Circus Romance

Circus Romance, manufactured by Williams in July 1945, is not actually a pinball machine but an arcade game, despite sometimes being referenced in period Billboard pinball advertisements without that distinction being made clear. It is included in pinball reference databases for clarification purposes, since it is easily confused with Williams' contemporaneous pinball output.

The earliest known Billboard ad mentioning Circus Romance is dated July 28, 1945, where it is listed as a "brand new arcade game." Its circus and carnival theme, evoking happiness and spectacle, was a popular motif for amusement games of the era.

Little further documentation exists on Circus Romance's specific gameplay mechanics, design, or artwork. One notable physical detail is its heavy plate glass, measuring 39 inches by 19 1/2 inches. As a piece of Williams' mid-1940s arcade lineup rather than its pinball catalog, Circus Romance offers an interesting footnote in the company's broader coin-operated amusement history.