The cars of Kraft Suspense Theatre; 1963 Mercury Monterey Breezeway

It is fun to watch Kraft Suspense Theatre just to see what classic cars will appear in the show. KST is not unique among 1960's programs in this regard. Many shows from that era feature (now) classic automobiles. But many shows had limited budgets with few outdoor shots. Many exterior car shots from other shows featured the vehicle either indoors or in an obviously indoor studio made to look like an outdoor street.

The KST car shots took place outdoors - at least the shots of car exteriors. KST usually avoided the cliched car chase, but found numerous ways to use vehicles to contribute to the drama. Even when the cars were not the center of the drama, they made the action seem more realistic. They also added class to the show.

It seems to me that the 1963 Mercury Monterey was used in many episodes. [I may change my mind about that when I start reviewing individual episodes.] The 1963 Monterey was unique because it had a powered, backwards rear window that could be raised and lowered. The window design was called "Breezeway." The 1963 model was unmistakeable, even if most cars of that era look the same to those of us that grew up in the 1970's.

1963 Mercury Monterey "Breezeway"




From the ad, it appears that one reason for this feature was to allow cigarette smoke to escape from the rear of the car. Based on that possibility, it does not appear that we will see many more cars with the Breezeway feature in the future.

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update - click the following for discussions of:

the theme music;

connections between Kraft Suspense Theatre and Star Trek;

The RTV network and prior syndication.

Kraft Suspense Theatre; Star Trek

Click here for my introductory remarks.

A fun sidenote to many of the episodes of Suspense Theatre is the Star Trek connection. Many of the Suspense Theatre episodes feature actors that later appeared on Star Trek, either as regulars or as prominent (and not so prominent) guest stars.

Some of the episodes feature three or four future Star Trek actors/actresses. I will identify these actors/actresses with each episode review.

Another connection exists with the 1956 movie, Forbidden Planet, which featured multiple Suspense Theatre actors/actresses.

Both of these connections become even more interesting when you remember that Suspense Theatre contained not a hint of science fiction. No robots, no time travel, no spaceships, no aliens.

Those of us that grew up in the 1970's watching reruns of classic Star Trek became accustomed to seeing each of the guest stars solely in his Star Trek role. It is surprising now for us to see these actors in other roles. Many of these actors (the guest stars as well) have become well known more for their Star Trek role than for anything else. Those guest stars that survive make frequent appearances at Star Trek conventions. Many of their other roles are forgotten, even though the Star Trek appearance was often only one of many, many roles in their long careers.

To the extent that there is a renewed interest in Suspense Theatre, modern viewers will gain a sense of proportion about the 1960's and will be reminded that Star Trek was not the only show from that era.

Kraft Suspense Theatre theme music; John Williams

Click here for my introductory remarks regarding Kraft Suspense Theatre.

Here is the opening theme from Season 1 of Suspense Theatre.



I apologize that the music is cut off with a few seconds left to go, but that is the best I could find on youtube. What follows is the title of this evening's episode and the name of 2 or 3 of the stars.

The theme music was composed by John Williams (listed as "Johnny Williams" in the credits), who was famous for many TV themes during the 1960's (and, of course, the music from Star Wars).

The youtube posting featured many comments that reveal how strong Suspense Theatre's following is - even 45 years after the show's run ended. Here are a few samples:

OMG!! this music used to scare me to death as a child! OMG talk about nostalgia!!! Thx for the post!
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I absolutely loved this series ! Thanks SO much for posting the opening theme... positively my all time favorite!
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I was entranced by this sequence when I was a kid. It was so expressionistic... and, of course, the unforgettable John Williams music... I recall telling my 4th grade teacher about it. Her response: "Your parents let you stay up that late at night?!?"
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I remember the theme very well. Done by the great composer, John Williams. I used to watch these on WABC on Sunday afternoons. I wish I could find the original on CD! Great music!
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This has to be one of the most recognizable and unique TV themes in history. The show was on past my bedtime, but my parents watched it. I'd lay awake and listen to the opening theme, wondering what was being shown on the screen. It wasn't until the 70's (when I finally saw a repeat) that I found out.
Great posting!
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LOVED the opening credits for this show as a kid! I'd tune in to this show just to see the credits (then usually get hooked on the story!). These credits are TOTAL Sixties! I only feel sorry for those too young to have lived thru the Sixties -- they were GREAT!

