Most of us probably know Jimmy Durante’s unmistakable voice as the narrator of Frosty the Snowman. What I didn’t realize was that Frosty first aired in 1969 — the very same year Durante was appearing on ABC with the Lennon Sisters.
It was quite an unusual pairing.
Durante was 76 years old, with a career that stretched back through vaudeville, radio, movies and early television. Dianne, Peggy, Kathy and Janet Lennon had literally grown up on television after joining The Lawrence Welk Show as children in 1955. By the time they left in 1968, they were young women with families and wanted more freedom to pursue other opportunities.
I never realized money was part of their decision too. Kathy Lennon later recalled that for their first ten years with Welk they earned only $110 a week at group scale.
Then ABC gave them their own showcase.
Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters combined their beautiful harmonies with Durante’s raspy voice, comedy and piano, backed by Nelson Riddle’s orchestra. Guests included Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Sammy Davis Jr., George Burns, Glen Campbell, Jerry Lewis, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.
There was also terrible tragedy behind those smiles. Just weeks before the weekly series premiered, the sisters’ father was murdered by a deranged stalker. They eventually returned to work under heavy security.
The show ultimately lasted just one season, with its final broadcast airing July 4, 1970. Ratings were never strong enough, and the attempt to appeal to both younger viewers and Durante’s older audience apparently left the show caught somewhere between the two.
The Lennon Sisters certainly didn’t disappear, though. They continued performing for decades and later spent years working with Andy Williams.
For me, this clip feels like two generations of entertainment meeting on one stage — and hearing Durante now, it’s almost impossible not to picture Frosty coming to life.
Do you remember Jimmy Durante from shows like this, or will he always be the voice of Frosty the Snowman to you?
