Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

Old time radio fans may know J. Carrol Naish (January 21, 1896 – January 24, 1973) best as Luigi Basco, newly immigrated to America from his native Italy in the delightful sitcom Life with Luigi. But as good as he was getting laughs from the audiences in the studio and at home, Naish was equally adept in dramatic roles on the air and on screen.

Though he was of Irish ancestry, Naish played almost every ethnicity except his own. His versatility with accents earned him the title "Hollywood's one-man U.N." Naish was nominated for two Academy Awards for performances in Sahara and A Medal for Benny.

Naish found radio stardom in 1948 when he went on the air as Luigi, and he played the role on radio until 1953 along with a brief television stint in 1952. (The TV program, which co-starred other actors from the radio cast, was short-lived after it was met with resistance from the Italian-American community.)

Elsewhere on radio, Naish appeared on the Lux Radio Theatre and he made four appearances on Suspense, shows that afforded him the chance to show off his knack for accents and dialects.

In "The Most Dangerous Game" (2/1/1945), Naish played the deranged General Zaroff, a hunter who tracks human prey. Joseph Cotten co-starred in this great adaptation of Richard Connell's classic short story, but it's Naish who has the meatier part. Zaroff is insane in the tradition of the genre's best villains. When he taunts Cotten in the jungle, Naish conveys Zaroff's genuine excitement at finally finding an adversary worthy of the great hunter's talents.

"Footfalls" (7/12/45) finds Naish playing a blind cobbler trying to keep his reckless son on the straight and narrow. When his son is killed, the cobbler relies on his heightened sense of hearing to find the murderer.

Naish was back in villainous territory in "Commuter's Ticket" (8/1/46). He played a murderer who hoped to create an airtight alibi for his crime on the crowded train he took to work every day.

In Naish's final Suspense show,"The Treasure Chest of Don Jose" (2/4/52), he was a treasure hunter out to capture a fortune left behind by his ancestor.

Lloyd Bridges' final appearances on Suspense took him from the gym to his Sea Hunt haunts on the ocean floor. But no matter where he went, murder was close at hand. We'll hear the star of High Noon and Airplane! in "Rub Down and Out" (AFRS rebroadcast from July 6, 1958) and "Deep, Deep is My Love" (AFRS rebroadcast from April 26, 1959).

"If I ever do any more radio work, I want to do it on Suspense."

Cary Grant (January 18, 1904 – November 29, 1986) made five visits to radio's outstanding theater of thrills, and I think it's safe to say he was one of the best radio performers of the scores of stars who stepped up to the microphone. Grant's characters in his Suspense stories didn't always synch up with his screen persona, but he was always polished and assured in his performances. In honor of his birthday, here are his four surviving appearances on the program – a batch of shows that includes one of the scariest stories of the radio era.

"The Black Curtain" – Cary Grant was the first actor to star on Suspense in its era of sponsorship by Roma Wines, and producer/director William Spier picked a terrific story to launch the new run of the show. It comes from the pen of master noir wordsmith Cornell Woolrich, and it stars Grant as a man who wakes up from an accident and realizes he's lost all memory of the last three years. But someone remembers, and they're hunting Cary with a gun. It was a story so nice, Cary Grant starred in it twice. The first production aired on December 2, 1943 and the second came on November 30, 1944.

"The Black Path of Fear" – In Cary Grant's third appearance on Suspense, he starred in another story from Cornell Woolrich. A couple is on the run in Havana; she left her gangster husband for his chauffeur, but her former beau isn't about to let her go without a fight. Soon, she's dead and her new man (Grant) is accused of her murder. This mystery originally aired on CBS on March 7, 1946.

"On a Country Road" – Unfortunately, Cary Grant's fourth visit to Suspense is lost, but his fifth and final show is one of the best – and most terrifying – that the series ever produced. Grant and Suspense MVP Cathy Lewis play a couple driving home from a night out only to run out of gas when they take a shortcut through the woods. Now, stuck in a heavy rainstorm, they hear a radio a bulletin that a psychotic woman has escaped from an asylum and killed a guard with a meat cleaver she's still carrying. When a scared woman appears outside of their car pleading to be let inside for safety, it's the start of a long and deadly night. Listen with the lights out – if you dare – to this show from November 16, 1950.

