What's My Line? - Barbara Ann Scott; New game rules introduced (Apr 17, 1955)

[@susanslack6347]

I wish we had good shows like this today

[@Steezey7]

Shows for adults… hard to find any decent TV to watch unless you’re a child: or drunk.

[@adverse]

Barbara Ann Scott is a hometown hero. She has a gallery/exhibit at city hall and a skating rink named after her here in Ottawa, Canada.

[@deniserichardson630]

adverse She is a doll !!

[@cogidubnus1953]

Denise Richardson Good god she's more than a doll...she's stunningly beautiful...

[@twinsonic]

@@deniserichardson630 too thin..

[@gbrumburgh]

Barbara Ann Scott (May 9, 1928 - September 30, 2012) was a Canadian figure skater and the 1948 Olympic champion, a two-time World champion (1947-1948), and a four-time Canadian champion1944-46, 48) in ladies' singles. Known as "Canada's Sweetheart,” she is the only Canadian woman to have won Olympic gold.

[@TempleGreen]

I so love it how often John Daly flips all the cards and gives the full prize just because he can. It’s such a wonderful example of generosity and appreciation.

[@Nightturkey1]

It simply means the PRIZE was never the POINT, but rather the FUN.

[@TempleGreen]

@@Nightturkey1 I agree that they wanted it to be fun, but it’s certainly not simply the reason. That was a huge amount of money to many of those people and would make a very big difference in their life, it was showing an amazing spirit of generosity. It was giving people a wonderful feeling of abundance.

[@Nightturkey1]

@@TempleGreen You are certainly correct that $50.00 in 1959 or 1960 was a handsome sum, but I just meant that the point of the show was not to give away money but to have fun and showcase the brilliance and wit of the panelists (and Mr. Daly). Compare WML with greed-based shows like "Deal or No Deal", "Who Wants to be a Millionaire", "The Price is Right" or "Let's Make a Deal", where the whole "raison d'etre" for the show seems to be giving away money or prizes. .

[@TempleGreen]

@@Nightturkey1 Well, after watching for a while I started to notice a pattern in this show that surprised me. I don't think the show was trying to display the brilliance of the panelists nearly as much as it was working to open people's minds, to expand their understanding, to inspire minorities and people in low-income brackets, and give them a feeling of personal dignity. They treated everyone on that show wonderfully, regardless of their sex, color income bracket, religion, or nationality. They pushed the boundaries of every prejudice but they did it in such a sly and playful way that they not only got away with it, they made it a smash hit. They were battling McCarthyism, in my opinion, and so beautifully, with love and grace. And they gave people the prize not as because the people won, but because they could, just because they could. That all by itself was a strong message of kindness and generosity, which every aspect of that show embodied. That's how I see it anyway.

[@rharvey2124]

@@Nightturkey1 And don't forget Queen For A Day where the lady with the most miserable life won thousands of dollars worth of prizes.

[@moonlightray8493]

16:23 I think it would've been hilarious if John had tried to include Pierre the poodle in his "small conference", hahaha 16:54 I love how John always looks so proud of himself for coming up witty wisecracks like this!

[@buyvital]

I looked up Dean Axene's biography and he eventually became a Rear Admiral. He passed away January, 2009.

[@wchumphries]

+buyvital Thank you for that info

[@fredkruse9444]

Thanks. I knew a little about the Nautilus sailing under the North Pole, but did not know about him.

[@ceplio]

This is a short bio of RADM Axene

[@barrykendrick3146]

+Roger Thornburgh Justvintedge Sub Commanders' children were about 95% girls; presumably this has changed as females are now on board?!

[@amandaogle88]

Thank you for uploading all of these!... I ♥ this show ♥

[@cogidubnus1953]

Loved Fred Allen's little comment about the dog's coloured nails...being ready for colour television...there's an element of greatness in that (largely missed I'd guess) comment - plus that "utilitarian" gag - those are going to make me look him up and study him more...yes I've seen a little of his stuff - being a 65 year old right-ponder, I'd guess there's a good deal more to him than I thought...thank you so much for posting this and all the other episodes...my retirement, (which started just this weekend past), is going to be a happier place with this show and all the others in it...

[@rharvey2124]

Have you discovered that Fred Allen was a huge radio star with his own program? Jack Benny and Fred used a pretend, made up feud between them and their radio shows for years as a running gag. I think Fred Allen also had his own tv show and made some movies.

[@cogidubnus1953]

@@rharvey2124 Yes thank you

[@lynettepalecek3141]

I heard Dorothy Kilgallen exclaim with glee that Pierre had red "fingernails." Then, Bennett Cerf said the same thing and he corrected it to "red toenails." I didn't hear Fred Allen get excited about it.

[@tomitstube]

barbara ann scott is/was somewhat of an canadian icon, she is the only woman to win an olympic gold in singles free style. she did this in 1948 just after ww II, so there was a lot of national pride attached to her performance, the last olympics held before this was in hitler's germany 1936. what's interesting about arlene's question @ 15:58 (as you may have surmised) is mrs. scott won her gold while skating on a frozen lake.

[@tubularap]

0:50 - Fred Allen: "And on my left, miss Arlene Francis." - Arlene: "That's enough." - Haha, such a class act she is.

[@bazazpa]

This is going to sound stupid, but one of the things I love about watching these episodes, is to go through the seasons with the panel… For instance today happens to be spring… And then as I watch them I go through the different seasons. During summer they might have some baseball players on, and then in the winter they'll do Christmas themed contestants.

[@paulrollins2414]

I would agree. When John talks about the inclement weather, I can feel it, even if it is summer here (which it is!)

[@nonenone3427]

I don't think that is stupid at all, its fun !

