Stars of the Lawrence Welk Show With Biographies of Cast & Crew

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Mahlon Clark, born March 7, 1923 in Portsmouth VA, played clarinet, saxophone and flute with the Lawrence Welk Show from 1962 to 1968. He was a versatile clarinet musician who worked with Lawrence Welk for many years.

He moved out to Los Angeles with his first wife, big band vocalist Imogene Lynn in 1942, whom he met while playing with the Ray McKinley band. He worked with other bands including Dean Hudson, Will Bradley, Tex Beneke and Bob Crosby prior to joining the Welk Orchestra.

Mahlon joined the Lawrence Welk Show in 1962 to fill the big shoes left when Pete Fountain and Al Hirt departed in 1959. He played in the reed section until his departure in 1968, and since has played for notable and diverse artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Madonna, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. He was replaced on the show by Peanuts Hucko.

Once married to Kathy Lennon from 1967 to 1979, he passed away from natural causes on September 20, 2007 at his home in Van Nuys, CA aged 84.

In this clip below, Mahlon Clark performs the "St. Louis Blues"