Known to old time radio fans everywhere as Sam Spade, Howard Duff was one of the biggest names of the radio era. Not only was he a skilled dramatic and comedic actor in front of the microphone, he also worked in the Armed Forces Radio Service and - through his job - helped preserve hundreds of the shows we know and love today. The blacklist and Red Scare paranoia dinged his career, but he emerged and continued to work in film and television through the 1980s. We'll hear him in "A Murderous Revision," an unaired recording of a show that was scrapped when he was branded a Communist (recording dated October 13, 1951) and "Eyewitness" (originally aired on CBS on December 16, 1956).

We'll kick off a new year with the "First Lady of Suspense!" Agnes Moorehead returns in a pair of old time radio thrillers, including her very first visit to "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." She co-stars with Ray Collins in the first production of "The Diary of Saphronia Winters" (originally aired on CBS on April 27, 1943). Then, we'll hear her in "Death and Miss Turner" (originally aired on November 17, 1952).

For our final podcast episode of 2020, we welcome Frank Lovejoy back to the podcast for two more old time radio thrillers. He stars as one of the west's most infamous outlaws in "The Shooting of Billy the Kid" (originally aired on CBS on April 28, 1952). Then, he's on trial for a crime he didn't commit in "Public Defender" (originally aired on CBS on April 20, 1953). Plus, we've got the first episode of Lovejoy's radio drama series Night Beat (originally aired on NBC on February 6, 1950).

Christmas is almost here, and to celebrate here's a bonus episode light on suspense but heavy on the stars. We'll hear David Niven, Jane Greer, and Tyrone Power in the holiday favorite The Bishop's Wife, recreated for The Lux Radio Theatre (originally aired on CBS on December 19, 1949).

Raymond Burr was doing double duty when he starred in these installments of Suspense. He could be seen every week on television in the earliest seasons of Perry Mason, but he continued to lend his voice to radio dramas. We'll hear him in H.G. Wells' "The Country of the Blind" (originally aired on CBS on October 27, 1957). Plus, just in time for the holidays, Burr plays a gun-toting St. Nick looking for revenge in "Out for Christmas" (originally aired on CBS on December 21, 1958).

Paul Lukas started his career in his native Hungary, but he found more stage and screen stardom when he journeyed to Hollywood. Lukas won an Oscar for his portrayal of a German anti-fascist in Watch the Rhine, and he remained a regular presence on films and in television through the 1970s. We'll hear him in "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble" (originally aired on CBS on April 6, 1943) and "Mr. Markham, Antique Dealer" (originally aired on CBS on May 11, 1943).

Susan Hayward earned five Oscar nominations and one win for her dynamic performances in stories pulled from real life. Hayward took home her Academy Award for her work as a woman sentenced to die for murder in I Want to Live! and she brought that intensity to her two appearances on Suspense. We'll hear her in "The Dead Sleep Lightly," a mystery by John Dickson Carr (originally aired on CBS on March 30, 1943). Then she plays a wealthy woman with a shady past and a plan to secure her own future in "Dame Fortune" (originally aired on CBS on October 24, 1946). Finally, Hayward pays a visit to Edgar, Charlie, Mortimer Snerd, and the rest of the gang at The Charlie McCarthy Show (AFRS rebroadcast from December 16, 1945).

Happy Birthday to writer Cornell Woolrich, born December 4, 1903.

An early master of the art of noir fiction, Woolrich's earliest works were inspired by the writing of F. Scott Fitzgerald before he turned to the pulp detective stories that made him famous. When he started writing for the pulps, he churned out stores at such a rate that he had to use a few pen names, including "William Irish."

Woolrich's works have been adapted for the big screen (inspiring movies like Rear Window and The Bride Wore Black), and many of his stories were presented on radio. Woolrich's stories were mined for The Mollé Mystery Theater, Escape, and in almost three dozen episodes of Suspense.

Unfortunately, despite his success, Woolrich's life was marked by tragedy and suffering. He struggled with his homosexuality with and attempted to conceal it with a failed marriage. There was no respite for him at home; Woolrich moved from one decrepit hotel room to another, surrounded by the types of unsavory characters that populated his fiction. An untreated infection led the loss of his leg and alcoholism added to his decline. When he passed away in 1968 at the age of 64, Woolrich weighed only 89 pounds.

In honor of his birthday, here are some old time radio adaptations of Woolrich's stories - brought to life by great stars and atmospheric productions.