[@anselmgolden8286]

It doesn't sound stupid, at all, to me. I love going through the seasons with John and the panel, too! 😊

[@baetidbaravidlsalti-wu4rv]

i love it, too.

[@werewolftoby]

“I understand we’ve established ice?” “I believe it was established long before we got here!”

[@cuttersboi08]

John was quite happy with himself over that one.

[@donaldwarren463]

I met Barbara Ann in the early 80s backstage at the Ice Show I was in .. she was stunning ..

[@Beson-SE]

Barbara Ann Scott was asked to carry the Olympic torch in the lead-up to the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary and she was one of the Olympic flag bearers during the opening ceremonies to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. She died in 2012.

[@savethetpc6406]

Johan Bengtsson Thanks for the info., Johan! Nice that she continued to be recognized and acknowledged in her field throughout her life.

[@Beson-SE]

SaveThe TPC She was worth it.

[@loissimmons6558]

Still the only Canadian to win the ladies single figure skating gold medal, doing so at St. Moritz in 1948. She relinquished her amateur status a few months later, enabling her to be a paid performer in various ice shows. She would wed Tom King in September 1955 and they remained married until her death in 2012.

[@Lava1964]

I believe Barbara Ann Scott was also the only non-European female to ever win the European figure skating championship. After She won, the rules were changed to prohibit non-Europeans from competing.

[@mistergrandpasbakery9941]

I've seen many panel combinations but this is, by far, the best!

[@N6MKC]

Fred Allen's deadpan delivery is pure comic gold.."Nice night for a walk, isn't it?", "Leave religion out of it, John!"..... bwah!!!!!

[@wloffblizz]

He's the absolute best "jokester" type panelist for this show -- witty quips with amazing deadpan delivery, but he still also takes the game itself seriously and plays it rather well (even if he's not quite as good as the other three)! This particular panelist lineup is my absolute favorite.

[@omargonzalez2641]

That little doggie is adorable.

[@mikejschin]

I had a miniature poodle that looked very much like Barbara Ann Scott's. She was a fantastic little dog, a wonderful companion through some tough times. There is no loyalty on earth greater than that of a good dog.

[@robertjean5782]

Or a husband 😊

[@victoriataylor5457]

Mr. Axene, looks a little like Ron Reagan , a handsome intelligent man. & Barbara Ann with her little dog was adorable. Thanks for these great What's my line shows , really enjoy them

[@savethetpc6406]

I went searching for the episodes that were blocked/pulled by Fremantle and discovered that this is the first intact episode after the 15 blocked ones. I thought I'd better watch it now while I still can, and I realized for some reason I never commented on this episode before. I'm glad I watched it, because I thoroughly enjoyed it! Fred was on a roll with lots of great witticisms that had both the audience and the panel laughing throughout the show, and John was so relaxed he was practically giddy! What a difference a few years makes. After getting used to watching the very early episodes in which John was more reserved and used to comment on how contestants did "fairly well with the prizes" even when they only won about $20, it was a joy to see him once again "flip all the cards" with reckless abandon for the first contestant (human cannonball) after Arlene guessed her so easily. His whole demeanor in this episode is very different from those in the very early 50s too. So much more at ease and clearly enjoying every minute of the program. The panelists all seemed to be enjoying each other too, and clearly this episode is when WML was at full-stride and had already "come into its own." Great to see the changes in rules and game-play take effect too. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of this episode makes me all the more sad to realize that it very likely will be pulled from KZbin within the next couple of days. :( Also, when I looked at which episodes _had been pulled_, I saw that many of them were ones that I remember fondly and would have loved to see again. This is right in the middle of the Fred Allen period, and it made me look forward to getting to his full run of shows in order again, but as things stand now, that won't be possible. What's My Line? Gary, I really hope that you're able to pull off the David vs. Goliath miracle and restore your channel to its full glory!

[@glamdolly30]

And 4 years later, it's still here... HURRAH!

[@diamondstud322]

I didn’t really watch much KZbin until this year, so you’ve got me curious what got pulled and why and if the shows removed were replaced.

[@ToddSF]

I have to say that every time they adjusted the rules on WML, it was, for me, an improvement. At least, at this stage, when they're doing the "walk of shame", no one is poking or prodding the contestants, examining the labels inside their coats or feeling the biceps on the men. All of that always struck me as tacky and embarrassing. I think having all the regular contestants walk past the panelists on the way out to shake hands with them, the way they'd been doing with the mystery guests, worked better, too. The final rule changes gave them the chance to converse just a little bit with the contestants afterward and sometimes clear up a couple of questions, rather than to have them be abruptly dismissed and having them stand, turn and exit behind John Daly.

[@savethetpc6406]

ToddSF 94109 Yes, the walk past the panel is much more civilized in this era, a great improvement over previous years, but I agree that it's best when the contestants get to greet the panel _after_ the game, instead of before.

[@Beson-SE]

ToddSF 94109 Just before the game they must be very nervous and a bit unconcentrated. To ask them to take a walk before the panel seems almost cruel. But after the show they certainly are relaxed and happy and can take a walk AND greet the panel without fear or embarrassment

[@litigioussociety4249]

This show was originally coming off of the radio era, and the introduction walk would help audiences at home in games like this, and the comments would have been much more appreciated and humorous to a radio audience. However, it didn't translate well to television.

[@johannarhymer1093]

Agree completely

[@yawlltube]

19:10 "Pierre had red toe-nails." "He was ready for color TV, I guess." Fred on a roll.

[@frankroper3274]

Awesome show!

[@adamodeo9320]

Dorothy was a gem!!!

[@fanorama1]

Arlene guessed the 1st contestant SO quickly!

[@robertjean5782]

Arlene is brilliant 😊

[@RonGerstein]

​@@robertjean5782Arlene cheats all the time.

