When Doug Gabriel was coming of age in the 1970s, “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour” was a staple in his Cedar Rapids home. The variety show left quite an impact on him.
“We grew up on Sonny and Cher,” Gabriel said while calling from his home in Branson, Missouri. “They had some great skits and fantastic songs. We loved watching that show and other variety shows, as well as the Dean Martin roasts. It was a good time since there were so many different types of entertainment that were part of those shows. It was an amazing era.”
The variety baton has been passed to Gabriel, who has delivered eclectic entertainment ever since he opened his long-running show in Branson in 1994. The Doug Gabriel Ultimate Variety Show is one of the entertainment staples in the southwest Missouri town that has long been a popular family vacation destination…