"Dime a Dance" – A serial killer is stalking taxi dancers, and one – well played by Lucille Ball before her on-screen antics with Ethel – starts to fall for the cop who's working undercover to nail the killer. But she soon starts to suspect that he may be the man who killed her friends and had one final dance with their corpses. This is one of the best episodes of Suspense with palpable tension throughout, a truly terrifying climax, and a haunting use of the song "Poor Butterfly." (Originally aired on CBS on Suspense on January 13, 1944)

"You'll Never See Me Again" – Robert Young effectively plays against his Father Knows Best-type in this story of a feuding couple whose latest spat ends when the wife leaves for her mother's house. After a few days, her husband calls for her…only to discover she never made it. Soon, there's evidence piling up to suggest foul play, and the man partners with a skeptical detective to find his missing wife, or to find her body. (Originally aired on CBS on Suspense on September 5, 1946)

"You Take Ballistics" – Unlike many of the shows on this list, "You Take Ballistics" puts us in the shoes of a policeman. Here, a hard-nosed cop is absolutely convinced that a small time crook committed a murder. Everything points in the man's direction, except for ballistic evidence. The cop dismisses it – he'll take human nature over ballistics any day – but he's got to find a way to make his case. Howard Da Silva is the cop, and a pre-Dragnet Jack Webb is the smug suspect. (Originally aired on CBS on Suspense on March 13, 1947)

"Papa Benjamin" – The supernatural creeps into Woolrich's story about greed. A jazz musician steals a voodoo chant for a new arrangement, and it becomes the hit of New Orleans. To him, it's just a catchy tune that he can parlay into fame and fortune but he learns too late of the real consequences to dabbling with – and disrespecting – voodoo. Frank Lovejoy plays the bandleader recounting his terrifying tale. (Originally aired on CBS on Escape on January 21, 1948)

Before he spent four seasons on a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Richard Basehart was a rising Hollywood star and made a visit to the Suspense microphone. His performance elevates "The Perfectionist," a far-fetched episode about a killer forced to improvise during his perfect crime (originally aired on CBS on January 21, 1952). Then, Basehart stars as Joyce Kilmer, the poet and writer who met his end on a battlefield during World War I in Family Theater (originally aired on Mutual on August 17, 1949).

Leading man Robert Taylor made his Suspense debut as a reporter who stumbles into the story of the century in "The Argyle Album" (originally aired on CBS on December 13, 1945). Then we'll hear him join Mary, Phil, Dennis, and Don when he guest hosts The Jack Benny Program (originally aired on NBC on May 16, 1948).

Actress Lynn Bari enjoyed a long career on the big and small screens, and though she never really broke into the starring sphere she appeared in hundreds of films opposite some of the major stars of the era. Her specialty was playing "the other woman" - the man-hungry femme fatale who was always ready with a seductive look or a gun - and she won the admiration of GIs as one of the most popular pinup girls of World War II. We'll hear her in her only visit to Suspense - "Murder By an Expert" (originally aired on CBS on July 24, 1947). Then, she joins Bud and Lou in a wild west comedy on The Abbott and Costello Show (originally aired on NBC on December 16, 1943).

Before he solved TV crimes as Cannon, William Conrad was one of the titans of the golden age of radio. With his booming voice, Conrad gave life to the tough marshal of Dodge City Matt Dillon and hundreds of other characters - from historical figures like Nero, Blackbeard, and King Arthur to the ominous voice that introduced Escape. We'll hear him star in a pair of Suspense thrillers: "The Shot" (originally aired on CBS on December 2, 1954) and "A Study in Wax" (originally aired on CBS on August 16, 1955). Plus, we'll hear him in his signature role on Gunsmoke in "Matt Gets It" (originally aired on CBS on October 2, 1954).

John Lund's big screen career started with a bang but faded by the mid-1950s. Still, he was able to display his versatility during his appearances on Suspense. We'll hear him as a writer who finds inspiration in a real-life crime in "The Man in the Room" (originally aired on CBS on May 11, 1950). Then, Lund plays a cop on the trail of a drug ring in "Melody in Dreams" (originally aired on CBS on December 19, 1952).

I've saved the best - and scariest - for last. In our final Halloween Haunts bonus episode, we'll hear my pick for the most terrifying tale to ever air on "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." Robert Taylor and Cathy Lewis receive the housewarming gift from hell in "The House in Cypress Canyon" (originally aired on CBS on December 5, 1946).

Ray Bradbury brought science fiction into the mainstream with stories like The Martian Chronicles, and his works were adapted for some of the best radio anthologies of the era. Stories from the author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Illustrated Man inspired episodes of Escape, X Minus One, and Suspense. We'll hear two of his terrifying tales from radio's outstanding theater of thrills: "Zero Hour" (originally aired on CBS on April 5, 1955) and "The Whole Town's Sleeping" (originally aired on CBS on June 14, 1955). Plus, we'll hear "The Veldt," a story about addictive technology years before smart phones, from Dimension X (originally aired on NBC on August 9, 1951).

