What's My Line? - Bob Cummings; Maurice Edelman [panel] (Apr 29, 1962)

NOTE: This video uses two different video sources. I had only the closing and part of the MG segment originally, but these were in higher quality than the complete episode I acquired recently so I edited the two versions together.
MYSTERY GUEST: Bob Cummings
PANEL: Arlene Francis, Maurice Edelman, Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf
Many thanks, as always, to epaddon for providing his copy of the complete episode!
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[@Merrida100]

How is it Arlene looks better now than she did ten years ago? Amazing! She looks wonderful.

[@davidsanderson5918]

Merrida100 Her stylist is on it these days. :)

[@dorothypascoe5708]

She blond now which makes a big difference

[@tom7601]

Miracle of medicine

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

Only her plastic surgeon knows for sure

[@TheCometHunter]

I just love it when Dorothy Kilgallen moves just her eyes (such as @ 19:02) when she looks off to the side.

[@davidsanderson5918]

Silverstone L Yeah....have to say though, she gets quite irritable in this segment and that look to the side I read as being at the beginning of it. I don't mind her irritability either. She likes clarity!!

[@vortexpilot5096]

These videos are gold. Thanks so much for collecting and stitching them together and posting.

[@ellencausey2427]

I was born this year. I love watching to see the fashion styles and hair styles over the years. Wonderful star guests too!

[@kentetalman9008]

Love Bob Cummings' autograph.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

This was a very amusing episode. Loved it

[@lastmanonearth71]

Bob, probably, spent more time, traveling through New York city traffic, in his endeavor to reach the CBS studio, rather than the time he spent, sitting in the guest chair! Most unfortunate, Bob was, truly a unique talent, and a consummate professional...

[@lopa2828]

Yes and so unfortunately very undeservingly underrated till he made his own show

[@Noone58319]

Dorothy can be fairly snarky with John.

[@dennisholst4322]

That's good for John

[@MrJoeybabe25]

That shot at about 3:20, after the first commercial is a new angle of John that I haven't seen before.

[@brigitkelly5317]

yes, it was,

[@TheCometHunter]

And it was obviously a floor or production manager's error. The TVcamera was out of position, and the show came back on the air before said camera was back in place.

[@loissimmons6558]

+Joe Postove They sometimes used that angle when a left handed challenger was going to sign in or had just signed in so the challenger's body wouldn't block the signature. You also asked a question regarding from where had the first challenger entered. Because she was left-handed, it might appear that she approached from the other side of the board.

[@esmeephillips5888]

Maurice Edelman was one of the few non-showbiz Brits on the panel. He was a not very distinguished MP who never held government office (a 'backbencher') but who wrote a string of potboiling novels inspired by political gossip and scandals. He looks a little like Count Dracula.

[@barrykendrick3146]

John certainly fails to explain Alansa Tucker's pigeon training. I wonder if it were related to the WW2 experiments on pigeon-guided missiles. Pigeons were trained to peck at a furious rate at images of, e. g., a tank: the missile would then, theoretically, be guided by rocket responses to the tank. Goodbye pigeons; goodbye, tank!

[@barrykendrick3146]

Interesting that they have Bob Cummings on here with-perhaps-flying pigeons, but perhaps his later appearance with Chuck Yeager was more thematic. Bob was the Godson of Orville Wright & the first licensed flight instructor.

[@preppysocks209]

@@barrykendrick3146 Orville Wright was also the first person to crash a plane. His passenger (not his brother) was killed.

[@bbailey7818]

When I was a kid I, family, and friends went to the Seattle Century 21 fair a lot, but I sure don't remember her pigeons. Except the ones walking the grounds cadging popcorn and such.

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

Mr. Edelman's eyebrows constitute a sixth panellist.

[@TheCometHunter]

My God you must be a real joy to live with!

[@dcasper8514]

Difficult clearing airport security.

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

@@TheCometHunter Try me, Silverstone! lol

[@rmelin13231]

Probably the best post in this thread. Now I can't watch the episode without looking at the additional panelist(s).

[@johannarhymer1093]

Definitely

[@soulierinvestments]

Writers night on WML. Arlene's gown and gloves. Wonder what color they were, but it is stunning even in B&W. 3:25 what was the director up to with this unusual shot angle of Daly?

