What's My Line? - Lily Pons (Mar 6, 1955)

[@cuttersboi08]

I love that naughty laugh from Arlene at Dorothy’s question, “Do you work at night?” She’s often so flirtatious without being too forward and dropping little innuendos. She is so lovely and graceful with just the right amount of devil in her. And who can blame her with the likes of Steve Ellis there?

[@rmelin13231]

Yes - similar to how Betty White portrayed herself, I think. Two most delightful entertainers.

[@cuttersboi08]

Most definitely.

[@michellecalling]

That dress Lily Pons wore is to die for. Love it!

[@diamondstud322]

Ahhh the voice of that hypnotist, he could hypnotize me any time lol

[@brunoantony3218]

Amazing that the comments about Ms. Pons mention her dress, her charm and her elegance but never her incredible, miraculous and inimitable operatic voice. I suggest people search for her videos as Lucia di Lammermoor, Lakme and Marie in La Fille du Régiment. She was God's gift to opera.

[@chucknyc123]

I loved Lily Pons and I am grateful to whomever posted this. When I discovered she is buried in Cannes, about 20 minutes from my place in Vence, I knew I had to make a pilgrimage, And there she rests in peace, just meters away from Peter Carl Faberge and Prosper Merimee. And she is wearing Dior in this clip.

[@allenjones3130]

If Julie Andrews (who'd begun her vocal life as a lyric/coloratura soprano)had pursued an operatic career, she might have given Lily a run for the money.

[@dinahbrown902]

Brain level I suppose

[@fridafan1]

I remember a recording of Lucia from 1954 from the Met with my favorite baritone and singer of all time - Ettore Bastianini as Enrico. Sadly I can't find it anymore

[@nolitetebastardescarborund9761]

@@chucknyc123 *whoever

[@sambrinkley9120]

"Although dissimilar to his present garb, it is not necessarily germane to his occupation." Beautiful speech

[@shirleyrombough8173]

I just love this program and wish we could recreate it now. But who in the world could we get to play John Daly, Bennett Cerf, Dorothy Kilgallen or Arlene Francis or the wonderful substitute panelists?

[@keymaninmusic]

The Kardashians

[@gregoryh.3690]

That hypnotist is dreamy. He's the best looking non-mystery guest male contestant I have seen to date.

[@jerrylee8261]

A beautiful smile to boot.

[@randysills4418]

Yes!!!

[@brunoantony3218]

A dream boat indeed.

[@luketimber4679]

@@jerrylee8261 He was WOW,

[@pangaeuspress]

It's amazing how many stunningly beautiful men and women the producers could find in such unlikely professions! And for, what, thirty years?

[@francoaragosta4285]

Pons was such a PRETTY creature. Dainty Charming. Graceful..The essence of CHIC! Loved her. Will always miss her.

[@rr8960]

My music professor in college loved Lily and had me learn and then perform several of her pieces. They were ridiculously high and difficult. Not sure any of us lived up to her incredible voice.

[@keithnaylor1981]

Two WOWS - Ms Pons dress! Even Arlene and Dorothy looked to be admiring it! And the good looking Hypnotist - Arlene and Dorothy were entranced even without him working his magic!

[@lauracollins4195]

Arlene is remarkably intelligent and funny, isn’t she... Not self-important at all, with a charming sense of humor about herself. What a lovely and rare combination. :)

[@scotnick59]

Agreed.

[@Ingentiy]

Very much so

[@patriciaannking8601]

Arlene is what is missing in much of the entertainment business/industry today. She was gracious, kind, funny, elegant, spontaneous and SO much more. I really enjoy WML and have suggested it to many people, both young and not so young especially if they weren't born here. It bothers me that people in the world may think that we behaved and spoke as some people do.

[@danielbisson8032]

she is pro actor

[@susanhenry3708]

I agree, both Arlene and Dorothy are the loveliest of ladies, so charming.

[@michellecalling]

I love that dress Lily Pons wore. Some things just don't go out of style.

[@scottferrell630]

I love how Ms Pons leaves, Arlene leans over to Dorothy, Did you see that dress?

[@orgonkothewildlyuntamed6301]

imagine if it was Lady Gaga....

[@loissimmons6558]

+Scott Ferrell It was indeed a dress worthy of comment, and one can only imagine how much more beautiful it was in living color. And Miss Pons wore it very well.

