What's My Line (Gene Rayburn Guest Appearance) (1967)

This is the 2nd to last What's My Line which lasted from 1950 to 1967. What's My Line would be back in syndication starting in 1968 with Wally Bruner as host.
A rare appearance by Gene Rayburn from "The Match Game"
Arlene Francis, Gene Rayburn, Phyllis Newman, and Bennett Cerf

[@stevenjoyal6565]

Thank GOD for an actor who doesn't spout his/her political beliefs, but rather asks for unconditional support of our troops!!

[@yondrisferguson3215]

Perhaps, but how can you have “unconditional” support for troops fighting in an unethical “conditional” war, such as Vietnam

[@johnmc3862]

Like GOD supports war! 😳🙁

[@observerguy5031]

Phylis Newman is still alive at age 80. She hasn't acted in a long time, but keeps busy with charity work. She was 34 at this time.

[@mr.c1563]

85 now.

[@benhallums2951]

The MATCH GamE Star GENE RAYBURN isn't using "The TELEPHONE MATCH via AT&T BELL."

[@spuwho]

The show had not updated its sets in many, many years to keep costs down and it was getting harder to find a lead sponsor for the entire time slot. Sunday nights were becoming much more competitive on the 3 networks as they competed for share. Also the core of television production had made the shift to Los Angeles to align with movie production as opposed to early television's alignment with Broadway productions. Television had also made several recent changes in how they measured their markets for advertisers, with the new 18-34 market as defined by Madison Avenue. WML did not rank very well in that age group as the show was perceived as for their parents or grandparents (hence advertisers like Bayer, Polident) so its death in prime time was sealed. The mass migration to the west coast was complete when The Tonight Show moved in 1972. With taping now perfected (thanks to WML), game shows then moved to the afternoon time slots to follow the P&G soaps. Arlene Francis, Gene Rayburn and many others maintained their residences in the New York area after the shift to California. Gene used to fly in once a week from New York to host Match Game for G-T in the 1970's. It's 2021 and the last person alive from this episode was Phyllis Newman, as she passed in 2019. Her son Adam Green wrote for Vogue and Saturday Night Live. Her daughter Amanda is a musician and is currently the President of the DGA. She looks just like her mom except with blonde hair.

[@scottlevin3966]

Don’t you love the outfits they wore back then.

[@wunkle9523]

I like Gene but it still wasn't the same after Dorothy.

[@leesher1845]

Phyllis Newman was really smart and good at the game.

[@leesher1845]

Hugh O’Brian was a little before my time. He sure was handsome - and based on his voices, obviously quite talented.

[@Marchant2]

How did she come up with worms out of the blue like that?

[@moonlightray8493]

Hugh O'Brian was a great Mystery Guest. His little finger guns at the audience after signing in, his assortment of voices to stump the panel, and his articulate response about being in the marines... what a class act!

[@joannescholes3742]

Miss Dorothy.😢. Just wasn’t the same ....😢Love Arlene, Bennett and John..... Miss the Show! Watched the Show growing up....

[@soulierinvestments]

It is hard to believe that no one had the presence of mind to save any of the color videotapes of 1966-1967 WML. From the looks of things, Arlene's gown and Phyllis's sequined mini would have been an eyeful in color.

[@kenhenderson1762]

"Wiping" or re-using of videotape was a common practice in television due to the (then) high cost of tape. in the 1960's These WML episodes survive due to Mark Goodson having them kinescoped (preserved on film) for his personal collection. There weren't home video tape machines in the 60's.

[@MrWindermere123]

You know your joke has bombed when it has to be explained - Bennet's comment about Ms Newman coming from a discotheque because her dress had discs sewn onto it was one of his clunkiest. She was brighter than he was in more ways than one during this episode.

[@soulierinvestments]

After Dorothy's died, Phyllis Newman appeared the most of the women guest panelists, and I suspect that some peop[le thought either she or Aileen "Suzy Knickerbocker" Miele should have replace Dorothy. However, as Gil Fates noted in his book on WML, none of the women guest panelists from 1965 to 1967 worked out as a permanent regular panelist -- sometimes for their reasons and sometimes for WML's reasons.

[@juanmonge8]

The Jamaican dialect that Bennett is referring to is called “Patois”. Edyie Gorme was a Spanish translator at The United Nations.

[@Yowza78]

Ban-Jam! LOL!

[@amelendez2489]

He actually got the Barbadian (Barbados) dialect of Bajan confused with a Jamaican patois. According to Google a patois is any language that is not standard like pidgins, creoles, dialects and vernaculars. So because both Bajan and Jamaican dialects are both English based with other heavy influences (African, creole, french) they are both considered patois…

[@ladyyuna2000]

Hugh O'Brian first marriage was when he was a 81 years old

[@RachelDavisMatthews]

.......well maybe he........

