the lawrence welk show cast where are they now

“In an era in which Blacks and whites did not even hold hands, let alone kiss each other on nationally broadcast television programs, Duncan was often seen standing in the background, trying very hard not to look like he was ‘with’ any of the women on the program.”ĭespite these early challenges, Duncan remained on the series from 1964 to 1982. It was, according to the Library of Congress, a “unique and risky” position. Duncan was ultimately offered a full-time spot, making him the show’s only regular Black performer. When he returned to the U.S., Duncan auditioned for “ The Lawrence Welk Show,” a popular variety series that featured what Welk described as “champagne music”-easy-listening tunes-and a “family” of musicians, singers and dancers.

According to the Post, he became the first Black entertainer to join Bob Hope’s USO shows, entertaining American troops stationed overseas. He took lessons with Nick Castle, an esteemed Hollywood tap dancer and choreographer, and began traveling abroad, dancing on stages in Australia, London, Paris and Cairo, among other locations. Duncan performed in night clubs and made his television debut on a variety show in 1951. Duncan decided to take a six-month sabbatical to “ see what this show business was all about.” He never returned to school.īy the post-war years, tap dancing had become a fixture of both the large and small screen, with stars like Shirley Temple, Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire championing the artform. He enrolled in Pasadena City College after serving in World War II, but the stage continued to call to him. He was a natural performer-Duncan would sing and dance on street corners while working as a newsboy-but when it came time for him to choose a career, he decided to study to become a pharmacist. “He was performing until the end,” his wife, Carole Carbone, told the publication.īorn in California in 1925, Duncan first learned to tap dance at the age of 13, when he joined a dance quartet that performed at a junior high school in Pasadena. In the documentary, Duncan credited White with “really getting started in show business.” He would go on to build a dazzling career that saw him surmount racial barriers in Hollywood and kept him dancing until his death earlier this month at the age of 97, according to Harrison Smith of the Washington Post.

The lawrence welk show cast where are they now