Romance was a popular show for listeners between 1943 and 1957. The old time radio show’s format was changed on many an occasion. Love remained the central theme of the show throughout its run.
The likes of aging love stories with emotional classical music were prevalent in the early days of old time radio shows such as this one. The show was not really that cheerful. A famous comedian at the time, Frank Gallop, was actually quite dismal as the show’s host. The Theater of Romance show eventually came to be following many changes to the show format.
Every week from 1944 through 1946, listeners would get a fresh story of love offering a unique or different perspective on the subject. Every Tuesday at 8:30 some of Hollywood’s biggest stars could be heard in tales of love and romance.
Errol Flynn and Humphrey Bogart, to name but a few, were among the biggest stars to feature on the old radio shows. And many of these stars portrayed stories that mirrored film stories or historical fiction.
By the time of 1946 the show was not aired as often. It ran in brief episodes months apart from one another. However, the same tales of love were present that captivated listeners. Until 1954, the show continued to air in this sporadic manner.
The final three years saw the show air on Saturday lunchtimes, with the most popular stories brought to the surface. Every week, listeners tuned their wireless to enjoy the many stories of love.
The show ran for 14 years, during which Romance’s show format was modified over 20 times. The constant changes made it difficult for the show to hold on to an audience for long. Despite this, the show continued to be successful.
Although the final show broadcast was not really the same as the 1943 original, the show subject remained focused on relationships and love. Listeners remained mystified when tuning in to the dramatic storylines of couples that featured every week.
The music was also consistent throughout the run of the show. While actors and hosts changed year by year, theme songs were maintained throughout.
While the stories of love from Theater of Romance are more than 50 years old, they’re still a pleasure to hear. Finding and losing love is a subject that many have experience of or an understanding towards, and it is this fact that has allowed the show to stay fresh even in the modern world.