Sorry, Wrong Number: Suspense Radio Show and Film Noir

“Suspense” was a half-hour crime drama series that aired on the CBS radio network from 1940 to 1962, making it the longest running dramatic radio series. For years, the host was simply “The Man in Black.” “And now, another tale well-calculated to keep you in . . . Suspense.” Sorry, Wrong Number aired May 25th, 1943, and starred Agnes Morehead (and the telephone) as “Mrs. Elbert Stevenson,” a bedridden woman frantically trying to prevent a crime after overhearing a murder plot over the phone. Unusual for the Noir classes, the analysis of the radio show depends on the importance of sound and sound effects as a major part of the narrative. In 1948, the story came into the film noir genre with Barbara Stanwyck (Double Indemnity) in the starring role (“Mrs. Leona Stevenson”) and Burt Lancaster.  Lectures will explore the origins and development of the story and the differences between the presentations.  We will listen to the radio show (30 minutes) and screen the film (90 minutes) together via zoom with additional comments and discussions handled through chat.