Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

We salute one of the all-time great radio actors with his best performances from Suspense. Best known as Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, William Conrad lent his voice to hundreds of characters on the air including memorable parts in these episodes. First, he's the captain of a doomed spaceship on its final voyage in "Kaleidoscope" (originally aired on CBS on July 12, 1955). Then Conrad plays every role in the classic chiller "The Waxwork" (originally aired on CBS on May 1, 1956). He stars in a titanic tale of man versus nature in "Leiningen vs. the Ants" (originally aired on CBS on August 25, 1957). And finally, he narrates the story of Agnes Moorehead's long walk home through the darkness in "The Whole Town's Sleeping" (originally aired on CBS on August 31, 1958).

Trick or treat! We're celebrating Halloween with Orson Welles as he stars in some very scary stories from the golden age of radio. First, he plays the count himself in the Mercury Theatre's adaptation of Dracula (originally aired on CBS on July 11, 1938). Next, he's stalked on the highway by "The Hitch-hiker" (originally aired on CBS on September 2, 1942), and finally Welles is a scientist whose grisly experiment consumes his life and threatens the world in "Donovan's Brain," a Suspense two-parter (originally aired on CBS on May 18 and May 25, 1944).

We wrap up our series of classic Hollywood horror with a movie starring a pair of iconic movie monsters. Bride of Frankenstein saw the return of Boris Karloff's creature and the introduction of his mate, she of the high hair and hiss and played by Elsa Lanchester. We'll hear both of them in radio thrillers, plus a pair of radio adaptations of Mary Shelley's classic tale. Ms. Lanchester stars in "Finishing School" (originally aired on CBS on December 30, 1943), and Mr. Karloff headlines "Drury's Bones" (originally aired on CBS on January 25, 1945). We'll also hear a Suspense adaptation of "Frankenstein" (originally aired on CBS on June 7, 1955) and a more traditional retelling courtesy of The Weird Circle.

Rats! Our series of scariest stories from Suspense continues with a showcase of radio sound effects. Listen as a horde of ravenous rodents comes to life in one of the all-time terror treats of the radio era. Vincent Price stars in "Three Skeleton Key" (originally aired on CBS on November 11, 1956).

A killer has his eye on a young woman who can't speak in The Spiral Staircase. Dorothy McGuire, Kent Smith, and Ethel Barrymore star in this classic Hollywood chiller, which we'll hear recreated for radio along with Suspense episodes featuring the cast. Kent Smith co-stars with Margo in "Last Night" (originally aired on CBS on June 15, 1943); Ethel Barrymore appears alongside Gene Kelly in "To Find Help" (originally aired on CBS on January 6, 1949); and Dorothy McGuire stars in "Last Confession" (originally aired on CBS on September 15, 1949). Plus, Ms. McGuire recreates her film role on Screen Directors' Playhouse (originally aired on NBC on November 25, 1949).