Ken Welch

Movies

A Disturbance in the Force: How the Star Wars Holiday Special Happened
Self (voice) (archive footage)
In 1978, CBS aired the “Star Wars Holiday Special” the week before Thanksgiving to an audience of 13 million people. Considered one of the worst shows in television history, it aired only once. George Lucas tried to bury it and an infamous camp legend was born. This documentary unravels the mysteries behind the most bizarre Star Wars spin-offs of all time.
Movers & Shakers
Music
Joe Mulholland, Head of Production at a Hollywood studio, makes a rather fool-hardy promise to a dying friend. He undertakes to make a major movie using the title - if not the content - of a best-selling sex manual "Love in Sex". Enlisting the help of depressed screenwriter Herb Derman and rather off-centre director Sid Spokane to try and come up with an idea or two, Joe soon wishes he was not one of those people who always try to keep their promises.
Burnett Discovers Domingo
Writer
Funny woman Carol Burnett teams with tenor Placido Domingo in this musical comedy special.
Linda in Wonderland
Music
“Linda In Wonderland” is Linda Lavin’s variety television special that aired on Thanksgiving Day, 1980. Special guests include; Lynn Redgrave, Anthony Newley and Ron Leibman. Her characters of “Alice Hyatt” and “Sam Butler” from her television show “Alice” also make appearances as Ms. Lavin plays dual roles for both. Ms. Lavin and her guests perform Broadway and other musical numbers in various settings and medleys, mixed in with solo performances and Linda giving us a little background about herself growing up, along with some humor and pizzazz.
Linda in Wonderland
Producer
“Linda In Wonderland” is Linda Lavin’s variety television special that aired on Thanksgiving Day, 1980. Special guests include; Lynn Redgrave, Anthony Newley and Ron Leibman. Her characters of “Alice Hyatt” and “Sam Butler” from her television show “Alice” also make appearances as Ms. Lavin plays dual roles for both. Ms. Lavin and her guests perform Broadway and other musical numbers in various settings and medleys, mixed in with solo performances and Linda giving us a little background about herself growing up, along with some humor and pizzazz.
Dolly and Carol in Nashville
Music
Variety special featuring songs and skits with Dolly Parton and Carol Burnett.
Dolly and Carol in Nashville
Producer
Variety special featuring songs and skits with Dolly Parton and Carol Burnett.
Dolly and Carol in Nashville
Writer
Variety special featuring songs and skits with Dolly Parton and Carol Burnett.
The Star Wars Holiday Special
Producer
Luke Skywalker and Han Solo battle evil Imperial forces to help Chewbacca reach his imperiled family on the Wookiee planet - in time for Life Day, their most important day of the year!
Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center
Writer
Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center is a 1971 concert featuring Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett, their second out of three specials after Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall and before Julie & Carol: Together Again. Staged in the Philharmonic Hall, the special was produced by Joe Hamilton, and written by Bob Ellison, Marty Farrell, and Mitzi Welch, who reused the template from the first show. The special was broadcast on CBS on December 7, 1971.
Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall
Writer
Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall is an American musical comedy television showcase starring Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett, broadcast on CBS on June 11, 1962. The special was produced by Bob Banner and directed by Joe Hamilton. Banner came up with the idea in the Fall of 1961. Burnett was then a regular on The Garry Moore Show and Andrews had appeared as a guest twice, performing the song "Big D" from the musical The Most Happy Fella in the first appearance; and in the show's 1961 Christmas special, she did a number with Burnett and fellow guest Gwen Verdon plus an early performance of "My Favorite Things" (three years before she performed it as Maria while filming The Sound of Music). Mike Nichols wrote the script and co-wrote the song "You're So London" with Ken Welch. Writing began in February 1962 and the stars rehearsed for two weeks before the March 5 taping