MovieChat Forums > The Dodge Dancing Party (1955) Discussion > Still fun, in all of it's cheesy glory

Still fun, in all of it's cheesy glory

posted 18 years ago by perret_moi
18 replies | jump to latest

I'm 22. I don't know anyone my age who likes the show. In fact, I'm surprised how many people don't have a clue that this show ever existed.
I grew up with Lawrence Welk. I stayed at my Grandparent's house pretty often as a child, and every Saturday night, at 7:00 my sisters and grandparents and I would sit in front of the T.V., enjoying the "Champagne music". I especially loved seeing the women performers in their fluffy, ruffled, and sequin dresses. It may have been a silly program, but I still have warm-n-fuzzy memories of the Lawrence Welk Show.

SPSR: I love you guys!!!

[–] vs661966 18 years ago

Well, I am 40 and still like to watch this show. I remember every Saturday night my family and I used to watch Lawrence Welk and Hee-Haw as they used to come on a local station back-to-back starting at 6 pm. I enjoy watching this as it takes me back to a different era. I didn't know all the performers prior to the early 70's, which is what I remember watching as a child. So, it's great to see all the different performers on the reruns on PBS. You mentioned the outfits... yes, some of them were very tacky. What was with all those pastel colors? Lots of pink and yellow!!! (You'll need your sunglasses to watch!) I enjoyed the performances, and there was a lot of talent on this show. However, I was never fond of Norma Zimmer, Joe Feeney and Guy Hovis. But I really liked Sandy and Sally, and later the trio of Sandy, Sally and Mary Lou, and also the performances of Anacani, Tanya Falan, Jack Imel and Mary Lou Metzger doing dance numbers together, and the dancers Bobby Burgess and Barbara Boylan (and her later replacements Cissy King and Elaine Niverson). I also liked whenever they had all the singers on stage doing a performance together with the band.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] YouKnowMyName68 17 years ago

He says 'cheesy', (I think I might understand that but I never regarded it as such) in the mid-70s, I was avidly watching THIS and the original show of 'Wild Kingdom' as an adolescent and I guess I'd have to say I am just someone who happens to be an eclectic kind of a person and it's the gradual changes (which, of course, has been happening before any of us were alive, during our times, and after were gone) in American television programs and shows that people involved in the television industries I noticed were going from which even a lone child could watch alone to nowadays for the last 20 years it's been television debauchery. Anyway, I enjoyed this show. Watched this with my grandmother.

[–] noveltylibrary 16 years ago

I remember it being on every Saturday night too whether or not anyone was in the living room. Guess there was literally nothing else on. I confess, I like to see bits of it today for the memory.

[–] zurichpoet 11 years ago

Tanya's awesome.

[–] ljcostello_22 13 years ago

Such great memories! I'm in my mid-40s and remember thinking it was SO BORING when I was younger.... especially when it came on with "Hee Haw" which was pretty funny. But I do remember my grandparents watching it and I'm SO thankful today that they did. I watch every week on PBS and get lost in the memories...and the great '70s nostalgia. It's my "escape" for the week. :-)
What a wunnerful time. Thanks for the memories.

[–] blnj25 17 years ago

Looking at your age ..... I would be surprised if you did know about this show .... I don't know if you're one of the oldest or youngest grandchildren in your family ... if you want to know more about the show from someone who remembers it, you might want to try talking to a grandparent or a great-grandparent ..... I'm going to be 47 this year and both my parents and grandparents watched this show.

[–] perret_moi 17 years ago

Yeah I'm granddaughter number 2 out of four girls. My younger sisters, 20 and 18 respectively, also remember and enjoyed the show. It was just tradition to us. Between Lawrence Welk and Perry Como records (not to mention a freezer perpetually stocked with fudgesicles), weekends at my grandparents house were the best. Good clean fun. What more could you ask for?

<"We'll have one for the rocks."
>"And one for the scary."
<"Quoddy!"
>"Hunh?!"

[–] hakelsey2 17 years ago

Same here, perrot, and I am 46. I just returned from my 94 year-old Grandmother's house and we watched it on PBS this afternoon. She still loves it, and so do I, because of the memories.
I just looked at Lawrence Welk's (the person) IMDb site and am appalled to see that he only one entertainment 1 award in his life. Thank goodness it was a "star" on the Walk of Fame.

[–] PopSixSquish 8 years ago

I'm 28 and have definitely heard of this...I'm sure I've seen it in the past, but I definitely watched it yesterday on PBS. The date given was 2016, yet I KNEW it couldn't still be getting produced. xD Well, I felt super-cool and hip watching the impressive dancing and musicianship, the snappy seafoam-colored suits, the tap-dancing...! If only John Daker had showed up to croon for us, then it would've been a real party! In all seriousness, I really enjoyed it. :D

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] LaurenceBranagh 8 years ago

I'm 18 and this is one of my favorite shows.

[–] rondaleroi 8 years ago

I'm so glad to see the younger generation(s) embrace this show. It means it will continue.

If you love the Great American Songbook, then this is the show to be watching.

[–] Gubbio 8 years ago

I'm so glad to see the younger generation(s) embrace this show. It means it will continue.

The show will only continue on PBS if the "younger generations" contribute to the station's Beg-a-Thons.

I'm 68, and the show was originally targeted to the generation before me. It's safe to say that that generation is quickly dying off (or mostly gone) and isn't around to contribute.

On the Beg-a-Thons, they've mentioned what it costs to keep the show going. I don't recall the figure.

Unfortunately, it's money that makes the world go around.

[–] DrakeStraw 8 years ago

... contribute to the station's Beg-a-Thons. [?]

I won't contribute to PBS because of their politics, but I do watch Welk when I can. The only way I can ever watch those Beg-a-thons is with a DVR. I just FFWD thru everything with a phone number on the screen.

DrakeStraw
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[–] drunkbear 8 years ago

I love ol' Larry, in (as you said) all of his 'cheesy glory.' Myself, I love polkas. I always hope for a great polka on the re-runs. That short, stocky little guy who played the string bass would haul out this enormous Conn 34J and play it like a fiddle. Such a skilled tubist! Style, rhythm, sound - he knew his way around that plumbing, no doubt!

- What are you gonna do, when the world catches on?

[–] InherentlyYours 8 years ago

what is 'cheesy' about it? I know cheesy is a common adjective now, which I cannot stand..but what does a low-budget film or dated show have to do with cheese? How is cheese associated with the term?

[–] Bilwick1 8 years ago

Like "cliché," "cheesy" is commonly used by the Dumbest Generation; at least the ones who post on IMDB. It seems to mean, simply, "stuff I don't like."