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Suspense - Radio’s Outstanding Theater of Thrills

Presented by OTR.FM Network

Unravel the Mystery with Suspense! - The Classic Radio Thriller Series Step back in time to the golden age of radio with ”Suspense!” - the iconic series that captivated audiences from 1942 to 1962 with its thrilling tales and unforgettable performances. Featuring over 900 broadcasts penned by renowned authors and directors, ”Suspense!” brought the finest in thriller and mystery genres to the airwaves. Broadcast on the CBS Radio Network, ”Suspense!” showcased Hollywood’s brightest stars, including Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, Orson Welles, and Marlene Dietrich. Under the masterful direction of William Spier, known as the ”Hitchcock of the airwaves,” the series delivered gripping human dramas that kept listeners on the edge of their seats. From the eerie introductions by the ”Man in Black” to the evocative scores by Bernard Hermann and Lucian Moraweck, ”Suspense!” was a paragon of radio production excellence. The show’s unique formula of minimal rehearsal and genuine unease created authe...

646 episodes

Somebody Help Me

Sep 3, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: March 29, 1954 In Suspense #545, "Somebody Help Me," Eddie Franklin is a man barely holding himself together after a volatile confrontation with his ex-wife Shirley. Divorced for three months, Eddie erupts in rage when Shirley refuses his desperate pleas for reconciliation, insisting their marriage is over. Shaken and aimless, Eddie drives through the autumn twilight until he spots Eileen Hall waiting for a bus. He offers her a ride, and what begins as a friendly evening quickly reveals Eddie's unstable nature as minor provocations—a driver wanting his parking space, someone bumping into him at a crowded dance hall—trigger violent outbursts that disturb and frighten Eileen. Based on a true story, this episode chronicles seven hours that Cornell Wilde's character Eddie spends with the unsuspecting Eileen before darkness within him fully emerges. As Eddie oscillates between tender moments and explosive anger, Eileen finds herself trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation with a man whose rage simmers just beneath the surface, ready to erupt at the slightest perceived offense.
The Guilty Always Run

Sep 3, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: March 22, 1954 Suspense #544, "The Guilty Always Run," stars Tyrone Power as Jeff, a married man whose summer beach vacation takes a dark turn. When a beautiful woman named Karen Lawrence calls his house after midnight desperately asking for help, Jeff drives to her beach house to check on her but finds no one home. The next day, Karen's friend Phyllis arrives demanding to know what Jeff did with Karen, whose house is now in disarray. That night, Jeff's wife Janie encourages him to go moonlight surfing despite her injury, and while paddling out, he makes a horrifying discovery: Karen's body floating in the kelp, bruised and wearing the jacket he'd lent her the previous evening. As Jeff prepares to report the death to police, his neighbor Lou offers him an unexpected alibi for the night Karen died, insisting that grief and police suspicion could destroy Jeff's marriage to Janie. Torn between the truth and protecting his relationship, Jeff faces an agonizing decision about what really happened that night and whether accepting Lou's alibi will save him or condemn him.
The Girl in Car 32

Sep 2, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: March 15, 1954 Suspense #543, "The Girl in Car 32," stars Victor Mature as Mahoney, a New York police detective assigned to a cross-country train trip with a dangerous mission. His target is Genevieve Josephine Johnson, known as Jenny, a young woman believed to be the girlfriend of jewel thief Fritzy Hollister. Mahoney's superior, working with LA police detective Dave, instructs him to befriend Jenny and search her luggage to discover where she's planning to meet Fritzy and his trunk full of stolen jewelry. Despite her modest background—a low-rent Hollywood apartment and a job in a Pennsylvania dentist's office—the police are convinced Jenny is part of Fritzy's criminal operation. When a drunk passenger harasses Jenny in Car 32, Mahoney uses the opportunity to play hero and insert himself into her life. As they strike up a conversation, Jenny proves charming and seemingly innocent, talking about her brief stay in a luxurious Hollywood apartment and her journey back east to Bayside Hills, Pennsylvania. Mahoney finds himself drawn to her natural warmth and beauty, creating an uncomfortable tension between his professional duty and growing personal feelings. As the streamliner speeds eastward, Mahoney must decide whether Jenny is truly a criminal's accomplice or an innocent woman caught in his investigation.
Circumstantial Terror

