Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

Host: Mean Streets Podcasts
Episode 427: Stars of "The Maltese Falcon"
Original Air Date: November 13, 2025

Episode Overview

This installment in the “Stars on Suspense” series celebrates Noirvember by showcasing radio performances from the primary cast of The Maltese Falcon (1941). Host Mean Streets Podcasts curates a lineup of suspenseful radio dramas starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Sidney Greenstreet—including their collaborative recreation of The Maltese Falcon for radio. The episode weaves together individual “Suspense” episodes, a Nero Wolfe story, and the climactic Falcon broadcast, shining a spotlight on the actors’ defining talents and radio’s ability to evoke noir atmosphere.

Key Discussion Points and Program Structure

Intro: Context & The Maltese Falcon (00:50–05:17)

• The host offers background, noting The Maltese Falcon’s significance in Hollywood and its successful adaptation by John Huston, which made Humphrey Bogart and others icons of the noir genre.
• Explanation of the episode's format: Featuring individual “Suspense” radio appearances from the main Falcon cast—Peter Lorre (“Till Death Do Us Part”), Mary Astor (“In Fear and Trembling”), Humphrey Bogart (“Love’s Lovely Counterfeit”), Sidney Greenstreet (excerpt from “The Hangman Won’t Wait” and a full episode of “Nero Wolfe: The Case of the Careworn Cuff”), plus a full-cast radio adaptation of The Maltese Falcon.
• Notable context: This presentation is both a classic radio showcase and an audio love letter to noir aficionados.

Quote – Host (02:19):

"Today we’ll hear Mr. Bogart along with three of his co-stars appearing on 'Suspense', as well as all of them reprising their roles for a Maltese Falcon radio recreation."

Peter Lorre in “Till Death Do Us Part” (10:30–36:28)

[Original Broadcast: Dec 15, 1942]

Plot Highlights (10:30–36:28)

• Peter Lorre plays Professor Irwin Kraft, a guileless-seeming mathematician, who plans to murder his wife Cynthia (Alice Frost) and her American lover Dr. Jim Craig.
• The scene—an isolated English cottage, bitter winds, domestic tension—evokes classic suspense.
• Irwin poisons Cynthia’s drink with aconite, revealing the murder plan as “the perfect crime”, believing he has the upper hand.
• A tense psychological battle of wits ensues, with themes of jealousy, betrayal, and retribution.
• Twist: Cynthia, suspicious, switches glasses—a revelation dramatized as Irwin’s symptoms set in and help arrives just in time.
• Noted for its psychological horror, irony, and Laurie's formidable, chilling performance.

Memorable Quotes:

• Professor Kraft (Peter Lorre) [17:33]:

  “We have just been drinking poison, my love.”

• Professor Kraft (Peter Lorre) [19:00]:

  “Why do you think? Old Papa Kraft is blind, my pet? If I can't have you, Cynthia, nobody else is going to have you.”

• Dr. Craig (David Gothard) [32:56]:

  “You ought to be afraid. All decent men should be afraid. And no man is heroic when he sees death coming.”

• Cynthia (Alice Frost) [35:27]:

  “You poured a very large drink for her and a small one for yourself ... she changed the glasses. Then you’re the one who swallowed the poison.”

Mary Astor in “In Fear and Trembling” (40:31–65:00)

[Original Broadcast: Feb 16, 1943]

Plot Highlights (40:31–65:00)

• Mary Astor stars as Lucia Durant, who’s wracked by nightmares and growing paranoia in a foggy seaside mansion.
• Supports a "gender-swapped" mirror of Laurie's episode: Lucia, believing her husband and half-sister are planning to poison her, schemes to strike first.
• As mental instability rises, events escalate—arched by strychnine-laced “medicine” and an elaborate web of suspicion.
• The tension builds through police interrogations, dreams, faked deaths, and finally Lucia's vengeful confrontation with her husband and sister.
• Dramatic twist ending: Lucia has staged her own murder and now, armed, returns to take her revenge. In the final confrontation, devastating truths are revealed and relationships unravel, ending in tragedy.

Memorable Quotes:

• Lucia (Mary Astor) [47:23]:

  “I don’t know exactly. But something has been happening to me that ... well, frankly, I’m afraid I’m losing my mind.”

• Gilbert (husband) [64:08]:

  “Now that I’ve seen you as you really are, I could never love you again. Never.”

Humphrey Bogart in “Love’s Lovely Counterfeit” (74:58–92:16)

[Original Broadcast: Mar 8, 1945]

Plot Highlights (74:58–92:16)

• Bogart plays Ben Grace, a small-time operator in a corrupt city, mired in racketeering and political intrigue.
• The episode blends crime drama and doomed romance, with Ben both maneuvering for advantage and falling for June Lyons, the brains behind a reform mayoral campaign.
• Ben attempts to betray his boss, Sal Casper, by tipping June off to a bank job—but the underworld’s violence closes in on all sides.
• Climactic scenes see Ben fatally wounded, marrying June on his deathbed (to prevent her being forced to testify against him), and dying in her arms—a hardboiled noir romance to the end.

Memorable Quotes:

• Ben Grace (Humphrey Bogart) [77:24]:

  “The Castleton bank is insured by the government. That makes the stick up a federal rap. If you wanna the number of the FBI, I’ll give it to you.”