[@robertjean5782]

@@RonGerstein panelists have no reason to cheat, they're paid $1,000 a week.

[@JayTemple]

I didn't realize both changes happened in the same episode until now.

[@robertmelson2130]

A comment below induced me to look for information on the second guest, Dean Axene. His obit lists his assignment after executive officer on the Nautilus as "commissioning commanding officer of the USS Thresher". Oh, my.... Perhaps the term "commissioning" meant he didn't have to take a ride on it. Incidentally, Bennett, a submarine is not a ship; it's a boat.

[@orgonkothewildlyuntamed6301]

Robert Melson it is though erroneously since the reason they were called boats was the first ones needed to be "launched" which by the time of this show was many years removed but they retained the name

[@ludenasan1]

My hubby was a sub sailor, he said they were taught subs were boats as they had no safety boats or dingys.

[@wmsanders99]

Sadly, USS Thresher was lost at sea with all hands onboard. RIP shipmates

[@kattahj]

Pierre is adorable and so is the way John talks to him.

[@glamdolly30]

Me too - you can tell a lot about a man by the way they relate - or don't relate - to animals. The finest men are animal lovers. And before some idiot jumps in with a dumb punchline - no, I don't mean sheep shaggers, they are perverts! It is especially true of men who are kind to little, lap dogs like Pierre. My tiny Maltese girl tragically died of cancer a few months ago, aged 13. I miss her terribly. She was tiny all her life, no more than 6lbs at her heaviest. I would put a bow in her hair sometimes and occasionally if it was a cold day put a cute sweater or dress on her. I noticed there's a particular kind of guy who does not like a cute little dog like mine. For some reason, the sight of a little furry scrap of fur looking cute, enrages them and threatens their masculinity. These cretins would invariably clap eyes on my cute dog and say the same thing: "Is it a rat?" They thought this terribly witty, and that they were the first person ever to say it. A man who appreciates a tiny dog and is kind to him/her, is a real man in my eyes.

[@rharvey2124]

@@glamdolly30 Seriously I would assume those mean men are psychopaths.

[@glamdolly30]

@@rharvey2124 I certainly would not want to be married to one!

[@soulierinvestments]

10:50 > 11:05 Fred was really funny. RE: In April 1955, Arthur Godfrey fired Haleloke, the Mariners, and Marion Marlowe. The following month, MM married television producer Larry Puck, who had also been fired by Godfrey. As we see from the jokes, Godfrey's actions did real damage to his charming folksy public image.

[@savethetpc6406]

soulierinvestments He was "on fire" in this episode! The witticisms, and the corresponding laughs just kept on coming!

[@dcasper8514]

Never thought Arthur Godfrey was "charming". Folksy old navy salt, yeah.. How wa ya. How wa ya How wa ya ?

[@briane173]

@@dcasper8514 Godfrey was never on my "A" list when I was a kid; but only discovering recently how arrogant, irascible and vindictive he was has REALLY lowered his stock in my mind. Arthur Godfrey obviously mistook himself for _Almighty_ God-frey.

[@jimchabai3163]

As a Canadian, it's interesting to hear a 1955 Canadian accent. It hasn't changed much, considering a lot of these panelists and the host; their accents are pretty much disappeared.

[@rharvey2124]

People keep referring to the panel's accents as mid-Atlantic whatever that means. I thought it meant the preferred way of talking for London West End and Broadway ways stars... Update - that is correct. The Mid-Atlantic accent, or Transatlantic accent,[1][2][3] is a consciously learned accent of English, fashionably used by the early 20th-century American upper class and entertainment industry, which blended together features regarded as the most prestigious from both American and British English (specifically Received Pronunciation). It is not a native or regional accent; rather, according to voice and drama professor Dudley Knight, "its earliest advocates bragged that its chief quality was that no Americans actually spoke it unless educated to do so".[4] The accent was embraced in private independent preparatory schools, especially by members of the American Northeastern upper class, as well as in schools for film and stage acting,[5] with its overall use sharply declining after the Second World War.[6] A similar accent that resulted from different historical processes, Canadian dainty, was also known in Canada, existing for a century before waning in the 1950s.[7] More recently, the term "mid-Atlantic accent" can also refer to any accent with a perceived mixture of American and British characteristics.[8][9][10] Wiki

[@gemoftheocean]

@@rharvey2124 no. It means neutral accents from northeastern US. Pa., new Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island,

[@rob585]

@@rharvey2124 From what I’ve gathered, the Mid-Atlantic accent was a trained way of speaking for broadcasts (started in radio, then TV) so everyone could understand you. It is clearly understood by English-speakers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, hence the name. I don’t think anyone really grew up talking like that, you would just learn it if you were to be recorded. Why they stopped using it by the eighties is beyond me.

[@rharvey2124]

@@rob585 We are correct. The Mid-Atlantic accent, or Transatlantic accent,[1][2][3] is a consciously learned accent of English, fashionably used by the early 20th-century American upper class and entertainment industry, which blended together features regarded as the most prestigious from both American and British English (specifically Received Pronunciation). It is not a native or regional accent; rather, according to voice and drama professor Dudley Knight, "its earliest advocates bragged that its chief quality was that no Americans actually spoke it unless educated to do so".[4] The accent was embraced in private independent preparatory schools, especially by members of the American Northeastern upper class, as well as in schools for film and stage acting,[5] with its overall use sharply declining after the Second World War.[6] A similar accent that resulted from different historical processes, Canadian dainty, was also known in Canada, existing for a century before waning in the 1950s.[7] More recently, the term "mid-Atlantic accent" can also refer to any accent with a perceived mixture of American and British characteristics.[8][9][10] wiki

[@rharvey2124]

