What's My Line? @ 75: Day 8

 

Continuing my series posting 10 of my favorite or notable moments from the history of What's My Line?, celebrating its 75th anniversary at the beginning of February.

3. One thing that made What’s My Line? special was that its grand reputation attracted many different guests from all over the world of notoriety. From entertainment to sports to politics, they pulled a lot of great and historic guests. For some of them, it ended up being special simply because it marked a rare instance of seeing people on television. Perhaps one of their grandest guests was former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Appearing on October 18, 1953, the widow of President Franklin D. Roosevelt had continued to carve her legacy as humanitarian and good will ambassador since her days as First Lady including helping with the formation of and acting as one of the first United States representatives to the United Nations. To see someone so respected and so connected to history appear in this medium was special to me because it connected a time of the past to a time of the present. John Daly answers for her during most of the proceedings, even cracking off a few good quips. By the time Mrs. Roosevelt starts to answer questions on her own, Dorothy becomes wise to it being the First Lady and quickly zeroes in. She spreads the word of the upcoming United Nations Week before being greeted by the entire panel standing as she exits the stage. It would be perhaps the highest profile guest they’d ever have. Another rumored story is that during the show’s trip to Chicago in 1956 while John covered the Democratic National Convention, former President Harry S. Truman was to be tapped as the Mystery Guest while they were there. Things seemed all set for it to go forward, but the show at the time was sponsored by Remmington Rand — which featured former Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, General Douglas MacArthur, as Chairman of the Board — who supposedly squashed the appearance when informed. For those unaware, it wasn’t an amicable split when Truman dismissed MacArthur during the Korean War only a few years prior. Socialite Pearle Mesta appeared instead. So, Mrs. Roosevelt stands as perhaps their greatest guest of record. Just a fascinating segment.

What's My Line? @ 75: Day 7

 

Continuing my series posting 10 of my favorite or notable moments from the history of What's My Line?, celebrating its 75th anniversary at the beginning of February.

4. As can happen, people close to a program can sadly and unexpectedly pass away while a show is running. This happened twice to What’s My Line? and this will be another double dip. Panelist Steve Allen left the show as a permanent panelist in 1954 as his local Tonight program launched nationally as The Tonight Show. In his place, the show tapped a radio veteran, icon Fred Allen. His wry humor fit in well with Dorothy, Arlene and Bennett and his reputation for his kindness preceded him. He did well on the show from August of 1954 — initially as a guest panelist — until March 11, 1956. Then, on the evening of Saturday, March 17, 1956, he died suddenly of a heart attack. They decided to continue with the show the following night, clearly grief stricken, but soldiering on. A somber moment for an otherwise light show that wouldn’t be the last time the show faced tragedy head on. Dorothy Kilgallen was on the first episode. From Week 1, it was her and John. Besides going off on different assignments for her massively influential column, she was there for 14 ¾ years. That ended on November 7, 1965. Following the episode that aired that night, Dorothy died under mysterious circumstances the following day. Unlike Fred Allen’s death, the show had a little more time to consider what to do and, in the same vein as Allen, went on with a show the following week, though just as sad. With Steve Allen returning, as he had when Fred passed and the show, the show respectably went forward in her honor along with friend, socialite and fellow game show panelist Kitty Carlisle in her seat. Following this, no one would permanently take her seat. Both shows, understandably, did not feature panel and host introductions with the announcer giving a generic intro to the panel before introducing the host. Links to the entire episodes, featuring the panel’s heartfelt goodbyes, will be below.

What's My Line? @ 75: Day 6

 

Continuing my series posting 10 of my favorite or notable moments from the history of What's My Line?, celebrating its 75th anniversary at the beginning of February.