• Ben Grace (Humphrey Bogart) [92:16]:

  “So long, missionary. Mrs. Missionary.”

Sidney Greenstreet: “The Hangman Won’t Wait” (98:34–111:37; partial)

[Original Broadcast: Feb 9, 1943 – Only First Half Preserved]

Plot Highlights

• Greenstreet portrays Dr. Gideon Fell, in a cerebral English murder case involving amnesia and a woman sentenced to hang.
• Highlights Greenstreet’s unique mix of menace and gravitas; he and the prison governor puzzle over the condemned woman’s amnesia and proclaim her possibly innocent.
• Segment includes Greenstreet's character questioning legal and psychological dimensions of guilt and justice—classic detection, radio atmosphere thick with dread.
• Only half the episode survives.

Memorable Quote:

• Dr. Fell (Sidney Greenstreet) [98:51]:

  “My cases, sir, you can have practically anything.”

Sidney Greenstreet as “Nero Wolfe” in The Case of The Careworn Cuff (113:41–138:52)

[Original Broadcast: Oct 27, 1950]

Plot Highlights

• Greenstreet reprises his acclaimed role as Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe, with Archie Goodwin as sidekick.
• Nero and Archie tackle a case involving a blackmail scheme, a sudden murder, and mistaken identity, unraveling the truth through shrewd deduction and classic bickering.
• The case revolves around a musician’s death, love triangles, and a distinctive perfume, all showcased through crackling dialogue and intricate plotting.

Memorable Quotes:

• Nero Wolfe (Sidney Greenstreet) [113:42]:

  “What do you think I am, an athlete?”

• Archie Goodwin: [133:33]:

  “Wolf, you never had a client with that name. Well, that’s that.”

All Four Stars: “The Maltese Falcon” – Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater (142:30–166:12)

[Original Broadcast: Sept 20, 1943]

Plot Highlights

• Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Sidney Greenstreet recreate their iconic film roles in a streamlined radio adaptation.
• Story unfolds from femme fatale Brigid O’Shaughnessy’s entrance, through the murder of Spade’s partner, to the complex chase for the jewel-encrusted black bird.
• All key plot twists relayed: shifting alliances, deadly betrayals, the infamous final "fake" Falcon, and Spade’s fatalistic refusal to “play the sap” for Brigid.
• Classic noir dialogue delivered with gusto by the original Hollywood cast.
• The closing lines succinctly embody the dark, romantic core of the noir genre.

Notable Quotes:

• Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) [166:12]:

  “You killed Archer. You're going over for it. … I won’t play the sap for you.”

• Detective Dundee:

  “Hey, this is heavy. What's it made of?”
  Sam Spade:
  “The stuff that dreams are made of.”

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Peter Lorre as Professor Kraft:
  “We have just been drinking poison, my love.” [17:33]
• Mary Astor as Lucia:
  “But this vision that comes to me haunts me through the waking hours as well.” [47:49]
• Humphrey Bogart as Ben Grace:
  “So long, missionary. Mrs. Missionary.” [92:16]
• Sidney Greenstreet as Gutman:
  “I want you to know I couldn’t be any fonder of you if you were my own son. But… if you lose a son, it’s possible to get another. And there’s only one Maltese Falcon.” [160:13]
• James M. Cain Adaptation (Bogart):
  “What are you gonna do, turn me in?” / “Maybe your big mistake was falling in love with me, baby. Now, there isn’t much you can do about it, is there?” [85:02–85:49]
• Brigid O’Shaughnessy (Mary Astor): “You’ve been playing with me, only pretending you cared to trap me like this. You didn’t care at all.” [166:12]

Thematic Depth & Radio Noir Atmosphere

• Themes: Jealousy, moral ambiguity, doomed romance, the inescapability of justice, and noir’s eternal tension between cynicism and longing.
• Tone & Style: The performances showcase vintage radio’s rich atmosphere: claustrophobic, tension-soaked, briskly plotted, and brimming with crackling, hardboiled dialogue.
• Production: The tight formatting squeezes suspense and character into each segment, demonstrating why Suspense remains a canonical radio thriller series.

Timeline (Selected Segments)

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 00:50–05:17 | Host Introduction / Overview | | 10:30–36:28 | Peter Lorre: “Till Death Do Us Part” | | 40:31–65:00 | Mary Astor: “In Fear and Trembling” | | 74:58–92:16 | Humphrey Bogart: “Love’s Lovely Counterfeit” | | 98:34–111:37 | Sidney Greenstreet: “The Hangman Won’t Wait” (incomplete) | | 113:41–138:52 | Sidney Greenstreet: “Nero Wolfe: The Case of the Careworn Cuff” | | 142:30–166:12 | Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater: “The Maltese Falcon” |

Conclusion & Host Wrap-Up

• The host closes with gratitude for the listeners, a preview of next week's Noirvember episode, and reminders to explore other episodes and to support the podcast.
• Final segment [171:08] features a public service announcement on unity and American values.

Why This Episode Stands Out

• An expertly curated audio journey celebrating not just the noir film but the towering radio talents of its stars.
• The structure allows both fans of The Maltese Falcon and radio drama lovers to appreciate the artistry and versatility of the cast across multiple suspenseful narratives.
• Essential listening for fans of classic cinema, radio noir, and the history of dramatic storytelling.