To Tell the Truth - Composer of "The Twist"; PANEL: Virginia Graham, Johnny Carson (Nov 13, 1961)

PANEL: Tom Poston, Virginia Graham, Johnny Carson, Kitty Carlisle
CONTESTANT #1: Hank Ballard (Composer of "The Twist")
CONTESTANT #2: Chloda (Clothing designer)
CONTESTANT #3: Don Pickard (Champion balloonist)
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[@Farrah300]

For so many years, I had thought Chubby Checker was the writer. Love Hank Ballard.

[@vickimanager]

This is a super fun episode!! Johnny is always so lively and witty. Come on everybody.. Let's Do The Twist!

[@downtownbobbybrown6237]

He was a clown.

[@jimmybrice6360]

i dont like carson on this show. all i see him do is gab, and promote himself. they dont have that long, so i dont like to see them waste it by talking about stuff other than asking real questions

[@liesle.8909]

This is a super fun episode, but in my opinion that's in spite of Carson. So as not to be vulgar, I'll just say he is a jerk.

[@rosiedebevc1952]

Just love the old fashion rock and rock.

[@crispincain5373]

In 2019 Don Piccard is still alive at age 93

[@jethro1963]

That Virginia Graham was pretty witty, I think she stole Johnny's spot that night until the last guest. Just looking up her bio, she was one smart lady.

[@walkingtrails7776]

Contestants in 1st round couldn't have been more polar opposites... #2 was a doctor who Founded Africare & #3 (the football player) Well, he's in prison. Dr Kennedy died Dec 2019..his work will hopefully continue to move forward always

[@MrThesper]

What did you mean by the football player is in prison? What for?

[@jbratt]

@@MrThesper fraud. Check him out on Wikipedia. Pete Hall.

[@magnificentfailure2390]

This episode was great fun. I guessed them all correctly!

[@MrJoeybabe25]

November 1961 was when the Twist was making a big comeback (after being a teenage craze in 1960) but this time the adults took it and made it into a nightclub and commercial sensation, much bigger than previously.

[@flipwright1138]

You all can pick up your carton of Salem cigarettes on your way out.

[@thomasbinninger1355]

Gasp!

[@skoplpnews9450]

I just love how only the guys - one of which claims that fashion was not their area - actually get the fashion designer right ^^

[@watchman1178]

I think they were both attracted to #2. Johnny in particular.

[@skoplpnews9450]

@@watchman1178 That, I think one might agree, can be regarded as, in the broadest sense of the word, quite likely.

[@Farrah300]

As for "To Tell the Truth" being sponsored by Salem Cigarettes, my gosh have times changed!!!

[@davidfritz2957]

Wow! Virginia Graham! Long time no see! What a treat!

[@kenyongray2615]

Bud hasn't done his customary salute lately. Tragically, Pete Hall, the 3rd contestant in game 1, became along with the rest of his family, criminals. Financial schemes, drugs, and murder. His football career began and ended in 1961 with two passes caught. It makes you think about the choices that people make either good or bad and the results of those decisions. Thanks for the video.

[@sbalman]

I had never heard of him so looked up information about him. What a tragic story and. I agree with you about making good or bad choices.

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

Man #1 in Game #1 Lady #2 in Game #2 Man #1 in Game #3

[@altfactor]

At least they gave the writer and the first to record The Twist some recognition. Although Hank Ballard had a hit with "The Twist", Chubby Checker had an even bigger hit with this song.

[@rmelin13231]

I agree completely. The upside is that Hank Ballard receives the royalties as the author of the song. (I don't think there are royalties for the dance).

[@aileen694]

Well, the Irish designer's clothes were gorgeous! Even today. She was so cute with that little snaggle-tooth! And Number 3 spoke with an awfully British accent.

[@fosbury68]

Johnny Carson a few months away from starting his 30 year Tonight Show gig.

[@picmajik]

I had to look up more about Chloda. As of 2022 she is still working in NY as an interior designer.

[@gbrumburgh]

The renowned dress designer's name in Game #2 is misspelled on this site. CLODAGH was the internationally acclaimed head of New York-based Clodagh Designs and after making her mark in the fashion industry moved successfully into the interior design world years later. The octogenarian is still alive in 2023.