A car out of gas, a frightened couple, and a homicidal maniac on the loose - they all come together in "On a Country Road," still one of the most terrifying stories ever produced on Suspense seventy years after it first aired. Cary Grant stars in this radio play designed for listening with the lights out (originally aired on CBS on November 16, 1950).

Lee J. Cobb was still a rising star in Hollywood - years before his Oscar-nominated turns in On the Waterfront and The Brothers Karamazov and his powerful performances in 12 Angry Men and The Exorcist - when he made his only visit to Suspense. We'll hear him as an artist in a deadly love triangle in "The Bet" (originally aired on CBS on November 8, 1945). Then he recreates his big screen performance opposite Dick Powell in a Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of Johnny O'Clock (originally aired on CBS on May 12, 1947).

This week's scary story from Suspense was made to be enjoyed with the lights out. Join Ralph Edwards as a DJ who spends a night in a haunted house for a radio show stunt and gets more than he bargained for in "Ghost Hunt" (originally aired on CBS on June 23, 1949).

Hungarian-born actor and director Cornel Wilde displays his versatility at the microphone in a pair of old time radio thrillers. First, he's a pyromaniac fighting his fascination with fire in "The Flame" (originally aired on CBS on October 15, 1951). Then, he's a murderer who charms his victim into taking a fatal ride in "Somebody Help Me" (originally aired on CBS on March 29, 1954).

Our month-long Halloween celebration continues with another Friday bonus episode. We'll hear another one of my picks for the scariest Suspense episodes of all time. This week's installment pits Vincent Price, Ben Wright, and John Dehner against a horde of ravenous rats in "Three Skeleton Key" (originally aired on CBS on November 11, 1956).

Ezio Pinza sang on the stages of the greatest opera houses in the world, and he played nearly 100 characters over the course of his long career. When he left the Metropolitan Opera after 22 seasons, he moved to the Broadway stage where he took home a Tony for his role in South Pacific. Sadly, he did very little dramatic radio acting, but he was terrific in his one and only visit to Suspense. We'll hear him as a singer who gives a murderous performance in "Aria From Murder" (originally aired on CBS on January 25, 1951). Then, we'll hear him sing along with Al Jolson in an appearance on The Kraft Music Hall (originally aired on NBC on June 3, 1948).

With Halloween right around the corner, I've picked five of the most frightening episodes of Suspense for bonus shows that are sure to get you in the trick-or-treating mood. Up first is Orson Welles in Lucille Fletcher's terrifying tale of horror on the highway - "The Hitchhiker" (originally aired on CBS on September 2, 1942).

Tony-winning and Oscar-nominated actress Nancy Kelly returns in two more old time radio thrillers. Best known as the mother of The Bad Seed on stage and screen, Kelly lends her considerable talents and versatility to shows that find her playing a woman plotting to run off with her lover and another woman terrified by a nightmarish omen. We'll hear "The Taming of the Beast," co-starring Helmut Dantine (originally aired on CBS on March 29, 1945) and "A Week Ago Wednesday" (originally aired on CBS on November 29, 1945).

Frequently cast as characters from the Emerald Isle, Pat O'Brien was known as "Hollywood's Irishman in residence." Best known as the street tough turned priest in Angels with Dirty Faces and as Knute Rockne with his famous "Gipper" speech, O'Brien made two visits to Suspense where he played a pair of cops. First, he tells the story of a cataleptic's date with the embalmer's knife in "Dead Ernest" (originally aired on CBS on March 24, 1949). Then, O'Brien is on the hunt for a hit and run killer, but the case may bring him right to his own home in "True Report" (originally aired on CBS on August 31, 1950).

In his final visit to Suspense, Eddie Bracken sheds his lovable and dopey screen persona honed in comedies from Preston Sturges. We'll hear him in "Nightmare," a sixty-minute story from Cornell Woolrich (originally aired on CBS on March 13, 1948). We'll also hear Bracken in the first episode of his radio sitcom The Eddie Bracken Show, where he plays a version of himself closer to his portrayals in The Miracle at Morgan Creek and Hail the Conquering Hero (originally aired on NBC on January 28, 1945).

