allthough quality varies on selections suspense is the best radio show ever the best radio show ever 5 sbaker56 2006-06-28 01:54:07 2006-06-28 01:54:07 Along with Fibber Mcgee and Molly at their peak in the 40's, this is the best radio show ever. It surprisingly stands the test of time and still seems fresh after 60 some years. This is a great show 5 Tom21658 2006-09-03 17:50:14 2006-09-03 17:50:14 The episode "The Beetle and Mr. Bottle" on 55-08-23 is a missing show, and the episode here with that date is actually 59-09-20, without intro nor exit segments. Error in an episode date WaltP 2007-02-22 10:46:21 2007-02-22 10:46:21 5 What isn't obvious from the description is that this showed started out directed by the immortal Alfred Hitchcock. The first (pilot) episode is a masterpiece of postmodern twists, utterly unexpected from that time period. You'd think David Lynch or John Sayles had done it! Treat yourself to a great classic show. Hitchcock at his finest Wes in Issaquah 2007-02-24 21:27:41 2007-02-24 21:27:41 5 If you are interested, there is a new blog devoted to the old radio shows Suspense and Escape. Visit www.escape-suspense.com. New Blog About Suspense Jandie 2007-03-28 22:04:47 2007-03-28 22:04:47 5 I bought some of these in a cassette collection a few years back purely out of boredom one day to keep me occupied during my daily commutes. I've since lost the tapes (and my cars no longer accept them anyway) so I was extremely happy to find them here. Thank you! Some stories I recommend: Sorry, Wrong Number; Fugue in C Minor; August Heat; The House in Cyprus Canyon. Love 'em! Nemmers 2007-12-04 17:43:51 2007-12-04 17:43:51 5 A wonderful collection of stories - especially the ones written by John Dickson Carr - but they seem to be 32k rather than 64k. Great stuff Mike Hobart 2008-02-08 08:17:21 2008-02-08 08:17:21 4 I was just watching the Twilight Zone called "Two". Right where Charles Bronson knocks out Elizabeth Montgomery before she has a chance to do that witch-nose thingy on him, the Suspense theme plays. Do they have stock music like they do footage and sound effects? Did TZ swipe the music from Suspense? (or vice versa) Do I seriously need a life? These things BOTHER me. Great series! someguy2 2008-03-01 05:04:30 2008-03-01 05:04:30 5 This is the most comprehensive collection I have seen to date. It covers it's pilot episode on CBS Forecast ("The Lodger") in 1940 up to 1962. Granted it takes ten pages to do it, but there were so many episodes it couldn't be done any other way. I have always been a fan of the old radio shows like "Suspense" and "Inner Sanctum" (as well as the revival of radio dramas on radio in the '70's with "CBS Radio Mystery Theater") and this collection just whets my appetite for more. suspense WOW!!! bake the troy 2008-05-21 17:10:58 2008-05-21 17:10:58 4 This is a great collection of what I would say is some of the best horror/macabre/thrillers ever. Major star power from Orson Welles to Rita Hayworth. Good mysteries, not the usual OTR stuff that has been done over and over either. Get this whole collection. The sound quality on most of the recordings is fair to excellent. Hands Down One of the Best Series of All Time. digitalzen 2008-06-07 07:54:18 2008-06-07 07:54:18 5 Time magazine article, September, 1952 As boss and chief stockholder of Schenley Industries, Inc., Lewis Solon Rosenstiel built a $438 million empire and a reputation in the liquor trade as a confident hustler. During Prohibition, while distillers were folding up, Rosenstiel, then a whisky broker, bet his money on Repeal He bought up all the whisky he could lay his hands on. Result: the year after Repeal, his new Schenley company had sales of $40 million. During World War II, when grain spirits were short, Rosenstiel confidently started using potato spirits in Three Feathers, one of his most popular blends. Result: Three Feathers was a top-selling U.S. whisky all through the wartime shortage—largely because it was the most available. Rosenstiel put on his greatest show of confidence by expanding. During and after the war, he bought the Blatz Brewing Co., put Schenley into wines and vermouth (Cresta Blanca, Roma and La Bohème), rum (Carioca), cordials (DuBouchett), brandies (Coronet, J. Bavet and Jean Robert), gins (Silver Wedding, Schenley, Gibson, etc.), and even set up a chemical division to make penicillin and other antibiotics. Cause for