Suspense was a radio series from 1942 to 1962, claiming to be "radio's outstanding theater of thrills." I have a fondness for "Old Time Radio" as we call it now, and Suspense is my favorite show. It sets up weird, dark, scary, or intriguing stories with a plot twist in the end, and all in half an hour. I love the old-fashion story-telling and I thought it would be fun to give a short review of an episode every Sunday.
"Sorry, Wrong Number"
Air date: May 25, 1943
Starring Agnes Moorehead
A bedridden, neurotic woman tries to get in touch with her husband who is still at work. Through a crossed telephone connection, she overhears two men planning a murder. Frantically she tries to get someone to investigate. I really don’t want to reveal too much on this one, because this is one of the more famous episodes of Suspense, and the only one made into a movie. It’s just that good. The story stays completely with the woman as she makes phone call after phone call, to her increasing frustration. The telephone operator in particular is annoyingly unhelpful. The neurosis and personality of the woman is also perfectly captured in her interactions with the other characters. It’s a great study in that specific kind of character and in suspense!
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