@@gemoftheocean The Mid-Atlantic accent, or Transatlantic accent,[1][2][3] is a consciously learned accent of English, fashionably used by the early 20th-century American upper class and entertainment industry, which blended together features regarded as the most prestigious from both American and British English (specifically Received Pronunciation). It is not a native or regional accent; rather, according to voice and drama professor Dudley Knight, "its earliest advocates bragged that its chief quality was that no Americans actually spoke it unless educated to do so".[4] The accent was embraced in private independent preparatory schools, especially by members of the American Northeastern upper class, as well as in schools for film and stage acting,[5] with its overall use sharply declining after the Second World War.[6] A similar accent that resulted from different historical processes, Canadian dainty, was also known in Canada, existing for a century before waning in the 1950s.[7] More recently, the term "mid-Atlantic accent" can also refer to any accent with a perceived mixture of American and British characteristics.[8][9][10] Wiki

[@BTTFandBillyMaysFan]

The format changes that began in this episode makes it sort of the WML equivalent of when The Price is Right became an hour long in 1975, and when the nighttime Wheel of Fortune eliminated shopping in favor of playing for cash in October 1987.

[@JayTemple]

At about 21:30, I was reminded of the time they had someone whose line was MAKES BREADBOXES.

[@thanksforanotherbadhaircut1211]

JayTemple Steve Allen used to say ‘’...is it bigger than a bread box?’

[@gnirolnamlerf593]

"Double-barreled question." Bravo, John!

[@quizmaster85]

"I wanted to ask you, John, if you thought that a cannon fired faster than (Arthur) Godfrey did?" Guessing it's a light-hearted swipe at Godfrey's firing of Julius la Rosa.

[@sansacro007]

Miss Scott has the air of an eccentric comic actress; I can see her playing Lucy's younger sister on I Love Lucy

[@stevenelief6784]

Tremendous athlete, I was lucky enough to meet as a 11 year old. Fred Allen's foresight comment about color TV was at least 15 years ahead of its time.

[@mkl62]

Thanks for posting.

[@bigwilson8794]

John should not have flipped a card at 11:12. Fred asked in the negative, and the answer should have been "yes". He does this to Fred a lot

[@WhatsMyLine]

Dick Wilson Yes, Fred got a lot of unfair No's, but no one ever seemed to notice!

[@orgonkothewildlyuntamed6301]

What's My Line? actually if you replay it John sort of mumbled how Fred asked it in the positive earlier & he forgot to flip the card then

[@savethetpc6406]

orgonko the wildly untamed I think what John was saying was that someone else had asked about an _association_ with the Air Force earlier. I think Fred was really just confirming that, and even if John wanted to nitpick, the fact that Fred asked it in the negative should have kept him playing, but John was full of beans in this episode and seemed to want to keep things hopping as much as he could.

[@SDG.12]

And this is why I love Fred Allen's quick wit brand of humor way more than the slapstick ones of say a Hal Block or Bennet

[@savethetpc6406]

sdg 14 I wouldn't exactly call either Block's or Bennett's humor "slapstick," but I think I know what you mean. Fred Allen was exceptionally quick and clever, and his jokes were kind of subtle -- a real "thinking person's" comic. Bennett's humor was much sillier and cornier, and Block's was more overt.

[@El_Ophelia]

Except Fred Allen isn't funny. I'm glad they got rid of Hal Block as he was obscene, but Fred Allen is also obscene just in a dry way. He is disrespectful in his humour and how he talks about people, even to their faces.

[@jennymode]

@@El_Ophelia I am so pleased that somebody else sees that too.! He was mean and insulted people while pretending it was an off the cuff remark. I was glad when he stopped being a regular on the panel.

[@jennymode]

@@El_Ophelia I'm so glad someone else sees that too! He was mean and insulted people while pretending it was just an off the cuff remark. He just got away with it because he made it seem clever - except the episode where he was extremely insulting to a heavy woman, nonstop fat jokes. I was shocked. I was glad when he stopped being a regular panel member.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

@@jennymode He stopped being a member of the panel when he dropped dead from a heart attack one Sunday morning. Fred Allen not funny? Comedy IS a matter of taste. I'll bet you like beets and reminded the teacher that she forgot to give out the homework assignment. Jeepers!

[@sparklietines9384]

i love when arlene pushes back and its always charming funny and smart.

[@kennithumperovitch1312]

Dean Exene? When I worked on the Naval Base of Little Creek, I would see his face on the wall in The Hall of Honors. His picture was on the wall for fallen Military Men.

[@danielfronc4304]

Pierre the poodle had his toenails painted pink, Dorothy said. Poor little male poodle. The indignity.

[@glamdolly30]

He may have identified as female, who knows?!!

[@thezmanchar]

Fred Allen is an outstanding comedian. He is brilliant.

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

It took only five years for them to realize how much the free guess nonsense bogged down the pace of the game.😄

[@robertjean5782]

After 9 correct quesses they stopped 😊

[@sdkelmaruecan2907]

At 5:30, I could tell Arlene got it and she had the 'cannon' in mind as soon as she started...

[@tomitstube]

yea, no more wild guesses, where's that girl in the audience who always go "yeaaaaaaaaaaaa"? she's not there, i miss that. and the guy in the audience who always "guffaws" is missing too... and apparently fred 0:52 was told to "cut down" his introductions. wonder who was behind that?

[@El_Ophelia]

The show used plants, and I picked up on the woman yelling or howling to encourage laughter, and the guy who, based on the audio, was in the center aisle, was there every single episode to gufaw and make loud faux laughter to try and encourage the audience into laughter. They were plants. Not real audience members. Every single episode there were the same group of people inserted to incite the audience into greater laughter. I wish they didn't do that because the show is so very good there's no need to hire these fluffers to pad the audience.

