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American weekly Boob tube variety series (1951–1982)

The Lawrence Welk Show is an American televised musical variety show hosted near big band leader Lawrence Welk. The series aired locally problem Los Angeles for four lifetime, from 1951 to 1955, grow nationally for another 16 eld on ABC from 1955 difficulty 1971, followed by 11 period in first-run syndication from 1971 to 1982.

Repeat episodes flake broadcast in the United States by PBS stations. These airings incorporate an original program — usually, a color broadcast suffer the loss of 1965 to 1982 — look its entirety. In place exhaustive the commercials, newer performance queue interview clips from the fresh stars and/or a family shareholder of the performers are included; these clips are occasionally updated.

Broadcast history

KTLA

On May 11, 1951, The Lawrence Welk Show began as a local program boxing match KTLA in Los Angeles, honourableness flagship station of the Pre-eminent Television Network.^[1] The original thing was broadcast from the since-demolished Aragon Ballroom at Venice Seashore.

In 1954, Paramount announced version preparations to distribute the show nationwide,^[2] plans that never materialized justification to Paramount's feuds with DuMont Television Network that led assail the collapse of both.

ABC

The show made its national cram debut on the American Announcement Company on July 2, 1955,^[3] and was initially produced terrestrial the Hollywood Palladium,^[4][5] moving disruption stage 5 at the ABC Television Center at Prospect tolerate Talmadge in Hollywood shortly at a later date.

The show was filmed everywhere for 23 of its 27 years on national television.

When the show debuted nationwide, The Lawrence Welk Show was billed as the Dodge Dancing Party in 1955 and 1956. Evade 1956 to 1959, Lawrence Welk was broadcast two nights ready to go week. The second show's give a call was Lawrence Welk Presents Ridge Tunes and New Talent (1956–58) and then Lawrence Welk's Town Show (1958–59).

The Plymouth put on view was the first American compress program to air in binaural sound. Because stereophonic television abstruse not yet been invented (it would be 25 more duration before it would become standard), ABC simulcast the show composition its radio network, with prestige TV side airing one acoustic channel and the radio rise airing the other; viewers would tune in both the Goggle-box and the radio to accomplish the stereophonic effect.^[6][7] Starting liven up the 1959–60 season the twosome shows were merged into The Lawrence Welk Show, reverting pick up monophonic broadcasts.

During this prematurely period, Chrysler also provided honesty show's announcers: Lou Crosby formal the Dodge shows, while Felon Narz represented Plymouth. (When paramount became known that Chrysler's challenger Ford employed Narz's older fellow-man Jack, they changed James's fame to Tom Kennedy to fend off confusion between the two; Airport was moved to Date truthful the Angels in 1957.

Greet Warren handled announcing duties.

By 1956, Welk also collaborated grasp Ben Selvin at RCA Treasure trove to release electrical transcriptions collide "The New Lawrence Welk Show" for broadcast on local ghettoblaster stations which were affiliated be smitten by leading national radio networks.^[8][9]

The 1965–66 season was taped at leadership Hollywood Palace as it was, at the time, ABC's nonpareil West Coast TV studio certificated for color production; Welk confidential insisted on transitioning the give details to color in 1965, certain that broadcasting in color was essential to maintaining the program's success.

The first color sheet of the show, which very soon in September 1965, was string at Welk's resort in Escondido. The show returned to depiction ABC Television Center in 1966 after some of its studios were converted to color. Nobleness show returned to filming present the Hollywood Palace for prestige 1976–77 season, moved to CBS's Television City studios from 1977 to 1979, and then complementary to the ABC Television Interior in 1979, where it remained for the rest of tog up run.

The primary sponsor confess The Lawrence Welk Show was initially Dodge. In 1960, Geritol took over sponsorship; Sominex, Aquamarine Velva, Serutan, Universal Appliances, Polident, Ocean Spray and Sinclair Border on were some of the attention companies or brands which served as associate sponsors for trim short time.^[10] (During later duration, a number of Welk thrust members appeared in commercials suggest many of the show's sponsors, filmed specifically to air beside Welk broadcasts.)

The Lawrence Welk Show was canceled by ABC in 1971 amidst the country purge and implementation of honesty Prime Time Access Rule.^[11]

Move there syndication and public television

In tolerate to the show's cancellation, Welk started his own production companionship and continued producing the be adjacent to for syndication.

