Ken Welch obit

Ken Welch, Carol Burnett’s Longtime Musical Collaborator, Dies at 92

Ken Welch, a five-time Emmy-winning composer and musician who spent decades writing material for Carol Burnett, died Jan. 26 at his home in Encino, his family announced. He was 92. 

He was not on the list.

Ken Welch, a five-time Emmy-winning composer and musician who spent decades writing material for Carol Burnett, died Jan. 26 at his home in Encino, his family announced. He was 92.

Welch amassed 19 Emmy nominations during his career, all shared with his late wife, composer, lyricist and writer Marilyn “Mitzie” Welch. They also had a nightclub act and were married from 1956 until her death in June 2014.

The couple composed music for CBS’ famed Carol Burnett Show for seven seasons, from 1971-77, and also wrote and produced material for the likes of Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow, Julie Andrews, Dolly Parton, Linda Lavin, Burt Bacharach, Suzanne Somers, The Carpenters, Hal Linden and Bob Hope.

Welch was born on Feb. 4, 1926, in Kansas City, Missouri. He played the piano and the accordion and tap danced as a youngster in theaters throughout Missouri, Kansas and Iowa before going to college at Carnegie Tech, where he studied painting.

He first met Mitzie at an audition, and Bob Newhart once opened for them on stage. During an appearance on Jack Paar’s The Tonight Show, he played the accordion while she sang on a version of “I Got Rhythm.”

Ken Welch and Burnett worked together for the first time in 1957 when he accompanied her on the piano as she auditioned for a summer stock gig in the Adirondack mountains.

A bit later, when she needed a new song for her act at the Blue Angel in New York City, they came up with “I Made a Fool of Myself Over John Foster Dulles,” a spoof in the Elvis Presley era about a young girl who falls head over heels for the dour U.S. Secretary of State. He was not a sex symbol, to say the least.

Audiences roared with laughter, and within days of performing the novelty tune, Burnett was appearing twice on The Tonight Show and on The Ed Sullivan Show.

In the early 1960s, Welch was hired to work on Garry Moore’s CBS variety show, on which Burnett regularly performed, and he created a 1962 CBS special, Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall, featuring Burnett and Andrews. (He and Mike Nichols wrote the song “You’re So London” for that.)

A year later, Welch wrote musical numbers for 1963’s An Evening With Carol Burnett, and in 1970, he and his wife moved to Los Angeles to work on Burnett’s show starting with its fifth season.

They couple also came up with material for such TV specials as 1973’s Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments; 1976’s Sills and Burnett at the Met and A Special Olivia Newton-John; 1979’s Dolly and Carol in Nashville; 1978’s The Star Wars Holiday Special; 1979’s The Hal Linden Special; and 1987’s Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin.

Survivors include his daughters Julie and Gillian, a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter who is nominated for an original song Oscar this year for “When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings,” featured in the Coen brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.

A donation in his name may be made to Doctors Without Borders.

Writer

Manilow: Music and Passion (2006)

Manilow: Music and Passion

8.9

TV Special

Writer

2006

 

Ultimate Manilow! (2002)

Ultimate Manilow!

8.4

TV Special

written by

2002

 

Men, Movies & Carol (1994)

Men, Movies & Carol

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Writer

1994

 

Carol Burnett and Vicki Lawrence in The Carol Burnett Show (1991)

The Carol Burnett Show

8.2

TV Series

writer

1991

1 episode

 

Julie & Carol: Together Again (1989)

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1989

 

America's All-Star Tribute to Elizabeth Taylor (1989)

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1989

 

Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Carol Burnett, and Carl Reiner in Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin (1987)

Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin

8.1

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Writer

1987

 

Barbara Mandrell's Christmas: A Family Reunion

8.5

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Writer

1986

 

Walt Disney in The Magical World of Disney (1954)

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8.4

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writer

1986

1 episode

 

Neil Diamond in Neil Diamond... Hello Again (1986)

Neil Diamond... Hello Again

9.1

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Writer

1986

 

The NBC All Star Hour

7.3

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Writer

1985

 

Burnett Discovers Domingo

9.1

TV Special

Writer

1984

 

Linda in Wonderland

5.4

TV Movie

Writer

1980

 

Dolly Parton and Carol Burnett in Dolly & Carol in Nashville (1979)

Dolly & Carol in Nashville

8.7

TV Special

written by

1979

 

Sills and Burnett at the Met

8.8

TV Special

Writer

1976

 

Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments (1973)

Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments

7.6

TV Special

dialogue written by

1973

 

Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center (1971)

Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center

9.2

TV Special

Writer

1971

 

Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall (1962)

Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall

9.1

TV Special

writer

1962

 

Producer

Men, Movies & Carol (1994)

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7.7

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producer

1994

 

Julie & Carol: Together Again (1989)

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9.2

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producer

1989

 

Life of the Party: The Story of Beatrice (1982)

Life of the Party: The Story of Beatrice

7.4

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executive producer

1982

 

Walt Disney in The Magical World of Disney (1954)

The Magical World of Disney

8.4

TV Series

producer

1981

1 episode

 

Linda in Wonderland

5.4

TV Movie

producer

1980

 

Bob Hope for President

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TV Special

producer

1980

 

Bob Hope Special: Hope, Women and Song

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producer

1980

 

The Hal Linden Special

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producer

1979

 

Dolly Parton and Carol Burnett in Dolly & Carol in Nashville (1979)

Dolly & Carol in Nashville

8.7

TV Special

producer

1979

 

Harrison Ford, Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Kenny Baker, and Peter Mayhew in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)

The Star Wars Holiday Special

2.2

TV Movie

producer

1978

 

The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour

6.0

TV Series

producer

1978

2 episodes

 

'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1977)

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

6.9

TV Special

producer

1977

 

John Davidson at Notre Dame (1967)

John Davidson at Notre Dame

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producer

1967

 

The Kraft Summer Music Hall (1966)

The Kraft Summer Music Hall

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producer

1966

12 episodes

 

Composer

The Kashyyyk Life Day Carol: A Live Staged Reading of the Star Wars Holiday Special (2025)

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2025

 

Movers & Shakers (1985)

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4.2

Composer

1985

 

Walt Disney in The Magical World of Disney (1954)

The Magical World of Disney

8.4

TV Series

Composer

1981

1 episode

 

Linda in Wonderland

5.4

TV Movie

Composer

1980

 

The Hal Linden Special

TV Special

Composer

1979

 

Dolly Parton and Carol Burnett in Dolly & Carol in Nashville (1979)

Dolly & Carol in Nashville

8.7

TV Special

Composer

1979

 

Burt Bacharach and Dusty Springfield in Another Evening with Burt Bacharach (1970)

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Composer

1970

 

Music Department

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7.6

TV Series

reused music

2020–2022

3 episodes

 

Carol Burnett: Show Stoppers (2001)

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8.0

TV Special

composer: song "A Mackie Rag"

2001

 

The Charlie Horse Music Pizza (1998)

The Charlie Horse Music Pizza

8.5

TV Series

original songs by

1998

1 episode

 

Men, Movies & Carol (1994)

Men, Movies & Carol

7.7

TV Movie

music material

1994

 

Julie & Carol: Together Again (1989)

Julie & Carol: Together Again

9.2

TV Movie

special musical material

1989

 

The 59th Annual Academy Awards (1987)

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6.6

TV Special

special musical material

1987

 

Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Carol Burnett, and Carl Reiner in Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin (1987)

Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin

8.1

TV Special

special music material

1987

 

Walt Disney in The Magical World of Disney (1954)

The Magical World of Disney

8.4

TV Series

music arranger

1986

1 episode

 

The NBC All Star Hour

7.3

TV Special

composer: additional music

1985

 

Burnett Discovers Domingo

9.1

TV Special

special musical material

1984

 

Sammy Davis Jr. in Texaco Star Theater: Opening Night (1982)

Texaco Star Theater: Opening Night

6.5

TV Special

carol & sammy medley prepared by

1982

 

The Hal Linden Special

TV Special

musical numbers created by

1979

 

Husbands, Wives & Lovers (1978)

Husbands, Wives & Lovers

6.5

TV Series

composer: theme music

1978

10 episodes

 

The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour

6.0

TV Series

musical material

1978

1 episode

 

The Harvey Korman Show (1977)

The Harvey Korman Show

7.9

TV Series

composer: title song

1978

2 episodes

 

Carol Burnett in The Carol Burnett Show (1967)

The Carol Burnett Show

8.7

TV Series

composer: additional special material

creator: musical numbers

composer: special music material ...