[@maryjang2936]

Scott Ferrell M fun

[@jasonhurd4379]

Scott Ferrell Miss Pons was always the essence of chic. Every photo of her I've ever seen reveals her to be impeccably dressed, coiffed and bejeweled.

[@diedonner299]

Jason Hurd you can catch some of her operatic performances here on YT. She was an absolute knockout even well into her 50s.

[@burns1210]

There's a town in Frederick County, Maryland called Lilypons on Lily Pons Rd, about 30 miles from Bennett Cerf Drive which is adjacent to Bennett Cerf Park.

[@doctorjames7454]

I'm so glad they dispensed with the free guesses. Took the fun out of the show.

[@lauracollins4195]

Doctor James - Boy that’s for sure. Imagine being the disappointed contestant, with family and friends home eagerly watching. :(

[@stanmaxkolbe]

What they had the free guesses in this show. Heck Bennett Cerf guessed the guy's job.

[@flaggerify]

Shouldn't have said he was from Nevada.

[@accomplice55]

@@stanmaxkolbe Which is why Doctor James is glad they dispensed with it.

[@stanmaxkolbe]

@@accomplice55 Reread my comment because yours don't make any sense?

[@verdifan4915]

Oh dear...that hypnotist is certainly hypnotizing.

[@gugurupurasudaikirai7620]

I looked up Lily Pons and was shocked to find out that she was actually older than Bennett Cerf. Some people just age well

[@peternagy-im4be]

Like me for instance.

[@paulmorin6569]

We all have our crosses to bear.

[@allenjones3130]

The "WML" episode w/Pons was great! Lily was a lovely lady, and it was great to see Arlene, Dorothy, Bennett, comedy icon Fred Allen, and of course, John Daly.

[@lorihansen8674]

For the last contestant, Arlene's smirk reminds me of just how saucy she is! Life wasn't all that innocent back then....

[@philippapay4352]

Lori Hansen - You are so right. I do think a big difference was that Arlene and Martin were clearly happily married plus being a lady and a gentleman. They knew how to flirt (even with each other) or be flirtatious without making a pass at anyone, which is quite a different thing and utterly inappropriate. We seem to have lost the art of flirtation and people are either living lives of quiet onanistic misery or they are performing tonsillectomies at weddings or under the holiday mistletoe sprig. No sense remains of being a sexual being who can make a gentle, complimentary statement among adults without having to run off with the Matron of Dishonor. There seem to be no subtleties, no playfulness, no wit, alas.

[@jerrylee8261]

@@philippapay4352 Onanistic- a naughty word. From google: onanistic (comparative more onanistic, superlative most onanistic) Of or pertaining to masturbation (onanism). In a manner which suggests masturbation; hence, fruitless, self-congratulatory, self-absorbed, pointless.

[@philippapay4352]

@@jerrylee8261 I feel certain there are those who do not find minding one's own business naughty, thus onanism/onanistic is merely descriptive.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

@@philippapay4352 I agree with what you wrote, and cleverly. One doesn't have to leap into bed with every ripe peach one meets, contrary to the one who told me, after my attempt at one of those innocent flirtations, "If you don't want my peaches, baby, don't shake my tree."

[@philippapay4352]

@@shirleyrombough8173 LOL. There is a world of difference between flirting and making a pass. Just as there is a huge difference between being rude, caustic in a comment vs. being terse, clipped while saying the same thing. I am sure you will agree with me that there are MANY for whom a monsoon wind on the Indian subcontinent makes their peaches rattle on the High Street in Cheshire and that incessant randiness makes my smile disappear.

[@leesher1845]

That last contestant was really handsome and he looked very sweet, too.

[@GingerHey]

Thank you very much for posting these. I was 6 years old when this particular show aired. This show was class all they way.

[@gordonkelly7447]

Dorothy and Bennett are very bright as well. I love Arlene, she's always smiling and smart!