Sep 2, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: March 8, 1954 Suspense #542, "Circumstantial Terror," stars Ronald Reagan as Frank Thompson, a desperate man caught in a nightmare of circumstantial evidence. After months of unemployment following a boiler explosion at his workplace, Frank loses his temper with Sam, a rude liquor store owner, during an argument over cigarettes. Later that night, feeling guilty about his outburst, Frank returns to the store to apologize—only to hear a gunshot and see an unknown man flee the scene. When he rushes inside, he finds Sam dead behind the counter. Before Frank can call the police, witnesses arrive who had overheard his earlier threats against Sam. Despite his protests that he saw the real killer escape, the evidence mounts against him: the murder weapon bears only Sam's fingerprints, money is scattered across the store suggesting a robbery gone wrong, and his desperate financial situation provides a clear motive. As Frank faces a grand jury indictment for first-degree murder, even his assigned public defender Ernest Gibbons struggles to believe his story. With no one willing to accept the truth about what he witnessed, Frank must find a way to prove his innocence before it's too late.
The Barking Death

Sep 1, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: March 1, 1954 Suspense #541, "The Barking Death," presents a terrifying race against time when a rabid dog escapes from a health center laboratory. Dr. Paul Miller discovers that thieves who broke in to steal microscopes and medical equipment have also inadvertently taken a black and white spotted mongrel that was being tested after biting a local man named Garrison. With rabies being 100% fatal once symptoms appear, Miller must alert the entire community of 25,000 residents to the deadly threat now loose on their streets. As police, health officials, and concerned citizens mobilize, tensions rise. Mrs. Stone and other townspeople question whether the publicity will cause unnecessary panic, but Dr. Miller grimly educates them with footage of a child suffering from the disease. Meanwhile, the petty thief Cliff has grown attached to his new "poochie," unaware of the danger he's carrying. As the hunt intensifies through neighborhoods and hills, the clock ticks toward a tragic outcome if the infected animal bites again before it can be found.
Murder by Jury

Sep 1, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: February 22, 1954 Suspense #540, "Murder by Jury," stars Herbert Marshall in a chilling courtroom drama where Edward Mason stands trial for murdering his wife, Frida. Mason claims he awoke from a recurring nightmare about strangling a snake, only to discover his hands were around his wife's throat and she was already dead. As the prosecutor cross-examines witnesses, damning evidence emerges: Mason had insured his wife's life for ten thousand pounds, and her brother Hector Easterday testifies that Mason had been involved with another woman. While the defense attorney, McCrae, works to discredit the witnesses and paint Mason's confession as the truthful account of a tragic accident, the prosecution argues it was a carefully premeditated murder disguised as a nightmare. The case grows more complex as the jury weighs the evidence. Was this truly a horrible accident caused by a vivid dream, or did Mason commit the perfect crime by staging his wife's death to look like an unfortunate sleepwalking incident? With Mason's life hanging in the balance, the truth remains elusive as both sides battle to convince the jury of their version of events.
The Outer Limit

Aug 31, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: February 15, 1954 Suspense #539, "The Outer Limit," test pilot Major Bill Westfall prepares to fly the RJX1, a top-secret experimental rocket jet aircraft designed to push the boundaries of speed and altitude beyond anything previously attempted. With eight rockets capable of propelling him into unexplored regions of space, Bill faces tremendous risks as Colonel Hank and engineer Mr. Hargrove monitor the flight from ground control. The biggest uncertainty comes at takeoff—with maximum fuel capacity, Bill has just six thousand feet and seven seconds to get the heavily loaded aircraft airborne, a configuration that has never been tested before. As Bill's wife Molly and twin children wait at home, he climbs higher and faster, firing his rockets one by one and reporting back that the plane is "a doll, baby." But as Bill fires his second rocket and climbs beyond known altitudes, something goes terribly wrong. His transmission cuts off mid-sentence, leaving Hank desperately calling for his best pilot to respond. The chase planes in their F-86s can only watch as Bill and his experimental aircraft venture beyond the outer limit of human experience, into regions where no one knows what awaits.
Death at Skirkerud Pond