[@davidsanderson5918]

Lilly Beans Agree totally. Recently I rewatched the entire series of Rhoda starring Valerie Harper and the guffawing plant in the audience there got a bit much too. I don't remembering hearing this on UK shows, only US. Totally unnecessary for WML....and anyway, the guffawing guy laughs in the wrong places when nothing's funny!

[@rharvey2124]

There were some audience members who were fans and at every show if they were not sick. Merv Griffin had one such, a Mrs. Something or other who even attended a lot of Carol Burnett Shows and other programs where the hosts would acknowledge her and often even chat a bit with her - all on air. The tickets were FREE.

[@robertjean5782]

​​@@El_Ophelia People were coming every week and they were regulars attendees, I was part of that audience 😊

[@El_Ophelia]

@@robertjean5782 That's cool that you got to be a part of the audience!

[@ronwatson5996]

They all look like they are having fun.

[@Mark-hc8ek]

Fred's joke which received such a huge laugh was referencing a popular TV host Arthur Godfrey who was notorious for firing staff on air.

[@MrWindermere123]

I've watched many episodes of this show and this is the only one in which John Daly shushes the audience to avoid giving a clue to the panel. He does it when the skater is facing a long, vague question about water or frozen water. Of course she skates on ice but the question is so broad that the audience would give too much help by applauding the words 'frozen water'. In fact Mr Daly is more tricky than normal in making the panel work harder and Arlene Francis comments on that. He's right to do it because the live studio audience often give things away. eg. laughing at the question about travel when put to the human cannonball. The regular panel members know how to read the reaction, as Bennett Cerf confirmed in an interview.

[@dcasper8514]

John Gee. He's done that before..

[@edgeworldpictures6831]

Barbara Ann's poodle, Pierre, is remarkable. Pure bred poodles of any size are the best dogs ever!

[@mikejschin]

Poodles are definitely a wonderful breed. As I replied to another comment on this episode, I had a mini poodle that was the best companion imaginable. Putting her down was one of the worst moments of my life...though it was merciful to her, it was a hurt that I'll never completely get over. Btw, her successor is a Jack Russell terrier. Almost an exact opposite kind of breed, but also a fantastic dog.

[@decam5329]

Love the little dog.

[@perpieta]

The doggie was so cute!

[@soulierinvestments]

My theory as to why the producers hung on to the Walk of Shame clear to this time is that the production staff hoped that Fred would say something funny. And he did often enough, as with Ms. Zeccini.

[@robertmelson2130]

soulierinvestments Thanks! That answers something I'd been wondering about. I just watched WML's walk of shame montage and couldn't help but notice that the discontinuation of the walk seemed to somewhat coincide with Fred Allen's death. I just couldn't fathom how something so trivial could be connected to something else so serious.

[@savethetpc6406]

soulierinvestments 2:38 - "Nice night for a walk, isn't it?" --Just the first of many great comic lines by Fred Allen on this episode!

[@robertjean5782]

Majority of replies are from " newbies generation" and don't appreciate the funny jokes from old time panelist. 😊

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

How the deuce did Arlene guess the human cannonball?!?!?!

[@soulierinvestments]

fishhead06 Bright woman that Arlene. The laughter about traveling probably got her into the groove.

[@ericmaine]

Arlene hosted a talk show and had the woman's brothers on the show (they were also human cannonballs) so it was probably on her mind.

[@050572robert]

Bennet cerf confirmed in an interview about the show that they always knew who was in town and always got vague wind of who was on. His interview is in two parts here on youtube

[@sandwichman100]

i firmly believe a certain amount of cheating went on in this show in order to 'speed things up' too often panelists reached the occupation just to easily for it to be by good questions alone. not saying they are told exactly what contestants do but maybe 'tonight there will be someone from a circus' just to steer them in the right direction. otherwise they may never guess anyones occupation

[@wloffblizz]

@@sandwichman100 I seriously doubt that. They often spend forever on rather boring guests because the occupation is hard to guess, and then rush through someone super interesting because they guess too well or run out of time. So if there's cheating going on, it's done in an incredibly stupid fashion. In this case, it was clearly the audience's laughter to the questions about "do you travel in your work" and "is there something special about the way you travel" that gave Arlene the clue -- obviously there was something special about "travelling" while working, and there's only so many things it could mean.

Thank you. I was wondering when the rules changed. It's a pity, though, because I preferred the old rules. Made it more fun.

[@randytomblin7130]

What new rules?? I missed it

[@jackkomisar458]

@@randytomblin7130 At 14:10 John Daly announces the new rules, which apply only to the questioning of mystery guests. Each panelist will get only one question at a time, rather than continuing to ask questions until they get a "no".

[@michaeldanello3966]

Several criticisms of Fred Allen's comment that the contestant had a "weather beaten look"...a few moments later he clarified by saying "I thought she might work outdoors.". On television he was occasionally awkward but Fred was an extremely devout Roman Catholic. His long running "feud" with Jack Benny was another joke that was frequently misunderstood.even by critics and commentators who certainly should have known better. He and Benny were always on good terms. Not to be unfriendly but a lot of comments made on many of these WML shows demonstrate that a lot of watchers do not pay attention all the way through to the last "goodbye by Daly" and must be getting up for a break or talking because their comments prove they have missed parts of the back and forth comments.

[@mareike633]

Fred Allen was rude on several occasions throughout the show, the worst instance I remember is when he kept making crude comments about a bigger contestant's weight throughout the entire time she was there, poor lady tried to take it in good humor but looked very beaten down and embarrassed by the end.