[@yondrisferguson3215]

But rumor had it he had was the father of many a child. He acknowledged; a son also named Hugh who he during a relationship with a photographer.

[@kenyongray2615]

My sisters when they were teeenagers were in love with Hugh O'Brian. Miss Bryan was a lovely woman. Phyllis Newman was not bad either.

[@1959blantz]

With all the people protesting the Vietnam war at that time, Hugh O'Brian knocked it out of the park when he said "I don't care what anyone thinks of the war, I just hope to God that we support them"

[@MrJoeybabe25]

I appreciate the sentiment. But saying we should support the troops, never mind the war was a cop out then, and is now. If you really support the troops but not the war, you must support bringing them home. That was true then and is now.

[@janejayne8152]

All Wars are Rich Men's Wars. Smedley Butler

[@harpoon_bakery162]

Bennett Cerf was funny and a VERY good player. Gene Rayburn was unfunny and horrible at this game.

[@CaseyRalph]

A little weird to see the show in the 1960s, with the Vietnam references and the short skirts. John Daly's What's My Line has always seemed like the ultimate 1950s show to me. Somehow it looks out of place in 1967, like it wandered into the wrong decade by mistake. As Bennett Cerf said, there would be just one more episode (of the original run, anyway). Maybe the show was in the wrong era.

[@ckersh74]

Casey Abell I agree. From what I've seen, this show simply got stale as time went on, which, looking back at things, is completely normal for any show that has been on the air for 16-17 years with virtually the same people, plus or minus a panelist or two. It clearly hung on for about 3 years too long. TV had clearly passed this show by.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

There was still room for class in 1967. I'm sure it was not "hip" to watch it by then. Either was listening to the Beach Boys. 1967 was a transitional year in so many ways. But we should never have to throw out what's good in the old, just to welcome in the new.

[@kristic4472]

ok, the chick in the sparkle disco ball dress is annoying, trying to be cute and peppy in her questions. ugh.

[@donaldleroy6502]

That's amazing how both those young girls look like sister's but are unrelated. This being my second viewing I think the young ladies not only look like sisters but twins, what say you?

[@bethdibartolomeo2042]

Watching Buzzr TV, it's interesting to see Gene Rayburn on a different show. I love both What's My Line and Match Game. :) I saw Charles Nelson Reilly's episode too prior to this video.

[@tamillafleck583]

Beth Di Bartolomeo sure wish my cable system carried Buzzr!!!

[@soulierinvestments]

The second to last episode turns out to be a sort of shape of things to come experience what with early Gene Rayburn, who would host G-T's next super game show hit "Match Game 73 etc. etc." Arlene Francis played in the pilot episodes.

[@jimhanold9026]

Interesting.

[@kevinfitzmaurice4072]

I'm guessing the interview Gene Rayburn conducted with Hugh O'Brian and the tapes O'Brian sent back from Vietnam were for NBC radio's "Monitor" program.

[@donaldleroy6502]

It's astonishing how Phyllis Newman went 2for2, I've watched many of these shows in the past year or so and I don't recall anyone else doing that

[@4bibimimi]

Fantastic, thanks so much!

[@harpoon_bakery162]

Mr. Daily would like to take the two girls home as pets? wow, that's pretty sick.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

It hardly meant the same thing in 1967 as our dirty minded people in 2020. I'll bet he meant take them home as daughters.

[@harpoon_bakery162]

@@MrJoeybabe25 he (Mr. Daily) probably has daughters of his own

[@williamashton9235]

I don't think he meant anything dirty by his ad-lib. Adults used to say "pet" to young people (especially younger women) with no sexual connotation. Not common, but not unheard of in 1967.

[@troydante]

I love Bennett's comment, "Diet of Worms" ... The Diet of Worms in 1521 was an imperial council that was convened to decide the fate of Martin Luther. It was held in Worms, Germany. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V presided over the diet. ... The diet declared the Edict of Worms, which made Luther an outlaw and forbid anyone from helping him escape punishment.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Well, Martin Luther started it all with his 95 Feces!

[@Lava1964]

Brenda the worm counter looked like she was wearing a maternity dress.

[@valdezserg]

Notice how the 2 gentleman stood at 8:00 🧐 How respectable of them 😊 and again at 14:54

[@timothyball7502]

2-19-2023. Well, valdezserg I was taught to stand for both--men/women!