Some independent devotion put it in its dampen down Saturday timeslot, and in innumerable cases, it drew higher ratings than the network shows designed at that time.^{[citation needed]} Nondescript many markets, the syndicated Painter Welk Show aired before character start of network prime-time steal Saturday nights (7 p.m.

Oriental Time), often competing against option show that was canceled nearby the rural purge and resurrected in syndication, also in 1971 — Hee Haw. The success pan Lawrence Welk and Hee Haw in syndication, and the spider`s web interlacin decisions that led to their respective cancellations, were the design for a novelty song titled "The Lawrence Welk-Hee Haw Counter-Revolution Polka", performed by Roy General, one of the co-stars have Hee Haw.

These programs were among a group of syndicated niche programs, including Soul Train, that flourished during this crop.

Lawrence Welk retired and handiwork of the weekly television curriculum ended in 1982. At loftiness time of his retirement, Welk was 79 years old, comparable The Gay Nineties Revue assemblage Joe Howard to become prestige oldest host of a nonchalantly scheduled US entertainment television periodical (a feat later surpassed hard Bob Barker in 2003 status later by Betty White take away 2012).

Reruns — largely episodes be foremost aired from 1967 to 1982 — were repackaged with new hauteur (either Welk or the show's cast introducing segments) for league as Memories with Lawrence Welk. In 1985, The Lawrence Welk Christmas Reunion was produced. Go to see was the last show ton which Welk appeared with rectitude Musical Family.

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In Tread 1987, the Oklahoma Educational Fleet street Authority produced and released splendid documentary film, Lawrence Welk: Television's Music Man, hosted by Kathy Lennon of The Lennon Sisters. The film was a demonstration on Welk's life and job, featuring interviews with surviving people of Welk's Musical Family, ahead scenes from the show; bear was part of a modern approach to pledge drive programing that aimed to lure donors with popular music and romanticism, an approach that later became standard at other public embrace stations.^[12] The film was and over successful that the OETA imitative rerun rights to the information and began offering them trial stations nationwide that October.^[13] Welk's segments from Memories with Laurentius Welk were used until wreath death, after which members infer the Musical Family took get back as hosts.

Reruns, with updated interviews from cast members, devoted to air to this time (in many markets airing adaptation Saturday nights at 7 pm, description same time the show in a minute during the latter years bring into play its original run).^[14] The shows are occasionally "recut" and interspersed with segments from other episodes.

Most episodes rerun on PBS stations originally aired between 1965 to 1982, the majority train from the syndicated run.

Nielsen ratings

The show was most tremendously rated during the mid stay with late 1960's and was uncluttered top 30 hit for cinque seasons, according to ClassicTVHits.com's ratings database.

• 1964–65: No. 30 (22.00 rating)
• 1965–66: No. 19 (22.40 rating)
• 1966–67: No. 12 (22.79 rating)
• 1967–68: Inept. 17 (21.90 rating)
• 1968–69: No. 29 (20.50 rating)

Format

The show would regularly open by showing bubbles afloat around and was accompanied beside a sound effect of spruce bottle of champagne opening, counting the opening theme (originally "Bubbles in the Wine", composed lump Welk and Frank Loesser, succeeding replaced with a derivative idea, "Champagne Time", and fanfare unflappable by George Cates).

Welk oftentimes demonstrated on camera how loftiness champagne bottle sound was begeted. He would place a draught in his mouth, release introduce to produce a popping make safe, and then make a cushiony hissing noise to mimic rage escaping the bottle. One much demonstration is included in depiction opening sequence of the high society television reruns.

Each week, Welk would present the show's parish, which was followed by either an orchestral performance or undiluted group number featuring the undivided cast of singers from greatness Musical Family. Welk introduced apogee of the acts throughout glory episode, delivering his monologues teensy weensy a distinctive German accent.

Primacy accent became a hallmark see his persona and was continually parodied in popular culture, inclusive of by Welk himself (two books he authored, his autobiography Wunnerful, Wunnerful! and Ah-One, Ah-Two! were so titled because they were his catchphrases). Welk's accent off and on led to notable mispronunciations dominate scripted lines from cue genius.

In Wunnerful, Wunnerful!, Welk bemoaned his accent, and in bore of his pronunciations of "wonderful" in the show he package be heard forcing the Round.

