1960-03-13 Revolution

Rosemary Rice and Phil Meeder star in a Peter Fernandez story about a honeymoon couple traveling in Latin America. They get caught in a political uprising and attempted assassination of the faltering dictator striving to stay in power. The husband takes a picture of the dictator at a rally just before shots are fired. Government police find them and confiscate the camera. They are detained until they produce a print of the picture of the incident that shows the identity of the shooters. But their film, implied as being developed and processed by the police, only shows pictures of the happy couple in front of local landmarks. The couple is incarcerated, and suspect that the police are part of the traitor group’s strategy to overthrow the dictator and his government. They are threatened with death unless they produce the picture, but the husband realizes he accidentally left the lens cap on the camera, and there is no picture of the assassination attempt. They can be released, except the police know that the couple figured out that the police are part of the conspiracy. The couple is driven away for their planned elimination. The couple’s terrifying experience eventually has a fortunate ending when a psychological ruse succeeds to free them by an unexpected rescuer.

The program was recorded on Tuesday, March 8, 1960. Rehearsal began at 3:00pm and ended at 6:30pm. Recording was done from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.

Two recordings have survived. The network recording is a WROW aircheck and is very listenable. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#777) has cleaner, richer sound, and is the preferred one of the two.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600313

THE CAST

Rosemary Rice (Elizabeth), Santos Ortega (Captain Santos), Jim Boles (Lieutenant Soto), Ralph Camargo (Garcia), Ronald Dawson (Sergeant Rivera / double), Phil Meeder (Bob)

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1960-03-06 Sleep Is for Children

Elspeth Eric stars in a script by Ralph Bell and Eugene Francis about a serial killer who wants to discourage the inflow of new residents in an upscale suburban housing development. It is in conflict with the area’s simpler rural life. There are no clues and or pattern to the killings other than the victim was home alone. As the story opens, we learn that it’s the “eggman,” the man who raises and delivers the eggs that families use to their doorstep, a bit of rural charm that probably attracted many of those new homeowners. The long-time residents can see the writing on the wall about their rural way of life. One of the residents, the killer, decides to take a vicious approach in defiance of the cascade of new residents.

There is a little girl in the story who tests her parent’s patience in what might be called “Oppositional Defiant Disorder” by some psychologists today. She learns at the end of the story that she can’t always get what she wants. An important scene is that she leaves one of her roller skates out in a hallway, causing her father to fall and bump his head. That sets up a plot element that is used later.

After the 20:45 mark in the network recording and 19:45 in the AFRS recording, the end of the story is negatively affected by what seem to be amateurish sound effects and wooden acting at that point.

One of the story elements is a call to the police, with the caller asking a telephone operator to accomplish it. The “911” service that is often taken for granted today was about 10 years away for many areas in the US, with some getting it as early as 1968. It revolutionized deployment of legal, fire, and medical response teams.

Refrigeration and proximity to supermarkets reduced the need for home delivery of milk, dairy products, and eggs. Most delivery services ended in the 1970s. There are some specialty dairies that still offer the services in limited areas. For the remote and growing housing development in the story, eggmen were being elbowed out to supermarkets, and were a part of the story’s “the city is moving to the country” theme.

The program was recorded on Tuesday, March 1, 1960. Rehearsal began at 3:00pm and ended at 6:30pm. Recording was done from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.

The working title of the script, and sent out in newspaper publicity, was “Sleeping is for Children.”

Two recordings have survived. The network recording is a WROW aircheck and is very listenable. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#776) has cleaner, richer sound, and is the preferred one of the two. The recording was not released with the usual “And now…” opening.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600306

THE CAST

Elspeth Eric (Ellen Gordon), Ralph Bell (Walter Gordon), Sarah Fussell (Stephanie Gordon), Bill Adams (Beppler), Betty Garde (Rosa), Ruth Tobin (Mrs. Worth), Peter Fernandez (Joe), Sam Gray (Cop), Eugene Francis (Newscaster)

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1960-02-28 Lt. Langer's Last Collection

Film and Broadway actor Frank Milan stars in a George Bamber story about a corrupt policeman has a heart attack and suddenly needs help from a man was blackmailing. Lieutenant Langer transformed from an honest rookie cop to a corrupt one as he moved through his career. He developed an extortion racket on ex-cons who might have been falling back to their old ways, getting payments from them to “look the other way” when they were suspected of committing crimes again. He visits Bruno, a pawnbroker who served time in prison, but seems to be fencing stolen goods. He asks him for $2000, which is more than $21,500 in US$2025 value! Langer soon has the beginnings of a heart attack and finds himself helpless on the sidewalk. He is belittled those who pass him, whether rich or poor. His symptoms make him seem very drunk, making him easy to dismiss and move on. Suddenly, he has to rely on Bruno, the man he was extorting, to get help. Bruno is joined by a newly commissioned officer as honest as Langer was when he was a new cop, making a strange juxtaposition in a pattern that is implied may repeat itself again in the new officer’s career.

