The Lawrence Welk Show (1951)

A musical variety show, hosted by the big band leader Lawrence Welk. The show started in 1951 as a local production by KTLA, the first commercial television station in California. The show was broadcast from the Aragon Ballroom at Venice Beach. The show was eventually acquired by ABC Television, and it started being broadcast nationwide in 1955. Under ABC, the show was initially broadcast from the Hollywood Palladium. Production soon moved to The Prospect Studios in Los Angeles. ABC canceled the show in 1971, but Welk's own production company acquired the rights to the show and launched a syndicated version of the show. The show finally ended in 1982, when Welk decided to retire. By that time, Welk was approaching his 80th birthday, and he had become the oldest host of a regularly scheduled American entertainment-themed television series.