Theater Of Romance
It's Valentines and love is in the air so I thought it would be nice to feature a series on RUSC to put you in the mood for romance!
From 1943-1957, listeners could tune in to listen to Romance. Throughout the years the show changed formats many times but the theme of love was present throughout its entire run.
Originally the show was a bit melodramatic and featured violin music and stories of love through the ages. It was far from upbeat. Even the announcer, Frank Gallop - who had a strong affinity for comedy, was a little morose. Only a year into the show it changed formats and became Theater of Romance.
From 1944-1946, people tuned in weekly for a half hour of romance that had a different kind of sparkle. Every Tuesday at 8:30 some of Hollywood’s biggest stars could be heard in tales of love and romance.
Stars of the show included Humphrey Bogart, Henry Fonda, Errol Flynn, and Shirley Temple and many of these stars portrayed stories that mirrored films or historical fiction.
From 1947 through 1954 the show was a little less consistently aired. It ran in brief episodes months apart from one another. However, the same tales of love were present that captivated listeners. During the last three years, the show aired every Saturday at noon and brought the best storylines to the airwaves. People tuned in each week to listen to tales of love and romance.
Throughout its 14-year run, Romance changed schedule at least 20 times. This made it difficult to maintain a steady audience. Still, somehow the show continued to achieve success.
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.
The music was also consistent throughout the run of the show. The same theme songs were used over and over even though announcers and actors changed from year to year.
While the stories of love from Theater of Romance are more than 50 years old, they’re still a pleasure to hear. The theme of love found and love lost is one that’s so universal it reaches past the boundaries of time.
I will be adding some episodes of Theater of Romance over the weekend and if you are not sure what love is you can also listen to CBS Radio Workshop's Dissertation On Love and discover what it means through the thoughts of an American, an Englishman and a Frenchman.
Of course we all know that our favorite OTR comedian Jack Benny was born on the famous day for lovers so if you are not in the mood for romance this February 14th you can always listen in on the fun at Jack's Birthday Party.
Happy listening my friends,