[@pauline4581]

I agree with mareike

[@robertjean5782]

​@@mareike63370 years ago this was acceptable to all contestants, not rude etc!😊

[@thelmalopez5154]

great mystery guest

[@MrJoeybabe25]

I'm glad they eliminated the free guess...I thought it was just a time killer. I hope that the promenade in front of the panelists is gone before long. I guess that giving the panel only one question at a time with the mystery guest was a good idea; it changed things around a bit and speeded up this particular part of the show. It would not have been appropriate to have that for the regular challengers though.

[@WhatsMyLine]

The main reason they switched up the questioning for the mystery guest segment is that they were trying to prevent the segments from ending so quickly.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Makes sense. Once Dorothy (especially) was on the hunt she could close up shop in 2 minutes.

[@fanboy2015]

Joe Postove I agree with you wholeheartedly, the free guesses where a time killer. Also glad that they eliminated the contestants walking by the panel "so they can take a look at you" part. But that was eliminated a while ago. I hated that part.

[@JackDecker63]

+What's My Line? And you could tell that many celebrities were depressed that they didn't get asked by all the panelists.

[@loissimmons6558]

I didn't mind the free guess so much as it gave me as a viewer a little more time to guess the occupation as well. Dispensing of the walk of shame was long overdue. The panelists even seemed to be rather blase about it, no longer asking to see someone's jacket label or to feel their muscles.

[@RobertPerrigoOkiechopper]

Watching them again

[@diamondstud322]

Wow, two surprising things in the ending credits. Apparently the show paid for the human cannonball lady to fly in (can’t recall how to spell her name). I’d have thought they only did that for mystery guests or panelists. Second, they allowed Remington Rand to promote another show they sponsored on another network. I’d have thought this was a big time Nono LOL

[@gilliankew]

They paid transport costs for all their guests. It’s in some of the ads for United Airlines and American Airlines.

[@renatoreside]

Arlene Francis figures out the highest number of lines. Amazing intelligence!

[@robertjean5782]

And beautiful too😊

[@loissimmons6558]

On this day in 1955, the Dodgers swept a doubleheader in Pittsburgh, 10-3 and 3-2. Johnny Podres was the beneficiary of the Dodgers run barrage in game 1 after falling behind 2-0 in the first inning. Roy Campanella had three hits (including 2 doubles and a home run) and three RBI's, Duke Snider homered, and Podres contributed a single and a double with an RBI to his own cause. April 17, 1955 would also prove to be an important date in major league history. Roberto Clemente made his major league debut, playing in both games of the doubleheader. His infield hit in the first inning of the first game contributed to the Pirates' early lead: the first of the 3000 hits in his career. The Dodgers had him in their farm system in 1954, his first year playing in the United States, but Branch Rickey drafted him from the Dodgers in what is known as the Rule 5 major league draft. There are many variations on how it came about that the Dodgers lost Clemente. In the nightcap, Clem Labine got a rare start and held the Pirates scoreless through seven innings to protect a 3-0 lead. He faltered in the eighth and when the leadoff batter in the ninth singled, Jim Hughes came out of the bullpen to preserve the win. The Dodgers were the only team in either league to finish the first week of the season undefeated, winning all 6 of their games that week. After winning on opening day against the Pirates at Ebbets Field, they won two games from the defending World Champion Giants at the Polo Grounds and swept their three game set in Pittsburgh. Highlights for the week included Don Newcombe hitting two home runs in a 10-8 slugfest against the Giants. He set a single season record that year for home runs by a Dodger pitcher with seven (tied by Don Drysdale). Carl Furillo hitting two home runs in a 6-3 win over the Giants, giving him four in the first three games. Russ Meyer hurling a two-hit shutout to beat the Pirates 6-0, contributing a 2-run double to the Dodger attack.

[@dcasper8514]

Lois Simmons. yeah, but 5 years later the Pirates win an exciting World Series over the Yankees in Pittsburgh.

[@dcasper8514]

Lois....Who had the better arm in right field ? Roberto Clemente or Carl furillo ?

[@loissimmons6558]

@@dcasper8514 Wow! How does a person compare, especially so many years later? They didn't have the recording devices back then like we have now. Basically the scouting report was that you ran on either of them at your own peril. But the speed of the throw is only part of it. How quick is the release? How well does the right fielder get into position to make the throw? Furillo was one of the strongest men to ever play the game. After his playing career, he wanted nothing to do with the game and he became a construction worker. But he also had a huge advantage in home games played at Ebbets Field. That park had the craziest wall in right field to right-center field. At the bottom it was concrete. Halfway down, it angled away from the field; then it went straight up. It was topped by a metal screen that was also in play. In the middle of that wall was a scoreboard that had no angled part. But because it was a mechanical scoreboard with slots for the numbers, not an electronic scoreboard, and there were lots of other nooks and crannies (for example where the Schaefer Beer sign connected at the top of the scoreboard, plus the clock and the loudspeakers which were all in play). And there was also a short angled section to connect the scoreboard to the concrete wall. So depending upon where the ball would hit the wall, the ball would bounce differently. If it hit the concrete, especially the angled part, it would shoot back to the infield. It if hit the screen, it would drop straight down. If it hit the scoreboard, Schaefer sign, clock, loudspeakers or angled wall, it might go in any direction. Once Furillo was moved permanently from center field to right field, he spent hour upon hour having fungoes hit to him so he could judge by the flight of the ball where it would hit and he would know where to run (except in the cases where it would bounce toward center field: then it would be Duke Snider's ball). The Dodgers would win a few games each year at home because of that right field wall, especially when Furillo patrolled that part of the outfield for the Dodgers because opposing outfielders would be unfamiliar with the quirks of that wall and the Dodger outfielders usually knew it well. The best example was Game 4 of the 1947 World Series when Cookie Lavagetto hit one off the right field wall for the only Dodger hit of the game off Bill Bevens with two outs in the ninth inning. When the ball eluded Tommy Henrich of the Yankees, two runners (both reaching on walks) came around to score and give the Dodgers a 3-2 win. As one of the greatest 5 tool players of all time, I would pick Clemente to be on my team any time. If the Dodgers had handled things better, he would have eventually replaced Furillo in right field. But for giving better than 100% effort every time on the field and in preparing for each game, plus all his talents (1953 batting champ, home run power, excellent all around fielder with a rifle for a throwing arm) "Skoonj" Furillo is my sentimental pick as the best right fielder the Dodgers ever had.