5. Although the show would begin to be videotaped by the late 50s/early 60s, it still did many programs live and when doing live television, anything can happen. So was the case in two instances when two intruders invaded the stage during the live broadcast. Interestingly, both instances occurred during the Mystery Guest segment. I’ll feature both here. One on Mother’s Day 1958 just after guest Milton Berle had been identified and was talking about a new book of his. The intruder runs up to Berle screaming “I made it! For Mother’s Day!” before shaking his hand and sprinting off behind him. With Berle, Daly and the panel all momentarily stunned, Berle gets things back on track with a quick quip, “My agent!” A good laugh brought to a weird moment. After that was the night of October 7, 1962 when, just after the beginning of questioning of Greek actress and former Academy Award nominee Melina Mecouri by Dorothy Kilgallen, a man walks onto the stage, briefly apologizes to Mecouri and then proceeds to talk about something. John Daly calls for producer Gil Fates to come in and relieve the man from the stage at which point Fates and legendary announcer Johnny Olson come out and escort him away. Director Franklin Heller, wise to knowing that this man could say anything on live television, smartly dropped the audio for a few seconds while he was present. Apparently, he was hawking some dating service that, unfortunately for him, got no advertisement on air. John basically resets the segment and starts over again, but you could tell things were a little off kilter and that he wasn’t all to pleased with the intrusion. Guest panelist Victor Borge does well to bring levity to the proceedings with his brand of absurdity and the night ends on a short note with John needing to say goodnight for the entire panel as the show ran long. It’s such an odd moment in the history of the show that it had to be included. Perhaps as a make-up, Mecouri would appear on the show again in 1967 during the show’s final weeks on air. 

What's My Line? @ 75: Day 5

 

Continuing my series posting 10 of my favorite or notable moments from the history of What's My Line?, celebrating its 75th anniversary at the beginning of February.

6. John Daly was a seasoned newsman who essentially launched ABC News, as that network was still fledgling, who appreciated the elegance and decorum What’s My Line? had. They still had fun, but in structure for the most part. That meant that he didn’t really prefer demonstrations or performances that much. Arlene Francis didn’t mind such displays and would occasionally try to encourage them, particularly out of the mystery guests. One such guest who was willing to oblige was the great Louie Armstrong. He appeared on the show twice, almost exactly ten years apart. March 14, 1954 versus March 22, 1964. In both appearances he sang a little, much to the delight of the panel and audience, with my favorite being his appearance in 1964. Appearing as his version of “Hello Dolly,” the title song of the hit Broadway musical, was soaring up the charts — culminating in hitting #1 and ending The Beatles’ 14 straight weeks at the top. Arlene, tired of “playing it on the Victrola,” asked if he would sing it. He sang a good little bit of it too and it was such a wonderful treat and capper to the episode, even John had to applaud at what was experienced. Now, the rumored story goes that, at the time, Armstrong’s agent had booked him to appear later that week on The Perry Como Show, where it was to be the first time Louie would perform the song on television, and that the agent was *fuming* when he ended up singing it here, blowing the Como exclusive. Only a story, but a funny one and a great appearance.

What's My Line? @ 75: Day 4

 

Continuing my series posting 10 of my favorite or notable moments from the history of What's My Line?, celebrating its 75th anniversary at the beginning of February.

7. I’m weird in that some of my favorite moments come from some of the simplest things and that certainly counts in this entry. In October 1955, Charlotte Whitton, the then mayor of the capital city of Canada, Ottawa, appeared on the show, with her being mayor being her sought after line. We are first treated to the perils of live television when she doesn't come out immediately. Prompting John Daly to get up from his seat and peak backstage. You can begin to see a brief moment of panic as John begins to plot what to do next if someone doesn't come out in the next few seconds, but thankfully she appears shortly afterward. In the course of obtaining which way she was to be addressed, John Daly wanted to know if she went by “missus or miss?” Whitton immediately shot back with “Oof, miss. I’ve made enough mistakes,” which elicits great laughter from everyone and rightfully so. You could tell how a woman like her got to the position she did with such a quick and witty response. This was a woman who lived. This is a moment that makes me chuckle every time I think about it.

What's My Line? @ 75: Day 3

Continuing my series posting 10 of my favorite or notable moments from the history of What's My Line?, celebrating its 75th anniversary at the beginning of February.

