Podcast Summary: Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

Host: Mean Streets Podcasts
Episode: 424 - Final Favorites: 1955 to 1962
Date: October 23, 2025

Overview

This episode marks the host's final selection of favorite episodes from the last years of "Suspense," one of radio’s most iconic dramatic series. Focusing on 1955 to 1962, the host highlights eight standout radio plays. As the show shifted away from celebrity guest stars toward veteran radio actors and faced a production move from Hollywood to New York, “Suspense” continued to deliver thrilling and diverse stories until its finale in 1962.

The episode includes remarkable performances by actors such as Paula Winslow, Harry Bartel, Parley Baer, Vic Perrin, William Conrad, and DeForest Kelley, showcasing genres from horror to dark comedy to tense procedural.

Key Discussion Points & Episode Introductions

Changes in the Later Years of "Suspense"

• Regular sponsorships faded, and major film stars appeared less often.

• Veteran radio actors and up-and-coming talent took center stage:
  “Instead, these later episodes became showcases for longtime Hollywood radio actors who could sink their teeth into starring roles.”
  (Host, 01:57)

• The show's move to New York in 1960 saw a new cast from the Big Apple, including Maurice Tarplin, Elspeth Eric, Larry Haynes, and Mandel Kramer.

The Final Eight Episodes Introduced

The host presents and summarizes his chosen eight from the show’s closing years:

1. Zero Hour (April 5, 1955)

• Adapted from Ray Bradbury’s story; known as one of the scariest radio plays.
• Children across the nation play a mysterious game called "Invasion" under the guidance of a being named Drill.
• Notable Cast: Paula Winslow, Parley Baer, John Dana, Isa Ashdown as Mink.
• Memorable Moment: The chilling, ambiguous ending as a child leads an alien invasion.

“All I’ll say is it has a group of great performances... If you’ve never heard it before, I’m not going to spoil it for you.”
(Host, 07:13)

2. To None: A Deadly Drug (October 25, 1955)

• Starring Harry Bartel as a pharmacist who, by mistake, dispenses a potentially fatal prescription to a young boy.
• A tense, time-sensitive search ensues to prevent tragedy.

"It can ruin a man. And it can ruin his wife."
(Announcer, 35:57)

• Memorable Segment: The frantic procedural elements as the pharmacist, authorities, and radio station scramble to warn the boy’s mother before the medicine can be used.
• Emotionally charged scene: The pharmacist questioning his own reputation and future.

3. Variations on a Theme (February 7, 1956)

• Parley Baer stars in this dark comedy about a husband who thinks he’s plotted the perfect crime to kill his wife.
• As with many “Suspense” tales, the plan unravels spectacularly.

"Just banging on my ears. Bang, bang, bang."
(Baer's character, 66:35)

• Twist: Family plans and nosy neighbors foil the plot.

4. The Waxwork (May 1, 1956)

• William Conrad delivers a solo, one-man performance as a journalist who spends a night among wax figures of history’s most notorious murderers.
• Atmosphere: Suffocating dread and solitude culminating in psychological horror.

“No actors other than Mr. William Conrad will appear in its presentation. It’s a study in terror which has few equals.”
(Announcer, 91:16)

• Iconic Scene: Conrad’s character accosted—perhaps for real—by the killer Dr. Burdette in the eerie silence of the wax museum.

5. Fragile Contents: Death (May 22, 1956)

• Vic Perrin stars in a postal procedural with a literal ticking clock: a bomb has been mailed, and the team must track down the package before it detonates.

"Between now and 2:30, we’ve got to find a time bomb which was mailed to somebody here in town."
(Perrin as Postmaster Jordan, 127:01)

6. Flesh Peddler (August 4, 1957)

• Featuring DeForest Kelley (pre-Star Trek) as an ambitious agent who pursues a reclusive, gifted ventriloquist at a carnival.
• The carnival community resists his efforts to break the performer out, but a dark psychological twist emerges.

"Ventriloquist. A dime a dozen... But for some reason, Wilson fascinated me."
(Kelley’s agent character, 156:34)

• Memorable Moment: The shocking reveal about the dark secret behind the ventriloquist act.

7. Lanningen vs. The Ants (August 25, 1957)

• William Conrad again stars as a South American plantation owner fighting a deadly army of ants.
• An adaptation of Carl Stephenson’s story, also well-known from "Escape."
• Notable for: Nail-biting tension and a thrilling struggle of man versus nature.

"These aren’t creatures you can fight. These are army ants. They’re an elemental force. A gigantic catastrophe. An act of God."
(Commissioner, 179:46)

8. The Man Who Murders People (November 13, 1960)

• Set during the New York production era.
• On a commuter train shadowed by a series of local murders, passengers become prisoners to their fears as suspicions abound.
• Key theme: Urban anxiety and paranoia as the killer may be on their train.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On the changing landscape of "Suspense":

  "With that move, it lost access to the deep talent pool of west coast actors. Instead, radio’s contingent of Big Apple based stars got a chance to shine."
  (Host, 05:35)

• “Zero Hour” chilling finale:

  “Mommy. Daddy.”
  (Isa Ashdown as Mink, 31:35)

• “To None: A Deadly Drug” climax:

  “If he takes it, what’ll it do? And that dosage will probably kill him.”
  (Bartel’s character & wife, 41:36)

• “Waxwork”—the moment of terror:

  “You moved. Yes, you did. You moved. I saw you.”
  (Conrad’s character, 114:20)

• “Flesh Peddler” twist reveal:

  “Wilson is no ventriloquist. Wilson murdered my mother, and I protected him from the police.”
  (Midget/Oliver, 177:22)

• “Lanningen vs. The Ants”—on the terror of the army ants:

  “They're an elemental force. A gigantic catastrophe. An act of God. Ten miles long, two miles wide. Ants. Nothing but ants.”
  (Commissioner, 179:47)

Key Episode Timestamps

• [00:50] – Host introduction and context for the final episodes
• [09:48] – “Zero Hour” introduction
• [36:20] – “To None: A Deadly Drug” introduction
• [67:35] – “Variations on a Theme” opening
• [91:16] – “The Waxwork” opening
• [126:40] – “Fragile Contents: Death” opening
• [154:27] – “Flesh Peddler” opening
• [179:46] – “Lanningen vs. The Ants” opening
• [214:07] – “The Man Who Murders People” opening
• [241:21] – Host’s closing remarks and series wrap-up

Final Thoughts & Flow

The host celebrates the breadth and power of late-era “Suspense,” emphasizing its ability to deliver shivers, moral dilemmas, and occasionally—dark laughter—long after network budgets and big-name stars had faded away. He underscores the unique talent pool of radio actors and the memorable, often unsettling stories the series brought to American homes.

"I hope I hit some of your favorites, and I hope I introduced you to some shows that may become favorites of your own."
(Host, 241:23)

He hints at future episodes, invites listeners to check out his other podcast, and promises a Halloween-themed special up next.

For New Listeners

This episode provides an excellent introduction to “Suspense”’s post-Hollywood years—showcasing its enduring capacity to entertain and unsettle. Through a range of dark and suspenseful tales, and with the host’s commentary providing rich historical context, listeners are reminded why this series remains such a cornerstone of old time radio drama.

Recommended for fans of classic radio, suspense tales, horror, and vintage American entertainment.