The Lawrence Welk Show: In The Middle Of The Island

[Sheri451]

Is this lady still with us? I heard that Lawrence fired her because he claimed she showed her knee! How ridiculous.

[lucyba]

@Sheri451

I heard that also, she sat on a desk or something and her skirt revealed above her knee...that's the 50's for you.

[Sheri451]

@lucyba That's silly. I also heard Lawrence would pick on the women if they gained weight. He's come up to them and pat them on the stomach and say. "We're going to have to go on a diet." I also heard he forced them all to keep their hair dyed just like he kept his 50 60 and 70 year old hair dyed.

[CarlDuke]

@Sheri451 The story about Lon is essentially true. Lawrence later apologized when viewers complained of her absence, but Lon refused to return and Norma Zimmer became Welk's ideal and long term Champagne Lady for the rest of the run of the show.  Alice had little success after that and died at age 54 in 1981.

[Sheri451]

@CarlDuke That's sad. I thought she was still alive. Norma Zimmer wasn't my favorite singer, now I really liked The Lennon Sisters, since PBS shows more older episodes I look forward to hear them. I was twelve in 1975 when The Semonski Sisters started on Lawrence Welk. I thought they were good, but The Lennons could out sing them with one vocal cord tied behind their backs.

[CarlDuke]

@Sheri451 I really agree with you about the Lennon Sisters. The shows on which they appear are always my favorites. And I like when the black and white shows occasionally turn up on PBS. There were some very talented singers that appeared on those shows that were not seen later on, especially a fellow by the name of Larry Dean. 

[Sheri451]

@CarlDuke I'll have to go on here and look him up.