Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Christmas '66

Hope your holidays was wunnerful, wunnerful like mine! Especially when the Welk episode du jour was the Christmas episode from 1966.


Highlights from the show include......


Bobby and Barbara get treated like a bunch of rag dolls.


Little Chris Feeney playing Stairway To Heaven on the accordion......


......and Lawrence getting all the little kids to sing.

CHRISTMAS SHOW - December 24, 1966

1. JINGLE BELLS - Dick, Bob, Myron, Peggy, Norma, Jimmy, Lawrence, Jo Ann, Joe, Natalie and Larry
2. MARCH OF THE TOY SOLDIERS - Barbara, Janet, Kathy, Dee Dee, Bob, Bobby, Jack and Arthur
3. RAGTIME COWBOY JOE - Steven Clark with his father Buddy Clark on bass
4. WHITE CHRISTMAS - Norma Zimmer and Jimmy Roberts
5. DOLL DANCE - danced by Barbara Boylan and Bobby Burgess


6. STAR CAROL - Kathy, Peggy, Janet and Dee Dee Lennon
7. OVER THE RIVER - Mimi, Annie, Katie and Theresa Lennon
8. O HOLY NIGHT - Joe Feeney with Bob Ralston at the organ
9. JINGLE BELLS - Chris Feeney on the accordion
10. THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - Joe Feeney's children


11. ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A PAIR OF SPOONS - Jack Imel and his children with Myron Floren on accordion
12. AVE MARIA - Natalie Nevins
13. RING THOSE CHRISTMAS BELLS - danced by Arthur Duncan
14. HIGH ON THE HOUSETOP - Larry Hooper
15. FROSTY THE SNOWMAN - Jo Ann Castle on piano


16. HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING/IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR/JOY TO THE WORLD - Aladdin, Norma, Jimmy, Bobby, Barbara, Kathy, Dick Cathcart, Janet, Larry, Natalie, Bob Ralston, Bob Lido, Dee Dee, Arthur and Joe
17. YES VIRGINIA, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS - recited by Aladdin Pallante
18. MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOUR HOUSE - Janet, Kathy, Dee Dee, Peggy, Mimi, Annie, Danny, Pay, Joey, Kippy and Billy Lennon
19. SILENT NIGHT - Norma Zimmer with Jo Ann, Dick, Natalie, Barbara, Steve Smith, Kathy, Greg Dixon, Janet, Bob Duncan, Peggy, Larry and Dee Dee
20. JINGLE BELLS - all the children plus Santa passes out the presents


It was nice seeing the Music Makers and their children celebrating the simple joys of Christmas, which tends to get lost in today's emphasis on the uber-hyper, in your face materialism that is so common.

1966 marked the final Welk Christmas show for Aladdin Pallante, who eventually retired from the show halfway in the new year after a heart attack. Although both Larry Hooper and Dick Dale played Santa exceptionally well, no one did it better than good ol' Aladdin.

And his spoken word recitations, such as "Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus", they were truly inspirational and well done.

 
Oh, and he was a terrific violinist as well.

Until next week, or in this case next year as 2011 comes to a close, keep a song in your heart and take it easy on the egg nog. A little Christmas cheer can go a long way!

   

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