A story that included similar reactions by passersby to a person having problems in public and being accosted by a homeless person is 1958-05-11 Subway Stop with Skip Homeier.

The program was recorded on Tuesday, February 23, 1960. Rehearsal began at 3:00pm and ended at 6:30pm. Recording was done from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.

Two recordings have survived. The network recording is a WROW aircheck and is very listenable. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#775) has cleaner, richer sound, and is the preferred one of the two.

Bamber likely used the script again for ABC Radio’s Theatre 5 series as “A Cup of Snow for Lt. Vogel.” Newspaper listings indicate a similar plotline. A recording of that broadcast is one of the few missing from that series, and cannot be verified unless it or a script is found.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600228

THE CAST

Frank Milan (Lt. Langer), Murray Forbes (Bruno), Frank Thomas, Jr. (Chino), Ginger Jones (Woman), Jack Grimes (Eddie), Ian Martin (Wino), William Mason (Reardon)

Nelson Olmstead was originally cast as Reardon.

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1960-02-21 The Crank Letter

Lyle Sudrow plays a highly respected surgeon in a Walter Black story. He portrays middle-aged "Dr. Donald Frazier," a surgeon whose life is tormented by an incident from the distant past. He appeals for police protection to avoid the doom threatened in a “crank letter” he received. A police lieutenant, who happens to be a patient of the doctor, tries to assure the unnerved doctor. He says that only one percent of the poison pen letters are written by dangerous people, but he does approve a bodyguard for him. Despite that close vigilance, more threatening notes reach the doctor’s desk. The most likely suspect is absolved by the intervention of an anonymous person who offers a new clue. The story, however, turns into a psychological drama about guilt about the death of a person whom the doctor knew many years ago. It is clear who the tormentor was; once known, the doctor’s fears are alleviated. The story is not Suspense at its best, nor is it “New York Suspense” at its best, either.

The program was recorded on Tuesday, February 16, 1960. Rehearsal began at 3:00pm and ended at 6:30pm. Recording was done from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.

Two recordings have survived. The network recording is a WROW aircheck and is very listenable. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#774) has cleaner, richer sound, and is the preferred one of the two.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600221

THE CAST

Lyle Sudrow (Dr. Donald Frazier), Les Damon (Lt. Paul Neeman), Larry Haines (Fred Gilbert), Phil Meeder (the young Donald Frazier), Walter Black (Detective Evans)

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1960-02-14 Sorry, Wrong Number

This broadcast was a re-use of the 1957 recording. That was the final last time Moorehead performed this famous Lucille Fletcher story for Suspense.

CBS publicity in their newspaper press releases did their best to imply that this 1960 broadcast was a new, live performance, or that there was a newly recorded production. It was not. It might be the only time that Suspense had a rerun or a previous recording. New “wrappers” by Stuart Metz were recorded on Tuesday, February 9, 1960. Additional editing of the 1957 recording was done to integrate those recordings and adjust for other aspects of the New York format.

These are links to the prior recordings and information the legendary episode. The first one is the most important one in terms of historical information and behind the scenes details about this fascinating script:

1943-05-25 (this has the most detailed background about the script and debunks many myths about the broadcast)

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2023/02/1943-05-25-sorry-wrong-number.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP430525 is where recordings can be downloaded or streamed

1943-08-21

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2023/03/1943-08-21-sorry-wrong-number.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP430821 is where recordings can be downloaded or streamed

1944-02-24

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2023/03/1944-02-24-sorry-wrong-number.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP440224 is where recordings can be downloaded or streamed

1945-09-06

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2023/06/1945-09-06-sorry-wrong-number.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP450906 is where recordings can be downloaded or streamed

1948-11-18 (the final live broadcast)

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2023/12/1948-11-18-sorry-wrong-number.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP481118 is where recordings can be downloaded or streamed

1952-09-15 (the missing episode, and the first pre-recorded episode, with an interesting history)

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2024/08/1952-09-15-sorry-wrong-number-still.html

1957-10-20 (the final recorded episode)

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2025/04/1957-10-20-sorry-wrong-number.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP571020 is where recordings can be downloaded or streamed

Two recordings have survived. The network recording is a WROW aircheck and is very listenable. The station was in the midst of doing its station ID and time check, and seems to be missing the “And now…” portion of the show opening from the network feed. This is curious, as the Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#773) is also missing the “And now…” opening. It may not have been part of the network feed for that day; no reason for the difference compared to other weeks is known. AFRS#773 has somewhat cleaner, richer sound, and is the preferred one of the two.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600214

