Sophie Tucker on 'What's My Line' (1957)

From classicvideostreams.com Sophie Tucker is the mystery guest on 'What's My Line' which aired on December 15, 1957. Panelists included: Dorothy Kilgallen, Robert Q. Lewis, Arlene Francis & Bennett Cerf. The Moderator is John Charles Daly.

[@karlakor]

Yes, it is unusual that the entire panel stands up to greet Sophie Tucker. I have known that to happen only three times on the clips I have seen here on KZbin. They all stood for Eleanor Roosevelt, Frank Lloyd Wright, and now Sophie Tucker, all of whom deserved the show of respect.

[@robert3302]

It's hard to believe television used to have this much class.

[@perfectjazz78]

"From birth to age eighteen, a girl needs good parents. From eighteen to thirty-five she needs good looks. From thirty-five to fifty-five, she needs a good personality. From fifty-five on, she needs good cash." - Sophie Tucker

[@ClarasBeau]

One of the best ever... "Are you a group?!"... Oh, please, bring this show back!!

[@casualgmale]

Incredible. Im 59, was 3 yrs old when this was televised, but laughed outloud, GREAT lady and treasured appearance!

[@depaola63]

This touched my heart ! My Nana Josie loved her and taught me how to " entertain " myself !...LOVE this " Red Hot Mama " ..I am 55 now and this really would be a classic show today in 2018 !

[@horarwgt]

Russian-born Sophie Tucker was one of vaudeville's greatest stars -- with 21 hits between 1910 and 1937. The theme song of "The Last of the Red-Hot Mamas" was "Some Of These Days," which was a #1 hit and a milliojn-seller in 1927.

[@robertchesnosky4689]

SHE AND JOLSON HAD HITS CIRCA 1910 TO 1920 IN THE SWITCH OVER FROM CYLINDERS TO FLAT DISCS PERIOD THAT HELPED BUILD THE RECORD BUSINESS INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY. I HAVE PLENTY OF RESPECT FOR HER. A PRO AND CLASS ACT. FAMOUS FOR "SOME OF THESE DAYS"

[@spagandtuna]

Now that is a star.

[@bigeman25]

How could you not like Sophie? Great guest and a grand old gal.

[@w.a.a.]

Wonderful and hilarious. Sophie is a real piece of Americana. May she live forever!!

[@ClarasBeau]

This has GOT to be one of the most enjoyable WML clips... I love it!... Jeez, i wish they'd bring this show back! Everybody would LOVE it!!... Wouldn't YOU?!...

[@makmelaf]

Unfortunately it could never be the same. What we have that passes for celebrity nowadays is pitiful.

[@rangerdave1973]

what I like about these snipits is that many of these people I never knew about and it is a real education so thank you to whomever puts this up

[@ClarasBeau]

This clip is a "Do That" to bring this show back! ... Can you IMAGINE?!... I love it!... Don't you?

[@Gllsubm]

Thanks so much for sharing! Sophie looks gorgeous! I'm happy to have several of her classic record alblums.Belle Barth dressed beautifully like Sophie.

[@CarlyMK95]

Sophie is soo funny!! Freaking Love Her!

[@VI36196]

I laughed out loud when Dorothy asked that question!

[@thejonquil]

This, thanks to KZbin, fills in a great gap in my education. What a hoot and oh so precious!

[@VonCringe]

I was hoping someone would post this episode after seeing a small snippet of it on the Best Of video awhile back. Thanks for posting.

[@depaola63]

I AM 55 NOW and this was my Nana Josephine's favorite " Red Hot Mama ! "..Classic !! This show would work today in 2018 !!

[@soulierinvestments]

Thanx for posting this landmark: a favorite WML episode! R Q Lewis was hot that night -- he spotted Sophie and identified a pretty female rural Idaho mink trapper. (No kiddin') Dorothy is so wonderfully out to sea; rarely do we hear an audience howl with glee at a perfectly serious DK question. And to see Sophie Tucker on live TV, a talent worth her weight in platnum. She worked/sang right up to the end in what? 1965? Note the entire panel stands to greet her. They SHOULD, too. Thanx.

[@sharonmcn]

Thanks for the posting. I wrote and starred in a musical re: Sophie's life, and it's always nice to see her "live". Nice surprise.

[@thefabulousmark]

Fabulous!!!!!

[@bigred997]

sophie wrote that a true star can only be one who is willing to make fun of themselves.

[@gottamatch]

This is one of the funniest famous WML contestants I've seen. Hilarious stuff.. Dorothy's confusion is priceless lol

[@MANUELFARINELLI]

@Justtc Thank you so much for sharing your great experience with a great star like Miss Sophie Tucker, I really appreciate the phrase "never let the same dog bite you twice" :) very clever! Take care!!

[@VI36196]

It was a fixture in my house growing up -- "What's My Line?" every Sunday night at 10:30pm on CBS.

[@Schiller150]

You are MORE than 100% correct. We have descended ... and it is an unpopular point of view, but a very true one.

[@johnstarcluster]

awesome post!