[@donnacook8994]

Lily Pons wearing a stunning dress! Loved the German accent! 🥰

[@loissimmons6558]

Speaking of dresses, I notice that Dorothy wore the same gown she wore a few weeks earlier and a number of other times on WML (as was commented on by another poster here). Yesterday, I watched part of an interview with Jayne Meadows where she was discussing her long run as a panelist on IGAS. I would assume that what she described went for the other Goodson-Todman panel shows as well, especially since IGAS was a highly rated show during much of her run. Miss Meadows disclosed that she was paid only $165 per week to appear on the show at the beginning, out of which came taxes and her agent's cut. She was sharing an apartment with her sister Audrey at the time and money was tight. She said that there was no makeup artist or hairdresser associated with the show. Nor was there a wardrobe department. And while Miss Kilgallen and Miss Francis had long and relatively successful careers by the time they began on WML, plus they were also married, Jayne was both single and a relative unknown. She only owned one gown. She borrowed one for one of her appearances, but she certainly couldn't afford to buy a new gown (plus accessories like earrings and necklaces) every week on $165 per show. So after three shows she told IGAS that she would have to quit. They were aghast because they spotted her as an up and coming star with great television audience appeal. When she explained why, they came up with the idea of having her gowns supplied in exchange for the supplier being listed among the credits (the same as various airlines started getting credit on WML for flying in guests who lived a long distance from NYC). Bergdorf Goodman was the first store to supply her gowns and she got to keep them for personal use after the show. She went from a bare wardrobe to one of the best in town!

[@jackrussell2380]

Thanks for this information! It was so interesting to read.

[@donaldmanthei1224]

$165.00 in the early 60s equals $1,650.00 today. Taxes and rent were much cheaper as well ad clothes. Of course Miss Kilgallon and Miss Francis were quite wealthy and this was a part time job, if not almost a hobby. I think they had more fun than felt they were working in game shows.

[@anabanana6480]

This is such an interesting fun fact, thank you!

[@stanmaxkolbe]

My Father in the sixties made $45 bucks a week at his factory job in Kalamazoo, MI. Yes he was Union labor.

[@dinahbrown902]

What a wonderful story

[@photo161]

How so totally lovely a lady is that Ms. Pons.

[@CoxJoxSox]

Lily Pons is elegant - I've never seen a more beautifully dressed guest on this show.

[@BrookeBullmasterStewart]

Ok so we’re all geeking out on Mrs. Pons’ dress - did you notice at 20:14? 😍❤️ Arlene must have asked Dorothy if she noticed what a dream that dress was and both of them craned their necks trying to see it again. Adorable! I would have loved to see more of that dress too!

[@janetmarletto6667]

The panelists tended to be elitist and in their own NYC mid Atlantic bubble. Not always profound.

[@loissimmons6558]

Lily Pons proved false that old chestnut about how an operatic performance ends. In fact, she was a diva in all senses of the word, capitalizing on her beauty as well as her voice to successfully market herself perhaps better than any other classical singer in the U.S.

[@joncheskin]

The bullfighter from Cincinnati confused the panel for a while. No bull in Cincinnati.

[@artdanks]

What a beauty! And at 57!!! (She was born in 1898!)

[@photo161]

She sang her last public concert, and quite beautifully, at age 76!

[@BrookeBullmasterStewart]

Wow!

[@ronlee4095]

Fred Allen was the funniest guy ever. He left way too soon RIP Fred.

[@markiangooley]

Video killed the radio star: arguably that’s what happened to him, more’s the pity.

[@mikegendron3723]

It's amazing to think that when they are talking about Hawaii, it wasn't a State yet, and wouldn't be for another 4 years!!

[@dennistucker9081]

I believe at the time of this program, Hawaii had been a possession and territory for some 57 years.

[@loissimmons6558]