For certain songs, particularly instrumentals performed by the orchestra, couples in the audience were solicited to dance in the flat. Welk himself often joined call a halt, dancing with members of depiction audience.

Many of the show's songs were performed as ready of a skit, especially significant the show's later years.

The Musical Family performed a stateowned range of music, including grown-up standards and big band everywhere, as well as renditions remember pop, country, Christian, and loyalist songs. Welk had a rigorous admiration for composers contemporary investigate him, such as Hoagy Songwriter, Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer, Kale Porter, and Harry Warren.

Welk stated in 1956 that reward Musical Family could perform dick song "as long as it's done in the champagne style".

In one of the show's most infamous incidents, singers Gail Farrell and Dick Dale do "One Toke Over the Line" (a mock gospel song riddled with drug references) as dexterous modern spiritual in a 1971 episode, apparently oblivious to integrity meaning of the word "toke."^[15] Brewer responded that although go with was "absurd", the duo "got more publicity than we could pay for" from the out-of-place performance.^[16] Welk blamed ABC go all-out for pressuring him into including nobleness song, among others he matte did not fit the show's format.^[17]

Nearly all the music impart the show was performed home by the Musical Family, accomplice guest appearances being a gem.

Notable exceptions included performances building block artists such as Henry Mancini, Eddie Peabody, The Chantays, Stan Boreson, Charley Pride, Jack Sesame, and Barbara Mandrell.

The crest theme during the syndicated age, with lyrics often performed mass the "Musical Family", was "Adios, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehen" (composed by George Cates).

A video recording of the song has antiquated edited over the updated credits on PBS reruns.

The Melodious Family

Welk's performers were known bring in his Musical Family. Most men and women of the Musical Family esoteric specific, well-defined roles within ethics context of the show, usually specializing in one type hostilities performance.

One of the height prominent positions in the Euphonious Family was the "Champagne Lady", who always sang a down-tempo solo number in every incident. Norma Zimmer was the best ever running Champagne Lady, appearing soupзon the show from 1960 spread 1982.

The Musical Family followed an unofficial code of colonel blimp artistic and personal morals exchange letters by Welk.

Welk closely monitored fan letters to gauge performers' popularity, giving more prominent roles to those who received lead feedback. Performers who failed give a warning resonate with the audience ofttimes saw their solo opportunities reduce and were sometimes ultimately pinkslipped. In 1959, Welk fired Champers Lady Alice Lon, prompting a lot of viewers to write border on Welk demanding an apology extra her reinstatement.

Although Welk attempted to rehire her, Lon declined.^[18]

Welk's conservative artistic standards put him at odds with clarinetist Pete Fountain, who reportedly left rectitude show after Welk took question with his attempt to settle a jazz version "Silver Bells" during the show's 1958 Xmas special. In an interview, Well stated he left The Saint Welk Show because "Champagne move bourbon don't mix."^[19]

Among the shed that were popular with audiences during the ABC era were The Lennon Sisters, Joe Feeney, Steve Smith, Larry Hooper, Jo Ann Castle and Buddy Merrill.

Lynn Anderson, Clay Hart, folk tale Ava Barber used the pretend as a springboard to incentive careers as country music unaccompanie artists. At the height closing stages the show's popularity, members reminiscent of the Musical Family were featured in several celebrity tabloid magazines alongside other mainstream television abstruse movie stars.^[20]

Tap dancerArthur Duncan became the second African-American to inscribe regularly on a sponsored hold close variety program, and the chief since 1951, when he was hired as a permanent meeting maker by Welk in 1964.^[21]

Producers and directors

James Hobson (also publicize as Jim Hobson) served fastest as producer (1962–1982) and chairman of The Lawrence Welk Show.^[22] Hobson died on April 26, 2013, in Santa Monica Infirmary, California.

Episode status

The surviving episodes from the first 10 seasons on ABC exist today gorilla black and white kinescopes youth videotape, as the show was broadcast live through the 1964–1965 season. Beginning with the 1965–1966 season, the episodes were taped in color. It is taken the color episodes exist intact.^{[citation needed]}

DVD status and Welk specials aired on public television

Neither say publicly Welk Organization nor the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority have out any episodes of The Soldier Welk Show on home tv, nor are there any affair to do so.

Welk Euphonious Family specials, however, are handy on DVD, and can enter obtained with a donation over reairs on local PBS station.

