The Lawrence Welk Show: Season 27, episode 32: Spotlight on our Musical Family

The final regular episode of the Lawrence Welk Show, ending an incredible 27-year run!
Originally broadcast Saturday, April 17, 1982.
Strike Up the Band - orchestra
Shenandoah - Ava Barber, Jim Turner, the Aldridge Sisters, and the Otwell Twins
Deep River - featuring Henry Cuesta
Calcutta - Danced by Bobby and Elaine
Whispering Hope - Norma Zimmer and Jimmy Roberts
That's Life - featuring Skeets Herfurt and Ken Delo
Undecided - featuring the trumpet section
Linger Awhile - featuring the saxophone section
Lassus Trombone - featuring the trombone section
Moonglow/Theme from Picnic - featuring Gail Farrell and Johnny Zell and the chorus
The Days of Old Vaudeville - Mary Lou Metzger and Jack Imel
Woodchoppers Ball - the orchestra, featuring Henry Cuesta, Bob Havens and Russ Klein
Come Fly With Me - the Gail, Ron and Michael
Let There Be Peace on Earth - Guy and Ralna
Cute - featuring Arthur Duncan and Paul Humphrey
A Little Bit of Heaven - featuring Joe Feeney and Myron Floren
Love and Marriage - Kathie Sullivan and Dick Dale
Cachita - Anacani
Lady of Spain - Myron Floren
There's No Business Like Show Business - the whole musical family
Audios, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehen - the whole musical family

[@rockybrougham720]

This is the best pure entertainment of a by gone time. We are so lucky to have all the talents saved for us. We LOVE all the family of entertainers. So many now gone. From Rock and Hillary

[@danhooper1056]

I love this show!

[@jasonbeard4713]

When Lawrence and Norma twirled for the final time, I almost became misty eyed.

[@rolandomalafu5066]

Thanks for the experience of watching and listening to the wonderful music of Lawrence Welk and his musical family. I cannot get enough of this golden era of music.

[@danhanson2371]

What an astounding group of musicians, entertainers, and friends! Incredible level of professional skill and talent. I’ll always be a devoted fan. Thank you, Lawrence Welk and everyone associated with every amazing production.

[@shanedavidspangler]

Superb musicianship and stage presence- they did it every week, and made it look so easy, the public took their excellence for granted!

[@robbybobbyoh]

Well said, Dan...they are all true artists!

[@Musicradio77Network]

And of course, Bobby Burgess originally was a Mouseketeer on the original MMC where he became his sidekick for the show.

[@robbybobbyoh]

Thank you for posting this rarity.

[@shanedavidspangler]

My pleasure! I’m so happy to have these to share.

[@arlineheath8136]

HE,IS,SO,GOOD,REMENBER AS,A,CBILD LEARNING HOW, TO,TAP,DANCE, BUT GAVE IT UP LATER LEARN TO DSMC

[@arlineheath8136]

H rear to hear them.THANKS FOR SHARING.

[@arlineheath8136]

Always watched the an AND was so GLAD. I LEARN ,GOOD MUSIC MY ,,SWEET HUSBAND ALWAYS LIKE TO DANCE A LITTLE AT NIGHT IT MADE,U RELAX AND KEEP YOUR LOVE ALIVE..WE WERE,SHORT 5 MONTHS TO REACH 73 YEARS BUT I THANK GOD IN MY PRAYERS FOR BLESSING ME WITH THE. GREAT FATHER OUR CHILDREN. HAD...HE WAS THE BEST ,I COUNTED MY BLESSING FROM DAY ONE...HE REALLY GAVE ME A GREAT LIFE.

[@cindyeldred7066]

​@@shanedavidspangler in on ok ñj in ô😊

[@HCHxxiv]

Love that fanfare!

[@barbaracounterman1504]

I thank you for allowing me to watch these videos of Lawrence Welk I like Lawrence welks shows and video's

[@joefagan6244]

I like the tap dance number with Jack and Mary Lou. Mary Lou great tap dancing legs and those high heel tap shoes.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

@Joe Fagan. I agree. She was an awesome tap dancer.

[@thomchen8611]

thx uploading this Bobby and Elaine wonderful performance. -

[@spideraxis]

It was a Saturday night tradition.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

1982 was the last show because Lawrence Welk's health was rapidly declining. Some people think that it's because of other musical shows, but that's not true. Remember that more than one member of Lawrence Welk's musical family said that the real reason why Lawrence Welk called it quits in 1982 was because of his health. He was 79 years old then and he died in 1992.

[@christopherjudge1138]

The end of an era! What a sad day that was! But, everyone loved the Welk Show so much, that they wanted it back on TV, so, PBS came to their response and there it was! The Lawrence Welk Show was back and everyone cheered! BTW, can you post the Italian Special from 1976,.featuring guests, Barbara Boylan, Frank Morocco and the Parlato Brothers, with the original commercials?

[@shanedavidspangler]

I wish I had that one to share. Perhaps Lawrence Welk LPs will have it, or Lawrence Welk Show Fans? I would like to see it as well. Love the original commercials - it certainly takes me back to my grandparents' living room!!

[@Traveler1965]

The 1976 and 1966 Italian Show’s are both on KZbin

[@Musicradio77Network]

And reason why this show ended? It’s because of “Soul Train” with Don Cornelius, and “American Bandstand” with Dick Clark. Both music shows did pretty well, but this wasn’t one of them. That’s why Lawrence Welk called it quits. The Lennon Sisters were regulars on the show, and they were one of the girls groups along with the Supremes and they had their angelic voices.

