What's My Line? - Gary Crosby; Joey Bishop [panel] (Mar 26, 1961)

MYSTERY GUEST: Gary Crosby
PANEL: Arlene Francis, Joey Bishop, Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf

[@bethe192]

My grandmother was a dead ringer for Arlene Francis, and was told so often. 🙂 Two beautiful ladies!

[@kennethbutler1343]

Arlene Francis is my favorite all time on WML, but Joey Bishop is by far the funniest. Every episode he's in, he cracks me up.

[@CoolJazz39]

Joey is very good, but no one is better with quick quips that Steve Allen.

[@debbigray1752]

I really like them both. The show needs a funny man to compliment the other talents on the panel. The times they dont have one, the show is flat.

[@tomgraves6463]

Joey Bishop: "Maybe he's a lousy driver and that's how he comes in contact with people." Oh my.... The days of simple humor is delightful. 😂😂😂

[@BeIIeDoc24]

kinda dig having Arlene at the end to introduce John, and Bennett having to introduce a panel member for a change! :)

[@conniesheets592]

M

[@lnmzq]

Thank you for posting these episodes. I saw a few in syndication when I was younger but never got to see them all. I'm really enjoying watching them now. I love watching the celebrities I do know and learning about the ones I don't.

[@miketheyunggod2534]

Joey Bishop is one of the few fill in panellists that's really good and entertaining. Others include Art Linkletter and Tony Randall.

[@ilzamaria6424]

I agree.

[@lllowkee6533]

And Steve Allen

[@wa8lhb539]

Joey at his best. Thank you for the uploads. Thanks especially for everyone's comments. Great fun, facts and insight.

[@eepanusstar5940]

I can't believe they didn't get the taxi driver-they get some that are so difficult-but not that! Thanks.

[@druidbros]

Dorothy looks better in this episode than she has previously. She seemed to be more alert and at ease.

[@Stuff7630]

She kept asking the judo teacher questions that were already answered.

[@preppysocks209]

@@Stuff7630 as always, she makes sure to get a yes so as to hog the camera

[@debraharris879]

I was only vaguely aware of Joey Bishop as a minor member of Frank Sinatra's rat pack but seeing him in WML made me aware of how really funny and talented he was and how that talent was wasted on those rat pack movies!

[@JohnSmith-ls2dt]

Debra Harris He was responsible for most of their material I do believe. I kinda feel bad that the guy was known as the minor player for Rat Pack. He was also known as an unfriendly, cold and vain guy. Most people thinks it is stchick, but apparently some of his writers says otherwise. Somebody in business said they wondered how he got so far without any talent. I really liked the guy though even though I kinda see what they are talking about him being cold. People wants to forget that a lot of comedians don't need any talent except for being able to make good jokes. Which what he was, a deadpan comic.

[@ilzamaria6424]

Bishop was so funny that night.

[@kristabrewer9363]

WOW! Even I wouldn't have taken that long to get to a cab driver!

[@eepanusstar5940]

wish we could see Arlene and Dorothy's gowns in color-they always dressed up-and Dorothy wore gloves-don't see that anymore. they had class.

[@kristabrewer9363]

I LOVE Arlene's dress. I WANT IT!!

[@steveliveshere]

”we've never been able to throw him, I wish you'd try!” LOL

[@MrUhwoody]

Crosby did a great job as 'Officer Welles', the guy everybody loves to hate, on "Adam-12".

[@larrygrebler5054]

Thanks for that info.

[@Etnik13]

I remember Gary's previous appearance, and he used a very similar voice, if not the same.

[@tomdooley4226]

After all these years I find these TV game shows are still very interesting and entertaining. Have been binge watching them since early this morning.

[@Merrida100]

That was priceless!! "May we rule out Judo?" "No. You may not." She was brilliant. She had beautiful deportment.

[@karenbarlow-goodsell8483]

How could you not love Joey's quick wit!!!

[@francagaja754]

Un tuffo in quel passato stupendo, nomi indimenticabili....

[@wcwindom56]

Joey would have made a great permanent panelist

[@RonGerstein-tf5tp]

He would have had to relate to New York City and stop his situation comedy program.

[@juliansinger]

I try not to go on and on about people Mark Richardson already researched 2 months ago, but man, Alice McGrath was something else. (Also, famous, though not to me.) She also has a Wiki entry so y'all can look her up yourselves, but, daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants, spoke Yiddish as a first language, hooked up with the CIO (as in AFL-CIO) in the 30s/40s, was a purveyor of pro-bono legal work & a client advocate, and got into judo via being an advocate of self-defense for women. Had a variety of for-pay jobs, dropped out of community college and never went back, was educated via the world in general. Was definitely a pinko-commie-socialist (I say it with fondness, honest) and was a big-time fan of the Sandinistas in the 80s, which means she was a mortal enemy of Ronald Reagan. Her second husband, was the poet Thomas McGrath, and was blacklisted; her third husband was the Tegner of the school of Judo she mentions here. Says a reminiscence, 'Her 1950s FBI file declared that the one-time communist sympathizer had "no known weaknesses."' articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/06/opinion/la-oe-lozano6-2009dec06 LA Times obit: articles.latimes.com/2009/nov/29/local/la-me-alice-mcgrath29-2009nov29

[@mkleit3911]

18:20 The look on Joey Bishop face is priceless, he almost hit the nail on it's head but some how he missed..