[@Merrida100]

I think because the next guest was left handed and probably had to enter from a different angle given she signed in from the right side vs. the left? But that still doesn't make sense, does it? Seems that would be more apt to reveal the guest. Agreed that angle was odd.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Israel Maurice Edelman (2 March 1911 - 14 December 1975) was a Wales-born British Labour Party politician and novelist who represented Coventry constituencies in the House of Commons for over 30 years. Wikipedia doesn't say, but it seems he's Jewish or from Jewish stock.

[@loissimmons6558]

+Joe Postove Let's see: his parents moved to Wales to escape the pogroms in Czarist Russia, he was president of the Anglo-Jewish Association, an active member of the Friends of Hebrew University and his death was reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Add to that the fact that his first name was Israel and I would say that Edelman was Jewish.

[@Noone58319]

He’s delightful.

[@HassoBenSoba]

@@Noone58319 And WOW...those eyebrows!

[@larrygrebler5054]

@@loissimmons6558 Thanks for the info.

[@johannarhymer1093]

All of WML panelists raised very intelligent children

[@soulierinvestments]

7:00 -- has to be one of the earliest national broadcast references to the Space Needle, that classic googie architecture. As a kid, I assumed that 21st Century would look that it and "The Jetsons." No such luck yet.

[@robertmelson2130]

soulierinvestments Yeah! Where IS my flying car? And my jet pack? And Rosie? Sorry about this next one, but please indulge me: one of the things I remember that I've always wanted was Elroy's electric fly shooter--don't remember what it was called. He would shoot flies out of the air with a bolt of static electricity. Would I trade my iphone for all of that? In a New York minute!...as long as I could keep my laptop, of course.

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

I would trade an iPhone for a OnePlus6

[@loissimmons6558]

+Robert Melson That's all well and good, but what about Mr. Spacely telling you, "Melson, you're fired!!!"

[@neilmidkiff]

@@robertmelson2130 Well, you can get an electric fly swatter today ... Not a gun, shaped more like a tennis racket with a bug-zapper grid instead of the strings. Harbor Freight Tools has them; they work very well.

[@YowzaBowzaWowza]

@@neilmidkiff: Please don’t buy Chinese products. Americans shouldn’t support Communists and their evil.

[@gbrumburgh]

Alansa Carr (Tucker) was Miss Alaska in 1959

[@soulierinvestments]

WML live must have been a nightmare to direct. Daly just barely got the third commercial in tonight thanks in part to a second game where everyone was getting a bunch of yeses and not getting anywhere near the product. It's all very funny, but they were lost in space.

[@tjbnyc76]

Wigs, wiglets, falls, and assorted other hairpieces were quite common in the 1960's, so I guess I can't REALLY blame the panel for being lost -- but, man oh man, that wigmaker is wearing the *wiggiest* looking wig in wig history. I thought for sure that would tip Arlene off, who caught on to the product being something that could be worn, right away.

[@loissimmons6558]

+Todd Brandt I agree. When Arlene gets on a roll that early, usually she zeroes in for the kill and guesses the line. I said to myself, her she goes. But then she didn't narrow it down any higher than the neck. They all got derailed on the neck.

[@davidsanderson5918]

I can imagine the biologist viewers that are unhappy with the 'is it alive?' question (being answered 'no' for plant life) on other episodes may have a quibble about a pigeon being entirely solid. :)

[@HassoBenSoba]

Interesting how Bob Cummings gets rapped for not having enough screen presence, or conviction, or macho, or ..WHATEVER..to carry two of his biggest lead roles: "King's Row" and Hitchcock's "Saboteur"; I think he was fabulous in both...entirely convincing, sincere, and appealing. A real star (check him up on the Statue of Liberty with creepy, weasel-ly Norman Lloyd at the end of "Saboteur"). Would have liked to see more of him on this episode; too much time spent going around in circles with the first two guests. LR

[@jayrice5156]

LOVE Arlene Dress! ♥️

[@JJJBRICE]

Bob Cummings was a big TV star in the 1950s . So youthful looking . Maybe it was all that swimming , vitamins , or drugs .

[@r.crompton2286]

Bob and other notable personalities were the unwitting recipients of drugs administered by a charlatan "nutritionist." He looked great for some time but eventually the long-term effects of his injections took its toll.

