The popularity of Command Performance, a series produced for the Armed Forces network (AFN), gave rise to the civilian version called Request Perfor-mance. The show was first aired over the CBS network on October 7, 1945. It was sponsored by Campbell Soup. Del Sharbutt announced and Leith Stevens conducted the orchestra.

Like its military counterpart, Request Performance presented various stars in response to letters from listeners; however, this version did not gain the same acceptance as the GI show. Request Performance was cancelled on April 21, 1946.

On October 29, 1947 a new Request Performance took to the air over the Mutual network on a sustaining basis. The initial broadcast was titled Encore Theatre, the same title of a 1946 summer series. Unlike the earlier Request Performance, these programs resurrected old dramatic radio scripts to replay. Phil Tonken announced and John Gart was the organist. This version of Request few weeks. Performance fared even worse