Luis Ross was already dealing with the effects of bullfighting injuries when he appeared on WML. He fought in Mexico through March 1955 and then fought in Spain and Tangiers. Most likely he stopped in NYC en route. By July he was back in the U.S. (his home in Santa Cruz (CA); Cincinnati was his birthplace, another thing used to throw off the panel) for corrective surgery as complications of his injuries became too severe for him to continue. As of June 1956 (the date of the article I accessed), he had not returned to the bull ring. When he wasn't fighting bulls, he sold television sets to the public. The article noted that he was successful, not easy since in the mid-1950's, the nearest TV transmitter was 75 miles away and Santa Cruz is nestled along the Pacific Ocean on the north end of Monterey Bay, with mountains between it and San Francisco. (In 1981, it was a lunch stop on my honeymoon trip as we drove down the coast on the Pacific Coast Highway from SF to LA.) According to the article, Luis Ross was his professional bullfighting name, but his real name was Louis Ross Gugel and not surprisingly, somewhere along the way, he picked up the nickname "Barney". I find nothing more about him as far as being a bullfighter, but under his full name, I found that he served with the Army Air Corps (96th Bomb Group, 339th Bomb Squadron) from May 1943 to April 1945. His role in the Army Air Corps was not stated, but it did say that he achieved the rank of Sergeant and that his group flew B-17 bombing missions over occupied Europe. His name also appears online as part of a 10-man crew that was on a mission that took off from Torretta, Italy as part of the 461st Bomb Group, 764 Bomb Squadron on March 26, 1945. The target of their bombing mission was Strasshof, Austria and they were flying in a B-24L. What is posted online is that the plane ran into mechanical trouble losing two engines just about when they were over the target. Returning to base, his plane fell behind and went down, but that 9 parachutes were seen being used by the crew to successfully exit the plane (viewed by one of the P-38 fighter pilots providing cover for the bombing squadron). The 10th chute became hung up on the bomber and presumably went down with it until it crashed. The plane disappeared behind mountains before it crashed. There is no information on how the 9 men, including Gugel, made it back to friendly territory. The information comes from a military report during which the men were missing in action and it was not even known which of the 10 was the unfortunate whose chute didn't clear his plane. Mr. Gugel's position on the crew was the photographer. His rank was Staff Sergeant. His mother's address at the time was listed as Fort Thomas (KY), across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. All in all, a pretty interesting life for someone who had barely attained the age of 30. It was understandable that as a young man, life as a salesman, though profitable, was rather mundane.

[@krystonjones]

Good job. Bull’s revenge. Where was the Bull’s corrective surgery?

[@dancelli714]

We all have interesting bio's, but his was a better one.

[@Fatherofheroesandheroines]

I almost started a drinking game whenever Daly uses a big word, but I would be too drunk lol

[@5XWCWCHAMPION]

By coincidence, I just saw yesterday one of her rare films "I Dream Too Much" (1935) with Henry Fonda in his third film and it was enjoyable.

[@bigoldinosaur]

The first contestant is probably the third or fourth bullfighter on the show that I've seen. And John's little opera was hilarious.

[@user-gq1sh4kf4w]

Another perverted animal torturer. Don’t they even cut off the bull’s ear? How disgusting! I prefer the hypnotist.

[@stanmaxkolbe]

@@user-gq1sh4kf4w Yeah and you never ate meat? Get a life!

[@sdkelmaruecan2907]

Pretty sure it's the most represented job after men's barbers...

[@janetmarletto6667]

Interesting that Bennett mentions pay because he was paid $1500 per show ,whereas the other were paid $750 per show. That was huge pay at the time! X10 in current value! For under an hour!

[@jackkomisar458]

When the bullfighter smiles, he reminds me of Eric Idle of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

[@kguy152000]

Haha -Troubadour. Arlene is too funny.

[@lauracollins4195]

David Scott - That was a crackup! :D

[@thunderball6908]

"You always let the girls walk by!". You tell 'em Dorothy.

[@maaritlarinen9056]

Bennett's 'honi soit qui mal y Pons'-pun has me cackling everytime.

[@petemarshall8094]

It was good, but he was wrong to claim it was Latin. Rather it is Old French.

[@dennistucker9081]

How does it translate?

[@macmcleod1188]

​@@dennistucker9081​ It would literally translate to "Shame be on anyone who hurts Lily Pons." It is a pun on "Honi soit qui mal y pense" usually translated as "shame on anyone who thinks evil of it", the motto of the British knight's "Chivalric Order of the Garter."

[@macmcleod1188]

​@@dennistucker9081a little more digging turned up the fact that in French it's usually used ironically to hint at ill intentions. And it's also translated this way: "shame on anyone who thinks this evil"

[@dennistucker9081]

@@macmcleod1188 Great! Thank you

[@WhatsMyLine]