[@JJJBRICE]

@@r.crompton2286 i agree . He did not look that well in a You Tube video interview which was done a couple of years before his death .

[@sandrageorge3488]

I didn't know about these "injections".

[@peternagy-im4be]

Drugs?

[@scottsdaleglenn]

Meth. It was a shame.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Did the first contestant come in from the other side rather than from stage right?

[@jodimoen3438]

arlene francis was so lovely

[@MrJoeybabe25]

John is not always good at timing the show. He ran long with Bob Cummings, just when they were getting into an interesting interview. Too bad.

[@Jolar70]

The first segment ran quite long, the World's Fair contestant exits at 12:52, which is like half the show! Still, I was touched at how he offered his hand and apology to Robert Cummings by saying, "Bob, I'm sorry, I've misused the time." Taking the full blame with his usual grace. I'm endlessly impressed by John Charles Daly!

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Jolar70 Agree! So many hosts in radio and tv put the blame elsewhere when there is a problem. Even when the blame DOES belong to someone else, it is so classy to take it upon himself.

[@carolcollins907]

Love how well dressed the ladies were and how quit often they wore gloves. Some different from the so called stars of today.

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

Dorothy looked so annoyed after the second guest.

[@Jolar70]

She seemed testy for most of the game but after John's comment at 20:24, and then his subsequent throwing the cards over, she was visibly livid!

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Dorothy asked Bob Cummings if he made an attempt to call Kathleen Nesbitt on the phone this evening? What?? Who is that?

[@savethetpc6406]

Joe Postove Take a look at this link, Joe: www.imdb.com/name/nm0626350/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm. This must be who she meant. A phone call to Cathleen Nesbitt from some actor or other must have been one of Dorothy's little tidbits for her gossip column.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

I looked up her picture too, TPC. I remember her quite well.

[@VahanNisanian]

Nice attempt at a Japanese accent from Mr. Cummings.

[@Beson-SE]

"Love That Bob!" He promoted his new movie "My Geisha".

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Did John Daly wear a real bow tie or a fake one?

[@Beson-SE]

After Steve Allen's fake tie fell off once I hope they used real ones.

[@jillgordon1003]

When did that happen?

[@Beson-SE]

Jill Gordon On this show kzbin.info/www/bejne/iITUnql6g5meZ68 I just made a comment on it so you find the exact time. :)

[@TheCometHunter]

We'll never know.

[@lllowkee6533]

It appears straight and tied. ? (I used to tie my husbands and had to tie it standing behind him.)

[@davidsanderson5918]

The sobriety of the Welsh MP doesn't quite fit in with the frivolity of things here. I doubt he'll be back.

[@peternagy-im4be]

Same with Dennis Weaver the previous week. A fish out of water.

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

*_PIGEON TRAINER_* *_MAKES AND SELLS HIGH FASHION WIGS_*

[@soulierinvestments]

Wait a minute. There are birds in Nebraska.

[@Beson-SE]

Pigeons? :)

[@loissimmons6558]

It was the connection with the military that threw them off. When Nebraska was mentioned, it was most likely in conjunction with the military command near Omaha. But so much about that base was top secret, I doubt they would ever have any from there at a World's Fair, let alone to go on WML.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

It sounds like a boy scout troop in the audience tonight, huh?

[@Beson-SE]

Maybe there was a Jamboree in NY? :)

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Johan Bengtsson NYC IS a Jamboree, Johan! I've give my left...over pie to live there!

[@loissimmons6558]

+Joe Postove If I could arrange it, I would, and I wouldn't even require you to give up your leftover pie ... or even your ice cream sandwich.

[@drumbum3.142]

What Time,?... 😐😬😬😬😐😐 😬

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

John Paul Daly went out of his way to make Bennett Cerf look good. She was not a greeter at the worlds fair, and it was disingenuous of Cerf to pretend like that’s not what he meant. Because of this lie on dailies part and serves part, the rest of the panel was expecting that she was some kind of a guide which just proves my point.

[@J-w-sings423]

She had a facelift. It's documented.

[@sandrageorge3488]

Who?

[@peternagy-im4be]

@@sandrageorge3488 Bob Cummings

[@tonycevallos7513]

The British guy is so borning

[@peternagy-im4be]

Ok Anthony. Y'all be having yourself a great day y'all.