An Evening with Romberg is an American musical radio program that was broadcast on NBC from June 12, 1945, until August 31, 1948, as a summer replacement for other programs. Sigmund Romberg was the star, and Raleigh cigarettes was the sponsor. [1]
Replacing Hildegarde's Raleigh Room program, beginning on June 12, 1945, [2] An Evening with Romberg was broadcast at 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time, with episodes consisting of six minutes of Romberg's compositions and 20 minutes of music from other composers. [3] Robert Merrill was the regular featured soloist, and each episode included a guest soloist. [4] Don Gillis was the director, Frank Gallop was the narrator, and Ed Hurlihy was the announcer. [2] Jack Simpson and Flora Bash were the writers. [4]
Diana Gibbings, writing in The New York Times , described the music as "reminiscent of cool evenings on a moon-drenched lake, where the mercury remains steadfastly at 70". [3] The program was popular enough for NBC to bring it back as a regular program [5] on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. E. T. [6] beginning on October 17, 1945. Soprano Irene Hill (in reality Genevieve Rowe using a pseudonym [7] ) [note 1] and baritone Frank Farris were featured each week and Romberg conducted the orchestra. [8] [7] Gallop, Gillis, and Bash continued in their roles from the summer, while Jack Costello was the new announcer. [9]
Magee Adams wrote in The Cincinnati Enquirer that Romberg's summer show "was so delightful that it earned a permanent winter spot". [10] Adams added, "Wednesday evening schedules sorely need just the sort of music Sigmund Romberg can supply so abundantly." [10]
A review in the trade publication Variety said that the summer program "packs plenty of listenable music". [4] It said that Gallop was a plus, "handling his chatter sequences brightly and with his customary aplomb", and it noted that the 45-person orchestra was the "chief attraction". [4]
Variety also reviewed the premiere fall episode, calling it an example of a typical Romberg program — a "slightly schmaltzy, somewhat nostalgic, but always pleasantly tuneful session of gay or sentimental music served up with snap and dash". [9] The review also complimented Hill's and Farris's solos and their duet. [9]
An Evening with Romberg replaced Red Skelton's program beginning on June 11, 1946. [11] Rowe was the female vocalist, [12] and baritone Reinhold Schmidt was her male counterpart. [13] A 52-piece orchestra provided music. [14] Ford Pearson was the narrator, with Rod O'Connor and Ned LeFevre as the announcers. Bob Owen was the producer. [15] Episodes featured many compositions by Romberg. [14]
A review of the premiere episode in Variety said that Romberg and his music "make a good summer replacement for Red Skelton, as it did last year for Hildegarde." [15] It complimented Rowe's "fine soprano" and Schmidt's "imposing baritone" and said that their duets were the highlight of the episode. [15]
Beginning on June 10, 1947, the program again replaced Skelton's show [16] on Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. E. T. [17] Schmidt once again was the male vocalist, and soprano Anne Jamison was the featured female singer. [18] O'Connor was the announcer, and Keith McLeod was the director. [17]
A review in Variety described the show as "30 minutes of uninterrupted light musical fare with emphasis on ersatz symphonic arrangements out of the semi-classical library". [17] Comparing the program to a summer park concert, the review said that Romberg's style made all of the songs "sound pretty much alike". [17] Commercials drew the review's harshest comments: "... probably the most grating-on-the-nerve plugs of any in radio, with the multiple reprise of the moisture sound effects sufficient to spoil anyone's enjoyment of a program". [17]
An Evening with Romberg substituted for Skelton's show on Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time, beginning on June 8, 1948. [19] Baritone John Howard and soprano Jean Fenn were the featured singers. McLeod was the director, [20] O'Connor was the announcer, and Pearson was the narrator. [21] The last summer 1948 broadcast occurred on August 31, as People Are Funny took over that time slot for the new radio season. [22]
A review in the trade publication Billboard called the program "pleasant fare" and added, "for those who like their music straight, it's nice material". [23] The review complimented the voices of Fenn and Howard and noted that in its fourth summer the show had "simmered down to a routine, easy-to-take pattern". [23] The one negative element of the review pointed out the "very strong, and sometimes irritating, pattern" of the Raleigh commercials. [23]
A review in Variety called the show "an attractive program and an excellent salespoint for Raleighs", but it described the commercials as having a "general nondescript quality" and being "overlong as well as overdone." [19]