Comments left on prior version of this video: jmccracken1963 1 year ago This is one of those rare shows in which a "free guess" is correct - namely, Bennett Cerf's free guess on the second contestant, who does, indeed, repair slot machines (though not in Las Vegas, as Bennett may have thought, but in Reno, at the Colony Club). Fred Allen is very witty and funny on this show, as he was on ALL of his appearances on WHAT'S MY LINE? Cue cards at the end look good, too. And finally, did anybody else out there notice Dorothy and Arlene "ooooh"-ing and "aaaaah"-ing about Lily Pons' "tres chic" dress as she makes her exit? Miss Pons made a great mystery guest, even though her singing voice was getting to "the end of the line" by the time of this appearance (she would retire from the Met just 3 years later, and from the operatic stage 3 years after that). What's My Line? 1 year ago My understanding is that the reason they got rid of the free guess was primarily because of the rare times that one of the panelists got it right, because it meant an entire segment would be wasted. It was so rare for the free guess to be correct, I can't believe it mattered all that much. Besides, it was always such a great, unexpected moment when it did happen. I also thought the free guesses were good for offering a guaranteed opportunity for Fred Allen and Steve Allen to be funny even if, as happened sometimes by chance, they didn't end up with much opportunity during the game itself. I suppose it was also a less compelling feature after Fred Allen died and the 4th panelist turned into a guest slot. But I miss it. Every other tweak they made to the format but this one I feel improved the show. cd637299 1 year ago I don't watch much of these early ones because of that feature---but this is the first time I saw this happen! Any idea how long after this episode, the feature was dropped? Certainly the "gameplay" aspect goes out the window here.... trent100100 1 year ago +What's My Line? I think the free guess only worked 3 or 4 times Bigwave2003 1 year ago (edited) +cd637299 There's an episode where a contestant is a detective and two of the panelists guess it in the free guess section, but they went on with the game anyway. Dixie Alexander 1 year ago This is the fifth "free guess" I've found so far. Arlene and Bennett twice each, Dorothy once. What's My Line? 1 year ago +Dixie Alexander I'm almost positive that Fred Allen did it once, and Jerry Lewis guessed correctly on an overweight woman who sold diet pills (because he was making a joke). I wish I'd made a note of it when I saw the shows it happened on! trent100100 1 year ago +What's My Line? That wasn't the free guess round though ToddSF 94109 4 months ago +What's My Line? -- It was fairly impressive that Bennett got it right (the city notwithstanding), though it's certainly not an impossible guess knowing the contestant lived in Nevada. Still, it's a good reason for them to have eliminated the "wild guess" process at the beginning of each round and I'm glad they finally did get rid of that, along with the "Walk of Shame". At least, at this point, the panel seems to simply shake hands and greet the person -- I really hated it when Arlene would feel someone's arms, or Dorothy would look at the labels inside a suit coat, and that sort of nonsense. I also think one question per panelist in rotation for mystery guests was a big improvement. In sum, the rules followed in the latter years of WML seem to be the best rules IMHO. ToddSF 94109 4 months ago That was quite a dress on Lily Pons -- I like it -- but I don't think I've seen a skirt that big and full since Deborah Kerr in "The King and I". corner moose 1 month ago +ToddSF 94109 I remember the girls wearing those petticoats to school back in those days. MattTheSaiyan 4 months ago The ads KZbin runs on these videos (video ads and banner ads) rarely make even the slightest bit of sense in terms of their relevance to this series, but for once they did: a banner ad for a revival of "Anything Goes" at a theatre in the nearest city to me. Also, I love watching Dorothy and her pretty necklaces. Bigwave2003 1 year ago Bennett was sharp coming back from his Hawaiian vacation. And Dorothy seems a bit frisky, as she sometimes does. Johan Bengtsson 9 months ago (edited) The hypnotist was a very handsome man. 20:55 Todd Brandt 9 months ago All three male contestants were quite attractive. Luis Ross had a very patrician bearing to accompany what Arlene described as his "pear shaped" tones (and she should know, being married to one of the GREATEST possessors of pear shaped tones of all time), and the slot machine man resembled a slicker George Fenneman. Johan Bengtsson 9 months ago +Todd Brandt I agree, Martin Gabel (my absolute favorite among the guest panelists!!) had a beautiful, deep voice. Lucky me for knowing who George Fenneman was after watching several episodes of "You Bet Your Life"! :) Todd Brandt 9 months ago Martin is my favorite guest panelist, too. I'd have Joey Bishop and Buddy Hackett round out my personal Top 3. Johan Bengtsson 9 months ago +Todd Brandt My Top 3 are Martin Gabel, Carol Channing and Steve Lawrence. On the opposite end I'd place Wally Cox, Victor Borge and Hal Block. Todd Brandt 9 months ago Oh, yes, I can't forget Steve Lawrence. He was great on the panel. I do happen to like Victor Borge, though. ;) MrVidaeverdade 1 month ago +Johan Bengtsson This hypnotist is still around and seems to have had a very diverse career. www.blogger.com/profile/17471321637956069323 Johan Bengtsson 1 month ago +MrVidaeverdade Thanks for the information. Nice to know that he still is alive. 