Aug 31, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: February 8, 1954 Suspense #538, "Death at Skirkerud Pond," presents a harrowing true story of moral crisis in Nazi-occupied Norway. When George Helman arrives home wounded after helping blow up a Nazi troop train, his parents Miklas and Anna face terrible danger. The underground resistance, led by Arnie and Hansen, reluctantly agrees to guide the elderly couple across the border to Sweden—for a price. The Helmans, once proud and prosperous citizens, must now flee the country their son shed blood to defend. The treacherous journey through twenty miles of frozen wilderness quickly deteriorates as the aging couple struggles to keep pace. Miklas grows defiant and threatens to betray the underground to the Gestapo if they don't accommodate his demands for rest and better treatment. As dawn approaches and Nazi patrols draw near, Arnie and Hansen face an agonizing decision: the Helmans have become a threat not only to their own mission, but to the entire resistance network and the lives of hundreds of others fighting for freedom.
Never Follow a Banjo Act

Aug 30, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: February 1, 1954 Suspense #537, "Never Follow a Banjo Act," stars Ethel Merman as Rosie Jones, a veteran nightclub singer whose career has seen better days. When legendary agent Ray Cram offers her a lucrative contract to perform with his hot new discovery, teenage heartthrob Terry Dane, at a Las Vegas casino, Rosie jumps at the opportunity. However, Cram delivers a stern warning: stay away from Terry off-stage. The young singer is moody and shy, still recovering from the tragic death of his girlfriend Constance Green, who died in a bizarre shower door accident during Cram's "My Darling Died" publicity campaign. As Rosie and Terry begin performing together at the Cactus Retreat, tensions simmer beneath the surface. Terry displays an unsettling charisma with audiences, particularly women, yet seems strangely fixated on Rosie's apparent immunity to his charms. When Cram catches Terry whispering to Rosie backstage and reinforces his warning for her to keep her distance, it becomes clear that something sinister lurks behind the glamorous Vegas showbiz facade. The episode's ominous title takes on new meaning as Rosie finds herself in increasingly dangerous territory.
Want Ad

Aug 30, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: January 25, 1954 Suspense #536, "Want Ad," presents a chilling portrait of a calculating criminal who has perfected a deadly method of making his living. The protagonist needs only three tools: the morning newspaper, a telephone, and a gun. After settling into domestic life with his wife Wilma, he continues his routine, scanning the classifieds for wealthy women selling expensive items like fur coats. When he spots an advertisement for a mink coat, he calls Mrs. Phelps, claiming to be an interested buyer named Mr. Vernon who wants to purchase the coat as a gift for his wife. Mrs. Phelps welcomes him into her home, eager to sell the $4,500 mink coat her husband bought her. She demonstrates the coat's quality, discusses the price, and after some negotiation agrees to his offer of $3,400 in cash. But when it comes time for payment, the con man reveals his true intentions at gunpoint, transforming what seemed like a legitimate transaction into an armed robbery that leaves Mrs. Phelps terrified and helpless.
The Face Is Familiar

