Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

Episode 421 – Favorites from 1950
Host: Mean Streets Podcasts
Date: September 4, 2025

Overview

This episode of Stars on Suspense revisits the standout "Suspense" radio episodes from 1950—a year marked by a pivotal change behind the scenes, with Elliot Lewis taking over as producer/director from Norman MacDonnell. The host celebrates this era as the series' golden stretch, highlighting Lewis's innovative approach to sound and storytelling, and showcases five favorite episodes from that year, each starring legends of Hollywood. The episode provides insightful background, plot summaries, and observations before letting the original dramatic presentations take center stage.

Introduction: Setting the Stage for 1950

[00:54] – [06:38]

• Year of Change: 1950 was significant for "Suspense" with Norman MacDonnell starting the year as director/produder, succeeded in August by singer, actor, writer and director Elliot Lewis.
• Elliot Lewis Era: Host praises Lewis’s experimental techniques, star-studded casts, and creative sound/music design.
• The Five Featured Episodes:
  1. The Crowd (Dana Andrews)
  2. Rave Notice (Milton Berle)
  3. On a Country Road (Cary Grant, Kathy Lewis)
  4. After the Movies (Ray Milland)
  5. A Killing in Abilene (Alan Ladd)

Quote (Host) [01:38]:

"Elliot Lewis experimented with what the medium could do in terms of sound and music. We'll hear about some more of his innovations in the years ahead, but for now, here are my five favorite episodes from 1950, the Year in Suspense."

Featured Episodes & Key Highlights

1. "The Crowd" (Dana Andrews)

[06:38] – [35:43]

• Premise:
  Adapts a Ray Bradbury story but shifts from supernatural to a psychological manhunt. Lt. Johnny Stilano (Andrews) hunts a killer who murders in crowded places, obsessed with being observed.
• Notable Elements:
  • Vivid urban atmosphere, crowd psychology.
  • Killer taunts Lt. Stilano with phone calls and photos of the murders.
  • The narrative explores both the anonymity and the dark attraction of crowds to violence and tragedy.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • "Sometimes I don't understand this kind of thing, Lieutenant. Couple of minutes ago this was an empty street. Now this crowd." – Officer [07:24]
  • "There will be a next time, Lieutenant. There will be another murder." – The Killer [14:28]
• Important Segment:
  • [28:58] In a chilling twist, Stilano spots the same man in the crowd at different crime scenes through newspaper photos, leading to suspicion and a psychological chess game.
  • Resolution: The narrative remains ambiguous, blurring the identity of the killer among the crowd and leaving a dark commentary on voyeurism.
• Tone/Style:
  Tense, urban noir with an existential undercurrent.

2. "Rave Notice" (Milton Berle)

[36:04] – [65:34]

• Premise:
  Milton Berle plays an embittered actor who murders his director after being replaced in a role. He plans to escape the electric chair by using his acting skill to feign insanity.
• Notable Elements:
  • Comic actor Berle’s dramatic turn explores the blurred line between acting and true madness.
  • Satirical jabs at theater life and method acting.
  • Disturbing sequences as Berle's character descends further into delusion.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • "You stink. Yes, sir? I want to buy a gun." – Sam (Berle), [41:41]
  • "I'm going to play the greatest role of my life. Play it without makeup, without lights, without script or cue. Going to play a part strangely foreign to my nature. I'm going to play a homicidal maniac." – Berle, [47:53]
• Important Segment:
  • [56:44] Berle’s character, now institutionalized, loses grip on reality, fearing permanent entrapment in the role of insanity.
  • Ending: He is ultimately deemed sane and will face punishment for his crime after all, leaving him both triumphant and despairing in his theatrical self-delusion.
• Tone/Style:
  Meta-theatrical, psychological, pitch-black humor.

3. "On a Country Road" (Cary Grant, Kathy Lewis)

[65:34] – [95:35]

• Premise:
  A couple (played by Grant and Lewis) gets stranded on a lonely road during a storm—with a killer on the loose.
• Notable Elements:
  • Heightened suspense from domestic tension and the fear of the unknown.
  • Taut dialogue and sound design create claustrophobia and paranoia.
  • The couple must decide whether to trust a desperate stranger.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • "David, she's probably hiding in the woods. She's just waiting for a chance to kill us." – Dorothy (Kathy Lewis), [75:46]
  • "We captured that crazy woman a half hour ago. I don't know who this lady is." – Police Officer, final twist [92:44]
• Important Segment:
  • [82:39] Violence erupts in the car as paranoia peaks, and the supposed threat becomes ambiguous.
  • Resolution: In classic "Suspense" fashion, the stranger they distrusted was not the escaped killer—delivering a kicker ending.
• Tone/Style:
  Classic radio thriller; tense, atmospheric, and suffused with dread.

