Suspense CBS · August 30, 1959

Suspense 590830 817 A Matter Of Execution (64 44) 9936 19m49s Afrs

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# A Matter of Execution

When the clock strikes midnight in this electrifying episode of *Suspense*, you'll find yourself trapped in the suffocating final hours of a condemned man's life. "A Matter of Execution" pulls listeners into a prison's shadowed corridors where justice and doubt collide with devastating consequences. As the hours tick relentlessly toward dawn, the narrative spirals through flashbacks and frantic revelations—was the right man convicted? A desperate plea for clemency, a deathbed confession, a prosecutor's lingering uncertainty—all converge in a crescendo of dramatic tension that will leave you breathless. The sound design alone—the metallic clang of cell doors, the hushed conversations of guards, the protagonist's racing heartbeat—creates an atmosphere of unbearable claustrophobia that only radio could achieve.

*Suspense* was radio's premier anthology of terror during its two-decade run on CBS, and episodes like this demonstrate why it became legendary among devoted listeners. Airing during an era when radio dramas commanded the nation's undivided attention, the show specialized in psychological torment rather than cheap scares—exploring the darkest corners of ordinary human experience. With William Holden and talented character actors delivering performances of remarkable depth, and scripts that grappled with genuine moral quandaries, *Suspense* elevated the thriller genre to an art form. By the 1940s, this was appointment listening, with millions tuning in each week to experience tales crafted specifically for the intimate medium of radio.

Don't miss your chance to experience this gripping meditation on justice and redemption. Settle into a quiet room, dim the lights, and let the masterful voices and sound effects transport you back to radio's golden age. "A Matter of Execution" awaits—but remember, once you press play, there's no turning back.