[@tomservo56954]

"I'd like to see him tell a true artist like Sophie Tucker to clear tables before she started washing dishes...he'd be in traction for a week"--line from the film TAKE HER, SHE'S MINE (screenplay by Nunnally Johnson)

[@billsmith5985]

Grand lady

[@Imthecuteone]

hahah Arlene's laugh at the end when she knows who it is..lol

[@LizaFan]

2:32 I screamed audibly

[@sharonmcn]

Yes, it did. Three months Off-Broadway with no advertising.

[@rolfh]

Yes, certainly this must be the genesis of Paul's confusing little joke. Beatles trivia!!

[@kitty3863]

Some of the questions are halarious! Writers could not contrive this stuff!!

[@shishilala]

rolfh - Exactly what I was thinking, this little 'group' joke was obviously where Paul's line came from! :)

[@TheSonjaxfactor]

yes indeedy

[@hektoralis]

@karlakor I have also seen clips where they stodd up for Maurice Chevalier and Jimmy Durante.

[@Cris43130]

Could this have been the inspiration for that famous John Lennon ad lib, "My favorite signing group is Sophie Tucker?" (And forgive me if that was one of Paul McCartney's rare bon mots.)

[@MANUELFARINELLI]

Can anyone tell me if there is a relation between Dorothy´s mistake when she asked "Are you a group? and afterwards Paul McArtney said "This song was sung by our favourite American group Sophie Tucker".. I can tell that there is a relation with this comic episode in What´s my line.

[@regent260]

Does anyone know what happened to the Sophie Tucker clip from the Ed Sullivan show? It was on here but seems to have disappeared.

[@chucknyc123]

I hate to think of the day when people will not know who she was. On the sad day when Paul Newman died and I told my nephew, who is 21, he said, 'Who?' At least Bette Midler gives her a lot of credit in her Las Vegas act, and she lives on courtesy of KZbin now.

[@Suki_Tawdry]

That was the first time I've seen the women stand to greet the guest. :-)

[@PepsiMama2]

From what I can remember, the ENTIRE panel including Kilgallen and Francis all stood up for the following mystery guests... (I'm sure there are more but I can't think right now)... Ethel Barrymore Eleanor Roosevelt Bishop Fulton Sheen Frank Lloyd Wright Sophie Tucker Anna Magnani Jimmy Durante James Kilgallen Pearl Mesta Senator Margaret Chase Smith General James A. Van Fleet Helen Hayes Gertrude Berg Senator Karl E Mundt Helen Traubel Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. Jayne Meadows Ivy Baker Priest Roy Rogers & Dale Evans

[@terrybader8595]

They stood for Eleanor Roosevelt

[@graperonto]

ANd for Bishop Sheen, and for when a nun was a contestant... I think I've counted at least six now.

[@FelixGraham]

They did to Marian Anderson, too.

[@tamerlano]

@karlakor I believe they all stand for Marian Anderson as well.

[@danielmontgomery350]

Sophie tucker reminds me of charles laughton

[@bloodgrss]

In the old etiquette-you always stood for a woman of an older generation than you-and men for any women... Sort of forgotten today, eh?

[@geniusmchaggis]

correct sir. as john daly would say.

[@graperonto]

Add another to the list where the women panelists rose to shake hands. I think I'm up to almost 10 now.

[@Justtc]

@MANUELFARINELLI You know, I am going to google that and see if your on to something. Or maybe it is an honest mistake.. kinda like when someone ask "Which one's PINK?".. lol Now you got me curious. Doesn't just seeing her bring you a warm, comfy feeling? I love her work, and take her advice to heart more then once. When I found out that my old man was cheating on me a 2nd time, I heard Sophie remind me before to "never let the same dog bite you twice." But I had. She was right...

[@soulierinvestments]

Oh that's right, I forgot Fates used a clip of this as part of WML at 25" -- and not even the funniest bits either.

[@tomservo56954]

I hope yours turned out better than the one Steve Allen did on her...ran a week on Broadway.

[@marthafarquar]

Are you a group?

[@Bellyflops2]

I was thinking the same thing...I always thought he was saying she was fat

[@robertchesnosky4689]

PS WE WILL NEVER SEE HER LIKES AGAIN OR JOLSON S EITHER FOR THAT MATTER

[@stickstr8up1]

They all stood for Marian Anderson too.

[@travis7310]

The Last Of The Red-Hot Mamas!

[@CarlyMK95]

@sonjaxfactor Because she's amazing! :]

[@graperonto]

I'd love to know what Dorothy said to her at the end when they were shaking hands. Likely apologizing for thinking she was a man. Dorothy just couldn't accept that it was a woman speaking.

[@tomservo56954]

Didn't he even know him from CARS?

[@ediekoller2636]

Sophie Tucker ...last of the red hot mammas

[@pintpot]

Actually, it WAS McCartney :)

[@windstorm1000]

Many don't know this, but Sopie was well known for doing black face early in her career--the cultural two time is hilarious when you think of it.

[@makmelaf]

The reason was the theatre owners thought she was too unattractive so they made her do that.

[@louswire]

Are you a group?... LOL

[@spectaclereplication]

Great video, but I'm glad I didn't grow up back then. All that prejudice and startling lack of diversity.