The Dodge Dancing Party

Having lived for some time in southwestern Missouri, and having had many occasions to be in Branson - personally and on business - I was there when the Welk Resort was constructed (by Lawrence Welk, Jr.). The facility is away from the cacophony of noise from Branson's "main drag," has one of the finer theaters, as well as entertainment in the dining area.

We stayed there one week with friends, and it's the only hotel I've ever seen where the registration card has a place to check "if you have heart problems."

Now living in Tulsa, our Oklahoma public television organization is the producer of the Welk Show programs regularly public TV.

People have criticized Welk's music as corny and unimaginative - but while the folksy manner of the host and most of the performers may have seemed a bit excessive at times, one must remember this orchestra spawned Pete Fountain, whom I have seen at Welk reunion shows, both on TV and live.

One of the finest albums I have has an eclectic group of numbers, all by Johnny Hodges with the Welk orchestra. Hodges, of course, before he went on his own, was simply Duke Ellington's lead sax player.

The shows provide a lot of nostalgia, whether one may have seen them originally, and whether or not the viewer is a great fan of Welk's music. The older ones are several decades old, and present a variety of music which was contemporary then and nostalgic now. The shows which, say, 30- or 40-years-ago were nostalgia pieces then, are even more so now. If you watch the originals and then view the periodic current/special event/reunion shows, it is interesting to view the aging process at work. {One caveat - sometimes watching "Champagne Lady" Norma Zimmer (and a few of others, occasionally) warrants diabetics ensuring an extra dosage of insulin is nearby.}

One also might pose the riddle: What television show - at the same time - had the most and fewest bald and/or gray-haired performers? The answer surely would be this show. It displays more comb-overs, dye jobs and toupees, per capita, than anywhere on the planet. It presents more examples than a "Hair Club" or "Sassoon" catalog ever could. It's fascinating to watch the camera pan the group, and imagine everyone sans the comb-overs, pieces, and Clairol. Just an amusing bonus to this entertaining show.

The programs overall fall within a 7* to 10* range, so 9* is appropriate.

This show doesn't get the respect it deserves...sure it is known for it's tacky wardrobe and watered-down musical numbers critics say, but compared to the tripe on television today, the show is a gem. I have meet several members of Lawrence's musical family in recent live shows, and they are perhaps the most friendly, down to earth entertainers you'll ever meet...and that is something you rarely see today! Also, if you're into pop culture history, watching the show can teach you something....and learn about music too!

When I was a 5 or 6 year-old child in the 1960's in South Dakota, I would watch The Lawrence Welk show with my parents on Saturday nights. Then when I was a teenager in the 1970's, I didn't think it was a "cool" show. When my daughter was a 5-6 year old child in the 1990's, we would dance together to The Lawrence Welk show. Now that she's a teenager in the 2000's, she thinks, as I did 30 years earlier, that it's not cool (although I think her term is "lame"). But I still enjoy watching it on PBS. It would be interesting to wonder whether my daughter will also start watching it again for nostalgia reasons when she's in her 30's and 40's and remember watching it with her Dad 30 or 40 years earlier (assuming it's still on PBS then).

I first saw this show in my grandparents' house in Binghamton, NY in the 1960s, and enjoyed The Lennon Sisters. This show was so fun to watch! When I got hooked on the show again in Texas in 1996, I took a liking to the peppery singer Bob Lido.

Perhaps the show seemed like old hat in 1974. However, when it ran on ABC from 1955 to 1971, it really reflected the tastes of much of Middle America, to which I belonged to. The 1960s did not just belong to the Flower Children; it belonged just as much to those who liked the performers on this show (as well as other shows, such as The F.B.I.). And I condemn no side; I am a Green Party type who likes this sort of show. I especially like the older episodes, and am fond of Alice Lon.

This show should be praised for preserving big band music at a time when it had fallen out of favor. And so many of the performers should be recognized for their efforts. I am sorry Bob Lido is gone, but at least Dick Dale, Anacani, Ken Delo and--yes--Joe Feeney are still around to provide great performances. I also enjoy Bobby Burgess, Mary Lou Metzger and the others as well, too.

May this show keep running on PBS for many years to come!!

I used to be forced to watch this show every saturday night or else go to my room and read. My mother just had to see Lawrence'a Walk'a and his'a Cham'apayne'a Band'a. I always wondered why he talked so weird, turns out his folks were from Germany or some place so he picked up their accent. I couldn't stand the show back in the 50's, but now wish I could see some of the old re-runs. Welk had some good musicians and dancers, and they always put on a very professional show. However, I could not stand Joe Feeney, the Irish tenor. He was most assuredly not wunnerful'a, wunnerful'a.