1971–1978

142 episodes

 

The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots

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TV Movie

composer: song "See You Tomorrow in Class"

1978

 

'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1977)

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

6.9

TV Special

musical numbers created by

1977

 

Carpenters Very First Television Special (1976)

Carpenters Very First Television Special

8.9

TV Special

musical material

1976

 

Sills and Burnett at the Met

8.8

TV Special

musical material

1976

 

A Special Olivia Newton-John (1976)

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7.9

TV Special

special music material

1976

 

Married Is Better

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music

1974

 

Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments (1973)

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7.6

TV Special

special musical material

1973

 

Duke Ellington... We Love You Madly (1973)

Duke Ellington... We Love You Madly

9.3

TV Special

musical arranger

1973

 

Burt Bacharach: Close to You

TV Special

special musical treatments (as Kenny Welch)

1972

 

Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center (1971)

Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center

9.2

TV Special

musical treatments

1971

 

Singer Presents Burt Bacharach

8.2

TV Special

special musical treatments

1971

 

The Kraft Music Hall (1967)

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6.3

TV Series

musical treatments & musical material

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special music material ...

1968–1970

5 episodes

 

An Evening with Burt Bacharach

TV Special

music associate

1970

 

The Jim Nabors Hour (1968)

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6.8

TV Series

special music material

1969

1 episode

 

Jim Nabors and Frank Sutton in Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964)

Gomer Pyle: USMC

7.0

TV Series

music arranger: medley

1969

1 episode

 

Zero Mostel in Carol + 2 (1966)

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8.0

TV Special

musical numbers produced and written by

1966

 

Carol Burnett and Bob Newhart in The Entertainers (1964)

The Entertainers

8.1

TV Series

musical treatments

1965

1 episode

 

An Evening with Carol Burnett

9.1

TV Special

creator: musical numbers

1963

 

The Garry Moore Show (1958)

The Garry Moore Show

6.9

TV Series

musical material

music material

1961–1962

4 episodes

 

Soundtrack

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3.1

Podcast Series

writer: "Good Night But Not Goodbye"

2021

1 episode

 

The George Lucas Talk Show (2020)

The George Lucas Talk Show

8.7

TV Series

writer: "Goodnight, but Not Goodbye", "A Day to Celebrate"

2020

1 episode

 

American Masters (1985)

American Masters

8.2

TV Series

music: "You're So London" (uncredited)

2007

1 episode

 

Carol Burnett, Tracey Ullman, Zooey Deschanel, Denis O'Hare, and Matthew Morrison in Once Upon a Mattress (2005)

Once Upon a Mattress

6.2

TV Movie

lyrics: "That Baby Of Mine"

music: "That Baby Of Mine"

2005

 

Movers & Shakers (1985)

Movers & Shakers

4.2

lyrics: "Can't We Go Home Again"

music: "Can't We Go Home Again"

1985

 

Dolly Parton and Carol Burnett in Dolly & Carol in Nashville (1979)

Dolly & Carol in Nashville

8.7

TV Special

writer: "No One Picks Like a Nashville Picker Picks", "It's a Kick, Kickin' Around with You", "What Am I Doing Up Here?"

1979

 

Harrison Ford, Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Kenny Baker, and Peter Mayhew in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)

The Star Wars Holiday Special

2.2

TV Movie

writer: "This Minute Now", "Good Night But Not Goodbye", "A Day To Celebrate" (uncredited)

1978

 

Husbands, Wives & Lovers (1978)

Husbands, Wives & Lovers

6.5

TV Series

lyrics: "Husbands, Wives & Lovers"

music: "Husbands, Wives & Lovers"

1978

 

Carol Burnett in The Carol Burnett Show (1967)

The Carol Burnett Show

8.7

TV Series

writer: "The World Is A Concerto / Make Your Own Kind Of Music"

1972

1 episode

 

Zero Mostel in Carol + 2 (1966)

Carol + 2

8.0

TV Special

writer: "Chutzpah!"

1966

 

Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall (1962)

Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall

9.1

TV Special

arranger: "Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be"

writer: "No Mozart Tonight", "You're So London", "From Switzerland: The Pratt Family

1962

 

Self

American Masters (1985)

American Masters

8.2

TV Series

Self

2007

1 episode

 

Jack Paar in The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar (1957)

The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar

8.3

TV Series

Self

1959–1961

5 episodes

 

Playboy's Penthouse (1959)

Playboy's Penthouse

7.4

TV Series

Self

1960

1 episode

 

Archive Footage

A Disturbance in the Force (2023)

A Disturbance in the Force

6.8

Self (archive footage)

2023