What's My Line? - Harry Belafonte (Nov 6, 1955)

[@battlegirldeb]

Today April /25/ 2023, Harry Belafonte just died at age 96. He was a great and talented man. So, I'm going back and watching all of his episodes as a Mystery Guest and the few times he was a guest member of the panel.

[@queenjetblack2647]

I actually read he was 96. Nevertheless a life well lived! He was a great Icon!

[@battlegirldeb]

@@queenjetblack2647 Thanks just fixed my post.

[@deloreswillis9224]

RIP.. Mr Belfontae🙏🏿

[@dennistucker9081]

In addition to being a talented singer, Mr. Bellafonte was also active on behalf of social justice.

[@RonGerstein]

Harry Belefonte was great friends with Sidney Poitier, who died 1/6/22.

[@tomitstube]

the great harry belefonte, still going strong at 88. i am so hooked on these shows, i won't rest until i've seen them all, and thanks so much for your effort in sharing this marvelous snapshot of american culture.

[@deloreswillis9224]

Awwww Harry❤

[@tomitstube]

arthur murray's x-1 flight was pretty heady stuff for 1954/55, he and chuck yeager were both testing the limits of flight without going into space, murray basically got in a plane to see how far he could go in altitude, his flight went 17 miles up and he was the first american to experience weightlessness and the first to see the curvature of the earth along with the black of space. here is a quote by murray about his flight. “I begin to feel weightless, and I’m flying so fast my instruments can’t keep up - they show what happened two miles ago. I’m climbing so steeply I can’t see the ground, and I feel confused. I have a sense of falling and I want to grab something for support.”

[@laurahoward5426]

He was my step father....flew the X1-A, did not wear a football helmet......

[@laurahoward5426]

It was not a plane but a rocket propelled ship dropped out of the belly if a large plane....rockets ignite.....and on his final flight 90,000 feet plus

[@WWJD85]

this episode aired a day after Marty McFly's arrival 1955. I wonder if he and Doc Brown watched it.

[@MrRwk314]

Actually he was there on November 6th also when he traveled back to 1885.

[@canuckster24]

Wait, I've seen this one. What do you mean you've seen this one? It's brand new.

[@adrianathans8910]

I'm watching this two days before Biff loses everything.

[@bradbingham40447]

I love these back to the future references in the comments

[@Frankcastlepunisher74]

Heavy!!!

[@mikejschin]

A few years after this episode, on June 11, 1961, Harry Belafonte would become the first black panelist on WML.

[@sandrageorge3488]

I thought it was Sammy Davis Jr.

[@justinmay3451]

Rest In Peace, Harry! Thanks for everything.

[@TrainsFerriesFeet]

My mom went to high school with Harry Belafonte, amongst others, including Henry Kissinger and Alan Greenspan.

[@Frankcastlepunisher74]

What was it like then? Them I mean.

[@TrainsFerriesFeet]

@@Frankcastlepunisher74 I just remember her mentioning them, but I don't think she knew them well. It was a large high school in Manhattan. (Washington Heights)

[@robertmelson2130]

The last contestant, Kerpal Singh (Marine Engineer) will also appear on the 11/26/61 program as a Rocket Designer.

[@brucealvarez9263]

I look forward to it. I wish they had balanced the time for the contestants better. Going last was almost a guaranteed win. Mr. Singh deserved a full 10 question game. His "line" was interesting and they likely would not have gotten it.

[@robertjean5782]

​@@brucealvarez9263contestants didn't mind they got the $50 which was a weeks pay or mortgage payment 😅

[@spongevee1]

Wonderful and handsome Harry! His wee Irish accent was adorable!

[@paulrichards6894]

still cant understand how Dorothy guessed

[@libertyann439]

Dorothy's reaction to the rocket man is adorable! And Miss O' Killgallen guesses Mr. O'Belefonte! Pretty good Irish accent.

[@laurahoward5426]

Kit Murray was my step father, lived to 92 years old

[@RonGerstein]

There is one word to identify Harry Belefonte: DAY-O.