[@IPlayOneOnT.V.]

This is wild! All my life I've only known Chubby Checker to the singer of "The Twist."

[@Arthur_McGowan]

It was rare in the extreme until around 1965 to see a black person on TV. Virginia Graham had a weekday morning show called "Girl Talk," which was always entertaining.

[@joyceanthony9526]

Vincent Fitzpatrick read Virginia’s bio. It’s hysterical. She wrote it in 1965. It’s entitled There Goes What’s Her Name

[@echoecho3108]

Nat 'King' Cole? Lena Horne? Sammy Davis, Jr.? Diahann Carroll? The Ink Spots? The Mills Brothers? Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson? 'Amos & Andy'? 'Beulah''? (Ethel Waters)

[@robertdesantis6205]

​@@echoecho3108IKR? 🙄 KZbin. Where truth goes to die.

[@Eddie_Schantz]

I know nothing about this Virginian Graham, but I never saw anyone on a game show that leans in her chair like she does. Maybe she has some back problems or health related issues that cause it. But she was a good game player.

[@nysaxman]

Pete Hall and his wife was convicted of financial fraud in 2010. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He's 81 now.

[@chaplainmattsanders4884]

Bummer to hear that! What a pity.

[@nysaxman]

@@chaplainmattsanders4884 unfortunately it's true. Even their son went to prison for killing a woman after he angrily shot up a nightclub after being thrown out. Google "Pete Hall and NY Giants".

[@5thdimension625]

@@nysaxman man,that’s some bad karma being passed down the lineage

[@nysaxman]

@@5thdimension625I'm not saying anything private. It's public information.

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

#2 in Game #1 sure was a handsome dude!

[@enricosanchez894]

What a shame. All he gets for inventing the twist is pocket money and a carton of smokes.

[@janeiwasduncan8463]

And Chubby Checker really cleaned up doing the Twist 🎵

[@bobantoniuk3953]

Hank Ballard lived very well off the royalties from "The Twist" for the rest of his life

[@ValleyoftheRogue]

Hank Ballard was as easy to pick out as Edmund Hillary. Ballard was a big star in his own right in the 1950s with his group The Midnighters. "The Twist" was plagiarized by Ballard from "Whatcha Gonna Do" by the Drifters. Ballard didn't get into trouble for doing it.

[@aileen694]

Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters, 1954, yes! Just heard their ORIGINAL version of the same tune. Tsk tsk, Hank! 🤔

[@ValleyoftheRogue]

@@aileen694 It was a great song. I love it, and I love "The Twist," too.

[@WitoldBanasik]

Hank Ballard- somewhat awkward fellow- was the first to do the twist... but it was in fact Chubby Checker who immortalized the twist and of course rock@ and roll.... certainly along with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Rolling Stones and some other folks... The rest is history...

[@daryleballard4912]

Witold W. Banasik - Dad, an awkward fellow????????

[@williamg2552]

It wasn't just Hank Ballard . It was HANK BALLARD & THE MIDNIGHTERS. Interesting that Hank never mentioned the other guys in the group. CHUBBY CHECKER has been campaigning hard to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . They have said , unequivocally, that they will NOT induct him ...because his most famous record was originally recorded , and made a hit by HANK BALLARD & THE MIDNIGHTERS...and THEY are ALREADY INDUCTED. Chubby got famous in the FIRST place, , because Dick Clark was heavily promoting him (He owned a part of CHUBBY'S LABEL, CAMEO PARKWAY RECORDS) ...and WOULD NOT promote THE MIDNIGHTERS' version of THE TWIST , or have them on American Bandstand, because he would gain NOTHING monetarily from their success ... but, he WOULD from CHUBBY CHECKERS'. He made a backroom deal with their label, KING RECORDS , to promote TWO of HANK and THE MIDNIGHTERS' records, in exchange for letting CHUBBY record THE TWIST, which he promoted big time. The two MIDNIGHTERS records he promoted on Bandstand turned out to be their BIGGEST HITS... the Grammy-Nominated FINGER POPPING TIME, and LET'S GO, LET'S GO, LET'S GO. THE MIDNIGHTERS got inducted....CHUBBY was LEFT OUT. CASE CLOSED.