The theme changed in season two.

"Johnny Williams" credit





John Williams

Kraft Suspense Theatre

Kraft Suspense Theatre aired on NBC television from October 1963 until July 1965. It aired in color at a time when most shows did not.

Suspense Theatre was one of many anthology series to air in the 1950's and 1960's - meaning that it featured different characters in different settings for each episode.

Kraft Suspense Theatre











Suspense Theatre has been largely forgotten - especially when compared to the other anthology shows of its era. Shows like Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents are universally recognized as classics, while few people have heard of Suspense Theatre. Both Twilight Zone and Hitchcock Presents are/have been featured on Hulu.com as well as cable and DVD/VHS releases. Many other shows from the same era enjoy the same modern distribution, including illegal uploads on youtube.com. Suspense Theatre has, for whatever reason, missed these opportunities. Aside from some syndication in the 1960's and 1970's, the only modern revival of the show has come from its appearance on the RTV network for the past two years.

The reasons for this disparity are difficult to identify.

Suspense Theatre featured stars from virtually every Hollywood era, most of whom remain household names today. Such stars include Milton Berle, Robert Duvall, Ronald Reagan, Jack Klugman, Telly Savalas, Jack Warden, Gloria Swanson, Peter Lorre, Richard Crenna, Jack Lord, Broderick Crawford, Jack Kelly, Leslie Nielson, Gena Rowlands, Robert Goulet, Dean Jones, Leonard Nimoy, Tina Louise, Robert Conrad, John Forsythe, Robert Loggia, Ben Gazzara, Sally Kellerman and many others. These stars are instantly recognizable to a wide audience and would attract viewers. Yet whenever I read a hollywood biography or a wikipedia or IMDB bio about any of these actors, the Suspense Theatre role is barely (and rarely), if at all, even mentioned.

Stars and their biographers are quick to point out their roles on other shows of that era, including Star Trek, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Hitchcock, etc. But they usually see no benefit in touting their performance on Suspense Theatre.

I consider the stories on Suspense Theatre to be usually superior to those on other shows of that era. The Hitchcock shows are usually too clever to be realistic. The science fiction shows of the era appeal to a somewhat more narrow audience. The Suspense Theatre plots are usually much more dramatic in a realistic way.

The show's name is misleading. We think of suspense entertainment today in more violent terms. While there was often a hint of violence in Suspense Theatre, the drama and suspense revolved more often around issues of right and wrong or the main character's struggles against his own insecurities or inadequacies. Even 45 years later, the viewer can still identify with the conflicts that appeared on Suspense Theatre. These conflicts reflect our own struggles and issues.

Suspense Theatre does not spoon feed the viewers. The plot requires an attention span that is longer than would be required for most modern shows. (Although it does feature the occassional car chase, fist fight or shoot-out). But the payoff is better in the end. The viewer sees a resolution to a more realistic struggle than the mere winner of a gun battle.

One thing Suspense Theatre features more than anything is class. The music is classy, the cars are classy, the women are classy. The men wear suits and ties, even when they are down on their luck. But the dialogue is not wooden and stiff - like some parody of 1950's television. The dialogue is crisp, the conflicts are real, the sets are attractive and the stories are hard to turn off, even when one has seen them before.

I will focus on all of these elements in future posts, as we explore and review many of the episodes, the stories, the characters and related trivia.
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updates - click the following for discussions of:

the theme music;

connections between Kraft Suspense Theatre and Star Trek;

The cars of Suspense Theatre;

The RTV network and prior syndication.