Suspense, Vol. 1: Radio's Theatre of Thrills

Suspense premiered in 1942 and soon became known for its inventive writing and for casting well-known stars in offbeat roles. In 1947, CBS decided to take a gamble: Suspense was turned into a full-hour Saturday night feature, hosted by actor and occasional star Robert Montgomery. Many of the hour-long shows were movie adaptations, and with the permission of the original writers, several earlier programs were expanded to accommodate the increased length. Having failed to attract a sponsor, however, the experiment ended in 1948, and a couple of months later the show moved back to its cozy Thursday night berth in its earlier half-hour form.

Radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrills would continue to be heard for the next 14 years, closing its final curtain in 1962.

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