Ava Barber From the Lawrence Welk Show — Where Is She Now
TLDR: Ava Barber joined The Lawrence Welk Show in 1974 after her mother wrote Lawrence Welk a letter and enclosed a demo record. She became … Read more
Careers
The Otwell Twins From the Lawrence Welk Show — Where Are They Now
TLDR: David and Roger Otwell were identical twin brothers from Tulia, Texas who joined The Lawrence Welk Show in October 1977 after Lawrence Welk heard … Read more
Sheila Aldridge From the Lawrence Welk Show — Where Is She Now
TLDR: Sheila Aldridge joined The Lawrence Welk Show in 1977 after a four-audition campaign with her sister Sherry and spent five years as the more … Read more
Sherry Aldridge From the Lawrence Welk Show — Where Is She Now
TLDR: Sherry Aldridge joined The Lawrence Welk Show in 1977 after four auditions and spent five years as the vocal anchor of the Aldridge Sisters … Read more
Dick Dale From the Lawrence Welk Show Performed a Marijuana Song on National TV
TLDR: Dick Dale, born Richard Lee Dale on September 14, 1926, in Algona, Iowa, joined The Lawrence Welk Show in 1951 as a baritone saxophonist … Read more
Larry Hooper From the Lawrence Welk Show — The Bullfrog Bass Singer Who Got a Standing Ovation After Four Years Away
TLDR: Larry Hooper was the featured bass vocalist and pianist on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1948 through 1980, known to millions of viewers as … Read more
Anacani From the Lawrence Welk Show: How a Mexican Teenager Became a Saturday Night Fixture for a Decade
TLDR: Anacani, born Anacani María Consuelo Castillo-López y Cantor-Montoya on April 10, 1954, in Sinaloa, Mexico, was discovered by Lawrence Welk at his resort in … Read more
George Lindsey Was Supposed to Be Gomer Pyle — He Kicked His TV In When He Found Out He Wasn’t
TLDR: George Lindsey was born on December 17, 1928, in Fairfield, Alabama, trained as a classical stage actor at the American Theater Wing in New … Read more
Jim Nabors Was Gomer Pyle — and He Had One of the Greatest Singing Voices in American Television History
TLDR: Jim Nabors was born on June 12, 1930, in Sylacauga, Alabama, played Gomer Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show from 1962 to 1964, and … Read more
The Real Aunt Bee: Frances Bavier Was Nothing Like the Woman You Watched Every Week
TLDR: Frances Bavier was born on December 14, 1902, in New York City, trained as a classical stage actress at the American Academy of Dramatic … Read more
What Happened to Ron Howard — From Opie Taylor to Apollo 13 and the Oscar for Best Director
TLDR: Ron Howard was born on March 1, 1954, in Duncan, Oklahoma, and was cast as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show at age … Read more
Johnny Crawford Was a Has-Been at Nine — Then He Became Mark McCain, a Teen Idol, and a Jazz Bandleader
TLDR: John Ernest Crawford was born on March 26, 1946, in Los Angeles, and played Mark McCain on The Rifleman alongside Chuck Connors from 1958 … Read more
The Lennon Sister Who Turned Down the Queen of England and Is Still Performing at 82
TLDR: Kathy Lennon, born August 2, 1943, in Los Angeles, was the third of the original Lennon Sisters and the group’s low harmony voice from … Read more
What Happened to Peggy Lennon, the Sister the Stalker Was Obsessed With
TLDR: Peggy Lennon, born April 8, 1941, was the second eldest of the Lennon Sisters and the group’s high soprano for 44 years on The … Read more
The Lennon Sister Who Was 9 Years Old at Her TV Debut and Is Still on Stage at 79
TLDR: Janet Elizabeth Lennon was born on June 15, 1946, in Culver City, California, the youngest of the original four Lennon Sisters. She was 9 … Read more
John McIntire Replaced Ward Bond on Wagon Train — and Made the Role Entirely His Own
TLDR: John McIntire was a radio star turned character actor who played Sheriff Chambers in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and stepped into Wagon Train after Ward … Read more