Concern. Recently, Hustler Rosenstiel has tripped a few times. When other brands came back on the market in volume, Three Feathers sales slumped about 90%; last year the brand did not even place in the top 25. When grape prices skidded five years ago, Rosenstiel dropped close" to $14 million by buying at the wrong time. And when penicillin prices cracked recently, he took another beating. Rosenstiel miscalculated on another score: figuring that the public would turn back to straight whiskies after the war, he plugged his straights (I. W. Harper, Ancient Age, Old Charter) more than did other distillers. But the public preferred blends. Straights now account for only 30% of the whisky sold today, v. 60% prewar. Rosenstiel also spread his advertising funds over so many products that his top blends (Schenley Reserve, Melrose Rare) were not plugged as hard as competing whiskies. The results of all this started to show last year. While competitors (Seagrams, National Distillers) were setting records, Schenley's sales were at the lowest level ($450 million) since 1944. And this year, though all distillers are in a slump, Schenley is in a much deeper one. Recently its sales have been off 55% v. a drop of only 28% to 36% for Seagrams, Hiram Walker and National Distillers. Schenley's troubles and its vast expansion have caused the company to borrow $150 million, although its assets are greater than any other U.S. liquor company. New Platoon. Last week it looked as if rven Lew Rosenstiel thought it time for a pick-me-up. At 61, he stepped out as president of Schenley (but stayed as chairman), and elevated a whole platoon of young Schenley reserves. Into the presidency went Ralph Taft Heymsfeld, 44, a Columbia-trained lawyer who joined the company 18 years ago and has specialized, as secretary and counsel, in fighting for fair trade and against high liquor taxes. Up to executive vice president stepped Treasurer Sidney Becker, 42, who started with Schenley during Prohibition.* Schenley's new top team, pointing to the company's net of $22 million last year, insists that Rosenstiel will still be the boss, and that no big changes will be made. But Schenley now seems to have a somewhat healthier respect for the lowly blend, and may push its blends harder in the future. Says President Heymsfeld: "You can't sell a man a Cadillac when all he can afford is a Chevrolet." * Other changes: Carl Kiefer, 71, moved up from executive vice president to assistant chairman; Henry Gayley, 51, became treasurer; Earl Gassenheimer, 41, comptroller; Richard Gilbert, 50, vice president. Roma/Cresta Blanca Sponsor Info dickelg 2008-09-02 17:46:17 2008-09-02 17:46:17 5 I agree with the majority of reviews here, except one. The pilot episode broadcast on the Forecast series was not Alfred Hitchcock but Joseph Kearns who was in many Suspense programs also "The Man in Black", who was doing an impersonation of Hitchcock. The impression was unnecessary at the time, for Mr. Hitchcock was not known in the United States at the time. His film, "Rebecca" was in the planning/storyboard stage at the time of broadcast. To keep you in Suspense!!!!!!!!!!! quigs 2009-01-29 20:48:14 2009-01-29 20:48:14 5 How do I download these? Help Ragnar77 2009-09-03 01:23:45 2009-09-03 01:23:45 5 I mean what my Title line says. the phrase "it can't get any better than this" is exactly what Suspense is. It is the Who is Who top Grad of any other Old Time Radio program period. Theres hardly any episode that I don't like in the netire series thus far. Top Tier of OTR, Period Dementia43 2009-09-08 23:17:23 2009-09-08 23:17:23 5 I LOVE this show! It really keeps the listener in suspense! I did not expect it to have such an effect on me. I have listened to a couple shows so far and I am now obsessed with it. Well, done! Really Awesome! Otr_rtO 2009-09-14 00:56:50 2009-09-14 00:56:50 5 I imagine that had I lived back in the 1950's, I would have been one of the people hovering around the radio listening breathlessly to Suspense. Has anyone noticed that the piano part of the Suspense theme song sounds similar to the Chicago song "Colour My World"? Suspense! allyn1 2009-10-04 22:31:48 2009-10-04 22:31:48 4 My two favorite CBS Radio Suspense Theater productions are The Daisy Chain and Mission Completed (starring James Stewart), written by John R. Forrest. Great Productions! Broadcast1959 2009-10-30 07:25:50 2009-10-30 07:25:50 5 17 4.82