[@Frankcastlepunisher74]

One of the greatest shows ever! A very highbrow cast! First guest, John you stinker you!!! 😄

[@robertjean5782]

In 1960 Daly divorced and married someone half his age😊

[@RonGerstein]

​@@robertjean5782 And he had more children.

[@michaelg.golden7327]

An incredibly talented singer/actor and civil rights activist. RIP sir.

[@LOA1955]

I was born on November 6th, 1955 ;-)

[@hopicard]

In the last episodes there were always the same four panelists. What a pity to know that Fred Allen would die few months later. The more I watch these episodes, the more I enjoy Fred Allen. (Nonetheless, Robert Q. Lewis, Tony Randall, Steve Allen were very good substitutes.)

[@WhatsMyLine]

I'm always delighted to hear that anyone is developing a greater appreciation for Fred Allen. :) But as funny as he could be at times on WML, it's nothing compared to what a brilliant humorist he was on radio. WML was the only niche he ever found for himself on TV. It kept him in the public eye and paid the bills, but I don't think it was all that great a fit for him. Some of the comments other users have made about him on other videos are pretty negative, so it's really nice to read someone gaining a new admiration for f.a. !

[@jvcomedy]

What's My Line? I'm a professional comedian and I can tell you I've developed a great appreciation of Fred Allen. I find him very clever and witty and have become a big fan of his since watching him on these old WML videos.

[@bigwilson8794]

hopicard I've been going through the episodes from the beginning and I can say he was definitely awkward at first, but got better at the game as the show progressed. He is my favorite, followed by Steve Allen.

[@waynehowell6160]

What's My Line? I agree that fa was brilliant all around, including this program. It's a bit ironic that a game show was the only place on television he could find his niche, considering that in Treadmill to Oblivion he was very critical of "giveaway shows." He called them the death of radio, as I recall.

[@WhatsMyLine]

corner moose Groucho had the same trouble, but in radio rather than TV, until he ended up hosting "You Bet Your Life" for the next 14 years.

[@randallmacphee7260]

As of 5- 7- 20 , Harry Belafonte is still living .

[@bbailey7818]

And still counting...3/2022...

[@YY4Me133]

@@bbailey7818 On March 1, 2023 (two days ago), he turned 96 years old. I hope he knows how much people still love his music.

[@gbrumburgh]

Harry died on April 25, 2023 at age 96.

[@YY4Me133]

@@gbrumburgh Thanks for the update.

[@byrd56]

Harry Belafonte 1927-2023

[@Beson-SE]

Harry Belafonte signed in as Belafonti. Next year, 1956, came his album *Calypso* with the songs "Banana Boat Song", "Jamaica Farwell" and "Man Smart (Woman Smarter)".

[@amybrown7723]

Johan Bengtsson He signed in Belafonte. He just put a dot over the E

[@fausthekat]

+Amy Brown it is not a dot it is an accent

[@loissimmons6558]

I agree with +Carolyn Southard. But it turns out that +Johan Bengtsson wasn't that far off. Harry's was born in Harlem with the name Harold George Bellanfanti, Jr. Both of his parents were born in Jamaica (the island, not the neighborhood in Queens), although his father's Caribbean heritage originates in Martinique.

[@michaeldanello3966]

Johan Bengtsson: How in God's name did you think the last letter was an "I"? It was obviously an "e" and identical to the shape of the first "e" in his last name, including the little squiggle beneath it.

[@waldolydecker8118]

That album by Harry Belafonte, "Calypso" in 1956 was the FIRST (not Crosby, not Sinatra, not Elvis, not The Beatles) music album to sell over 1 million copies, today referred to as reaching "Platinum' status.

[@loissimmons6558]

Perhaps it is because the episodes taken from GSN during this time period are particularly low in volume (I have to ramp up the gain on both my speakers and the video and even then I still miss some of the dialogue). But it seemed to me immediately that the audience's reaction to Harry Belafonte was more tepid than the usual very enthusiastic response for celebrities in the sports or entertainment fields.

[@jblue705]

lol

[@michaeldanello3966]

Lois Simmons:. For a person who made so much money recording, in film, tv and concerts he was fairly "loud" in his criticisms of the US and its society. Like Dick Gregory that certainly did not help his popularity. Nevertheless, it did not hurt him badly, he had a large following.

