After more than three decades of toe-tapping tunes, charming skits and the warmth of public television's most beloved bandleader, PBS Wisconsin will air its final broadcast of The Lawrence Welk Show at 5 p.m.
07/21/25
After more than three decades of toe-tapping tunes, charming skits and the warmth of public television’s most beloved bandleader, PBS Wisconsin will air its final broadcast of The Lawrence Welk Show at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9. We are grateful for the many years of musical enjoyment this program has offered to our Wisconsin audiences, and we thank you for your viewership.
As we prepared to share this farewell, we were delighted to discover a special connection between Mr. Welk and a member of our own PBS Wisconsin team: membership services specialist Julie Lytle.
“My great grandfather and he were cousins, and it was Lawrence who taught him to play the accordion. Isn’t that wunnerful, wunnerful! When Lawrence left North Dakota for California, he wanted to take my great grandfather with him, but my great great grandparents thought their son was too young. Oh, what might have been!”
Lytle closed her reflection with a heartfelt nod to both the show and our station.
“And while we are saying ‘Auf wiedersehen,’ I say to PBS Wisconsin for the many years of providing the show, what Lawrence did at the end of a musical number to the orchestra, ‘Tank-a-ya, boys.'”
Thank you for welcoming Lawrence Welk and his music into your homes all these years. We’d love to hear your favorite moments and memories from the show in the comments section below.
I would love to get your thoughts, suggestions, and questions in the comments below. Thanks for sharing!
PBS Wisconsin is a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
Passport
Brenda Susor
I grew up listening to Lawrence Welk. My Saturdays were planned around the 5:00 airing. I love everything about it! I’ll watch the finale on Saturday, my 65th birthday! What a wonderful way to bid it farewell on PBS, heart breaking as it will be.
Sally Eglinton
We had a television before La Crosse had a station, but as soon as there was a station, we watched the original films or kinescopes of the show. They were in black and white, and Alice Lon was the original “champaign lady”. We watched her dance with Lawrence with all the petticoats under her skirt. I think she started a fashion trend. Now I am 82, and I still watch the show. The Welk orchestra had some outstanding musicians, and they presented the “big band” sound as well as the bands of the 1940’s. I will miss hearing the songs that were popular when I was very young. Unfortunately, I realize that now there is a generation who has no idea who Lawrence Welk even was. Time marches on.
beth schmaltz
Beth Schmaltz
my parents watched it Mom had Benny Goodman records which i used for my high school gym required choreography assignment. My mom grew up in a church in Distant PA that did not allow dancing or movies but when I married in 1986 and told her i was having a DJ she and dad took ballroom dancing lessons through the school community ed and my mom danced one dance at my wedding.
Lori sordahl
The comfort and joy this show brings in todays unsettling times the peace of every show gives you the hope that their is something else to watch without violence and hate if their was a way to keep this show on the air we would do it! we need this little bit of time travel every Saturday to remind us of not only big band music but the simplicity of its greatness
Paul
My wife faithfully watched the show and I watched with her. I do not know the reason for the cut. Possibly they could move it to a less expensive time slot. My money is tied to it. So they will be missing out also.
Sue Simpson
What a loss for a huge segment of our viewing population, AND the loss of the music and dancing, as is traditional at weddings, anniversary parties, birthday parties, AND a dance art form that should be continued because it is healthy, fun and a way to meet good people. YOU should find a way to continue Lawrence Welk shows, because there are still some of his talents out there performing, AND we aren’t in areas they perform in unfortunately. WE are losing the venues for polka and ballroom dancing when they used to be in every single small town for the once form of fun entertainment for all, farmers took time after the chores to get a dance or wedding or other special occasion dance and celebration. It is healthy, fun and a way to meet good people. PLEASE find a way to continue Lawrence Welk shows.
Colleen Berry
Please bring the Lawrence Welk show back!! I used to watch every Saturday night. Sadly, I now no longer watch PBS Wisconsin.