[@yeahnoonecaresifyouarefirst]

What no ending? 😂❤ Thanks for posting! ❤

[@lauraatkinson4790]

Three New Yorkers on that panel and they didn't think of taxi cab driver?

[@gregh7400]

I can't believe they didn't get the first contestant.

[@tomgraves6463]

It was a slow dance, and they kept stepping on each others toes. I don't think they expected such a simple *Line.* Though Joey had a good time.

[@bluecamus5162]

I know!. That was crazy. How could they not get that? Did they not have dinner before their pre-show drinks?

[@Visiontech]

I get to binge watching and forget to comment! Much appreciated!!!

[@timd4524]

I have been waiting to see a martial arts teacher on this show and it never fails to let you down. And one so prominent in the field for the time.

[@MightyMoCat]

Gary Crosby was a pretty good actor. He appeared in Jack Webb shows such as Adam 12 and Emergency! I also watched him (and his then-wife) on Tattletales with Bert Convy. Gary could be quite funny and relaxed then. I wish he'd had a happier life.

[@joycejean-baptiste4355]

I didn't know they were wearing chokers back then, the Judo instructor had on one. In the 1970's we callef these necklaces chokers. It's very lovely.

[@roberttelarket4934]

A first Bennett is in the first seat and Dorothy is next to him. Arlene is in Bennett's usual seat!

[@roberttelarket4934]

@@accomplice55: I meant Bennett for ages sat on the seat nearest John Daly and Dorothy most but not alway the opposite side farthest from John!

[@accomplice55]

@@roberttelarket4934: Gotcha--I realized my mistake and deleted my comment. :)

[@roberttelarket4934]

@@accomplice55: No problem! A question of perspective! Keep on watching the great What's My Line and others from the old days.

[@erichanson426]

I swear, it is the most common occupations that the panel sometimes has trouble with.

[@adamcoates2890]

I love Joey!! He can put John in his place! 😂😂

[@hopicard]

The panel sits in the wrong order. That makes me nervous :)

[@scottpardee6303]

Yes. Me too. Bennett doesn’t seem comfortable.

[@jacquelinebell6201]

People don't like change. Including g Bennett lol. Its good to switch it up more. Other people other than Bennett can introduce John.

[@sharonjudd7786]

The ladies are gorgeous as usual........love them both

[@andysiegel6131]

Joey steals the show.

[@tomgoduto3943]

Sounds like George Fenneman as the announcer.

[@Muirmaiden]

Gary looked so sad!

[@wodgerdog646]

I don't get that he looked sad and I have watched this a couple of times. I think he looks more embarassed at the fact nobody would guess who he was.

[@terryv]

Wodger Dog - He should have been REALLY embarrassed, since he used the IDENTICAL low, gravely, guttural, dock-worker’s voice he’d already used on his previous appearance!

[@loissimmons6558]

And he had that same look on his face, like he didn't want to be there, during his previous appearance. He did crack a smile a few times the second time around, mostly in reaction to Joey Bishop's quips.

[@ericmaine]

Muirmaiden if Bing Crosby was my father - I’d be miserable too

[@cw187]

From what I read Bing was a cruel father

[@jillgordon1003]

23:59 Those masks can be tricky ;) Real cute moment

[@WhatsMyLine]

Ha! That's great-- thanks for pointing it out.

[@robertmelson2130]

I've seen Dorothy have trouble with her mask a couple of times in recent episodes (but not this much!), and it's been at times when she seemed, er....impaired. She seems fine here, but has even more trouble, so it must be the hair. Next week her hair style is so markedly different, I wonder it this incident had something to do with it.

[@WhatsMyLine]

Robert Melson Given the amount of hair spray that must have been required for some of those dos, I wouldn't doubt it!

[@ToddSF]

+Jill Gordon -- I've often thought that that white satin blindfold of Dorothy's was more trouble than it was worth, since it had long narrow ribbonlike ties that she had to fasten in the back with a bow. Eventually, everyone switched to blindfolds that had earpieces like eyeglasses and they could put the blindfolds on and take them off with no fuss or difficulty and they did little to mess up anyone's hair. The women's blindfolds of that type had a trim all the way around of fake pearls just to make them a bit more feminine in appearance -- much more practical.

[@leannsherman6723]

Droll Joey Bishop was on his game! 😂❤

[@erichanson426]

People dressed so nice back then

[@kentetalman9008]

Most people didn't dress like they were on What's My Line.