[@lrg3834]

Such a classy show. The Millennials and Generation Z (Zero), as a whole, have no clue how crappy the entertainment world has become.

[@JDAbelRN]

@Jon Boy so reassured that some of the young recognize true wit, etiquette and light entertainment.

[@anselmgolden8286]

@@JDAbelRN Some of us certainly do! I absolutely love this programme.

[@dinahbrown902]

I won’t watch the new crap. The Idiot Box has become the Indoctrination Box, so many lost souls 😢

[@bambi274]

Im a millenial. We still witnessed class during the 80's and 90's

[@dinahbrown902]

@@bambi274 If you believe that than your definition of class is so very different than older peoples

[@golden-63]

Bennet has an uncanny ability to size some one up just on appearance.

[@savethetpc6406]

goldenthroat86 Yes and no. He did this kind of thing very often, and I'd say he was right about 50% of the time. ;)

[@stefanovarriale2100]

@@savethetpc6406 50% would be very good if he always sized up people to the level of detail he did here ("military" for the officer ) which probability is way less than 50%.

[@robertjean5782]

That's why they had the walk, the guest were sized up 😊

[@robertjean5782]

Bennett was a brilliant man, and traveled the world meeting numerous well known people 😊

[@SueBeaWho]

I LOVE when Dean Axene signs in and John says..."And what is your first name Sir?" lolol and I GET IT Daly OBVIOUSLY thought the man was a Dean of a University lol

[@dcasper8514]

John knew the contestant's name. He was trying to match Fred's quips.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

John was in a really strange mood on this one. Maybe he was just excited about the new rules or maybe he had had dinner at Toots Shors before the show.

[@tomitstube]

+Michael Maloney - i noticed that too, he seemed thrilled with the new rule, it probably made his job easier. at @ 16:52 he makes the rare joke and dorothy says he's "getting absolutely unbearable."

[@MilkmanNorm]

John was probably pushing the producers to change the rules for a long time prior to this.

[@loissimmons6558]

+tomitstube He was really getting down to hairsplitting on this episode, trying to put words in the panelists mouth and twist their question so it would get a no. Arlene raised her objection before Dorothy did.

[@lisal8984]

It was spring

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Barbara Ann Scott reminds a little, just some, of Peggy Ann Garner. Which brings up the question, did P.A. Garner ever appear on WML?

[@WhatsMyLine]

Nope, not the CBS version.

[@satit02]

The way the audience laugh to guest answer is a clue to the answer,

[@GregoryLehmann-z8e]

This was the first mystery guest segment panelists were limited to asking one question at a time on guessing mystery guests.

[@michaelhewitt258]

I admire A woman of her caliber

[@rmelin13231]

Mr. Axene (second contestant) made it to Rear Admiral, USN.

[@Galantski]

Arlene asks: "Are you a circus performer, or would you appear at great night clubs?" That's two questions rolled into one. Why isn't she made to choose one or the other to ask? Likewise, too much latitude was given when the questioning was about water -- frozen water. One or the other, please. This happens way too much, and as strict as John can be in forcing questions to be reworded at times, he seems pretty lax in this regard.

[@rharvey2124]

The panelists trying to outsmart the host added to the hilarity imo and worked against them as often as it helped. LOL.

[@Galantski]

@@rharvey2124 True.

[@allenjones3130]

Mystery guest Barbara Ann Scott was a lovely lady

[@scottpardee6303]

Ho! Ho! I just watched a show in 1973, when Alan Alda guessed that the contestant plucked eyelashes. But he shaped eyebrows.

[@keithnaylor1981]

I think Dorothy must have had a room totally filled with amazing necklaces!

[@JanetM-ro6xc]

She was awarded a lifetime standing in the best dressed hall of fame.

[@WBCRO]

I’ve wondered if she had some sort of arrangement with jewelry and/or clothing suppliers. That could explain the variety she wore but I don’t have any proof of any such relationship. Surely a retailer loaning their products for the show would ask for some sort of recognition being made, say, in the show’s credits. Or, maybe she just had a lot of jewelry. 🤷‍♀️

[@robertjean5782]

​@@WBCRODorothy was a investigative reporter for years, and other jobs. She was well off😊

[@miketheyunggod2534]

Barbara Ann Scott...what a sweetheart. and the cutest voice.

[@ericmaine]

MiketheYung God her dog was well behaved, too.

[@FlockOfHawks]

Bennett's jump to submarine is somewhat suspicious

[@drakea.5816]

That atomic submarine was big news in the papers that week.

[@robertjean5782]

​@@drakea.5816Exactly, and it was bigger news when it sank with all hands!!😢

[@drakea.5816]

@@robertjean5782 Terrible to hear that. I didn't know. 😥

[@KevinBradshaw1972]

Albert Einstein died the following day

It's a pity he was never a guest on What's My Line!

[@you2449]

never heard of him. ! (so he couldn't have been very popular, like the beatles )

[@519djw6]

@ It's my understanding that he learned English rather late in life, but that he was a devotee of this show in his final years.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

I don't think the show knew he was sick.

[@dcasper8514]

You 2099...Never heard of Albert Einstein ? Really ?

