In the years 1943-57 the show Romance was a sensation for listeners. The old time radio show's format was changed on many an occasion. Love remained the central theme of the show throughout its run.
Originally the old time radio was a bit melodramatic and featured violin music and stories of love through the ages. It was far from upbeat. Frank Gallop, a reputed comedian that hosted the show, even had an air of gloom in his voice. The Theater of Romance show eventually came to be following many changes to the show format.
In the years 1944-46, a new romantic story was featured in the show's weekly half-hour slot. The many love stories that featured on the show were very popular that when it came to Tuesdays at 8:30, Hollywood stars would feature in these romantic love stories, and many would tune in to enjoy.
Just some of the guests on these old time radio shows were Shirley Temple and Henry Fonda. Often, the stars would interpret stories featured in films or books.
The show reduced its air time a fair amount by 1946. Future broadcasts were quite sparse and not really to a fixed schedule, so episodes were broadcast sometimes months apart. Despite this, the stories themselves never faulted and so listeners remained charmed. The show upheld this reduced broadcasting schedule for some years, until 1954.
The final three years saw the show air on Saturday lunchtimes, with the most popular stories brought to the surface. People tuned in each week to listen to tales of love and romance.
The show ran for 14 years, during which Romance's show format was modified over 20 times. Keeping hold of a typical audience was perhaps the show's greatest weakness, in part due to the frequent changes to the show. Despite this, the show continued to be successful.
While the last show seemed nothing like the original show that aired in 1943, the theme of love and relationships tied the entire series together. People continued to enjoy the drama and the intrigue of couples as they listened to the stories.
Music that featured in the show was another consistency. The same theme songs were used over and over even though announcers and actors changed from year to year.
The Theater of Romance shows remain to be a pleasant joy to hear and can be enjoyed even today, over 50 years after their first broadcast. 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.
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