Lawrence Welk, Polka Partner

Lawrece Welk: (born March 11, 1903, Strasburg, N.D., U.S.-died May 17, 1992, Santa Monica, Calif.) U.S. bandleader and television performer. Born in a German-speaking village in North Dakota, he did not learn English until he was 21. He played the accordion and formed two musical groups that opened for bands and orchestras in the Midwest. Welk moved to Los Angeles, where his television program The Lawrence Welk Show (1955--71), which featured band music with vocalists, dancers, and instrumental soloists, became a huge success. The show was dropped by the network, but Welk continued it as Memories with Lawrence Welk (1971--82) after he was able to sign contracts with more than 250 independent television stations in the U.S. and Canada. Known for his unpretentious warmth and his trademark phrase "Wunnerful, wunnerful," he played light, nostalgic "champagne music" and featured smiling performers such as the Lennon Sisters.

[@aaronbreitbart6780]

it was part of the show and was done on more than one occasion. still love watching it over and over again.

[@hankaustin7091]

Correct.. it was invented one year at the Lake Tahoe show, when it really DID happen to a dancer.. and LW thought it was so funny, he started to use it whenever they went on the road, and a few times on his show (from his book Ah one Ah two).

[@HopeNazir]

I had never seen it happen before lol

[@LandondeeL]

Mr. Welk, ever since your passing more than 20 years ago, the music world has never been the same. In fact, it has since taken an irrevocable turn for the worse. Mr. Welk, we miss you and your music more than we ever knew before.

[@garyburg9504]

No need to miss anything. The show has continued on PBS. 60 years +

[@musicbuff9]

Thank god for PBS. TV sucks.

[@davecanoy3248]

Saw LW in person in Greensboro NC. This "gag" brought the house down!!!

[@michelleregis6181]

ill bet !

[@FREEZE42]

Great acting and dancing!!

[@HopeNazir]

I knew it was rigged as soon as she could dance with Bobby. Lol because Mr. Welk was an excellent dancer. My one sorrow is that i was born 1995, 3 years after he passed. I would have LOVED to known and danced with him, at least once.

[@marieezzo8785]

I watched the whole thing with my mother when it first aired many years ago. It was real. I felt so embarrassed for her in front of the camera and all those people laughing at her.

[@onemercilessming1342]

Lawrence Welk would NEVER have humiliated anyone like that. This was staged, scripted, and rehearsed. It made for good television, bback in the day.

[@angelamarson6908]

HIm that is a man DELANEY BABE BORDIAN ARISTIDE BROCHKERT ERDMAN KNOW AS THE DECKER MICHIGAN VAGRANT RAIDERS THEY ARE SO DESPERATE THEY EXECUTED 9408 PERSONS LAST YEAR TO PRETEND THEY ARE BRITISH GENTRY! !!!! !LOL

[@bobboscarato1313]

@@onemercilessming1342 Absolutely. It was a nice and entertaining gag!

[@cybersee9966]

Her wig fell off as soon as she tipped her head back. Her wig wasn’t pinned on. It was planned.

[@martyduncan2636]

This chick is sitting on GO. No wonder LW couldn’t keep up. I’ve read that this was a bit they did when they went in the road, but to the live audience and people watching at home it looked spontaneous and made for a huge laugh and memorable tv moment.

[@LeeBlaske]

It's like so many things in entertainment. Dancing, ice skating, etc. Most often, it takes a person who's really good at it to do it badly, and make it look funny.

[@edwardbliss8931]

Some fancy footwork with Bobby for someone randomly chosen

[@malcolmdivorty6852]

What a stud muffin Lawrence was

[@musicbuff9]

I would like to see the entire polka segment with all the people and Bob Gerlik the one who danced with cissy real well. Thanks.

[@bebetigre1252]

You forgot the bubbles.Love this show.

[@stasiustasiu7207]

You wanna danz wid me? Ahh wunnerful ahh runnerful ... anuh wunnerful azz we polga danz !

[@Chuck88keys]

A One-anna Two-anna : )

[@cybersee9966]

And-a now-a, on-a wid-a da show-a...

[@billlamont817]

Boy,Id Like To Have That Girl As My Schoolteacher

[@SharronDykes]

So funny. Love it

[@williamharrell9305]

Lawrence is good musician

[@timemachine5641]

"...AND I'M DOONEEESE!"

[@matthewmehrpour9672]

I want to say that(

[@jeffpagan7735]

That was funny!

[@D.N..]

be it staged or real, it was great fun to watch

[@krissteinbauer2108]

It was real, I watched the entire show before

[@NoirFan01]

The whole scene is so over-the-top that it’s hard to believe it’s real. But, I guess that it is.

[@adrianpolley9419]

Even after all these years and a bad video it was funny. Just discovered this show and Myron Floren, I wished it had come to the UK. 😍

[@LeeBlaske]

Great fun, but I'd bet anything it was staged. When she first starts dancing with Lawrence, she totally doesn't look like she knows what she's doing. Then, when she's dancing with Bobby, she suddenly is dancing like a pro with fancy moves. It then looks like she's sticking her head out in the twirl to make the wig fall off. If this had been a real person out of the audience, Lawrence and Bobby would have known it was a mortifying embarrassment for her, and I don't think they would have made as much of a joke out of it. It had to have been planned.

[@paulayoung1]

This is hilarious - poor woman!!!

[@rebeccapiatt5161]

You mean poor Lawrence!!

[@augustb68]

I just about lost urine behind that!

[@michaelwhisman7623]

Mr. Welk told me that I was one of the few Americans who ever said his name right. VEL-G!! Not WELK.

[@bobboscarato1313]

You mean Velk?

[@raslalique]

Thought she was going to say "from the Finger Lakes"

[@FrodieP]

Was she part of the show?

[@terdance]

It's really hard to tell for sure. She could have been a shill but if so, VERY well done.

[@laurapayton5628]

She was real..

[@hankaustin7091]

No real.. it was invented one year at the Lake Tahoe show, when it really DID happen to a dancer.. and LW thought it was so funny, he started to use it whenever they went on the road, and a few times on his show (from his book Ah one Ah two).

[@Chuck88keys]

I don't know about that last part. Welk sent the tempo slower than before but as soon as they started dancing "UP" went the tempo Did Welk fire anyone or was that part of the act?

[@williamharrell9305]

Rip welk

[@williamharrell9305]

That's funny

[@rf-bh3fh]

😀

[@jasonbeard4713]

During which show was this recorded?

[@terdance]

Lawrence Welk Show. Not sure of the year, probably in the 60s.

[@tweetlebugzz]

that cant be for real

[@StevenTorrey]

A piece of shtick worthy of Conan O'Brien!

[@michelleregis6181]

that was funny, the girl was over enthusiastic.. omg her wig came off on no !

[@karlament6939]

lool

[@nowvoyagerNE]

i think that's a man.

[@rqshepherd]

fuck this referenced on the rugrats before a year later while them children of get the picture nickelodeon with mike o malley were still acting as the beast slayer with the man the universal champion seth rollins for the pitbull serge sgt craig pitman in the wcw from 1995 to 1997 though god damn

[@jasonbeard4713]

The most erudite statement I've read.......you moron!