THE CAST

AGNES MOOREHEAD (Mrs. Stevenson), Jeanette Nolan (Chief Operator / Information), Virginia Gregg (Operator), Ellen Morgan (Henchley Hospital woman), Joe de Santis (George), Byron Kane (Boss’ voice / Western Union), Norm Alden (Sergeant Martin)

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1960-02-07 The Mystery of Marie Roget

Jackson Beck stars in the second production of the Edgar Allan Poe story published in 1842. The script is by E. Jack Neuman. Roget might be considered an early “true crime” story. Poe’s inspiration was a news story about a young woman, Cecilia Rogers, who was murdered and her body thrown into New York City’s East River. Poe was fascinated with the story, but was far from the scene and constructed his story and perspective about the crime from sketchy newspaper accounts. When the killer was found, the story’s parallels with the actual facts were surprising. Poe had already written such details into his story… but the real-life details, including the identity of the murderer, affirmed his line of thinking… through the Dupin character.

The original production starred Cornel Wilde; details of that and the original Poe story can be found at

• https://suspenseproject.blogspot.com/2024/09/1953-12-14-mystery-of-marie-roget.html

• https://archive.org/details/TSP531214 is where recordings can be downloaded and streamed.

The program was recorded on Tuesday, February 2, 1960. Rehearsal began at 3:00pm and ended at 6:30pm. Recording was done from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.

Two recordings have survived. The network recording is a WROW aircheck and is very listenable. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#772) has cleaner, richer sound, and is the preferred one of the two.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600207

THE CAST

Jackson Beck (Dupin), Robert Dryden (The Prefect), Ethel Everett (Dulac), Jim Boles (Anatomist), Abby Lewis (Marie / Madam), Guy Repp (Bouvet), Ronald Dawson (Judge)

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1960-01-31 End of the Road

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS TITLE WAS USED AND IS A MUCH DIFFERENT STORY THAN THE 1947-02-06 CAR SALESMAN STORYLINE. THIS STORY IS ABOUT SPOUSAL ABUSE AND FAMILY DYSFUNCTION.

Rita Lloyd and Bernard Grant star in a disturbing story of a cover-girl's disastrous love and marriage to a brutally envious ex-convict. Although constantly afraid of her husband, Willie Luciano, model Mary Gardner believed her love would eventually overcome her husband's disposition to periodic outbursts of temper violence. She worries that her husband is working in illegal activities to support the family because he can’t hold a regular job. He is provoked this time by his wife and child are fashion models and they Luciano is upset because she uses the last name “Gardner” rather than his name “Luciano,” even though “Gardner” was their professional name before the marriage. He gives her a black eye which means that she can’t do the photo shoot gig with her young daughter that she just agreed to by phone with the modeling agency. The district attorney and her lawyer offer advice to protect her and her daughter from a prior marriage. The DA had successfully prosecuted Luciano before, so he was familiar with him. They involve gathering information that will first lead to protection, and eventually divorce. But she has to be serious about charging with abandonment or possibly adultery, which is suspected. Later, Luciano visits her and she misses a meeting with the DA. She calls and claims they had reconciled. The DA and the lawyer are skeptical, and the DA refuses to act further, but tells the lawyer to follow up in six months. That seems to be the all the time it took… and then there’s a turn in the course of events… that underscores how deep the trouble was that the relationship was actually in.

The story is of its time, and some of the attitude of the district attorney, especially at the end, would not be acceptable today. Much more is known about spousal abuse and family dysfunction today than about 70 years ago when the story was first on Indictment. It is understandable that Paul Roberts would want to use what he considered a compelling and emotional story like this script on Suspense. When it was used on Indictment, the episode may have received strong positive reaction for raising the issue of domestic abuse to greater attention, especially at a time when such acts tended to be hidden. It does not fit the typical Suspense tradition, for sure, and does seem out of place. That is made more so by the subject matter in the context modern sensibilities and information as it is listened to today.

This script was used twice on Indictment, 1957-12-29 and then 1958-11-16. The lead character on Indictment was assistant district attorney McCormick, and the re-used scripts for Suspense usually have his name crossed out and replaced by “Morgan,” with the other characters being unchanged. Some of the Indictment characters are portrayed by the very same actors in the Suspense productions. (Many thanks to researcher Karl Schadow who viewed the Indictment scripts archived at the Library of Congress).

The program was recorded on Thursday, January 21, 1960. Rehearsal began at 3:00pm and ended at 6:30pm. Recording was done from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.

Two recordings have survived. The network recording is a WROW aircheck and is very listenable. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (AFRS#771) has cleaner, richer sound, and is the preferred one of the two.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP600131

THE CAST

Bernard Grant (Willie Luciano), Rita Lloyd (Mary Luciano), John Seymour (Linden the lawyer), Nat Polen (Mr. Morgan), Rita Sergel (Phone Voice)

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