[@mariedirvin5468]

That’s why we all love it

[@serenesplendorasmr3635]

John was in such a jovial mood in this one. 😃

[@cricketrecords1411]

How did Arlene guess the cannonball woman so soon? And why would Fred Allen ask her if she traveled as his initial question? That seemed planned to make the audience laugh.

[@robertjean5782]

Arlene interviewed her brothers last week.😊

[@joanbrigid6987]

Oh good no more wild guesses!

[@robertjean5782]

After 9 correct guesses they eliminated it😊

[@ToddSF]

Seems to me that "makes false eyelashes" has been a fairly frequent profession on WML over the years.

[@sthompson4049]

Thought he looked familiar,saw him on a documentary about the Nautalis

[@zzzbbbooo]

Good fun and that little poodle is as cute as...

[@poetcomic1]

Wow! Barbara Ann Scott was a first class goof! I kinda like it though.

[@lawrencecunningham7321]

How did Arlene pull the human cannon ball amazing

[@waldolydecker8118]

She picked up on the previous questioning when they were talking about the contestant traveling for her job. The audience laughter about "traveling for her job" clearly indicates to a perceptive person - and Arlene was certainly one - that the traveling may be unusual. Very logical progression actually.

[@robertjean5782]

​@@waldolydecker8118Arlene had interviewed her brothers on another show😊

[@bigoldinosaur]

I'm a member of the Air Force.

[@ModMokkaMatti]

That's okay, someone else is a founding member of the Space Farce.

[@allieal1561]

Somehow I don’t see how Arleen could guess so quickly with so few clues. It happened to often to be random.

[@darrelltiencken2413]

Why not use a curtain (instead of blind folds) between the panel and the contestant for the mystery guest?

[@TheBatugan77]

Because. That's why.

[@gnirolnamlerf593]

I wish the dog had barked during the questioning, but still Ms. Scott was an interesting mystery challenger.

[@dariawells7438]

That third guest's outfit and voice were amazeballs. I can just fantasize having her put false eyelashes on me in a sort of ASMR-ish relaxing way.

[@stanmaxkolbe]

WOW I had no idea that John Daly was born in Johannesburg South Africa? Until Bennett Cerf said it.

[@robinhartley2325]

Did you notice how Dorothy loved on Pierre? Very sweet... ❤

[@Bink316]

Cute little pup

[@henrywyche]

John didn't ask Miss little if she was " Miss.or Mrs."

[@robertjean5782]

It was well known she was miss!😊

[@TheNomadicview]

Only Canadians are this nice anymore.

[@frereM]

I find that the non-Parliamentarian Brits do quite well, too.

[@petemarshall8094]

@@frereM You’re right, and quite astute. The Cavaliers have always been far more polite than the Roundheads.

[@NoobsShadow]

I prefer the "walk and inspection" the way it was. Personally, I wouldn't mind if someone wanted to look at the label in my blazer jacket or feel my bicep muscle. I understand why modern commenters feel the way they do about it, and that's the problem. We live in a weak, whiny society these days where everyone is afraid to be judged or judge others. Let me stress that there is a necessary reason for being judged. It promotes a person to better themselves and advance in the eyes of their peers. When no one is judging or critiquing you, then you have no motivation to improve yourself. The unpleasantness of being called fat forces people to lose weight. Fear of looking like a derelict forces people to dress in nice clothes and maintain their appearance & hygiene. Being ashamed of being called stupid or dumb forces people to study harder and get better grades. WITHOUT those unpleasant driving forces to motivate you. You're free to be a fat lazy slob with little to no education and no self respect. This is what has happened to Americans. We've let the liberals mollycoddle our young people... No Child Left Behind, Participation Trophies, Big is Beautiful. And if a child or even a young adult gets upset, then they get to go to "Their Safe Space" so they can go cry in a corner instead of facing their inadequacies and overcoming them. Nothing in this world is free, nobody owes you anything. We do live in an entitled and overprivileged society, but the left is far more to blame then the right. There's a reason why you say to yourself as you're watching these old shows "everyone is so polite", "everyone is so well spoken", and "everyone is dressed so nicely". It's because that's what was expected, nay Demanded of people by each other back then. The next time you go out to work or go shopping. Look around at people, see how they are dressed, listen to how they speak, observe how they treat each other. Then when you get home watch an episode of WML and realize... Yes, we have lost a great deal indeed.

[@juanettebutts9782]

NoobsShadow -- "Hear, hear!"

[@taraxacum]

I may not agree with all that you have posted, but it's so refreshing to see someone intelligent enouth to contribute to the conversation with a thoughtful, well-written response rather the trolls who can't seem to say anything other than "shut up snowfalke."

[@dcasper8514]

NoobsShadow. WOW. Well spoken...

[@rharvey2124]

I assume the "walk" along with the "free quess" were clever ways to deal with the live tv format. Often they were dispensed with due to lack of time remaining. Did any panelist ever guess the contestants line with that free guess? I have never seen it happen in all the many programs I have watched. I wonder when they started taping these programs and if that matches up to when they did away with the walk and the free guess.

[@robertjean5782]

​@@rharvey21249 guesses correctly then eliminated 😊

[@morussell4033]

Barbara Ann Scott Beautiful Gorgeous Stunning xxx

[@Nicholas.T]

Does anyone else think that Dean Axene has an uncanny resemblance to a young Ronald Reagan, especially when he was smiling?

[@teddytodorova]

I was thinking that the last contestant has resemblance to Betty White

[@kitcat9447]

Fred Allen was in peak form this night

[@randytomblin7130]

What new rules?? I missed it

[@jackkomisar458]

John Daly explains the new rules starting at 14:17. For the mystery guest, each panelist gets only one question at a time.