Aug 29, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: January 18, 1954 Suspense #535, "The Face Is Familiar," stars Jack Benny as Tom Jones, a down-on-his-luck man with an unusual talent: he never forgets a face. While wandering through a train station, Tom spots Harry Edmonds, someone he remembers from their old neighborhood on 12th Street and 2nd Avenue. Harry doesn't remember Tom at all, but Tom eagerly approaches him anyway, rattling off names and places from their shared past. What Tom doesn't realize is that Harry and his associate Joe are criminals planning a bank robbery, and they're desperately searching for someone new to help them pull it off—someone whose face won't be recognized. Harry and Joe quickly see an opportunity in the eager, talkative Tom. Here's a nobody, a man so unremarkable that no one would look at him twice—the perfect accomplice. They lure Tom in with flattery and promises of a lucrative job, playing on his obvious need for money and acceptance. As Tom enthusiastically reminisces about old times and boasts about his modest career, he remains oblivious to the dangerous situation unfolding around him, his harmless talent for remembering faces about to pull him into a world of crime.
The One Man Crime Wave

Aug 29, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: January 11, 1954 Suspense #534, "The One Man Crime Wave," presents a chilling dramatization based on actual events as a city descends into terror. When a neighborhood woman is brutally stabbed to death while simply walking to mail a letter on a Tuesday evening, Sergeant Farring and his new partner Driscoll begin investigating what appears to be a senseless killing. The victim, a mother with children, had no known enemies, leaving police with virtually no leads. Days later, the killer strikes again on Washington Street, fatally attacking a 37-year-old waitress named Miss who manages to survive long enough to provide Farring with a vague description of her assailant before dying while holding the detective's hand. With two murders committed on opposite sides of the city and no discernible pattern, Farring faces a nightmare scenario: a probable criminally insane killer striking at random. As the story breaks in the newspapers, panic spreads through the community while Farring's phone rings constantly with tips from frightened citizens. Working with limited information and facing mounting pressure, the detective must somehow find this one-man crime wave before he kills again.
On a Country Road

Aug 28, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: January 4, 1954 Suspense #533, "On a Country Road," stars Frank Lovejoy as David, who takes what seems like an innocent shortcut with his wife Dorothy to avoid heavy traffic and an approaching storm. Their decision proves ill-timed, as radio bulletins warn that Nellie Goller, a dangerous mental patient who brutally murdered several people with a meat cleaver, has escaped and is believed to be in the very area they're driving through. Despite Dorothy's growing anxiety and warnings to stay off lonely roads, David presses forward on the isolated country route through desolate woods near Santa Moritches, where the killer has just claimed two more victims. As the storm intensifies and darkness falls, the couple's situation becomes dire when their car runs out of gas on the deserted road surrounded by dense forest. Dorothy's fear escalates with each thunder crack and news bulletin, while David tries to maintain his composure. Stranded in pitch darkness with a homicidal maniac potentially lurking in the nearby woods, the couple faces a terrifying dilemma about whether to stay with the car or venture out for help, turning their simple drive home into a nightmare of suspense.
The Queen’s Ring

Aug 28, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: December 28, 1953 Suspense #532, "The Queen's Ring," starring James Mason and Pamela Mason, presents the turbulent relationship between Queen Elizabeth and the ambitious Lord Essex. Fresh from his military triumphs in Spain, Essex is summoned by the aging queen, who wavers between passionate affection for her handsome lord and suspicion of his treasonous ambitions. Before dispatching him to quell rebellion in Ireland, Elizabeth gives Essex a ring—a token that promises to spare his life should he betray her, if only he returns it to remind her of their love. Meanwhile, Mary Howard, lady in waiting to the queen, harbors her own desires for Essex's affections. In Ireland, Essex achieves military success but makes a fateful decision. Rather than securing unconditional surrender as Elizabeth commanded, he negotiates truce with the Irish chief Sean of Lamore on one dangerous condition: allegiance to Essex himself, not to the queen. With this rebel army at his command, Essex contemplates the unthinkable—marching on London to seize Elizabeth's throne. His companion Roger warns him of the treachery, but Essex places his faith in the queen's ring to preserve his life.
’Twas The Night Before Christmas

