October 8, 1956…Lawrence Welk Adds Second Weekly ABC Show

Follow Up #3… ‘Lawrence Welk Presents Top Tunes and New Talent’

In today’s first post on events that happened on this day in television history, this show is listed as debuting October 8, 1956. I’m adding this to clear up any confusion…you’ll see why as you read on.

On May 11, 1951, ‘The Lawrence Welk Show’ began as a local program on KTLA-TV in Los Angeles. The original show was broadcast from the since-demolished Aragon Ballroom at Venice Beach.

Welk made his national television debut on ABC Television on July 2, 1955 and the show was called ‘The Dodge Dancing Party’. Then, due to huge ratings, on October 8, 1956, ABC added a second weekly Welk show called ‘Lawrence Welk Presents Top Tunes And New Talent’.

Both shows were an hour and had good ratings, but in ’59, ABC merged the two shows into a once a week prime time show called ‘The Lawrence Welk Show’. The photo above is thought to be from 1956 at the ABC Television Center at the Prospect lot. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee

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