 8. Keeping in that same vein of Mystery Guests who give up, we go back a bit for this one. To that period where Steve Allen was a regular panelist who was about to start up the Tonight Show franchise on “another network,” NBC. This was also still in the period when the panel was allowed to question the mystery guests as long as they continued to receive a yes answer before being switched to one question at a time. In this segment the guests are legendary comedy duo George Burns and wife Gracie Allen. Together they created howls of laughter with his straight man act and Gracie’s oblivious set up act for many years, stretching from vaudeville to, at this point, the middle of a successful sitcom run on CBS. Their voices so recognizable — his deep, cigar-aided gravel and her high-pitched squawk — that it was decided they’d begin the round only answering in knocks (Steve Allen: “I thought maybe it was Trigger [Roy Rogers’ horse] stamping”). When they finally allow the duo to speak, Gracie, in only the way she can, tells her husband, “don’t answer, George” and it’s all over from there. A brilliant turn to her routine persona. And yes, that is Harry Truman’s daughter, Margaret Truman on the panel in place of Dorothy Kilgallen.

What's My Line? @ 75: Day 2

Continuing my series posting 10 of my favorite or notable moments from the history of What's My Line?, celebrating its 75th anniversary at the beginning of February.

9. Sometimes, the best Mystery Guest segments are the ones where the guest gives away who they are. In this segment, legend Jack Benny has fun toying with the panel’s questions — including smacking a kiss on guest panelist, and wife of other guest panelist Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows after being asked if he were glamorous. It culminates in Bennett Cerf, being wise to the fact that it was Benny, asking if “Mischa Elman or Jascha Heifetz scream with horror at mere mention of [his] name?” Those are two master violinists, a reference to the long running joke of Benny being poor at the violin. To which Benny then delivers his famous delivery of “Oh, shut up!”, ending the guessing then and there. Just a wonderfully delightful segment 

What's My Line? @ 75: Day 1

 

On February 2, 1950, What’s My Line? hit CBS’ airwaves as the latest brainchild from burgeoning producers Goodson and Todman. A simple game of 20 questions, it would go on to become a symbol of elegance and class on the Tiffany Network for 17 ½ years and the longest running network primetime game show — a record it still holds to this day.

 

The key to its success, and the success of the other long running Goodson/Todman panel shows, I’ve Got A Secret and To Tell The Truth, was the chemistry of those involved. A Good panel along with a host who had fun with them turned otherwise paint drying television into a fun play along experience.

 

While I had seen the show in the late 90s/early 00s on the Game Show Network — mainly in their Black & White Overnight block — it wasn’t until they began running the show overnight daily at 3am that I became truly hooked. It was a journey to watch most of the 700+ episodes that survive of the show’s 876 that were produced. A fun journey and education in the culture of a time long before I was born.

In honor of this momentous occasion, here are 10 of my favorite moments from the show’s original CBS run, in no particular order (though I do have a number one).

 

 

 

10. Betty White was an absolute gem of a human being who brought the world laughter and delight for over 70 years. Through the 40s and 50s she worked and made a name for herself locally in Los Angeles, but it was What’s My Line? that features one of her earliest appearances on a nationally televised game show. A route that would lead to many more appearances in the genre and turning her into a legend there right beside her career as an actress. That first appearance isn’t what makes my list, but rather her appearance as a Mystery Guest on June 23, 1963 along with her new husband Allen Ludden. The two became acquainted after Betty made her first appearance on the show Allen hosts, the all-time great game show Password. Allen was instantly taken and pursued her until their marriage on June 14, 1963. Fresh off their nuptials, here they provide great fun stumping the panel for a bit until they both hilariously answer a question at the same time with opposite answers. This is then followed by Betty getting a little naughty, in that special way she does, when they’re asked if they’ll be doing anything together that summer.

Starting Anew

 

Honestly, kinda shocked that it's been almost eight years since I've posted to this blog. Congrats to this site for making it as long as it has since then. Feels like this is a dying forum, and yet one that shows much promise as we enter a year of emotional and physical uncertainty and the need for expression.

Something I care about is happening soon and I figured that this outlet would be a good place to post it. Decided to determine a name now too. Perhaps I stick around for more posts in the future. Maybe not, but one can hope.

Anyway, away we go again!