[@danielfronc4304]

Michael Danello Watch Jackie Chan being interviewed by Chinese talk show hosts on KZbin. He is viviously, rabidly anti-American as much as any communist stooge could be. By comparison, Belafonte and Gregory ain't got nothing on him!

[@robertjean5782]

Use close caption if low volume 😊

[@soulierinvestments]

Obviously, the panel had no occasions to visit Daly's work office.

[@44032]

I'm sure they would have noticed Ms. Elson.

[@Beson-SE]

It was funny to seeJohn's secretary as a contestant. If I remember right they would later on have the secretaries of the panel as MG or as contestants with the panel blindfolded.

[@loissimmons6558]

+gcjerryusc Bennett saw right through it. John is usually so good at keeping these things straight that he probably overplayed his hand.

[@teriannebeauchamp254]

Johan Bengtsson do you have the dates for the other staffs appearance?

[@michaelclark6223]

It always surprises me when Dorothy says she's bad at geography, considering her round-the-world exploits of younger years.

[@Frankcastlepunisher74]

Harry has a great Irish accent!

[@MrJoeybabe25]

I think John was a little bit too big for his britches when he "made a mistake" on his secretary's name. Doing it twice and the audience giggles wasn't going to get past a sharpie like Bennett Cerf.

[@waldolydecker8118]

Exactly...John foolishly overplayed his hand

[@randylovering24]

John was very sneaky in bring in his secretary to play what's my line

[@Mmdmade]

Her answer made it obvious when she looked at him and said “I’d say it has something to do with show business?” And he said yes. Big fail

[@lindanitzschke1315]

Remember to turn down your volume after listening this, everyone!!

[@waldolydecker8118]

lol...years ago, I had some idiot park his car in the street in front of my house in the winter time. When he remotely started his car the next morning to warm it up for 20 mins from the cold winter overnight, the dimwit had forgotten he left the radio on full blast. There was his car blasting full boom box at 0630 for 20 mins with no one in it until the dimwit showed up.

[@mikehunt8997]

The L was taken down on 3rd ave. The subway line was demolished. We sure could use that line today, since the number of inhabitants has increased significantly. It never got replaced.

[@Baskerville22]

I can't believe that at least one of the panel didn't know from the start that Miss Elson was Daly's secretary. There were too many episodes where panel members' spouses, managers, agents, children, co-stars or someone they had recently had lunch with or worked with, or were panelists on overseas versions of WsML? were "guests".

[@cadaverdog1424]

They ALL knew. This was preposterous. There’s no way they had not met and dealt with her on many occasions.

[@robertjean5782]

Miss Elson was kept in a far distance in a private room, away from everyone!!😮

[@Baskerville22]

@@robertjean5782 I don't care if they locked her in the bathroom.My point is this: she was dealing, as Daly's secretary, often face to face, with people that regularly appeared on the WML? panel.

[@robertjean5782]

@@Baskerville22 No

[@SnowWalker1]

Bennett has some kind of crazy radar a lot of times, lol.

[@waldolydecker8118]

The "radar" was John Daly continuously "fowling" up the name of his secretary - do it once, OK, but two or three times drops the hint that he knows the person, simply because he never fowls up any other guest's name three times like that.

[@Sylvander1911]

Way to obfuscate John get your own Secretary's name wrong. Didn't fool Bennett in the least

[@sdacj]

He overplayed it when he kept acting like he didn't know her name - the panel knew John didn't mess up people's names so something had to be up.

[@waldolydecker8118]

@@sdacj - Exactly. Daly totally overplayed it. The secretary's answers were also in a tone that was too casually familiar in responding to the panelists - that was the other mistake they made. She answered questions with a familiar enthusiasm that a regular guest would not have.

[@sdacj]

@@waldolydecker8118 I hadn't really looked at it like that but you're right - she made it obvious that she was familiar with someone on the panel, and since they knew it wasn't any of them, it had to be John.

[@joncheskin]

Harry Belafonte has the best singing voice of all time.

[@deloreswillis9224]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@sleepCircle]

14:16 when Bennett Cerf asks the double question and the test pilot just asks "which one?" Someone in the audience audibly says 'good for you!' to the guy, hahaha.