Character actor Everett Sloane broke out in radio and onstage before he moved to movies like Citizen Kane and The Lady from Shanghai. His voice was perfect for radio, with a patrician air that could give a character sophistication or menace. We'll hear him as a man plotting the murder of his business partner in "Alibi" (originally aired on CBS on July 7, 1957). Then, he's a safari guide facing off against a dangerous lion in "Game Hunt" (originally aired on CBS on March 16, 1958).

For his final Suspense appearance, Edmond O'Brien starred in a grim tale of the frontier pulled from the history books. We'll hear him in "Ordeal in Donner Pass" (originally aired on November 2, 1953). Plus, he stars as "America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator" Johnny Dollar in "The Queen Anne Pistols Matter" (originally aired on CBS on November 4, 1950).

Debonair British star David Niven lent a touch of class and charm to his roles during his long Hollywood career. Whether he was racing the globe in Around the World in 80 Days, carrying out a daring commando raid in The Guns of Navarone, or vexing Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther films, Niven was always poised, polished, and highly entertaining. We'll hear him as a con artist plotting an insurance swindle in "Grand Theft" (originally aired on CBS on April 5, 1954). Plus, we'll hear him visit Bob Hope in Reno on The Pepsodent Show (originally aired on NBC on March 5, 1946).

Best known for his physical presence in epics like The Robe and Samson and Delilah, Victor Mature starred on stage, screen, and television in musicals, westerns, and noir dramas. We'll hear him in a pair of thrillers, beginning with Cornell Woolrich's "Momentum" (originally aired on CBS on October 27, 1949). Then, he's a hitman on assignment in "Blackjack to Kill" (originally aired on CBS on December 10, 1951).

For our 200th episode, I'm sharing five of my favorite "tales well calculated to keep you in Suspense." We'll hear Dana Andrews in Ray Bradbury's "The Crowd" (originally aired on CBS on September 21, 1950); "Murder in G-Flat" starring Jack Benny (originally aired on CBS on April 5, 1951); the Cold War spy drama "The Case for Dr. Singer" (originally aired on CBS on June 28, 1951); "first lady of Suspense" Agnes Moorehead in "The Evil of Adelaide Winters" (originally aired on CBS on September 10, 1951); and finally an encore of a classic Suspense show "The Last Letter of Dr. Bronson" (originally aired on CBS on November 4, 1954).

We're celebrating the birthday of Alfred Hitchcock with one of the big screen master of suspense's films adapted for radio. In this Screen Directors' Playhouse production, Mercedes McCambridge and Joseph Cotten star in "Spellbound," Hitchcock's thriller about psychoanalysis and murder (originally aired on NBC on January 25, 1951).

Peter Lawford broke out in Hollywood in British war stories at the outset of World War II, and the English-born actor appeared in The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Canterville Ghost, and The White Cliffs of Dover. But he may be better known for his years in Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack, and his relationship with his presidential brother-in-law John F. Kennedy. We'll hear Lawford in a two-part adaptation of Wilkie Collins' "The Moonstone" (originally aired on CBS on November 16 and November 23, 1953).

Dan Duryea was a big screen heavy - equally at home in urban noir dramas and westerns. His looks, combined with his knack for movie villainy, earned him the nickname "the heel with sex appeal." He put that talent for playing crooks and fiends to work when he visited Suspense. We'll hear Duryea plot a murder in "The Will to Power" (originally aired on CBS on January 9, 1947). Then, he's riding a wave of good luck to ill-gotten gains in "The Man Who Couldn't Lose" (originally aired on CBS on December 12, 1947).

Lloyd Nolan stars on opposite sides of the law in a pair of Suspense thrillers. First, he's a man driven to murder in "Double Ugly" (originally aired on CBS on August 28, 1947). Then, he plays a dogged detective chasing down leads on a cold case in "The Man With Two Faces" (originally aired on CBS on December 15, 1952).

Merle Oberon broke out on the big screen in England, and Hollywood producers were quick to bring her across the pond for their own films. She rose to stardom and picked up an Academy Award even as she kept her past a closely guarded secret and recovered from tragedy. We'll hear her in the only visit she made to Suspense - "The Bluebeard of Bellac," a murder mystery in Nazi-occupied France (originally aired on CBS on September 21, 1944). Then, she recreates the title role in Lydia from The Lux Radio Theatre (originally aired on CBS on September 22, 1941).