60 years have gone since he was in the show. :) Michael De Sapio 1 year ago They had at least three bullfighters on WML over the years. What's My Line? 1 year ago Yeah. And personally, I say "yuck." Times change. . . I can't imagine the mentality that would consider the slow torture and murder of an innocent animal to be entertaining, let alone an "art form". Dixie Alexander 1 year ago Seems like they have one a year. ToddSF 94109 4 months ago +What's My Line? -- I have to agree with that. Bullfighting ought to be abolished, but I wouldn't go to Spain, Mexico or Portugal and say that out loud. It is a barbaric thing. I note that Judaism teaches against participating in or viewing any "blood sport", be it bullfighting, cockfighting, pit bulls attacking small animals, foxhunting, and more. I wish Christians would pay attention to that prohibition. Wayne Brasler 4 months ago She and Imogene Coca looked so much alike that the whole nation was talking the next morning when on "Your Show of Shows" they performed in identical outfits. Lily did everything-grand opera, popular music, opera, movies (successfully!), touring-, always chicly turned out, both serious and whimsical, strong on her own behalf but dry much a people person, oh so French but also a star people came to think of as American star. She was inimitable and influenced many young women who became great opera stars, most notably Beverly Sills. ToddSF 94109 4 months ago If I had been on the panel making a preliminary "Wild Guess" as to Mr. Hollingsworth's occupation, I'd have guessed he owned a guest ranch in Reno for women who were staying in Nevada for six weeks to get a divorce. (I'd have been wrong, obviously, but that's what I get for having watched the 1939 film "The Women" as often as I have, which reminds me, I need to see it again.) goldenthroat86 8 months ago (edited) Dorothy: "Do you work at night?" Hypnotist "Yes." Arlene: Naughty chuckle Classic Arlene Francis, flirting with the good looking male guests. Johan Bengtsson 9 months ago Lily Pons was at this time still married to Andre Kostelanetz, another MG on WML. hopicard 1 year ago The more I see of Fred Allen, the more I enjoy his irony and wit! What's My Line? 1 year ago If you think he's good on WML, you really need to hear his radio show. That's where his brilliance really shined. He was the primary writer of his show, a distinction shared by only one other writer/performer of the radio era (that I'm aware of), Goodman Ace of "Easy Aces". Other comedians, like Jack Benny, were heavily involved in the writing process, but only Fred Allen and Goodman Ace were the true authors of their own shows. The problem with listening to Fred Allen on radio is that there is a fair amount of cultural humor that comes across as very stereotyped today (especially Allen's Alley, which he's best remembered for, 1942-49). I'd recommend the earlier, hour long shows (he switched to 30 min in 1942) that give him plenty of room to ad lib, usually including at least one unscripted segment per show. Well worth checking out if you're finding yourself intrigued by f.a.! He was a true comedy genius, and by all accounts, a gentle, generous and unduly humble person. Nothing would please me more than to know these videos spurred some new interest in these legends! lemorab1 1 year ago +What's My Line? I love Fred Allen. I was only seven when he died, so he was a bit before my time, though I loved this show back in the fifties. I'm just now discovering him, thanks to KZbin. My favorite FA guess: "I think you're the Vice President In Charge Of Pistachios for the Chock Full O' Nuts people." What's My Line? 1 year ago +lemorab1 I was negative 16 years old when Fred Allen died, and it still makes me sad. He had finally found a comfortable (if not ideal) niche for himself on TV on WML, had published one highly acclaimed book on his radio years ("Treadmill to Oblivion"), was in the process of finishing a second book on his early years ("Much Ado About Me"), and suddenly, gone. The second book was nearly finished so it was published posthumously-- and it was even better than the first. LazlosPlane 1 year ago Can you imagine someone making a passing reference to "Gotterdamerrung," on American Idol? How far we have fallen. Ken Qualls 1 year ago Curious about when and how they choose who they will shake hads with. BlueShoeLover 1 year ago It's come up a few times now, and I just love how noticing a tan on the contestant always means they work out of doors. I guess no such thing as fake tan back then! David Kelley 11 months ago There was something called Man Tan. I don't know if it was sprayed or wiped on. moldyoreo 1 year ago Mad props to Arlene for pronouncing Hawai'i properly! george_necsha 1 year ago I love it how they run out of time, but still have time for the ?special message from our sponsors? and the prolonged ?good night? John Carpenter 1 year ago Caught on the wild guess. Edmund Thoroughgood 1 year ago Sweet Arlene. I knew she would love the dress. At the end, she looks at Dorothy and says "Did you see that girl's gown?"