[@robertjean5782]

Cerf seems to do that on a regular basis, trying to cheat😢

[@tompurnell4545]

Day o and Turn The World Around and Walzing Mediia RCA RECORDS

[@edouardmillan7528]

Harry Belafonte: a real class act.

[@robertjean5782]

My wife and I seen him in a nightclub performance 😊

[@bbailey7818]

I get a vibe that the panel had a strong suspicion who Ms Edson uh Elson was.

[@robertjean5782]

Not a clue she had a private office, away from everyone else 😊

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

Bennett's pronunciation of "Broadway": BWAWDWAY.

[@robertjean5782]

He seemed to speak like Elmer Fudd at times😅

[@RonGerstein]

He pronounces rodeo: ro-day-o.

[@Richard-b5r9v]

Harry belefonte

[@philippapay4352]

The sound is so bad on this, I cannot hear it with mine at 100%.

[@davidsanderson5918]

Philippa Pay Try it on the television. KZbin on TV is a must for me, no way would I go back to craning over a tablet now. It's great watching WML on a big screen and no volume issues. Just turn up rhe sound bar!

[@philippapay4352]

@@davidsanderson5918 Thanks for the solution. There are times when the obvious eludes me, so I get by with a little help from my friends. Thank you.

[@diamondstud322]

If you are watching on a tablet or computer, you can also try getting a Bluetooth speaker. Tablets especially have pretty terrible sound.

[@philippapay4352]

@@diamondstud322 Desktop at home. Thanks. I am doing it on the TV most of the time now, but will try your suggestion at such times as I return to the desktop for whatever reason. Thank you.

[@robertjean5782]

Use close caption 😊

[@chrisfelan2665]

At 8:01 there is a distinctive sound in a woman’s voice when she’s attracted to a man and her “goo-goo eyes aren’t hiding anything”

[@jackseward7779]

"Air Corps"? Mot since 1942 when it became the U.S. Army Air Forces. Of course it changed again in 1947 to the USAF.

[@RonGerstein]

Bennett Cerf is an idiot.

[@pockypurse]

"Rocket plane test pilot". Ugh. I know most folks back then were ignorant about the development of spaceflight, but "rocket plane" sounds like something out of a comic book. Anyway, Arthur Murray was incredibly cool. Way cooler than anyone on the panel could ever hope to be. He went on to be the manager for the X-15 program (that gave us household names like Neil Armstrong and Joe Engle).

[@418-Error]

pockypurse It may sound like a comic book, but it is literally true. It has wings, it has a rocket engine (not a jet), therefore a rocket plane. The X-15 was one of them.

[@robertjean5782]

​@@418-ErrorI agree 💯 percent 😊

[@sdgakatbk]

How did Bennett make the jump of the Secretary's job having to do with What's My Line? Maybe he picked up something the way Daly was responding?

[@robertjean5782]

Exactly, he kept mentioning her name 3 times😊

[@brandonflorida1092]

The first person in the sciences I can recall appearing on the show.

[@rodgerdeighton8098]

Audio too low. Had to leave because couldn't hear.

[@diamondstud322]

If you are watching on a tablet or computer, you’ll probably have this problem with many things on KZbin. You can watch KZbin on your TV (depending on your TV) or get a Bluetooth speaker to boost the audio.

[@robertjean5782]

Close caption 😊

[@lunastarr1925]

a pretty and respectfully attired secretary

[@waldolydecker8118]

It was 1955...she was par for the times. You can't compare her with today, because its a totally different time. Even still, Daly ushered her off stage pronto, before she could open her mouth about anything, good or bad. Smart move.

[@robertjean5782]

She wouldn't divulge any information about John😊

[@RonGerstein]

John Charles Daly used his secretary for many "things."

