By Disney General Marc Berman Senior Contributor
Unspecified: Lawrence Welk appearing on ‘The Lawrence Welk Show’. (Photo by Disney General … More Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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“Wunnerful, wunnerful!.” “Ah one, and ah two”…let’s get started on this TV flashback.
Naturally, this tribute is about the legendary Lawrence Welk, the “Champagne Music” maestro, known for his family-friendly show and his signature “A one, and ah two” introduction to musical numbers. Beyond long-running The Lawrence Welk Show, which debuted on ABC on this day in 1955, Welk was a bandleader, an accordion player, and a shrewd businessman synonymous with squeaky-clean (and older-skewing) entertainment.
Lawrence Welk (1903-1992), US musician and band leader, smiling while posing with an accordian, … More circa 1955. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)
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Let’s go back to July 2, 1955 for the premiere of The Lawrence Welk Show. I Love Lucy finished the season as the top-rated television series in primetime (with a staggering average 49.3 household rating, according to Nielsen). The Jackie Gleason Show at No. 2 led the then overpopulated category of variety. And classic crime drama Dragnet ranked third overall.
William Frawley, Vivian Vance, Lucille Ball, and Desi Arnaz out golfing in the television series ‘I … More Love Lucy’, 1951. (Photo by CBS/Getty Images)
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UNITED STATES – MAY 15: May 15, 1955, California, Los Angeles, The Jackie Gleason Show, Jackie … More Gleason and Art Carney(L-R: Art Carney, Jackie Gleason). (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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CIRCA 1955: Star of the TV series “Dragnet” Jack Webb performs in a scene in circa 1955. (Photo by … More Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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At a time when the summer was a breeding ground for leftover programming, ABC aggressively brought Lawrence Welk into primetime. Initially billed as the Dodge Dancing Party in 1955 and 1956, The Lawrence Welk Show became a staple for ABC for 16 years, particularly as a Saturday night option. The variety series featured the band, singers, and dancers, all showcasing a range of musical styles from big band to polka. Many episodes included a theme, like songs of the 40s or music from famous groups, with the cast performing related numbers. Segments highlighted individual performers. And then there was the Lennon sisters, who were dubbed “America’s Sweethearts of Song.” They were…all together now…”Wunnerful, wunnerful!”
Unspecified – 1962: (L-R) The Lennon Sisters performing on ‘The Lawrence Welk Show’. (Photo by … More Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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While still a popular option on ABC, The Lawrence Welk Show was a victim of the “rural purge” in primetime in 1971, which resulted in the demise of series like The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, Hee Haw and Welk’s variety series in favor of more modern type storytelling a la The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Norman Lear’s All in the Family.
Group puiblicity portrait of the cast of the CBS situation comedy ‘Mary Tyler Moore’ shows (left to … More right) Gavin McLeod, as Murray Slaughter, Mary Tyler Moore, as Mary Richards, Ed Asner, as Lou Grant, and Ted Knight (1923 – 1986), as Ted Baxter, California, 1971. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
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UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1970: Photo of All In The Family Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Life After Cancellation
In response to the show’s demise, Welk started his own production company and continued producing it for first-run syndication. Fun factoid: The success of Lawrence Welk and Hee Haw in syndication, and the network decisions that led to their premature cancellations, were the inspiration for a novelty song called “The Lawrence Welk-Hee Haw Counter-Revolution Polka.”
After 11 additional seasons (and 30 seasons in total), Lawrence Welk retired and production of the weekly television program ended in 1982.
With bubbles floating around accompanied by a sound effect of a bottle of champagne opening at the beginning of most episodes, The Lawrence Show was not the “coolest” or “trendiest” television series. But its wholesome, family-friendly entertainment left an indelible impact. And today we remember this “wunnerful, wunnerful” variety series.
Lawrence Welk surrounded by female cast members on ‘The Lawrence Welk Show’. (Photo by Disney … More General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
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