Sorry, Wrong Number: A Crossed Line, a Helpless Call, and a Killer Upstairs

Originally Aired: August 21, 1943

In Suspense #54, “Sorry, Wrong Number,” bedridden and increasingly frantic, Mrs. Elbert Stevenson tries to reach her husband’s office—only to overhear a chilling phone conversation between two men planning a murder at 11:15 that night. As she desperately tries to get help from uncaring operators, indifferent police, and even a nurses’ registry, her calls descend into terror and futility. With the sound of every ring, her isolation deepens—until the horror strikes home. Agnes Moorehead delivers one of radio’s most iconic performances in this tour de force written by Lucille Fletcher, a suspense classic that remains unmatched for its tension and psychological dread.

Cast:
Agnes Moorehead

Tags:
Suspense, thriller, AgnesMoorehead, LucilleFletcher, wrongnumber, psychological, telephone, isolation, gaslight, 1940sradio, classicdrama, suspensepodcast, iconicperformance, helplessness, noir, radioclassic