[@irontribeissues9104]

Mhm.

[@WitoldBanasik]

@@irontribeissues9104 eehmm

[@oksills]

Than goodness they were not aware of the “true “ meaning and origin of the phrase “rock and roll”! Possibly they did know,and had the decency to (not as would have happened today) NOT to explain the term!

[@watchman1178]

I was thinking about that, too. At the very least, I'd say the contestant who was the real guy knew about it.

[@waltwilliams7063]

kitty was a cutie.

[@huskyjerk]

#3....Vandalay Industry employee?

[@007nadineL]

Lolzzzzz

[@RachelDavisMatthews]

#2 and #3 in Game#1 - sooooo hot. Is Hank Ballard - brother of Florence?

[@blofeld39]

Cousin.

[@keithnaylor1981]

His version of The Twist sounds exactly like Chubby Checker’s version? It was a great song which came along at the right time, the early 60s.

[@007nadineL]

Why is this so interesting? .

[@edwardvogel9094]

It's just beyond our experience.

[@mookie449]

Carton of Salems...LOL

[@irontribeissues9104]

Kind of a bummer the guys wanted to be all cagey about it so as to be soooo cool. Until that niiiiiice explosion at the reveal.

[@garyd.7372]

Viirginia Graham, after asking about skirt lengths, at 11:55 remarks "Ankles away". If Bennett Cerf had said that on "What's My Line?" everyone would have groaned in pain, with good reason.

[@007nadineL]

What dies that even mean? .

[@jimmybrice6360]

@@007nadineL a pun for anchors aweigh - i thought it was cute

[@ronniebishop2496]

Black guys were so smart back then. Right or am I being racist? Lol

[@sbalman]

Racist.

[@waldolydecker8118]

No, you're correct. They were even smarter than today's white ex-President. Very perceptive of you.

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

They had pride and self-respect.

[@mmalmec]

November of which year ?

[@5thdimension625]

1961

[@Farrah300]

If I were one of the contestants, I would just take the money, and leave those cigarettes. Just saying.

[@kristabrewer9363]

I think any NORMAL person would!

[@toddmccreary4579]

I think that it isn't a great idea to have a sponsor where it sounds forced to have to take the products, but I don't know if they had to. Maybe the ones who smoked took more cigarettes and less money. But they offered them to get mentioned.

[@janeiwasduncan8463]

It

[@janeiwasduncan8463]

Whoops! I tried to erase a comment, but I'LL say it anyway-Ladies shouldn't smoke so don't pick up those stinky cigarettes they cause problems than you want to know about!

[@jerrycruitt5375]

@@janeiwasduncan8463 So nice of you to tell others how to live.

[@janeiwasduncan8463]

@@jerrycruitt5375 I watched people die because they smoked...trying to breathe..please people please don't smoke...get good insurance so your family can give you a nice funeral.

[@totellthetruthcbs4220]

Join our Facebook group for TTTT-- great discussions, photos, etc, and great people! facebook.com/groups/718020231652577/ To stay up to date with postings, please consider supporting the TTTT channel by subscribing. The TTTT channel will feature all available episodes of the nighttime CBS series that ran from 1956 to 1967, with a new show posted every weekday in original broadcast order. You'll also find a collection of the Bud Collyer-hosted era of "Beat the Clock"! Click here to subscribe: kzbin.info/door/ZkBUfTQ_tmKAlUV_sQqrTQ

[@Gravydog316]

Bud didn't say "God Bless" to the black men.

[@totellthetruthcbs4220]

I really wouldn't read anything in that, personally. :)

[@Gravydog316]

To Tell the Truth (CBS) me either, but i noticed it right away lol

[@CindyNavarro]

It could easily have been the editing that cut off the words.

[@Gravydog316]

Cindy Navarro haha it just stuck out to me

[@carolv8450]

He doesn't always say it - sometimes just goodnight .