[@Leorstef]

Some additional info on Major Arthur "Kit" Murray that I found. Quite a career in aviation. www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/kit-murray/

[@TehJew22]

Mr. Day-O himself. :D

[@ptownfreddy]

I don’t mourn in the traditional sense, but celebrate the life of Harry Belafonte, Jr., who passed today at the ripest old age of 96 after living a most accomplished, inspiring and delightful life. I reflexively searched Google for this appearance, because I knew that “What’s My Line” was well-known for showcasing Black performers in the 1950’s, when we rarely appeared on TV. I wasn’t disappointed! Note the solution of this mystery guest by Dorothy Kilgallen, a fan and stan of African-American pop culture (and her lingering eye as Harry walks offstage: who could blame her, LOL!) That this last ritual entailed shaking hands of two upper-class white women surely caused as many people to throw objects at their TV sets, as others to cheer: 1955 was VERY early on in the Civil Rights era, the same year that 14 year-old Emmitt Till was tortured and murdered. This episode gets extra points for following Harry with a non-celebrity Sikh gentleman. Although a couple of the panelists ask questions than are groaners, the magnificent host John Charles Daly handled the entire episode with his usual charm and comportment. I’d love to know how this and especially the following episode were reflected in Trendex (pre-Nielsen) ratings.

[@deloreswillis9224]

🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿

[@kenhobbs9251]

People of color were treated very well on television back then. Except if you listen to race baiters and democrats

[@bluecamus5162]

It must've just turned really cold in NY. This is the first episode I can remember where both girls are fully clad up to the neck. I'm used to seeing them both in gowns which expose neck, shoulders and upper chest.

[@robertjean5782]

November very cold😮

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

JOHN DALY'S SECRETARY ROCKET PLANE TEST PILOT MARINE ENGINEER

[@eddasimon1427]

Harry was and still is a fascinating man❤️🌹🍀with good humor and charme❤️🌹🍀

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

23:32 Fred Allen's borderline look of disgust.

[@robertjean5782]

Wrong😊

[@joieutube]

John Daly said "Whole new vistas open to the American male..." and Miss Elson looked at her chest.

[@robertjean5782]

No, she was checking to see is she was standing on the x for cameraman 😊

[@areneesouder]

For some reason the last few videos were extra quiet. I tried checking my phone to see if that was the problem, but haven't found it. So are these videos unusually quiet?

[@robertjean5782]

Use close caption 😊

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Are all airplane pilots in the Armed services of the United States necessarily officers?

[@laurahoward5426]

Yes, and mostly Majors.....Arthur " Kit" Murray was my stepfather

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

All of these uploads with the orange GSN logo have low audio.

[@robertjean5782]

Close caption 😊

[@erichanson426]

Bennett was a pro, how he guessed it was John's secretary I wont know.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

I guess Goodson-Toddman got all of the money from the home version of WML. I wonder if they made really big money from that and their other home games.

[@sparklietines9384]

at the beginning, the first girl sounds like dorothy in the wizard of oz.

[@randylovering24]

John is no creature

[@Sylvander1911]

Technically, we all are

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

Bennett's interaction with Mr. Singh was super cringey. People really knew squat about Sikhism.

[@beadyeyedbrat]

I can't believe Cerf guessed John's secretary.

[@RonGerstein]

Cerf is a genius.

[@greygtv6]

Times have changed. "Kaffir" is the SA equivalent of the N word. At least they should have said Zulu, or another SA tribe/language. "Aikona" (not sure of the spelling) simply means "no". If you plan on visiting I highly recommend you don't use the K word.

[@johngrout6039]

greygtv6 The South African N-word means “pagan” in Arabic. It is not a curse word, but it is derogatory.

[@CzechMirco]

@@johngrout6039 And "niger" means simply black in Latin. Your Anglosphere tabooism is both primitive and extremely damaging to basic human liberties.

[@thorsten422]

I was trying to find what language he referred to but I couldn't find any that sounded like that. I thought maybe it was an old American way of saying Xhosa but that doesn't sound like it either.

[@neonknights]

So now we know whose DNA they used to create Khan Noonien Singh.

[@Frankcastlepunisher74]

What a fine looking guy!

[@davidsanderson5918]

That little moment where Daly takes the mickey out of Allen, regarding a flying vehicle with no motor, is exemplary of Allen's ways. Note how he is unamused, swiftly justifies his question without a smile, ignores Daly's 'I was just kidding' remark, and swiftly talks over him by going straight to his next question. In summary: it's ok for other people to be the butt of his jokes but not for a second does he tolerate being the butt of others. If you give it, you should be able to take it.