Aug 27, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: December 21, 1953 Suspense #531, "'Twas The Night Before Christmas," In this poignant holiday drama, young Kathy awakens on Christmas Eve morning expecting her parents to arrive home from Paris at six o'clock. Her housekeeper, Miss Buff, struggles to keep the little girl occupied with plans to decorate the tree, take a walk in the snow, and visit relatives. As the morning stretches into afternoon with no word from Kathy's mother and father, Miss Buff deflects phone calls from newspapermen and tries desperately to maintain the child's excitement about the holiday season. They venture out into the snowy streets, encountering carolers and Santa Claus, while Miss Buff fights back tears. When they visit Kathy's Aunt and Uncle and her cousin Johnny, the adults speak in hushed tones about a plane that took off from Paris on schedule but lost radio contact after Ireland. A storm over the ocean has left everyone without answers. As the terrible truth begins to dawn on young Kathy, she must confront the devastating realization that her parents may never come home, transforming what should have been a joyous Christmas reunion into a day of uncertainty and heartbreak.
The Mystery of Marie Roget

Aug 27, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: December 14, 1953 Suspense #530, "The Mystery of Marie Roget," presents Edgar Allan Poe's detective C. Auguste Dupin investigating a haunting murder case. When the body of a beautiful young woman is pulled from the Seine River in Paris, the Prefect of Police summons Dupin to help solve the crime before public pressure mounts. The victim is identified as Marie Roget, a perfume shop employee who vanished on Sunday while supposedly visiting her aunt. Her employer Beauvais and her betrothed Jacques Saint-Eustache have been desperately searching for her since she failed to return. As Dupin examines the body with a doctor, he makes crucial deductions about the murder: the victim was strangled by hand and cord tied with a sailor's knot, killed quickly near the riverbank on Sunday, and transported by boat into deeper water. Suspicions deepen when Beauvais reveals that Marie had mysteriously disappeared once before for a week, three years earlier. With the prefect's honor and a substantial reward at stake, Dupin begins piecing together the clues using only his powers of observation and deduction to unmask the killer.
Trent’s Last Case

Aug 26, 2026 · 29 min

Originally Aired: December 7, 1953 Suspense #529, "Trent's Last Case," brings to life E.C. Bentley's classic detective novel starring Ronald Colman as Philip Trent, a journalist-investigator called to the English countryside to solve a murder. Financial titan Sigsby Manderson, a ruthless manipulator who accumulated enemies with every dollar, has been shot dead on his estate in Bishopsbridge. Trent's investigation becomes complicated when he meets Mr. Cupples, whose niece Mabel is Manderson's widow. Cupples reveals that Manderson had been treating his young wife miserably in recent months, and that he himself publicly threatened the financier after being repeatedly rebuffed when trying to discuss the matter. As Trent explores the grounds where the body was discovered, he encounters Marlowe, Manderson's nervous secretary who claims to have been away on an urgent errand to Southampton at the time of the murder. Marlowe mysteriously warns Trent to leave Mrs. Manderson alone in his investigation. When Trent reaches the house, he finds Inspector Murch of Scotland Yard already on the case, examining a peculiar crime scene where the well-dressed victim wore oddly mismatched shoes. With too many suspects and a missing murder weapon, Trent faces a puzzle worthy of the dead man's formidable reputation.
The Wreck of the Maid of Athens

Aug 26, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: November 30, 1953 Suspense #528, "The Wreck of the Maid of Athens," presents the harrowing true story of Emily Wooldridge, whose ship catches fire and sinks off the coast of South America in 1852. After a desperate escape through heavy seas, Emily, her husband Captain Richard Wooldridge, and only four surviving crew members—Lawson, Hayward, Oates, and Roberts—struggle ashore on the desolate island of San Carlo. The landing itself proves deadly, claiming more lives as their lifeboats crash through the violent surf. Stranded with minimal supplies and winter storms approaching, Captain Wooldridge proposes their only hope: repairing one of the damaged boats and attempting a perilous 300-mile voyage to the South American mainland. However, the survivors' fragile unity begins to fracture. Led by the bitter Lawson, the remaining crew members grow suspicious about the fire that destroyed their ship and angry over the mounting deaths. As tensions rise between the captain and his men, Emily finds herself caught in an increasingly dangerous situation where the greatest threat may not be the elements, but human desperation itself.
The Moonstone - Part Two

