Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

Hop in your Model T and fly courtesy of "flubber" with the stars of The Absent-Minded Professor and its sequel Son of Flubber. The Disney classics concern the titular man of science whose new invention is a very hot commodity, but the discovery may cost him the love of his long-suffering fiancee. We'll hear five of the stars of the film and its sequel in stories from Suspense: Charles Ruggles in "The Burning Court" (originally aired on CBS on June 17, 1942); Keenan Wynn in "I Had an Alibi" (originally aired on CBS on January 4, 1945); Elliot Reid in "Return Trip" (originally aired on CBS on June 27, 1946); Leon Ames in "An Evening's Diversion" (originally aired on CBS on July 4, 1946); and Fred MacMurray in "The Great Train Robbery" (originally aired on CBS on April 13, 1953).

Our month-long series of Best Picture winning movies and their stars concludes with All the King's Men - the story of a populist politician who rides into office in an anti-corruption campaign and leaves mired in scandal. We'll hear its two Oscar-winning stars in episodes of Suspense: Broderick Crawford in "Dutch Schultz" (originally aired on CBS on October 26, 1953) and Mercedes McCambridge in "America's Boyfriend" (AFRS rebroadcast from July 21, 1957). Then, The NBC University Theatre presents a radio adaptation of the Robert Penn Warren novel that inspired the film (originally aired on NBC on January 16, 1949).

Our month of Best Picture Oscar winners continues with All About Eve - where Anne Baxter's ambitious Eve inserts herself into the life of Bette Davis' legendary Broadway star with a plan to steal the actress's crown. We'll hear Ms. Baxter and Ms. Davis - both Oscar nominees for their performances - in stories from Suspense and a Lux Radio Theatre recreation of the film. Anne Baxter fights to get ahead in the cutthroat world of advertising in "Always Room at the Top" (originally aired on CBS on February 20, 1947), and Bette Davis is menaced by a madman in "Goodnight, Mrs. Russell" (originally aired on CBS on October 20, 1949). Then the stars reunite on the Lux broadcast of "All About Eve" (originally aired on CBS on October 10, 1951).

Our month of classic Hollywood romance wraps up with the picture that gave us one of the most iconic scenes in film history - From Here to Eternity, the wartime romantic drama featuring the love scene on the beach between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr with the waves crashing over them. We'll hear Mr. Lancaster and Ms. Kerr along with Frank Sinatra - who took home an Oscar for his performance - in three tales of Suspense. First it's Ol' Blue Eyes menacing Agnes Moorehead in "To Find Help" (AFRS rebroadcast from January 18, 1945). Next, Burt Lancaster is out to make a killing in the mining business in "The Big Shot" (originally aired on CBS on September 9, 1948). Finally, Deborah Kerr is a beautiful jewel thief out for revenge on the partner who double crossed her in "The Lady Pamela" (originally aired on CBS on March 31, 1952).

Our month of classic Hollywood romances continues with frequent co-stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles - husband and wife detectives who trade quips and down drinks as they investigate a murder in The Thin Man. We'll hear them, along with co-star Maureen O'Sullivan, in Suspense thrillers and a Lux Radio Theatre recreation of the Dashiell Hammett detective story. We'll hear Ms. O'Sullivan in "The Black Shawl" (originally aired on CBS on July 27, 1944). Ms. Loy stars in "Library Book" (originally aired on CBS on September 20, 1945). Mr. Powell headlines "Give Me Liberty" (originally aired on CBS on October 21, 1948). Finally, Powell and Loy are Nick and Nora in a radio adaptation of The Thin Man (originally aired on CBS on June 8, 1936).

A month of classic Hollywood romances kicks off with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell trading quips at a mile a minute in His Girl Friday. Howard Hawks' adaptation of the newspaper comedy The Front Page changes the two battling newspaper men into a divorced husband and wife - an editor and his star reporter he doesn't want to let go off to a life of domestic bliss with a dud of a new husband. We'll hear Grant in "The Black Curtain" (originally aired on CBS on December 2, 1943) and Ms. Russell in "Consideration" (originally aired on CBS on February 3, 1950). Then, they recreate their film roles on The Gulf Screen Guild Theatre (AFRS rebroadcast from March 30, 1941).

Guns are drawn at the OK Corral and a legend of the west is born in My Darling Clementine, John Ford's classic dramatization of the life and times of Wyatt Earp. We'll hear three of the film's stars - Henry Fonda, who played Earp; Victor Mature, who co-starred as gambler and gunslinger Doc Holliday; and Linda Darnell, the old flame of Holliday's who gets in the middle of a feud that will turn bloody on the streets of Tombstone - in episodes of Suspense, plus a radio recreation of the film. Fonda stars in "Summer Storm" (originally aired on CBS on October 18, 1945); Mature headlines "Momentum" (originally aired on CBS on October 27, 1949); and Ms. Darnell is heard in "A Killing in Las Vegas" (originally aired on CBS on February 25, 1952). Then, Fonda and his screen co-star Cathy Downs recreate their roles on The Lux Radio Theatre (originally aired on CBS on April 28, 1947).

We're spending the winter out west with classic western movies and their stars in January. First up is Shane, the story of a gunfighter who tries to turn over a new leaf but has to fall back on his trade when his newfound family is threatened. We'll hear the two lead actors - Alan Ladd and Van Heflin - in Suspense shows as well as a radio recreation of the movie. First, Heflin is a reporter who receives an invitation from a murderer in "The Lady in the Red Hat" (originally aired on CBS on November 30, 1950). Then, Ladd stars in a tale of revenge from the old west in "A Killing in Abilene" (originally aired on CBS on December 14, 1950). Finally, both men reunite as The Lux Radio Theatre presents "Shane" (AFRS rebroadcast of a show from February 22, 1955).