Episode 405 - Vanessa Brown

Episode 405 - Vanessa Brown

Author: Mean Streets Podcasts March 13, 2025 Duration: 1:36:41

Born in Austria, Vanessa Brown and her family fled the Nazis and made their way to America where she soon found success on the Broadway stage and as a juvenile contestant on The Quiz Kids. She broke into films in the 1940s before returning to the stage, where she originated the iconic role made famous by Marilyn Monroe in the original production of The Seven Year Itch. We'll hear Ms. Brown in an adaptation of a classic urban legend of paranoia and deception - "The Vanishing Lady" (AFRS rebroadcast from April 7, 1957). Then, she goes undercover to catch her sister's killer in "Vamp Till Dead" (AFRS rebroadcast from September 29, 1957). Plus, she finds romance at sea in "It's a Date" from Hollywood Star Time (originally aired on CBS on January 11, 1947) and she discusses her career on screen and as a Quiz Kid in an excerpt from an episode from July 21, 1946.


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 377 - Richard Crenna [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:16
Before he was Rambo's commanding officer, Richard Crenna was a squeaky-voiced teenager on radio in Our Miss Brooks and A Date with Judy. His career began on the air and stretched into the early 2000s, and it included an…
Episode 376 - Norman Lloyd [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:34:27
Norman Lloyd began his career on stage with Orson Welles and on screen under the direction of Alfred Hitchcock. He went on to TV stardom in the 1980s on St. Elsewhere and made his final screen appearance in 2015 at the a…
Episode 375 - Herbert Marshall (Part 6) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:02
Herbert Marshall puts his English accent to great use in this pair of radio thrillers - two of the twenty-one appearances he logged on Suspense. First, he's the crown prosecutor out to convict a wily wife killer in "Murd…
Episode 374 - Hans Conried [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:05:38
Possessing one of the all-time great voices of the radio era, Hans Conried was equally effective in comedies and dramas as characters both old and young from all parts of the world. We'll hear him as the king's execution…
Episode 373 - John Lund (Part 5) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:58:49
John Lund joins our five-timer's club as he makes his final four appearances on Suspense. First, he's a Marine who may have discovered paradise in the middle of the war in the Pacific in "The Island" (originally aired on…
Episode 372 - Barbara Whiting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:45
Though she never found the fame of her sister Margaret, Barbara Whiting had a run in Hollywood as a Fox contract player. We'll hear her in "The Rim of Terror" (originally aired on CBS on December 2, 1956) as a woman who…
BONUS - Best Two-Handers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:04:43
We've got two stars for the price of one in each of these Suspense shows! For this bonus episode, I'm sharing my favorite installments of "radio's outstanding theater of thrills" that featured a pair of big name stars at…
Episode 371 - Virginia Gregg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:31
Virginia Gregg was one of the radio era's busiest and best performers. The versatile and talented actress could be heard on everything from detective dramas to westerns, often playing multiple characters in the same epis…
BONUS - When Irish Stars Are On Suspense [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:53:36
To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, we've got a line-up of Irish-American stars making appearances on "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." Maureen O'Hara is an amateur sleuth hunting a killer in "The White Rose Murders"…

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