John Hodiak broke out in Hollywood when Alfred Hitchcock cast him in Lifeboat, but his subsequent screen career had ups and downs. A sensational turn on Broadway showed signs of a career resurgence, but he died tragically young before he could capitalize on his newfound acclaim. We'll hear the dynamic leading man in "Dateline Lisbon" (originally aired on CBS on October 5, 1944) and "The Case History of a Gambler" (originally aired on CBS on December 17, 1951).

Van Heflin returns to the podcast in two more old time radio thrillers, including a tale pulled from the history books. We'll hear the star of 3:10 to Yuma as a con man plotting a perfect crime in "Murder of Aunt Delia" (originally aired on CBS on November 10, 1949). Then, Suspense dramatizes an unsolved mystery of the sea when it presents "The Mystery of the Marie Celeste" (originally aired on CBS on June 8, 1953).

One of Hollywood's most popular and beloved child stars, Margaret O'Brien turned in performances on Suspense that outshone some of the adult performers of the era. We'll hear the star of Meet Me in St. Louis in a wartime drama with May Whitty in "Cricket" (originally aired on CBS on March 15, 1945). Then, she stars in Ray Bradbury's "The Screaming Woman" (originally aired on CBS on November 25, 1948).

Eddie Cantor was one of the most beloved showmen of the 20th century; he kept audiences entertained on stage, screen, and for nearly two decades on radio. The singer and comedian made one trip to Suspense for a lighthearted crime caper in "Double Entry" (originally aired on CBS on December 22, 1949). Then, we'll hear him welcome guest William Powell in an episode of The Eddie Cantor Show (originally aired on NBC on October 1, 1948).

In his final appearances on Suspense, James Mason starred in a tale of intrigue from the court of Elizabeth I and a mystery from genre master John Dickson Carr. Mason co-stars with his then-wife Pamela in "The Queen's Ring" (originally aired on CBS on December 28, 1953) and "The Dealings of Mr. Markham" (originally aired on CBS on November 2, 1958).

Actress, singer, and activist Lena Horne kept audiences entertained over her long screen and stage career, and she fought tirelessly for civil rights alongside some of the giants of the movement. We'll hear her as a singer battling Nazis in "You Were Wonderful" (originally aired on CBS on November 9, 1944). Then, we'll hear a compilation of her songs from Command Performance and an appearance on The Bill Stern Sports Newsreel (originally aired on CBS on March 30, 1945).

For his final appearance on the podcast, Ray Milland stars in a Suspense story from Raymond Chandler. Milland plays a private eye in the comedic caper "Pearls are a Nuisance" (originally aired on CBS on April 20, 1950). Then, he recreates his big screen role in The Big Clock on The Lux Radio Theatre (originally aired on CBS on November 22, 1948).

Nearly 80 years after it first aired, Lucille Fletcher's "Sorry, Wrong Number" remains a powerful masterpiece of suspense. It's one of the all-time great radio dramas and one of the very best episodes ever produced on "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." We'll hear the first and final performances of this legendary radio play, both starring "First Lady of Suspense" Agnes Moorehead (originally aired on CBS on May 25, 1943 and February 14, 1960).

Susan Peters was one of Hollywood's brightest rising dramatic stars before a tragic hunting accident paralyzed her. But she didn't stop acting, and she turned in a terrific performance in her one and only visit to Suspense. We'll hear her in "They Call Me Patrice" (originally aired on CBS on December 12, 1946). Then, she stars in "Johnny Eager," recreated for The Lux Radio Theatre (originally aired on CBS on January 21, 1946).

Oops! This week's episode contained the wrong version of "A Vision of Death," so here is the June 1, 1953 episode starring Ronald Colman, Mary Jane Croft, and Hy Averback. It's the correct tale well calculated to keep you in...Suspense!

In 1953, Ronald Colman took his final bows on Suspense with a pair of terrific thrillers. We'll hear him in an encore performance of "A Vision of Death" (originally aired on CBS on June 1, 1953). Then, he's an amateur detective on the trail of a killer in "Trent's Last Case" (originally aired on CBS on December 7, 1953). Plus, we'll hear Colman and his wife Benita Hume in the premiere episode of their radio sitcom The Halls of Ivy (originally aired on NBC on January 6, 1950).

Dancing her way from the stage and on to the big screen, Margo won acclaim for her screen performances in the 1930s and 40s. The blacklist ultimately derailed her career, but before she left Hollywood she made several memorable visits to Suspense. We'll hear "Last Night" (originally aired on CBS on June 15, 1943) and "Cabin B-13" (originally aired on CBS on November 9, 1943).