4. "After the Movies" (Ray Milland)

[95:35] – [125:11]

• Premise:
  A juror and his wife stumble on an envelope of cash and a note indicating a bribe related to a trial—then become the targets of mobsters determined to silence them.
• Notable Elements:
  • Noir-inflected story about corruption, moral choices, and unintended consequences.
  • Strong emotional arc centered on the protagonist's failing efforts to keep his wife safe.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • "Al, that last part about staying healthy, that's a threat. That's what it is." – Ann, [103:21]
  • "It’s funny. I did it for her. To buy her nice things. And all I bought her was a funeral." – Al, tragic conclusion [124:41]
• Important Segment:
  • [108:26] Thrilling confrontation as the couple is threatened and kidnapped.
  • Ending: The story turns bleaker, with a powerful meditation on guilt and fatal error as tragedy unfolds.
• Tone/Style:
  Noir, tragic, with a slow-burn build and a dark emotional payoff.

5. "A Killing in Abilene" (Alan Ladd)

[125:11] – [154:36]

• Premise:
  Alan Ladd plays a man seeking his brother’s killer in the Old West. He arrives at a small, vengeful town ready to lynch the prime suspect—forcing Ladd’s character to struggle for justice over vigilantism.
• Notable Elements:
  • Western genre meets "Suspense" morality play.
  • Themes of justice, mob mentality, and personal vows.
  • A final confrontation reveals the true murderer and challenges notions of collective justice.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • "We don't call it lynching when we hang a man for murder." – Townsman, [128:14]
  • "He didn’t do it. Now I know it." – Ladd’s character, triggering the climactic reversal [149:00]
• Important Segment:
  • [151:07] Ladd’s character intervenes to save an innocent man from lynching, uncovering the true killer and highlighting the dangers of mob justice.
  • Ending: Redemption and tragedy interwoven, with a somber Western denouement.
• Tone/Style:
  Western drama with a moral, tense and philosophy-laden.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Elliot Lewis experimented with what the medium could do in terms of sound and music." – Host [01:38]
• "There will be a next time, Lieutenant. There will be another murder." – Killer, "The Crowd" [14:28]
• "I'm going to play the greatest role of my life... Play it without makeup, without lights, without script or cue. Going to play a part strangely foreign to my nature. I'm going to play a homicidal maniac." – Sam (Milton Berle), "Rave Notice" [47:53]
• "We captured that crazy woman a half hour ago. I don't know who this lady is." – Police Officer, "On a Country Road" [92:44]
• "It’s funny. I did it for her. To buy her nice things. And all I bought her was a funeral." – Al, "After the Movies" [124:41]
• "We don't call it lynching when we hang a man for murder." – Townsman, "A Killing in Abilene" [128:14]

Host’s Reflections & Legacy of 1950

[00:54] – [06:38]

• The host sees 1950’s "Suspense" as a high point—talented writers, great stars, and experimental direction from Elliot Lewis.
• Each chosen episode reveals a different facet of suspense, from psychological horror and noir tragedy to western morality and theater satire.

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Segment | Start | Title | Main Star(s) | |-----------------------|------------|----------------------------|-----------------------| | Episode Intro | 00:54 | Introduction | Host | | The Crowd | 06:38 | The Crowd | Dana Andrews | | Rave Notice | 36:04 | Rave Notice | Milton Berle | | On a Country Road | 65:34 | On a Country Road | Cary Grant, Kathy Lewis | | After the Movies | 95:35 | After the Movies | Ray Milland | | A Killing in Abilene | 125:11 | A Killing in Abilene | Alan Ladd |

Final Thoughts

[155:10]

• Host recaps the episode’s journey through 1950 and teases a forthcoming deep dive into 1951’s best.
• Encourages listeners to check out companion old time radio podcasts and support the show.

This episode is a trove of classic radio suspense that mixes insightful commentary with evocative performances, offering both context and deep entertainment. Whether you're an old time radio aficionado or a newcomer, the 1950 favorites serve as testimony to "Suspense" at its height—showcasing compelling stories, complex characters, and the experimental vigor of mid-century audio drama.