[@vickimanager]

+What's My Line? Finally, I get to see this. Yes!

[@improg]

This is the first time I've ever seen them guess somebody with the free guess.

[@teologen]

Thomas Harper They didn’t, actually. He meant 'fix' as in tamper with and Mr. Daly misheard or misunderstood.

[@kristabrewer9363]

I would so LOVED to have seen Shirley Temple on here

[@loissimmons6558]

Possibly more on the first challenger: There is an online listing for a Louis R. Gugel, born on 6/17/1925 who died on 11/17/1979. He was a resident of the City and County of Los Angeles at the time of his demise. According to the report, he continued to serve in the Army Air Corps including after it became the U.S. Air Force on 9/18/1947. He eventually achieved the rank of 1st Lieutenant. One more bit of information about his crash. The location of the crash is listed as Lindberg, Austria. It is about 25 miles WSW of their mission target of Strasshof. And yes, the terrain is mountainous in that region.

[@jackkomisar458]

Did you Gugel him?

[@ers7652]

Wow!!! Mr. Ellis is absolutely gorgeous! I wonder what his story is and if there are any descendants

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Bennett's pun is the best I ever heard: "...que mal y pons!" The French word 'pence' sounds like 'pons.'

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Honi soit qui mal y pons

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Bennett: Guilding the lily. Bennett's puns are really intellectual, creative and just fun.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

I am an LSU alumna. Some yesrs before I came to LSU, Ms. Pons came to LSU to perform in our outdoor theater. Sadly a bug flew into her mouth while she was singing. It was so traumatic that she vowed never to come to LSU again. People show visitors this outdoor theater and tell them this story. See? We do other things besides producing championship football teams

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Bennett can retire after this pun. No one will ever produce a better one.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Women's hair styles were so distinctive in the fifties. The hair on the back of the head was flat with curls around the face. T he sixties changed the shape of the hair drastically. The hair was longer, fuller in the back. (And much more attractive, I must say.)

[@rmelin13231]

Classic - one of the few times that a panel member guessed correctly during the "wild guess"!

[@dennistucker9081]

Perhaps someone can tell us exactly how many times. I have only seen one other time.

[@rmelin13231]

@@dennistucker9081 This channel has an entry with all of the correct wild guesses. You'll have to hunt for it. There were a small handful, I forget how many.

[@robertjean5782]

​@@dennistucker90819 total then they stopped the free guess!

[@marcgruppe5783]

There is a tiny town in Maryland, near Frederick, called Lily Pons. Every year Lily Pons the singer would arrange to have her Christmas cards postmarked from that town.

[@loissimmons6558]

On his second "pull' back from vacation, Bennett came up with three 7's!

[@grego5284]

I turned four years old that month. 😎

[@bubblinbrownsugar616]

And Bennett Cerf said he was nervous returning?!?! LOL! WOW! 😄

[@Sylvander1911]

And missed the pay cheque

[@SueProv]

@@Sylvander1911 He founded the publishing compant Random House. He had to be worth millions

[@sansacro007]

If anyone knows whatever became of Mr. Ellis, let us know. (Sometimes family members provide colorful backgrounds on guests.)

[@ggsilik5577]

He works in the state of California, as a probate referee, in 2024. He has written a book and was a founding member of the Magic Castle because of his interest in magic and hypnotism.

[@bazazpa]

Do you work at night? (Arlene snickers)

[@NJack-uu8ej]

I was only 11 months old when this episode aired, but I distinctly remember Ms Pons's dress.