[@fetchmeastorm3670]

I'm not sure I agree with your assessment. Have you ever listened to Fred Allen's radio show or have you read his books? He constantly makes fun of himself, as do the characters that appear on the radio show. Self-deprecation was a big part of his brand of comedy. He was the butt of his own jokes more often than not. He made fun of himself more than he made fun of others.

[@RikardPeterson]

The video seems broken? I get KZbin's vague error "An error occurred , please try again later." I tried a couple of times yesterday, and now today. But all other videos work…

[@WhatsMyLine]

I'm not seeing any problem here, Rikard. Sorry.

[@RikardPeterson]

I'll just keep trying, then.

[@WhatsMyLine]

You can try clearing your browser cache, since it appears to be a problem specific to you. The video definitely plays!

[@RikardPeterson]

Not a browser thing (I tried it in Firefox too with the same result). My guess is that the copy of the video on the KZbin-server serving northern Europe has gotten messed up or something. I'm glad that it works for most people (I was briefly worried the video was in the process of being taken down by KZbin or something like that), but I guess I'll just have to skip this one.

[@WhatsMyLine]

Rikard Peterson I'm sorry it's not playing! I've never had this happen before, a video becoming unplayable for technical reasons in only one region of the world. I did just have to re-upload a You Bet Your Life video on my YBYL channel that was playing just fine and then mysteriously stopped working, but I was able to see that problem once I was alerted. This WML video is playing fine for me, and I see that the views are steadily going up, so I think you made a good guess as to what's wrong. Well, at least you know there are a lot of other shows waiting for you to watch even if we can't fix this problem. I can't imagine you've watched all of the others yet! :)

[@kulturekritik9665]

How the hell did Dorothy guess Harry Belafonte out of the blue? I think she made a deal with the devil when she started on this program.

[@calonkat]

The panelists knew everyone who was in town and where they were performing. There were hints of his natural voice in his assumed accent, so knowing it was a male singer in a nightclub not near Broadway was probably enough for her to start going through a mental list.

[@robertjean5782]

Dorothy was a investigative reporter for years 😊

[@robertjean5782]

Self deduction who was playing at that time in a night club😊

[@RonGerstein]

​@robertjean5782 Since 1937 for the newspaper the New York Herald Tribune, as a columnist.

[@smadaf]

I love What's My Line?; but I do cringe when the audience in the 1950s finds it hilarious that someone has a Japanese name, writes in Urdu, or wears a turban. I watch this series partly because of how good I feel about the past; but one thing good about the present is that people nowadays are much less likely to laugh nervously just because someone has an Eastern name.

[@petemarshall8094]

I think it’s great! I was growing up around this time, and not living in a large metropolis, I never saw anybody outside my own race until I was twelve. When I did, I wasn’t confused or awkward, but thanks to shows like this, I was delighted and couldn’t wait to make friends with them and learn their background. Shows like WML did much to integrate and normalize race relations and people of all cultures. Sadly this type of common sense is far more uncommon today, as is respect and decency.

[@Historian212]

@smadaf I feel that way about all the comments on women’s looks. It’s constant, really irrelevant and annoying. I grew up in the late 50s-early 70s, the focus on looks was an intense pressure, especially for girls and women. And you had to keep smiling in public, no matter what you thought. I don’t miss those days at all.

[@robertjean5782]

​@@petemarshall8094I agree 💯 percent 😊

[@dalekelly7639]

What?

[@bigwilson8794]

Is Arlene missing teeth 10:35?

[@tomitstube]

+Dick Wilson - it looks like something is there but considerably darker than the rest of her teeth, the canine. oddly enough she's staring straight at the camera when you can see that "black" tooth.

[@AthenaeusGreenwood]

In a prior episode, Miss Arlene mentions having caps and "proud of 'em" (contestant made false teeth) so very possible one came off prior to airtime but, being a pro, the show must go on! Goes for all of the panelists and MGs - dropped pearls and earrings, untucked shirts after surgery (Fred!), evening coats tossed over travel clothes or busted zippers - Keep Calm and Carry On!