[@Lupton2000]

@@Musicradio77Network And because of Hee Haw. In some markets, Welk and Hee Haw ran against each other.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

@@Musicradio77Network Lawrence Welk called it quits because of his health. Remember that the last show was in 1982. It ran for 32 years. He was 79 years old in 1982 and he died in 1992. To say that he quit because of the competitors is not true.

[@larkpraise]

After Anacani’s number at 47:03 notice Sandi and her husband Brent Griffiths are out in the audience!

[@Traveler1965]

There were quite a few retired members and family in the audience

[@Lupton2000]

@@Traveler1965 I noticed Johnny Klein, who also was in the audience for Christmas Reunion and possibly On Tour. Who were the other retired members in the audience (I tried looking for them).

[@Traveler1965]

@@Lupton2000 Joanne Castle, Norma Zimmer’s family, Barbara Boylin, Lon Varnel (LW road manager) Sandy and her family

[@Musicradio77Network]

Bobby Burgess was on the last show. He was originally a Mouseketeer from the original “Mickey Mouse Club” back in the 1950’s where he danced to Lawrence Welk’s big hit “Calcutta”.

[@ThisLoveIsSweet]

@@Musicradio77Network cool. Did not know that about the song. Thanks

[@Lupton2000]

Would you by any chance have On Tour 1982? This one was the final concert in Concord CA in June 1982 and like Spotlight on our Musical Family, hasn't been show on PBS in ages.

[@shanedavidspangler]

I do have it, and it’s also on KZbin, but labeled 1984 for the date of the vhs release. Here is the link: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWaseHaurpqdgNk

[@shanedavidspangler]

I will upload the copy I have as well. Thank you!

[@Lupton2000]

@@shanedavidspangler Thanks:)

[@Traveler1965]

Was there ever a better rendition of “Woodchoppers Ball”?

[@shanedavidspangler]

Agreed. By the way- Henry Cuesta got quite a bit of screen time in this show!

[@Traveler1965]

@@shanedavidspangler they did a good job of getting everyone a small solo and camera time

[@Lupton2000]

@@Traveler1965 Welk pretty much gave the names of all the musicians-each one was very special.

[@dalewetzel3029]

Bubbles shown at the beginning

[@Musicradio77Network]

Is this the last show which was in syndication in 1982? I didn’t watched it as a kid. Lawrence Welk was on ABC back in the 1960’s and 1970’s and in syndication the early 1980’s. 1982 was where the show went downhill. Thanks to “Soul Train”, “American Bandstand”, “Dance Fever” and “Solid Gold”, all four music shows did well, but this wasn’t.

[@williamdunphy352]

It was the last first run Lawrence Welk Show after 27 years & 1,087 shows. 4 years locally (KTLA) 16 years on ABC 11 years in syndication on about 250 stations.

[@Traveler1965]

It is the last taped show in syndication, yes. This was one of his best shows ever, I think

[@Musicradio77Network]

@@Traveler1965 Yes. The most important thing about this show is that “Soul Train” took over and killed this one. That’s why “Soul Train” took it to a whole new level.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

@@williamdunphy352 I'm pretty sure that the first first run show was in 1950.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

@MTN-A Rainbow... No. 1982 was the last show because Lawrence Welk's health was declining rapidly. He died in 1992.

[@lilchopstixz2161]

40:23 that red head at bottom of the screens looks awfully a lot like Sandi Griffiths

[@codym8897]

Do you have the full episode of Austin City Limits from 1982? The first episode of Season 7 featured Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell. First episode with new set and opening theme.

[@shanedavidspangler]

I’m sorry! I don’t have any episodes of Austin City Limits.

[@shanedavidspangler]

You might do a search for “private collection” of “Austin City Limits” on google or eBay. That’s how I was able to find these off-air recordings of Lawrence Welk. Good luck!!

[@larkpraise]

Did Anacani time it so she would be the last one to dance with Welk so she’d be the dancing the longest?

[@Traveler1965]

I always thought they should have let Norma have the last dance

[@ThomasSellers]

This is it, fans, the last regular episode of Lawrence. And let's face it, it was bound to be cancelled without Tom Netherton cos he stole the show each time.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

Tom Netherton performed all over the Country. I watched him live in Minnesota in the early 1980s. I really had a big crush on him. He signed my LP record that had a lot of the Gospel songs that he sang on it. The cover had a picture of him sitting on a horse. 🐎. He's 6'7" tall. He got married late in life. I saw his wedding picture that was shown during one of the Lawrence Welk musical family's reunion.

[@vinitavinicchayakul9213]

@@lynettepalecek3141 Tom Netherton never married. It puzzles me to learn that there was a wedding picture of his. There must be some misunderstanding.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

@@vinitavinicchayakul9213 The misunderstanding is on your part. KZbin, Google, and Wikipedia are wrong when they claimed that Tom Netherton never got married. Like I said, I definitely saw his wedding picture. KZbin, Google, and Wikipedia have lied a lot about a lot of the celebrities. They claimed that Dorothy Kilgallen committed suicide even though there was crystal clear evidence that she was murdered. They also lied about Andy Griffith. If you got your information from any of those sources, then you were badly deceived. I SAW HIS WEDDING PICTURE!!!

[@vinitavinicchayakul9213]

@@lynettepalecek3141 Wish I can see the wedding picture.

[@vinitavinicchayakul9213]

@@lynettepalecek3141 Wish I can see the wedding picture! It's hard to understand why,for years, Tom's family have never tried to correct his marital status. Even Mrs.Tom Netherton herself didn't utter a word.