Romance 56 08 25 ep444 The Caddis Fly

*Romance* (also known as *Theater of Romance* / **Theatre of Romance**) was a long-running CBS Radio anthology series that aired from April 19, 1943, to January 5, 1957. It was primarily a half-hour schedule-filler program that filled in for other shows such as *Lux Radio Theatre*, *Gunsmoke*, *Life with Luigi*, and others. Over its nearly 14-year run it changed time slots frequently (more than 20 changes) and went through multiple formats, producers, directors, and hosts, but it consistently focused on stories of love, romance, adventure, and human relationships—usually with a hopeful or happy ending. Key Periods & Style **Early years (1943–1944)**: Sustaining series featuring adaptations of books, plays, and films alongside original stories. Hosted by announcer Frank Gallop. *Theater of Romance (1944–1946)**: Sponsored by Colgate products. Produced by Charles Vanda (of *Suspense fame). Featured major Hollywood stars including Humphrey Bogart, Shirley Temple, Henry Fonda, Errol Flynn, Gregory Peck, Orson Welles, Cary Grant, Joseph Cotten, and others. Often adapted current or classic films (*Casablanca*, *Bringing Up Baby*, *Pride and Prejudice*, *Dark Victory*, etc.) and historical love stories. Broadcast before a live audience after moving to Hollywood. Hosts included Arnold Moss and later Frank Graham. *Later years (especially 1950–1957)**: Returned to a more flexible anthology format. Produced and written at times by Norman Macdonnell and John Meston (just before they created *Gunsmoke*), and later overseen by Antony Ellis and William N. Robson of *Suspense and *Escape*. Featured top radio actors such as William Conrad, Georgia Ellis, John Dehner, Harry Bartell, Paula Winslowe, and Lawrence Dobkin. Stories ranged from tender romance to adventure, westerns, light suspense, and even occasional science fiction or fantasy, while still emphasizing emotional and relational themes. Some scripts were recycled from *Escape*. Notable Details Hundreds of episodes were broadcast; a large number survive in collector and OTRR archives. The series was OTRR Certified Accurate. It maintained strong CBS production values throughout and developed a loyal audience despite its filler status. Opening style often evoked “the courage, the devotion, the adventure of love… all strung on the bright thread of Romance.” *Romance* is a rich, varied anthology that sits alongside Suspense and Escape as one of CBS’s major dramatic series of the Golden Age—well worth exploring for its star power, strong writing, and wide range of romantic and dramatic storytelling.