[@novic63]

Shadow I think watch 11:11 and everything is OK.

[@libertyann439]

John doesn't know his own secretsry's name.

[@boognish999]

@@libertyann439 why is this a reply to a comment about Arlene's teeth?

[@laurahoward5426]

When Fred Allen said 'ka**ir" , I almost died, I had a great friend from Zimbabwe, he told me the K-word, was worse than the N-w*rd

[@robertjean5782]

70 years ago it was acceptable 😊

[@alexkruyer]

Wow the south African words one is not polite at all.

[@daler.steffy1047]

In reading through a number of the posted comments, I was really surprised that no one commented on the rudeness that two of the panelists displayed when the last person came on at the very end, and I'm talking about Mr Singh. Bennett Cerf (maybe he should be called "Smurf") made a comment to Mr. Singh regarding whether his turban was a way to seek profit(s) from others (I am paraphrasing here); and Fred Allen then commented to Mr. Singh that he thought his turban looked like it was muffler that had somehow (presumably, by accident?) ended up on his head (paraphrasing here). These two comments were extremely rude, whether judged by 1950's standards or by today's standards (2024). Now I understand the social context, the social climate of the 1950s, where such comments would be considered acceptable (I was born in 1948). However, what should never change just because the decades change, is believing in human dignity and respect for all of our differences. In other episodes from the 1950s, when rather corpulent people first "stepped onto the stage," there was some jeering and laughing at this person's expense, and it would often continue through the "signing in with your name"; and then usually one or two panelists would make some kind of a joke about the person's weight, which, again, by today's standards, would be considered derogatory and demeaning. (It's a good thing these people aren't living in 2024, because between my telephone and my often rather long and expressive emails, some of the panelists would have a lot of stuff coming at them, in my desiring to "set the record straight," because I do not put up with that kind of nonsense.) As well, the producers and the show's director, collectively, have a moral responsibility with respect to requiring the audience in the studio to be respectful, including ceasing the hooting and whistling and the "cat calls" that were so prominently showcased when (it was usually) a young blonde woman was signing in; or when a "dignified gentleman" with a prominent beard and/or longer-than-usual hair for that time came on stage and then sign in, and some of the audience members would be laughing out loud and clearly behaving in a disrespectful manner! (You don't always have to see people directly to know when there are displays of inappropriate behaviors/manners!) They should have been ashamed of themselves, as respect for others is not tied to any particular decade or any other segment of time.

[@robertjean5782]

70 years ago none of this was offensive to contestants😊

[@broughtbackin]

@@robertjean5782 You actually read that wall of text??? Do people not know what paragraphs are used for?

[@RonGerstein]

You text too many words, and your point is wrong, you brainless simpleton.

[@MrChoirDirector87]

The audience was so dry with Mr. Belafonte. Humph....SMH

[@robertjean5782]

He was just starting his career, many didn't know him😊

[@crabbyoldman8209]

I've seen all the shows so far, and this is only the third contestant who had a beard. The first was a reindeer herder from one of the Dakotas, and was on a Christmas-themed show. The second was a pickpocket who parlayed his skills into a stage show, and his beard was part of his image. Obviously in the case of Mr. Singh, the beard is a religious and cultural element. In all three cases, the beard was seen as a novelty meant set the individuals apart. In spite of all the prejudice at the time, there have been more African-American contestants (although not many, sad to say) than there have been contestants with a beard. In fact, not one single contestant has had a beard, except the three I mentioned above. My point is this: prejudice against bearded men runs so deep, it's not even talked about. But as I write this, in 2020, I know full well that there are many, many jobs I would not even be considered for because I have a beard. There also are families into which I would not be allowed to marry. I keep myself extremely well groomed; my beard is tightly cropped, and clean in appearance. But I still live with the knowledge that I face discrimination which some minorities do not face anymore. If you think I'm being extreme by saying that, consider this: there are laws protecting minorities against discrimination. There are no laws protecting the rights of men with beards - unless I were of a specific religion. And even then, it would be a religious waiver, which would not be granted to me unless I were Sikh, etc. Please understand that I do not mean to diminish the challenges all minorities still face. I'm not that naive, or dismissive of the situation. It still is - and probably always will be - a constant struggle. But as I say, the discrimination against beards runs so deep, it's not even talked about.