Aug 25, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: November 23, 1953 Suspense #527, "The Moonstone - Part Two," continues Wilkie Collins' classic detective story as Sergeant Cuff investigates the mysterious theft of a cursed diamond. Franklin Blake has given the legendary Moonstone to his cousin Rachel Verinder as a birthday gift, only to have it vanish overnight. While the Indian jugglers suspected of the theft were locked in jail when the diamond disappeared, Sergeant Cuff discovers a telling clue: a smudge on Rachel's freshly painted door, made by someone's petticoat around two in the morning. The detective's investigation takes a disturbing turn when he requests to search everyone's wardrobe, but Rachel refuses and breaks down in tears, insisting she won't cooperate. Despite Franklin's protests and his love for Rachel, Sergeant Cuff's suspicions grow darker. He reveals that the housemaid Rosanna Spearman has a criminal past as a thief, and suggests Rachel herself may be hiding a terrible secret or scandal that forced her to arrange the diamond's disappearance. When Rachel suddenly flees the house, Cuff's theory seems confirmed. The pursuit leads Franklin, the Sergeant, and butler Bettridge racing toward the beach, where Rosanna has been spotted running toward the treacherous quicksand.
The Moonstone - Part One

Aug 25, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: November 16, 1953 Suspense #526, "The Moonstone - Part One," presents Wilkie Collins' classic mystery starring Peter Lawford as Franklin Blake. The episode opens with a sinister ceremony as Indian mystics perform a ritual to track down a stolen sacred jewel - the legendary Moonstone diamond. Franklin Blake returns to England from Italy to serve as executor of his uncle Colonel John Herncastle's will. The notorious black sheep colonel, who fought in India and died with a ruined reputation, has left a remarkable bequest: a yellow diamond called the Moonstone, valued at 30,000 pounds, to be given to Franklin's cousin Rachel Verinder on her birthday. When Franklin retrieves the massive gem from the bank vault, he experiences an unsettling, almost hypnotic reaction to its eerie yellow depths. Wisely placing it in a local bank for safekeeping, he arrives at the Verinder estate in Yorkshire where he'll stay for two weeks before the birthday presentation. The episode builds tension when the steward's daughter mentions that mysterious Indian jugglers recently appeared at the house, asking questions about a gentleman arriving from foreign parts - a troubling sign that the sacred stone's original owners may be closing in.
Needle in the Haystack

Aug 24, 2026 · 29 min

Originally Aired: November 9, 1953 Suspense #525, "Needle in the Haystack," presents a gripping true story from the Korean War, as Commander Don leads a dangerous minesweeping operation in Wonsan Harbor. In October 1951, 250 ships wait helplessly at sea while 20,000 Marines steam in circles, unable to land until the harbor is cleared. Captain Spofford assigns just ten sweepers to a job that would normally require hundreds, facing an unknown number of contact, magnetic, acoustic, and pressure mines. William Holden stars as the commander who must find answers about what kinds of mines lie in wait and where they're positioned so the fleet can finally reach shore. As conventional sweeping methods fail and experimental aerial bombing proves disastrous, costing the ships Pirate and Pledge, Don takes increasingly desperate measures. With the fleet commander demanding answers and time running out, he makes the perilous decision to swim through the minefield himself, his legs brushing against mines moored just two feet below the surface. When he finally reaches shore, exhausted from his half-hour swim through the deadly waters, a group of Korean fishermen awaits him on the beach.
Ordeal in Donner Pass