[@RonGerstein-tf5tp]

You have to remember that this program is usually broadcast LIVE on Sunday night at 10:30PM on the CBS television network, so the panelists wear formal clothes for a Sunday night, with bow ties and glamorous dresses.

[@kentetalman9008]

It's utterly amazing that they didn't get the first contestant.

[@RonGerstein-tf5tp]

Fire these panelists for not identifying the occupation.

[@allmusicfan88]

Once again the audience blows it on the mystery guest! Shut Up people!!!

[@anonymoushard1025]

Alice McGrath was a Judo Expert who eventually earned her Black Belt.

[@joycejean-baptiste4355]

Mr. Burns and Mr. Daly part their hair the same. They have a similar shaped shiny forehead. I think I they are cousins.

[@kentetalman9008]

But Daly seemed to need a full-time staff of creative hairdressers, just to hide the fact that he was balding.

[@RonGerstein-tf5tp]

What a stupid correlation. There is no connection between John Charles Day and the London taxi and driver just because of their similar hairstyles.

[@joycejean-baptiste4355]

@@RonGerstein-tf5tp Was just joking, didn't mean to offend you. Enjoy your day.

[@joycejean-baptiste4355]

@@RonGerstein-tf5tp It's a very pleasant show. Pleasant memories. No need to get offended by someone you don't know who comes here for the pleasure of the show, right? I'm sorry my comment affected you. I'll stop making comments in case it offends anyone else. I had no idea. I'll enjoy the show.

[@lindanitzschke1315]

The more I watch these episodes, the more I have to agree that Mr. Daly DOES interrupt too often, needlessly so. Still fun to watch, tho.

[@terryv]

Although Gary Crosby may have been a nice-enough fellow, with some level of talent, let's be honest - as celebrities go, he was a nobody. If the audience hadn't reacted audibly to the panel's mention of BING Crosby, the panel never would've guessed Gary.

[@abbywhite2682]

Gary was troubled and claimed Bing was abusive. I don't recall the date, but he committed suicide.

[@Muirmaiden]

Abby White, Gary didn't commit suicide, he died of lung cancer in 1995. His brothers Lindsay and Dennis committed suicide by shooting themselves, two years apart.

[@steveliveshere]

I don't entirely share your view of Gary. Having seen some of his performances I think he was a very fine jazz singer. Yes I think the drink and his father's abuse affected his career. What's interesting is how different his film & TV roles were from his fathers, he showed a greater range than Bing.

[@steveliveshere]

In the early sixes Gary was at the top of his popularity with movies and his own show. So I don't entirely agree..

[@terryv]

@@steveliveshere - Sure, he eventually reached the peak of his popularity. Everyone does, some time. But he was never popular enough to be guessed by the What’s My Line panel, unless aided by the audience. And to say that his range exceeded that of his father is absurd.

[@jacquelinebell6201]

Why can't they get taxi cab driver? Lol. They have thousands of them in New York. 🚖🚕

[@RonGerstein-tf5tp]

Ever since über and Lyft started, the number of licenced taxicab drivers in New York City dropped like a rock, so don't text "thousands."

[@mysticpuffy]

You know if it's one of Bing's kids, the music going to have a good beat to it! #toosoon

[@thomassmith9348]

Gary used the identical voice in a previous segment of WML a few years previously. Gary was cute but nowhere near as darling as his daddy.

[@steveliveshere]

Thomas Smith I kind of prefer Gary to Bing. Maybe it's because how abusive his father was but I also just relate to Gary better.

[@mitzymoo3151]

@@steveliveshere maybe you should read about Gary being reinterviewed years after his book, very interesting. Gary might have been a nice person but he wasn't a saint either from what I've read. You have to read about both sides about Bing and his son to try and gain a better perspective of the dynamics in their relationship. Bing wasn't a saint but he wasn't the monster he has been portrayed as since his passing.

[@1967buickriviera]

Bing was not a great person

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

LONDON CAB DRIVER JUDO INSTRUCTOR 🤪

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

I'm not sure what to think of Joey's joke about the taxi driver's salary.... dumping the ash from cigarettes on the floor because the car gets cleaned 3 times a week.... I mean I got the joke... but at least get the floor cleaned once a day, for christ sake :)

[@accomplice55]

Are you sure you got the joke? "A woman who comes in three times a week" is a cliche.

[@wcwindom56]

she doesnt need judo, that face scare them away

[@sandrageorge3488]

Not nice

[@bogieviews]

To me she was lovely, nice figure.

[@accomplice55]

Let's see your picture! :D

[@carlmack2188]

It’s rude and a real turn off when in a wide public forum someone uses a fifty cent when she knows damn well the guest won’t know the word and 90% of everybody else; like Dorothy “is it bifurcated?” Get lost.

[@RonGerstein-tf5tp]

You are grammatically and spelling deficient so stop complaining that you do not know big words.