Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)

Set sail with the stars of The Sea Wolf, the adaptation of Jack London's adventure novel that stars Edward G. Robinson as a tyrannical captain. His co-stars in the movie include Ida Lupino and John Garfield, and we'll hear all three of them in radio thrillers from Suspense: Mr. Garfield in "Reprieve" (AFRS rebroadcast from May 10, 1945); Ms. Lupino in "Summer Night" (originally aired on CBS on July 15, 1948); and Mr. Robinson in "You Can't Die Twice" (originally aired on CBS on March 31, 1949). Plus, Robinson recreates his film role on Screen Directors' Playhouse (originally aired on CBS on February 3, 1950).

With the Fourth of July - and America's 250th birthday - only a few days away, our movie of the week is Yankee Doodle Dandy - the Oscar-winning musical biopic of George M. Cohan. James Cagney took home an Academy Award for his performance as the composer who gave us songs like "Over There" and "You're a Grand Old Flag." We'll hear both of Mr. Cagney's Suspense appearances - "Love's Lovely Counterfeit" (originally aired on CBS on January 17, 1948) and "No Escape" (originally aired on CBS on December 16, 1948). And he recreates his film role as The Lady Esther Screen Guild Theatre presents Yankee Doodle Dandy (originally aired on CBS on October 19, 1942).

Hit the trail with the stars of Stagecoach - John Ford's western classic that announced John Wayne as one of Hollywood's legendary leading men. The film follows a gang of passengers on a dangerous trip through Apache country, and we'll hear two of those riders - Claire Trevor and Thomas Mitchell - whose performance won him an Academy Award. Mitchell stars in "John Barbie and Son" (originally aired on CBS on February 22, 1945) and Ms. Trevor stars in "The Blue Hour" (originally aired on CBS on September 25, 1947) and "The Light Switch" (originally aired on CBS on May 12, 1949). Plus, Claire Trevor and the Duke himself reunite in a production of the film from Screen Directors' Assignment (originally aired on NBC on January 9, 1949).

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).

It's off to Sherwood Forest with two of the stars of The Adventures of Robin Hood, the 1938 lavish Technicolor production that pits Errol Flynn's Robin against Basil Rathbone's vile Sir Guy. It's one of the best (maybe the best) film adaptation of the classic legend, and it still thrills audiences today. We'll hear Olivia de Havilland (Maid Marian) in "Voyage Through Darkness" (originally aired on CBS on September 7, 1944) and Alan Hale, Sr. (Little John) in "The Leading Citizen of Pratt County" (originally aired on CBS on May 30, 1946). Plus, Edmond O'Brien stars in a radio retelling of Robin Hood from Family Theatre (originally aired on Mutual on July 27, 1949).
Check out this TCM special on the making of The Adventures of Robin Hood!