Aug 24, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: November 2, 1953 Suspense #524, "Ordeal in Donner Pass," presents the harrowing true story of the infamous Donner Party, trapped in the Sierra Nevada mountains during the brutal winter of 1846-47. Patrick Breen, a God-fearing family man, serves as narrator and diarist, documenting the steadily worsening conditions as the wagon party faces a deadly choice. Despite Mr. Eddie's desperate pleas to attempt crossing the mountain pass before winter sets in, the exhausted settlers vote to stay and wait for spring. Mr. Donner, Mr. Graves, and the other families believe their children need rest and that the treacherous conditions make travel impossible. The decision proves catastrophic. As November turns to December, relentless snowfall buries the camp under five to six feet of snow. The families slaughter their remaining oxen and take shelter in crude cabins, completely cut off from one another. When an eight-day blizzard finally breaks, they discover their pack animals have disappeared beneath the snow. With supplies dwindling and death claiming its first victim, Bayless Williams, the settlers face starvation. Mrs. Reed pleads for food while Breen grimly rations what little oxmeat remains, knowing the worst ordeal still lies ahead.
Dutch Schultz

Aug 23, 2026 · 29 min

Originally Aired: October 26, 1953 Suspense #523, "Dutch Schultz," brings the violent world of 1930s organized crime to life as Broderick Crawford portrays the notorious gangster Dutch Schultz. When Ginch, one of Schultz's men, learns that the major New York crime bosses—Harry, Lepke, Lucky, Albert, and others—are meeting without the Dutchman's knowledge, tensions immediately flare. Schultz crashes the syndicate meeting, where the bosses are discussing what to do about an incorruptible new man in the District Attorney's office who's investigating their numbers rackets. While the other crime lords want to handle the situation with what Harry calls "a modicum of intelligence," the hot-headed Schultz has his own brutal ideas about dealing with problems. Back in Newark, Schultz runs his numbers operation with the help of mathematical genius Abadabba Berman, who has rigged the system so players rarely win. Feeling disrespected by the New York syndicate and convinced of his own superiority, the volatile gangster grows increasingly dangerous. As Schultz's paranoia and violent impulses escalate, his loyal men Ginch and Abadabba find themselves caught between their unpredictable boss and the powerful forces gathering against him.
My True Love’s Hair

Aug 23, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: October 19, 1953 Suspense #522, "My True Love's Hair," John Harvison, a midshipman from the merchant ship Sumatra Bell, arrives at the island of Suva to deliver a message to the Jenwoods from their old friend Mr. Darren. There he encounters Rachel, a beautiful island girl living with the mysterious couple. Despite Mrs. Jenwit's ominous warning that Rachel represents evil and death, Harvison finds himself irresistibly drawn to her. When he meets Rachel secretly at a moonlit lagoon, their romantic encounter is violently interrupted by Red, a crew member from his ship who has followed them there with sinister intentions. The confrontation with Red turns deadly, forcing Harvison and Rachel to flee together to a remote coral island in the New Hebrides. As they hide among the natives in what seems like paradise, with Rachel dancing and old men bringing pearls from the sea, their idyll is shattered when Rachel spots an approaching packet boat. The island police are coming for Harvison, and a typhoon is bearing down on their refuge, threatening to transform their escape into a trap.
Action

Aug 22, 2026 · 30 min

Originally Aired: October 5, 1953 Suspense #520, "Action," features Herbert Marshall as Bill, a man who awakens one Monday morning to discover a troubling numbness down his right side—the unmistakable sign of a stroke. Refusing to accept the fate of a slow decline into invalidism, Bill confides in his old friend Adrian Tillett over lunch at their club. While others their age succumb to gradual decay, Bill envisions a different path. He tells Tillett about a recurring dream of climbing an increasingly impossible crag, and reveals his radical plan: to test the limits of human capability when the fear of death is removed. He intends to attempt the Zenal, a treacherous ridge of the Vicehorn in the Alps. Despite Tillett's quiet objections and understanding sympathy, Bill cannot be dissuaded. Ten days later, he arrives at Zanal and reunites with Gaspar, an old guide who has accompanied him on many climbs during happier July expeditions. Now, in the dangerous late season with snow approaching, Bill prepares to undertake the west face—a climb that will push beyond the normal margin of safety that keeps mountaineers alive.