BONUS - Singers in the Spotlight

BONUS - Singers in the Spotlight

Author: Mean Streets Podcasts August 23, 2024 Duration: 3:25:10

In this bonus episode, we salute some of the singers who stepped up to the Suspense microphone and traded trills for thrills. Lena Horne is caught up in wartime espionage in "You Were Wonderful" (originally aired on CBS on November 9, 1944), and Frank Sinatra is the handyman from hell in "To Find Help" (AFRS rebroadcast from January 18, 1945). Ezio Pinza is an opera singer who leaves them dead in the aisles in "Aria from Murder" (originally aired on CBS on January 25, 1951), and Dinah Shore sings and stars in the tale of "Frankie and Johnny" (originally aired on CBS on May 5, 1952). Rosemary Clooney headlines a bloody tale of the Roaring Twenties in "St. James Infirmary Blues" (originally aired on CBS on February 23, 1953) and Ethel Merman is a cabaret singer who takes the wrong newcomer under her wing in "Never Follow a Banjo Act" (originally aired on CBS on February 1, 1954). Finally, Margaret Whiting is a sharp dressed woman with murder on her mind in "The Well-Dressed Corpse" (AFRS rebroadcast from October 13, 1957).


Step back into an era where the crackle of a radio dial promised an evening of expertly crafted tension, brought to life by the most iconic voices ever captured on tape. Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio) from Mean Streets Podcasts is a weekly double feature dedicated to preserving and celebrating this specific golden age artifact. The focus here is on the thrilling convergence of A-list Hollywood talent with the masterful sound production of the classic "Suspense" radio series. You'll hear legends like Orson Welles, Agnes Moorehead, or Cary Grant not in their familiar cinematic roles, but using only their voices to paint pictures of desperation, mystery, and impending doom. Each episode presents two complete, original broadcasts, allowing the listener to fully immerse in the narrative craftsmanship and atmospheric sound design that held a nation captive. This podcast isn't just about nostalgia; it's an archival showcase of performance art, highlighting how these stars built entire worlds and complex characters through vocal nuance alone. The collection spans the show's long run, offering everything from psychological noir to supernatural tales, all united by that signature spine-tingling "Suspense" mood. For anyone interested in the roots of modern audio drama, the history of performance, or simply a brilliantly told story, this curated journey provides a direct line to a time when imagination was the ultimate special effect. Tune in for a masterclass in tension, starring the very best.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)
Podcast Episodes
Episode 439 - Stars of "Casablanca" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:08:43
Here's looking at you, kid. In honor of Valentine's Day, here's one of Hollywood's all-time great romantic dramas - one of the all-time great movies, period - Casablanca. The tale of a love triangle set against an exotic…
Episode 438 - Stars of "His Girl Friday" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37:09
A month of classic Hollywood romances kicks off with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell trading quips at a mile a minute in His Girl Friday. Howard Hawks' adaptation of the newspaper comedy The Front Page changes the two ba…
Episode 437 - Stars of "Winchester '73" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:35:48
We ride off into the sunset for our winter out west series with Winchester '73, Anthony Mann's engrossing western drama starring James Stewart. It's the story of a man who loses his rifle and who travels the west to get…
Episode 436 - Stars of "My Darling Clementine" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:31:00
Guns are drawn at the OK Corral and a legend of the west is born in My Darling Clementine, John Ford's classic dramatization of the life and times of Wyatt Earp. We'll hear three of the film's stars - Henry Fonda, who pl…
Encore - Wild West Suspense [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:02:06
No new episode this week due to some unexpected conflicts, but since we're celebrating classic western movies, here's a collection of western tales from "radio's outstanding theater of thrills!" Alan Ladd hunts for his b…
Episode 435 - Stars of "Shane" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:59
We're spending the winter out west with classic western movies and their stars in January. First up is Shane, the story of a gunfighter who tries to turn over a new leaf but has to fall back on his trade when his newfoun…
Episode 434 - Stars of "'Til We Meet Again" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:36:58
We bid goodbye to the old year and ring in the new with 'Til We Meet Again, a tale of star-crossed lovers on an ocean liner with plans for a New Year's Eve rendezvous…if the fates don't conspire against them. We'll hear…
Episode 433 - Stars of "It's a Wonderful Life" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:08:56
We wrap up our series of classic holiday films with It's a Wonderful Life - the timeless tale from Frank Capra that proves no man is a failure who has friends. We'll hear three of its stars - Jimmy Stewart, Sheldon Leona…
Episode 432 - Stars of "The Bishop's Wife" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:08:34
Our December series of classic holiday films continues with the cast of The Bishop's Wife - the heavenly comedy about a beleaguered bishop, his supportive wife, and the angel who pays a visit to lend a hand. We'll hear i…
Episode 431 - Stars of "It Happened on Fifth Avenue" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:18
A tycoon's vacant mansion hosts holiday hijinks in the classic comedy It Happened on Fifth Avenue. It's the story of a vagrant who makes himself at home in the house when the owner heads south for the winter, and of how…