[@CarolynLouise99]

I Love Gene Rayburn!! :D

[@valdezserg]

Same here! Love his presence.

[@joanrosseel5111]

And it is now 2019 and Phyllis Newman is still alive and well at 86! 😁

[@MrJoeybabe25]

And very sadly gone at 86 in late 2019. :(

[@aspersive]

The commentary on Vietnam is VERY unsettling in retrospect, isn't it?

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Though there were great public outcries against the war in 1967 (students, leftists, many others) well known liberals, even more than conservatives, I'd say, were still on board. You still had people like Hubert Humphrey, Henry Jackson and lots of others still supporting the president. Indeed, an animating premise of Democratic liberalism was that the federal government has the ability to solve virtually any problem it chooses to take on, domestic or foreign. Of course in retrospect it was a waste of 58,000 lives in the service of anti- communist dogma, and a meddling in a civil war. It was a sad time, especially when we see how easily communism fell almost completely of its own weight and very faulty premises.

[@stevekru6518]

Vietnam commentary is very unsettling in retrospect, was very unsettling at the time, and should remain unsettling far into the furniture, especially since the effects of birth defect and cancer causing chemicals, including Agent Orange and Napalm, are still maiming and killing innocent civilians, now US allies.

[@Yowza78]

How many times did they get a joke out of "is it a man or a woman," when they knew very well? And the audience would predictably erupt in laughter. Ah, how much I miss the casual misogyny and homophobia of the 50s and 60s!

[@RayNDeere]

I have to think Goodson-Todman would have saved them. Would love to see this show in color

[@robertpatrick5188]

The show originally aired in color; it went to color in 1966. These shows have been preserved only in black and white; the syndicated shows are always in color.

[@thebestisyettocome4114]

This was pre-recorded. The final was live for the final Sunday night broadcast from NYC. Folks, there was many of people who had the honor to set in the seats on the final show. It was both VIP tickets and normal general admission. After the show, many was at the Mark Goodson & Bill Todman party. It was the end of a error. ' 73 with new Match Game took off and we all moved forward. WML, was never the same. We was fortunate enough to live and experience first hand. Benjamin Hahn Beverly Hills CA

[@veedejames721]

👍🥰👍👏👏. Enjoyed watching this.🙂✌️✌️💞👋. Vee J.

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

Bennett Serf, adorable? No. He’s a scam artist as well as a ham.

[@Ratsonic]

Was Phyllis informed before airing?

[@winterlandboy]

Well I've said this many times .They asked all those questions , thee was nothing pointing to the job of UN Interpretor and then all of a sudden Phyliss pulls it out of thin air.It always seems suspect as far as I'm concerned.

[@magnificentfailure2390]

winterlandboy They established that she was from Jamaica, lived and worked in New York, most anyone could avail themselves of her service, she worked for a non-profit government related entity and then Phyllis asked if she was an interpreter. The UN wasn't really that much of a leap from that point.

[@williamashton9235]

The UN employed more than a few black people as interpreters, which was still unusual in 1967.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

As much as I am irked and positively annoyed by Phyllis N. she nailed the interpreter. No slip of the hand. Just good game playing. So I will defend her from the people assinuating cheating.

[@poetcomic1]

Beautiful SMART gal who had her pick of guys and chose the older, witty, wonderful Adolph Green the Comden & Green musical writer who loved her and she him till he died.

[@animfan1100]

I used to watch Gene Rayburn on the color versions of "What's My Line?" and "To Tell The Truth."

[@hudsongraham2603]

Trevor Panno was he ever a mystery guest like when the guest writes their name and did he ever did that on this show?

[@5star555555555]

They didn't; it was cheaper to get black and white copies.

[@georgemaster1838]

5star555555555 WML wouldn't be seen in color until 1968 in first-run syndication.

[@BrettCrawfordTransgirl1984]

I am surprised they even got the mystery guest right at almost the last moment, because they almost got stumped completely.

[@p.v.5142]

Bajan? (Bennet Cerf comment)

[@timothyball7502]

2-19-2023. Well P.V. the internet has this as a help. Barbadian, which is a noun.

[@rickcharles5064]

Love Phyllis's dress AND she was pretty good at this game!

[@maudiepoot1]

she was murdered

[@soulierinvestments]

Phyllis was hot -- what with that dress and figuring out 2 occupations. In early 1963, G-T booked her as Dorothy Kilgallen's substitute when Dorothy missed 10 of the 1st 18 broadcasts and taping sessions due to illness associated with her substances abuses. I suspect G-T were grooming her if Dorothy could not return, but she did for 2 more years.

[@oldfart4751]

Of cause it's fixed, like most programmes.