The Lawrence Welk Show

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The Lawrence Welk Show was a musical variety show hosted by former big band leader Lawrence Welk. New episodes were aired in either a local, network, or syndicated capacity for thirty years.

The Lawrence Welk Show started in 1952 as a local program on KTLA-TV in Los Angeles, California. The program originated from the since-demolished Aragon Ballroom at Venice Beach. Later, the show aired nationally on ABC from 1955 to 1971. When the show was canceled by the head of programming there, Welk made his own production company and continued airing the show on independent stations. The syndicated version of the program aired from 1971 to 1982.

Each week, Welk would introduce the theme of the show, which usually inspired joyous singing and/or patriotic fervor. He was most known for delivering these monologues in a thick German accent, which was parodied in pop culture (even by Welk himself: the two books he authored, Wunnerful, Wunnerful! and Ah-One, Ah-Two! were so titled because they were his catch phrases). If the number was more a dance tune, Welk would dance with ladies from the audience, which he became somewhat known for. For certain songs, the couples in attendance were also allowed to dance at the Ballroom.

Welk employed many musicians and singers, which were known in the press as his Welk Family. These singers were bound by an unofficial set of morals dictated by Welk, and if Welk believed the audience did not find them wholesome enough, they would be fired. Former Champagne Lady Alice Lon was fired in 1959 for crossing her legs on a desk. Welk, on-air, told the audience that he did not tolerate such "cheesecake" on his show. After he fired Alice Lon on-camera, thousands of letters filled the ABC mailroom, demanding an apology to Alice Lon, and that she be rehired. Welk tried to get Lon back but she refused. In later years however, it was revealed that along with the "cheesecake" incident, one of the reasons given for Alice's departure was also over money, she was supporting three young sons and wanted a raise. The other was over what kind of songs she would be singing, and since Welk insisted on playing what his audiences want to hear, she rebelled against such restrictions.

After two years and a string of short-lived vocalists, Norma Zimmer was hired, starting in 1960; she stayed with Welk for the rest of the show's run.

Welk relied on fan letters to tell him who was popular and who was not. Often, performers who received a positive reaction were prominently featured on future shows, while those who didn't meet muster with the audience saw their solo opportunities diminish before they were let go.

Among the performers that were wildly popular with audiences during the years it was on ABC, were The Lennon Sisters, Jack Imel, Joe Feeney, Larry Hooper, Lynn Anderson (prior to her solo success as a country recording artist), and Jo Ann Castle just to name a few.

While the show was highly-rated, ABC decided to get rid of it in 1971 since most of its audience was people over the age of 50. His audience was old because Welk usually had performers sing and play standards from the '30s and '40s, and the younger viewers were typically out during the Saturday night timeslot.

Welk started his own production company in response, and continued producing the show. Some independent stations put it in its old Saturday timeslot, and in many cases, it drew higher ratings than the network shows scheduled at that time. In many markets, the syndicated Lawrence Welk aired before the start of network prime-time on Saturday nights (7PM Eastern Time); also in many areas, it competed against another show that was cancelled by the network and resurrected in syndication, also in 1971 -- Hee Haw.

Welk retired in 1982; however, classic shows — largely, from 1967-1980 — were repackaged with new footage (either Welk or the show's cast introducing segments) for syndication during the 1982-1983 season. Reruns soon made their way to PBS (courtesy of Oklahoma's OETA network), where they continue to air to this day; shows from the 1950s and 1960s have also aired, also repackaged with new footage.

For most of the show's run, the big sponsors of The Lawrence Welk Show were Dodge and Geritol, the latter being the butt of endless jokes regarding the show's clientele.

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Singers and performers

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The Orchestra

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