Tag Archives: Suspense

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 248 – Sorry, Wrong Number

For fans of old time radio, Sorry, Wrong Number with Agnes Moorehead (right) is one of the best dramas to listen to. After all, it was repeated on Suspense due to popular demand eight times; but as a radio drama, it is also a finely crafted, well executed piece of radio production ever heard and perhaps a lesson to those who… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 238 – Motive for Murder

A well-constructed radio play by veteran scripter E. Jack Neuman and based on a Pulp fiction piece by Ward and John Hawkins. A rare convergence of talented radio people in E. Jack Neuman, William Spier, Norman MacDonnell, Ward and John Hawkins make this a must listen. And a great performance by Alan Ladd and a veteran cast of radio actors.… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 235 – You Take Ballistics

Fiction and film has its “Cop Noir” stories. Writers from the pulps wrote often in a cop noir style and radio followed. This time a look at the “cop noir” and a particular author whose work was adapted to radio often. The Cop Noir is a popular sub-genre with films like the new TV series Gotham to older film noirs… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 178 – Frightened City (Suspense)

This podcast looks at a rare event in radio when a number of elements coalesce with a brilliant actor, producer, director, writer all creating an excellent production. This Suspense episode called “Frightened City” stars Frank Lovejoy, with his gritty cynical way of speaking and is written by the dual experience radio script writing team of Morton Fine & David Friedkin.… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 172 – Pearls Are a Nuisance

An unusual Raymond Chandler story this time as heard over Suspense. “Pearls Are a Nuisance” was a Chandlerian spoof on the detective genre. Sounding almost Damon Runyon in structure, the story starred William Bendix and Alan Joslyn. This version is very faithful to the original fictional story. It is definitely not what you might expect from Chandler, yet it has… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 170 – Suspense: Nightmare

This episode presents what I think is one of the best audio noir productions ever produced. Adapted from the Cornell Woolrich (as William Irish) short story – “And So to Death” – it is one of Woolrich’s best – pure noir. The adaptation preserves much of that aurally through the fabulous performances of Eddie Bracken and veteran radio actor William… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 164 – Hands of Mr. Ottermole

“The Hands of Mr. Ottermole” was short story by early 20th century writer, Thomas Burke, a British writer. Anthony Boucher, the great mystery fiction critic, said of the story that it is “a sheerly, terrifying story…which imparts to the reader a quality of horror and shock usually associated with tales of supernatural or pure sensation, while staying in the bounds… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 160 – Banquo’s Chair

Rupert Croft-Cooke is a little known British writer who wrote a short story based upon a play called Banquo’s Chair in 1930. His mystery writings were never on the level of Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie or G.K Chesterton, all of whom he spoofed in a detective story he wrote. But his story Banquo’s Chair did achieve some success starting with… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 157 – Appointment With Fear

This week, a Suspense clone suggested by and scripted by John Dickson Carr, who was also the creator of the Man In Black on Suspense. Appointment With Fear was JD Carr’s bringing of Suspense to the British public in the mid-1940s. Their Man in Black looked and sounded the part – Valentine Dyall, a man with a sonorous voice. This… (more…)

Radio Detective Story Hour Episode 155 – Trent’s Last Case

This week you’ll hear from a detective who is not well known, yet, the novel on which it is based is considered very influential to the modern detective story. E.C. Bentley originally wrote his novel, Trent’s Last Case, on a challenge from his life-long friend, G.K. Chesterton. Bentley wrote this after becoming exasperated with the “perfection” Conan Doyle built into… (more…)