[@robbob1234]

[In a Bennett Cerf voice] Get a shave and a haircut, you bum. Maybe if you stop looking like a hippy someone will hire you. You probably like that horrendous rock and roll music as well!

[@preppysocks209]

At least they had a few bearded men. What is more outrageous is that despite more than 2000 regular contestants, they never had a single bearded woman.

[@petemarshall8094]

@@preppysocks209 There’s a lot more “bearded women” out there these days, than there were back in the mid-1950s. Growing up, I used to pay good money to see them in the fairs and circuses. Today, I can see them everywhere for free. Tattooed ladies too (though none so far named Lidia.). Now, that’s progress!

[@Historian212]

Beards were very rare in the US at the time, except in certain religious-ethnic communities. Except occasionally among some of the Beats, who tended toward Van Dykes. Much more accepted ever since the late 60s, with maybe a lull during the 80s. But from World War I through the 60s, the accepted style for men in the US was pretty standard: short hair, clean-shaven. With very few exceptions. And there was a lot of pressure to conform, very little tolerance for difference.

[@kristabrewer9363]

WOW! I didn't know that Arlene as married! and this is a GAME!? is it still?

[@robertjean5782]

No, this was 70 years ago 😊

[@libertyann439]

John doesn't know his own secretary's name. LOL

[@michaeldanello3966]

liberty Ann: You can't be serious. It was an obvious attempt to throw the panel off the trail.

[@waldolydecker8118]

@@michaeldanello3966 - yeah, TOO obvious.

[@thecandidcounterbalance1492]

And to think, this was a pretty liberal program for its day. The racist humor surrounding the last contestant would never fly today, even in the spirit of good fun.

[@CzechMirco]

Of course it wouldn't in todays mendacious public climate in Anglosphere. Among other things, there was nothing actually racist about it.

[@Historian212]

@@CzechMircoReally? All those questions about whether the guest was some kind of mystic or performer because of his turban? Fred Allen’s remark about it being a scarf? All based on racial stereotypes instead of just asking the usual questions. I was cringing.

[@CzechMirco]

@@Historian212 Yea, only none of that is racial but all is cultural. And newsflash for you Anglosphere charlatans: stereotypes aren't inherently racist (or anything inherently bad - just like any other instinctive mechanisms).

[@kenhobbs9251]

It’s a shame how hateful Harry became in his old age Rip

[@broughtbackin]

Elaborate please?

[@kenhobbs9251]

@@broughtbackin a left wing radical communist

[@RonGerstein]

​@@kenhobbs9251You have described yourself, not the great singer and actor Harry Belefonte.

[@kenhobbs9251]

@ great singer so so actor and he became very racist. Look up some of his actions

[@katarinahjarpe5879]

All those questions about the last contestant's turban, whether he was in the occult, was wearing it to impress customers and so on, makes me think they'd never met a Sikh before. His name was Singh, the turban needs no explanation. :-)

[@DaRozeman]

Maybe today, but we're talking over half a century ago here. While I'm sure there were Sikhs in this country at that time, there was a lot less known about them. For all the panel knew he could have been from any one of the several cultures that wear similar head dress. That said, the little "genie" salute from Dorothy and the "Singh" for my supper quip from Bennett were a bit out of line, even for then.

[@lennypearl]

@@DaRozeman Bennett made puns of many people's last names on the show, he was the original dad joke maker :-P

[@vincentdaly78]

Before immigration was reformed in 1965, it was very difficult for anyone from the Indian subcontinent to get into the US. I was living in New York in the late 60s, and as far as i know there was one Indian restaurant in the whole city.

[@MrRwk314]

It was 1955 lol

[@yolandasivils8659]

I'm 62, lived in So Cal my entire life, and I've not ever met one either. And this is now 2021.

[@robertcrouch375]

Audio way too weak; not wasting my time on rhis one.

[@jt414]

cerf an a** again! he could have let that innocent secretary fun go on for a lease a little bit