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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 23, 2023 15:39:05 GMT
What's My Line? was a TV panel game show that ran on CBS from 1950-1967. The game used celebrity panelists to question contestants, usually from the general public, to determine their occupation or line of work. The show also featured a celebrity "mystery guest" for which the panelists were blindfolded. The panel then asked questions to determine the identity of the "mystery guest". It was also funny to see the celebrity "mystery guests" disguise their voices.
What's My Line? is definitely a period piece. It was a top-rated TV show that many celebrities felt privileged to appear on. What's My Line? was a showcase for celebrities who were either becoming popular or were at the height of their fame. While the show gave them the opportunity to promote their new or current projects, it was also obvious that many of the celebrities just enjoyed being on the show.
As a sentimental person, I enjoy seeing the various celebrities in black and white footage, just having fun, and being out of their usual performing character. It was a simpler time, no doubt about that. For this thread, I will be featuring various "mystery guests". Some will be actors/actresses, singers/musicians, and even politicians. For the thread's first entry, I chose Mia Farrow, mainly because one of the panelists was her then-husband, Frank Sinatra. This is a very funny episode, especially Arlene Francis's totally innocent question. So, let's go back to November 27, 1966...
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Post by carllove on Dec 26, 2023 2:08:45 GMT
I can watch episodes of What’s My Line all day long on YouTube. I love the way the panelists dressed up as if they were going to a cocktail party. Sophistication that is sorely lacking today. I’m such a fan, I even bought The Reporter Who Knew Too Much, the book about the conspiracy theory that Dorothy Kilgallen was murdered because of her inside knowledge of the JFK assassination. Love to see another fan here. Should be fun!
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 27, 2023 3:04:30 GMT
27 years after his appearance on What's My Line, this "mystery guest" became the 40th President Of The United States.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jan 6, 2024 20:39:04 GMT
This was an interesting episode which aired on October 18, 1964. Brian Epstein was a contestant and the panel had to guess his identity/occupation. A young Paul Anka disqualified himself which panelists did if they knew the contestant or were familiar with them. Oh, and the mystery guest was Tony Bennett!
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jan 14, 2024 0:04:58 GMT
With the recent passing of Tom Smothers (on 12/26/23 at the age of 86), I thought I would post the What's My Line episode from 1/29/67 when the Smothers Brothers were the mystery guests:
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jan 26, 2024 23:26:04 GMT
The Great Satchmo, Louis Armstrong ... and they make him work:
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 24, 2024 16:00:01 GMT
Occasionally, What's My Line featured married couples. Here's a young Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward:
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 2, 2024 21:54:46 GMT
The great James Cagney appeared on the show...
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 9, 2024 19:41:27 GMT
In a tribute to Steve Lawrence who passed away this week at age 88, I'm posting two episodes in which Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme appeared.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, sometimes What's My Line featured married couples as mystery guests. Steve & Eydie appeared as such on December 2, 1962. Steve Lawrence does a great imitation of Frank Fontaine, who appeared as the character "Crazy Guggenheim" on The Jackie Gleason Show. During the segment, it was mentioned that Eydie recently gave birth to their son, Michael Lawrence, who sadly passed away in 1986 at the age of 23 due to an undiagnosed heart condition. At the time of Michael's death, Steve & Eydie were performing in Atlanta, Georgia, and Frank Sinatra sent his private jet to fly them back to their home in New York. Steve & Eydie's other son, David Lawrence, is now active in handling Steve & Eydie's legacy including documentaries, album reissues, websites, and videos.
Occasionally during the mystery guest segment, the mystery guest will be related to one of the panelists trying to guess their identity (see the first video in this thread which features Mia Farrow as the mystery guest and Frank Sinatra - then Mia's husband - as a panelist). In this segment, Eydie Gorme is the mystery guest and Steve Lawrence is a panelist.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 16, 2024 13:31:27 GMT
Frank Sinatra's then wife, Ava Gardner, dazzles on September 13, 1953:
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 30, 2024 19:34:31 GMT
He sits behind his microphone...John-ny Car-son:
February 11, 1962
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Post by carllove on Mar 31, 2024 2:56:50 GMT
Dang I love to watch that show! Also love To Tell The Truth.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 6, 2024 19:35:37 GMT
Carllove mentioned that she was a fan of To Tell The Truth, which was another TV panel show and similar to What's My Line and I've Got A Secret. To Tell The Truth was most popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It went into syndication in the 1970s and 1980s, and had a revival in the 1990s.
To Tell The Truth featured four celebrity panelists who were presented with three contestants (or challengers). Of the three contestants, one is the "real deal" and the other two are "impostors". The "real" contestant has a unique or unusual profession or experience that is read aloud by the show's host/moderator. The celebrity panelists then question the contestants to try to identify the "real" contestant. The contestants can bluff and even lie to try to throw the panel off. After the questioning is completed, the panelists vote on who they think is the "real" character, and they give reasons (often humorous) for their votes. The "real" character then has to stand and reveal themself. Prize money is awarded based on the number of incorrect votes, so there is incentive to be a good impostor.
On this episode of To Tell The Truth from March 28, 1966, Paul Butterfield was one of the contestants. Obviously he was not well-known...yet.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 27, 2024 12:59:13 GMT
Another episode of To Tell The Truth. This one features the composer of "The Twist", Hank Ballard, as he and two imposters try to stump the panel:
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