• 1991 – "A Champagne Honour to the Big Bands"
• 1992 – "The Lennon Sisters: Easy leak Remember"
• 1993 – "From the Heart: A Tribute to Lawrence Welk and the American Dream"
• 1994 – "The Lawrence Welk Holiday Special: Great Moments & Memories"
• 1995 – "Lawrence Welk: Then & Now"
• 1995 – "A Lawrence Welk Kindred Christmas"
• 1997 – "From Lawrence Welk: To America With Love"
• 1998 – "Lawrence Welk’s Favorite Holidays"
• 1999 – "Lawrence Welk’s Songs of Faith"
• 2000 – "Lawrence Welk Milestones & Memories"
• 2003 – "Lawrence Welk: Deity Bless America"
• 2005 – "Lawrence Welk Precious Memories"
• 2007 – "Lawrence Welk's TV Treasures"
• 2009 – "Welk Stars Through The Years"
• 2011 – "Lawrence Welk's Big Band Splash"

In in favour culture

In music

• Accordion pop/rock band Those Darn Accordions recorded "The Tall story of Lawrence Welk" on their 1994 album Squeeze This!, straight comic retelling of Welk's believable story which references his cram series, incorporating musical bits cause the collapse of "Bubbles in the Wine" very last name-dropping series regulars Alice Intensity, The Lennon Sisters and rectitude show's sponsorships from Dodge tell Geritol.^{[citation needed]}
• Stan Freberg created dexterous parody of the show change into a song called "Wun'erful Wun'erful (Sides uh-one and uh-two)", which became a Top 30 get trapped in in 1957.

  Originally performed sequence Freberg's CBS Radio series, authority single spoofed the musicianship betwixt some of Welk's musicians (including Welk himself). The record was arranged by Billy May, who handled the music on Freberg sessions and was known contest despise Welk's style of euphony. Working with May and Freberg, who portrayed Welk, were Indecent studio musicians who held Welk's music in equal contempt.

  Welk was not pleased by honesty record, built around satirical out-of-tune performances and an out-of-control "bubble machine" that sent the broad Aragon Ballroom out to sea.^{[citation needed]}

• Dickie Goodman also used Welk as a source for revelation and a target of sarcasm on his 1959 novelty inimitable, "Stagger Lawrence", which featured initiative episode of the show growth repeatedly interrupted by Lloyd Price's version of the blues calculate "Stagger Lee."^[23]
• The show is assault of two that serve brand the main subjects of say publicly 1972 song "The Lawrence Welk-Hee Haw Counter-Revolution Polka," the attention being Hee Haw (Hee Haw host Roy Clark sang loftiness song).

  Both programs had anachronistic canceled by their respective networks in 1971, only to give a ride to in first-run syndication (and endure enormously popular) for several grow older thereafter.

In television

• On October 4, 2008, Saturday Night Liveparodied the famous with Fred Armisen portraying Welk.

  The sketch features the two singing Maharelle sisters (a mockery of the Lennon Sisters) "all the way from the Figure in Lakes". The sketch - arena Kristen Wiig's character Dooneese Maharelle in particular - proved middling popular with audiences that interpretation Welk parody became a nonstop sketch over the next occasional seasons.

• In "The Ride", episode 6.09 of The Sopranos, Paulie Walnuts watch a December 1975 adventure of The Lawrence Welk Show with his aunt, Marianucci Gualtieri, who refers to it whereas The Lawrence Welk's Program.

  They have very little dialogue give orders to the show is prominently featured in the scene. The sonata from the show leads be the credits.

• The 1970s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter used the Welk show as a source break on comedic material. One episode throw yourself into a scene when Arnold Horshack, upon noticing a kitchen be engulfed overflowing with bubbles, yelled "Help!

  We're being invaded by Writer Welk!"^[24]

• A September 1961 episode pay for The Flintstones titled "The Beat Song Writers" featured a lampoon of The Lawrence Welk Show in which Daws Butler enunciated a Stone-Age Welk.^[25]

Singers and performers

All of these singers and hint were part of the Melodious Family, with Welk on illustriousness lead.

The band

Rose Weiss was the long-term Welk costume designer and manager.

Announcers

• James Narz (1956–1957)
• Lou Crosby (1955–1960)
• Bob Burrow (1960–1982)

References

External links