Songs From The Movies

Lights! Camera! Action!

This week, episode number two of the 2011-12 season salutes the songs from Hollywood movies.

Here are some of the highlights from the show.....

Homesteaders Charlie Parlato and Ava Barber, after a major horse buggy accident, contact AAA for roadside assistance.

Arthur Duncan takes one small step for man, and one giant step into a Moon Pie....

....and the Music Makers prepare for the remnants of Hurricane Irene.

SONGS FROM THE MOVIES - March 29, 1980

1. HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD (YOU OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES) - Arthur, Sandi, Jimmy, Ken, Gail, Kathie, Elaine, Mary Lou, Bobby, Tom, Ava, Sheila, Sherry, Jim, Curt, Roger and David
2. SOUTH AMERICA, TAKE IT AWAY - Anacani
3. NOCTURNE IN E FLAT - Bob Ralston on piano
4. SOMEWHERE MY LOVE - Guy Hovis and Ralna English
5. MY KIND OF TOWN (CHICAGO IS) - Ken Delo

 
6. NEVER ON SUNDAY - Myron Floren on accordion
7. TUMBLIN' TUMBLEWEEDS - Ava Barber with Charlie Parlato
8. THE GREEN LEAVES OF SUMMER - Jim Turner
9. THE STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER - The orchestra
10. GONE WITH THE WIND - Kathie, Sherry, Gail, Ralna, Sandi, Sheila, Mary Lou, David, Roger, Jim, Ken, Guy and the orchestra with George Cates conducting

11. JEAN - Tom Netherton
12. HAVA NAGILA - danced by Bobby Burgess and Elaine Balden
13. EVERYBODY'S TALKIN' - Sheila and Sherry Aldridge & David and Roger Otwell
14. OLD DEVIL MOON - danced by Arthur Duncan
15. THE WAY WE WERE - Kathie Sullivan with Joe Livoti on violin

16. BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY - Gail Farrell, Sandi Griffiths & Mary Lou Metzger
17. MORE (THEME FROM MONDO CANE) - Jimmy Roberts
18. SINGING IN THE RAIN - Sheila, Sherry, Gail, Anacani, Sandi, Curt, Jim, Ken, Roger and David with dancing by Elaine, Bobby, Mary Lou and Jack.

I thought it was a fine episode, brings back memories of the movies when they were actually good.

That goes for the songs too....

Until next time, keep a song in your heart and stay away from those casting couches!

Songs From The Movies

Live from Hawaii, it's Caption This!

Featuring Gail Farrell, Mary Lou Metzger and Charlie Parlato!

Add your own funny or clever (even both!) caption to this picture, just by clicking on the comments link below.

Live from Hawaii, it's Caption This!

It was 31 years ago when Lawrence Welk celebrated 25 years on television

Now that the pledge drives have ended, it's back to the regular cycle of Welk show airings.

And this week was the 25th anniversary show from 1980.

That's gonna hold enough Geritol to feed the entire population of Wood County....

I can hear the sounds of the violin in the background, must be from Bob Lido's fiddle.

Forget about The Bachelor, our own Dick Dale has to fight 'em off with a stick!

....and even in the midst of all that, Charlie Parlato stands tall (on a box)

It was 31 years ago when Lawrence Welk celebrated 25 years on television

The Curt Ramsey Quintet in the library

With Charlie Parlato, Norma Zimmer, Steve Smith, Curt and Dick Cathcart
 

The Curt Ramsey Quintet in the library

Lawrence Welk's Big Band Splash

And now the time has arrived for the 15th Lawrence Welk public television pledge special, Big Band Splash.

With your host Doc Severinsen!

It was an entertaining program, filled with clips from several episodes from the show featuring the band and the Musical Family performing the classic songs from that era.

Big Band icons like Glenn Miller, Harry James, The Dorsey Brothers, Artie Shaw and Duke Ellington were featured.

It was also nice that the special featured many of Welk's orchestra in the spotlight, such as Dave Edwards on the saxophone playing Contrasts made famous by Jimmy Dorsey.

I also liked Bob Ralston's rendition of Paul Whiteman's Rhapsody In Blue, in which every time I hear it, for some reason thoughts of the old United Airlines commercials with Gene Hackman narrating come to mind.

And what can I say about the trumpet section's arrangement of The Dipsy Doodle....

Johnny Zell, Mickey McMahan, Charlie Parlato and Norman Bailey were all outstanding!

But that was just a sample of the fine instrumentals featured in the program, many of the featured singers had the spotlight such as Tanya Falan's excellent version of the Sammy Kaye song Daddy.

 
Other singers featured were Mary Lou Metzger and Champagne Lady Alice Lon with different versions of Harry James' "You Made Me Love You". The differences were that Mary Lou went with the Dear Mr. Gable route while Alice from Dallas just sang it straight up.

I was disappointed that the special did not feature any Sandi, Gail and Mary Lou numbers. Their version of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by the Andrews Sisters in my opinion would be considered big band and would have been a good fit.

But Toot Toot Tootsie by Bob Lido and the Hotsy Totsy Boys? That, by the way was the final number featured in the special, and by the way, I always thought Al Jolson was more Music Hall than Big Band.

Oh, and here's an extreme close up of Bob Havens and his trumpet.

  
Doc himself was featured, when he guested on the Welk show in 1972 playing the theme song from the movie "Love Story".

His performance and talent was picture perfect excellence and well done, but for his wardrobe.....we'll the jury is still out on that.

In all, it was a wunnerful, wunnerful special.

And no pledge special would be complete without Bob Allen and Mary Lou in the studio with the pledge breaks.

