conviction. She vanishes into a new life, complete with a wealthy chemist husband—until the past resurfaces in the form of Elmer, her original blackmailer and now her brother-in-law. As suspicion, manipulation, and poison swirl through the household, Laura’s final play is as daring as it is deadly. A psychological noir thriller in three acts of deceit, desperation, and revenge.
Cast:Rita Hayworth, Hans Conried
Tags:Suspense, noir, psychological, RitaHayworth, HansConried, thriller, murdertrial, poison, femmefatale, oldtimeradio, 1940sradio, classicdrama, suspensepodcast, blackmail, revenge, inheritance

Statement of Employee Henry Wilson: Madness, Murder, and a Mind Unraveled

Originally Aired: September 26, 1946
In Suspense #212, “Statement of Employee Henry Wilson,” Gene Lockhart stars as a mild-mannered office worker whose quiet hatred for his smug rival explodes into murder—and spirals into paranoia and delusion. After eliminating his foe with an iron vase and pinning the crime on the eccentric night janitor, Henry Wilson believes he’s committed the perfect crime. But as guilt gnaws and ghostly voices haunt him, the lines between reality and madness blur. A psychological descent into chaos unfolds, culminating in a shocking twist of justice—and insanity.
Cast:
Gene Lockhart
Tags:
Suspense, thriller, psychological, murder, descentintomadness, GeneLockhart, oldtimeradio, mystery, 1940sradio, classicdrama, unreliable narrator, noir, mentalbreakdown, suspensepodcast

Till the Day I Die: A Killer's Conscience and a Brother’s Reckoning

Originally Aired: September 19, 1946
In Suspense #211, “Till the Day I Die,” Dane Clark stars as Frankie, a hardened criminal on the run after a deadly heist. When he sees a newspaper photo of the man he murdered—someone who looks exactly like him—Frankie begins to unravel. Trying to escape his guilt, he crosses paths with the victim’s widow and child, discovering a shocking personal connection that redefines everything he thought he knew about himself. As Frankie’s conscience begins to crack, so does the carefully laid plan to evade justice. A brooding noir tale of identity, fate, and the haunting weight of blood ties.
Cast:Dane Clark, Cathy Lewis, Betty Lou Gerson
Tags:Suspense, thriller, noir, identity, DaneClark, cathylewis, bettylougerson, doppelgänger, oldtimeradio, classiccrime, guilt, redemption, 1940sradio, vintagehorror, suspensepodcast

Hunting Trip: A Deadly Game Between Old Friends

Originally Aired: September 12, 1946
In Suspense #210, “Hunting Trip,” a casual reunion between two old friends, Stan and Eric, turns into a chilling psychological battle in the remote wilderness. When Eric invites Stan to his secluded mountain cabin, the trip seems like a peaceful getaway—until Stan begins to suspect Eric’s intentions aren’t friendly. Haunted by the mysterious death of Eric’s former love Karen—who was once Stan’s wife—paranoia builds as accidents and mind games escalate. Is Eric planning the perfect murder? Or is Stan's guilt twisting his perception of reality? A taut, nerve-racking tale of obsession, revenge, and poetic justice.
Cast:Vincent Price, Lloyd Nolan
Tags:Suspense, thriller, psychological, revenge, VincentPrice, LloydNolan, huntingtrip, oldtimeradio, mystery, paranoia, murderplot, 1940sradio, classicdrama, friendshipgonewrong, suspensepodcast

You'll Never See Me Again: A Vanishing Bride and a Calculated Frame

Originally Aired: September 5, 1946
In Suspense #209, “You'll Never See Me Again,” newlywed Ed Bliss reports his wife Janet missing after she storms out during a quarrel. But his tale of innocence unravels as Detective Stillman uncovers disturbing clues—Janet’s clothes found burned in the furnace, lies from her stepfather, and a suspiciously altered room. As the truth emerges, a tangled plot of fraud, murder, and betrayal surfaces, revealing Ed’s chilling orchestration of his wife’s demise. But justice, and Janet’s fate, hinge on a desperate race against time in this pulse-pounding psychological thriller penned by Cornell Woolrich.
Cast:Robert Young
Tags:Suspense, thriller, mystery, noir, CornellWoolrich, RobertYoung, vanishingwoman, domesticdrama, gaslight, missingperson, deception, 1940sradio, oldtimeradio, suspensepodcast, vintagecrime

Blue Eyes: A Spiral of Delusion and Desperation

Originally Aired: August 29, 1946
In Suspense #208, “Blue Eyes,” a mild-mannered accountant named Oliver Littlefield begins an ordinary day with a blue tie and a rosebud in his lapel—small gestures he hopes will draw the attention of his charming co-worker. But as friends and strangers alike start to question his health, Oliver spirals into paranoia, convinced his life is crumbling and his nagging wife Laura is to blame. Fueled by resentment and a box of pep pills, he concocts a deadly plan involving a bottle of cyanide. Yet fate has other ideas. This noir psychological thriller explores the fragility of sanity, the weight of perception, and the haunting consequences of what might have been.
Cast:
Hume Cronin
Tags:
Suspense, thriller, psychological, noir, cyanide, HumeCronin, delusion, murderplot, oldtimeradio, mystery, madness, gaslight, vintagehorror, 1940sradio, classicdrama, suspensepodcast

The Great Horrell: A Mentalist’s Grip on Sanity and Freedom

Originally Aired: August 22, 1946
In Suspense #207, “The Great Horrell,” Alma, the long-suffering assistant and wife of the famed mind-reader Martin Horrell, is desperate to reclaim her autonomy. When she begins to suspect her husband can truly read her mind—even across oceans—Alma spirals into paranoia, fear, and ultimately violence. But as her grip on reality unravels, a new and even more disturbing truth emerges. Who really holds power over her thoughts—and what price must she pay for freedom? A psychological thriller where performance and delusion collide.
Cast:Joan Loring
Tags:Suspense, thriller, psychological, mindreading, JoanLoring, oldtimeradio, mystery, mentalist, gaslight, obsession, escape, vintagehorror, 1940sradio, classicdrama, femmehorror, suspensepodcast