From the Great Plains to L.A.: The Intersecting Paths of Lawrence Welk and Johnny Carson

Miller, John, The Virginia Quarterly Review

As the popular host of the "Tonight" show for nearly 30 years and Hollywood's most powerful icon until his retirement in 1992, Johnny Carson stands as a significant cultural indicator of late 20th-century America. Born almost a quarter of a century earlier and several hundred miles north of his Nebraska counterpart, North Dakotan Lawrence Welk bridged two eras: pre-World War II United States, when radio reigned, and the postwar era, when television took over.

Although it might seem counterintuitive to consider Welk and Carson in juxtaposition, many things linked them as personalities and as entertainers. Both were the beneficiaries of perfect timing, launching their careers when, …

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Publication information: Article title: From the Great Plains to L.A.: The Intersecting Paths of Lawrence Welk and Johnny Carson. Contributors: Miller, John - Author. Journal title: The Virginia Quarterly Review. Volume: 79. Issue: 2 Publication date: Spring 2003. Page number: 265+. © University of Virginia Winter 2009. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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