Lawrence Welk TV Treasures

Mary Lou Metzger

Although Mary Lou is best known as the girl who danced with Lawrence Welk at the end of his weekly television show, she is no stranger to other aspects of the entertainment industry.

Mary Lou started singing and dancing on the Steel Pier in Atlantic City when she was just seven years old. Her first exposure to acting and live theatre was as Lee Proctor in a community theatre production of "A Guest In The House." A year later, while performing in Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible," a casting director recommended her for the role of Amaryllis in the National Touring Company of Meredith Wilson's musical "The Music Man." After 113 cities and 299 performances, Mary Lou returned home to her native Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to "get an education" and do three wonderful years of children's television. She went on to major in music at Temple University. It wasn't long after winning the Drexel Institute Music Awards Competition that she was seen by a talent scout for the All American College Show who sent her to Hollywood to tape three shows. It was there she met Lawrence Welk who auditioned her in front of his studio audience, and a month later she joined his "musical family." Her first performance was the Mother's Day show in 1970.

Throughout the years, Mary Lou has made countless personal appearances at theatres, conventions, state and county fairs, telethons, and festivals in both the United States and Canada in addition to doing television commercials, industrial films, and her first love, theatre. In 1990 she realized a dream when she and a group of friends founded Actors Conservatory Ensemble (ACE), a non-profit, award-winning, producing theatre company located in Los Angeles. In August of 1999 she spearheaded the addition of a children's theatre wing to ACE with the successful production of "Androcles and the Lion" featuring clowns from the Ringling Brothers Circus.

From 1988 through 1999 she appeared at Universal Studios Hollywood with "Double Date", an a capella vocal group she co-founded. For 11 years they sang all the classic Doo-Wop music from the 50's and 60's. A big thrill came when they appeared as the Carolers in the Disney film "The Other Sister," directed by Garry Marshall.

Her latest adventure is producing, both video and stage projects. For the past seven years she has created the Christmas shows for the Welk Resort in Escondido and last year she was brought in as Associate Producer of the "Wonderful Century of American Music" show at the beautiful 2300 seat Champagne Theatre in Branson, Missouri.

When PBS took "The Lawrence Welk Show" under its wing, another door opened for Mary Lou. For several years she has had the privilege of traveling to cities around the country singing the praises of Public Television, a cause very dear to her heart.

Mary Lou married Richard Maloof, the bass player from the Lawrence Welk Show on June 16, 1973. They make their home in Sherman Oaks, California with their dog, Gaby, and two cats, Lily and Riley.