JOE BLITMAN'S
FASHION & CELEBRITY DOLLS
2022 HOLIDAY ADVENT CALENDAR
DAY 21




16 Dartmouth Drive
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
323-953-6490

 
joeblitman@aol.com





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THE LENNON SISTERS
1950's - 2010's

 



The two of us grew up in very different households.

On Saturday nights in one house, “The Lawrence Welk Show” was appointment television. 

In the other house, Welk was considered “squaresville.” 

But the thing we both agree on decades later is that the Lennon Sisters, a star attraction on the Welk show, were really very good.





How good?  We’ll tell you after you peruse 12 items from our website: 



FUN TIME
(1965)
NRFB
$225.00


GET-UP 'N' GO
A BUSY GIRL
(1975)
$69.00


DEBUTANTE BALL
(1966)
$349.00


FRANCIE'S PRETTY POWER
SEARS EXCLUSIVE
(1970)
$429.00


WHITE PEOPLE-SIZED POLO SHIRT
with MATTEL LOGO
(Size Ladies XL)
(2012)
$39.99


TOMMY as
IVAN THE PORCUPINE
from SWAN LAKE
$9.99


WEDDING CINDERELLA
(1995)
NRFB
$29.99

SOLD - SORRY


BARBIE SENSATIONS OUTFIT
(1988)
Near-Mint/Mint & Complete
$20.00


LIVING SKIPPER
(1970)
Near-Mint
$69.00


SUNNY YELLOW SHINE
SUPERSTAR OUTFIT
(1978)
$75.00


FANTASTICA BARBIE
(1992)
NRFB
$26.99

SOLD - SORRY


SWEETHEART SATIN
(1972)
NRFB
$199.00


GIFT CERTIFICATES
IN ANY AMOUNT YOU WANT






Dianne Lennon (1939), Peggy Lennon (1941)
Kathy Lennon (1943), Janet Lennon (1946)
Mimi Lennon (1955)


The Lennon Sisters’ strength is in the exceptionally-fine blending of their voices.  It is harmonizing of the finest order.

The Lennon Sisters come from extremely modest beginnings.  They were raised in a family of 12 children with a milkman father and a homemaker mother.  They all lived in a 2-bedroom cottage in Venice, California. 

One of the older sisters’ schoolmates was Lawrence Welk’s son, Larry Jr. 

He loved the way the Lennon Sisters sang and, in 1955, he dragged them home to have them sing for his father, who was sick in bed. 

Lawrence Welk Sr. was well enough to like what he heard, and he booked them for his next TV telecast.





A quick history lesson on Lawrence Welk: 

He was an accordion player-turned-bandleader-turned-television star. 



"The Lawrence Welk Show" was on the air from 1951 to 1982,  and specialized in what Welk called “champagne music.”  Today, we'd call it “easy listening.”  Very easy listening.

Here's an early Lennon Sisters appearance on the show.  The song was their only Top 20 hit:


Tonight You Belong to Me


The Lennon Sisters were regulars on "The Lawrence Welk Show" for 13 years. 





They were never paid more than minimum scale (my guess is about $125 to $250 an appearance over the course of 12 years -- not $125 to $250 per person; $125 to $250 for the group!). 


Here they are in 1960 with their 5-year-old sister, Mimi.  (Many decades later, when Peggy retired, Mimi took her place):


 
Do Re Mi


Although The Lennon Sisters had a record contract with Dot Records and recorded a fair number of albums, they weren’t big record sellers. 

Where they did make money was in live appearances. 

Plus, there were Lennon Sisters paper doll sets, story books, and comic books, among other licensed products.





Here are The Lennon Sisters in 1964:


More


In 1967, chafing under the minimum union scale payment on the Welk show, The Lennon Sisters renegotiated their contract so that they only appeared on the show once a month.  But after a year of this, Welk was dissatisfied with the arrangement, and he let the sisters go.





They had their own variety show in 1968 and 1969 - “Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters Hour.” 

They had a wide variety of guest stars on the show, including another group of siblings - The Osmond Brothers:


Rain Medley


as well as -- on the other end of the musical spectrum -- Mel Torme:


All the Things You Are


The Lennon Sisters then became regulars on "The Andy Williams Show" for a year, followed by a decade-long association with Williams in Las Vegas, where they shared a residency at Caesar’s Palace.





Next came TV game shows, successful tours, and a generally rewarding career. 

Then, out of the blue, they were asked to headline at the Lawrence Welk Theater in Branson, MO.  The theater was run by their old school friend, Larry Welk Jr. 






A seven-month engagement turned into an 18 year run!






Here’s a telethon appearance from that time (1996):


 
Sophisticated Lady

Dee Dee retired a few years later, so The Lennon Sisters became a trio - Kathy, Janet and Mimi.  They still perform -- notably a Christmas show at the Andy Williams Moon River Theatre in Branson.





Here are two recent video clips of the Lennon Sisters trio:

  Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells
 

and



Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy


The Lennon Sisters, like so many “girl groups,” are very aware of the groups that came before them. 

One of the groups they worshiped was the McGuire Sisters.  Here are the two singing-families together -- a cappela on a talk show in 1993:


The Lennon Sisters AND The McGuire Sisters






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JOE BLITMAN'S
FASHION & CELEBRITY DOLLS

 
 

323-953-6490

  
   
joeblitman@aol.com