So until next time, keep a song in your heart and may the only Blues in the Night you get are the St. Louis Blues playing hockey. 

Lawrence Welk's Big Band Splash

Arthur Duncan and his fancy feet

Of course, he has to have music to accent his tap dancing.....

Here, he's joined by Russ Klein on saxophone.....

.....and Charlie Parlato on trumpet

Arthur Duncan and his fancy feet

Classic episodes: Viva Italia '76

Today, we'll look back at one of the most interesting and fun episodes in the history of the Lawrence Welk Show.

It's Viva Italia, the Bicentennial version!

And in this show, Tanya co-hosts with the Maestro!

VIVA ITALIA - December 11, 1976

1. THAT'S AMORE - Tanya with Kathie, Larry, Anacani, Arthur, Ava, Tom, Norma, Joe, Ken & Jamie Corey
2. CIRIBIRIBIN - Johnny Zell on trumpet
3. AMORE (MY LOVE) - Tom Netherton
4. MELODY OF LOVE - Joe Livoti on violin, danced by Lawrence and Barbara Boylan
5. THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN - Norma Zimmer
6. EH CUMPARI - Tanya Falan with Charlie Parlato (on trumpet), Bob Lido (on violin), Russ Klein on saxophone and Frank Morocco on accordion
 

 
7. ISLE OF CAPRI - Ken Delo with Bob Havens on trombone, Henry Cuesta on clarinet and Johnny Zell on trumpet
8. AMINA CORE - Anacani
9. TARENTELLA - Frank Morocco on accordion, danced by Tanya and Barbara and reprised by Lawrence and Tanya's grandmother
10. BIG NOISE FROM WINNETKA - Charlie Parlato on trumpet with sons Chris on drums and Dave on bass
11. SAY IT AGAIN - Ava Barber
12. COPPELIA - the orchestra

 
13. A GOLFING SEGMENT starring Lawrence, guest Laura and announcer Bob Warren
14. TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME TONIGHT - Kathie Sullivan
15. THEME FROM LA STRADA - orchestra featuring Johnny Zell on trumpet, Dave Edwards on saxophone and Joe Livoti on violin
16. CARNIVAL OF VENICE - danced by Arthur Duncan
17. ARRIVEDERCI ROMA - Joe Feeney with Bob Smale at piano
18. OH, HOW MY HEART BEATS TONIGHT WHILE WE'RE DANCING - The Semonski Sisters with Frank Morroco at the accordion, danced by Lawrence and Barbara
19. ADIOS, AU REVOIR, AUF WEIDERSHEN - Semonski Sisters, Norma, Joe, Tanya, Barbara, Ken, Kathie, Tom, Ava, Larry, Jamie, Anacani and Arthur

Notice that many of the regulars we're used to didn't appear on this episode?

For those keeping score, here's who were missing in action....

Guy Hovis
Ralna English
Myron Floren
Bobby Burgess
Cissy King
Gail Farrell
Sandi Griffiths
Mary Lou Metzger
Jimmy Roberts
Jack Imel

I'm guessing that they were all out on tour at the time....

Regardless, this episode featured a mix of familiar and new faces like Barbara Boylan (Bobby's first dance partner), talented accordionist Frank Morocco and family members like Tanya's grandma and Charlie Parlato's grown boys Dave and Chris, both whom are very talented musicians in their own right.

And knowing this episode would be different, the Maestro could not resist getting in a game of golf with that segment featuring his guest, a pretty lady named Laura.

This episode later resurfaced on the public television rotation twenty five years later in 2001 with Tanya hosting the wraparound segments.

 
And it was also Tanya playing first time host, where we Welk fans caught up with her since her days on the show.

I really enjoyed this episode, sometimes it doesn't hurt to stray from the normal routine and mix things up.

So until next time, keep a song in your heart and to brush up on my Italian, Ciao!

Classic episodes: Viva Italia '76

Salute to some animated mouse with a high pitched voice

On the first Saturday, of the very first day of 2011....we got the Disney episode from '73

"I'm Charlie!"

Yes you are indeed.....

 
If you're feeding the pigeons, just plain ol' birdseed won't cut it.

Ken Delo may ask his daughter Kimberly "Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" but after spending hours in that wolf costume, I'm afraid of that fella's body odor.

....and a message to all parents, it's not a good idea to have your kids wear these outfits on their first day of Junior High.

Salute to some animated mouse with a high pitched voice

Sail away to Avalon

....with the Curt Ramsey Quintet from 1968 as they board the S.S Catalina with the song "Avalon"

 

Sail away to Avalon

Tanya Falan Hairstyle of the Week - Eh Cumari...she's blonde!

Once again, Tanya goes blonde....this time for her fellow pisanos

Tanya Falan Hairstyle of the Week - Eh Cumari...she's blonde!

Shall We Dance?

If you ask that question, prepare yourself for the answer.

From 1967, here's Myron Floren on his reliable PAN accordion playing that polka. It starts off with Lawrence dancing with Barbara Boylan, but soon enough all hell breaks loose!

Shall We Dance?

Always wear eye and feet protection

Working as a member of the Musical Family has it's dangers, like any other job.

For instance, when instruments attack....always be ready to defend yourself

 
Whenever there's smoke, there's usually fire....and learning the basics of fire safety is a must

And for heaven's sake.....NEVER run on freshly waxed floors!

 

Always wear eye and feet protection

Musical Family Deep thoughts #2

Let's probe into the mind of the Musical Family to see what they are thinking!

 

Musical Family Deep thoughts #2

Eh Cumpari

You too can sing along!

 

 

 

 

Eh Cumpari