[@loissimmons6558]

During the week prior to this episode airing, on Tuesday, March 1 the Dodgers opened their training camp in Vero Beach, FL to begin the start of Spring Training season. Still smarting from a second place finish to the eventual World Champion Giants, their crosstown rivals, in 1954, they would go on to their most successful season in Brooklyn, their only World Championship.

[@juanettebutts9782]

Mr. Hollingsworth and John must visit the same barber. In a previous episode one of the commenters mentioned the men had the same hairlines. Too true, ma'am!

[@jasonhurd4379]

John's 'poi/boy' joke went over like a lead balloon. Even the crickets were silent! 😂

[@donaldmanthei1224]

Not unlike many of his attempts at humor.

[@dennistucker9081]

In case no one asked, who is Steve Ellis? Does anyone know anything about him or his career?

[@ggsilik5577]

Stephen Ellis: a probate referee for the superior court in California. Still alive in 2024. Wrote a book, "Explaining the Unexplained", also wrote a blog (that has his picture--he's older, but it's him) where he talks about hypnotism....

[@markblass4490]

Bennett: "In other words you're a very shapely and lovely lady is that correct?" Not sure if that would be acceptable today!

[@dancelli714]

BENNETT HITS IT RIGHT OFF THE BAT !!! PONS IS SUPER CUTE.

[@golden-63]

*One can hardly blame Dorothy and Arlene for melting into puddles over Mr. Ellis. He puts the majority of Hollywood's leading men to shame.*

[@Merrida100]

Fred Allen reminds me of Howdy Dooty

[@dennistucker9081]

Perhaps I may be permitted to post a note about writing style. The proper practice is to not use any abbreviations which are not common. Common abbreviations would include P. M., and A.M. Another would be SOS. But IGAS is not common and for younger people would be very mysterious. In this context it stands for another game show - hosted first by Garry Moore, then by Steve Allen - - “I’ve Got a Secret. “

[@dancelli714]

I Find Ms Pon's very appealing, (Cute)

[@lllowkee6533]

We like to think that America is a classless society , but the casts of this show were in a higher class that than most of the trash running things today.

[@waldolydecker8118]

Gym Jordan is NOT trash!

[@enriquesanchez2001]

@@waldolydecker8118 MOST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[@glennhoddle10]

Wow ! Lily Pons was almost 57 here but she looked like she was in her mid 30s !

[@MrWindermere123]

I think the show was wrong to say where the slot machine man came from because Nevada is desert (so I hear) except for Las Vegas and Reno which are famous for gambling. On a different episode there was a man who trained croupiers and his work location was kept secret - he too worked in Nevada. I'm glad that round of free guesses was ended because most of the guesses were feeble jokes. In fact Bennett Cerf's correct guess was intended as a joke about slot machines swindling the hopeful public but it was close enough to be accepted as right.

[@ruthkidney3582]

This episode was 1 year and 7 months before I was born!

[@Gwaithmir]

I was 7 years old when this episode aired.

[@krystonjones]

'Aah aah ahh' - Arlene, ‘You do?' - Bennett, 'I will say this' - Daly

[@GLC2013]

What a shame they put hypnotist Steve Ellis's bit on at the end, cutting it short when they ran out of time. With that face and voice, he was the best thing they'd had on in years. Amazing how often they'd spend an eternity with some dull, doughy fart, devoid of personality, yet when they get an exciting young man on (finally), he's out the door before he can sit down!

[@GLC2013]

+Jay Kauffman That's wonderful, glad to hear it! If you know him, tell him they were crazy not to put him on first!

[@GLC2013]

That's great, sounds like a good combination of down-to-earth and open-mindedness. Best wishes to him (and you) for a happy new year!

[@jess4metoo]

GLC2013 I did a goggle search and found he was offered a screen test from Hal Wallis. I couldn't find any further info.

[@dancelli714]

Tell the truth, you had a crush on him . . . hum ?

[@diedonner299]

Jess4metoo he’s got a few blogs and I spent some time reading his posts. He went from hypnotism into studying paranormal activity and has had what seems like an interesting life. He definitely marches to his own beat but his beliefs seem to be well founded and thoughtful. He was in his late 70s around 2010 which is when he made most of his blog posts. I have no idea if he’s still alive but for whatever reason he doesn’t post to his paranormal blog anymore. 😞

[@poochillipickles8525]

I read the title as Lele Pons for a sec and I had to do a double take

[@broughtbackin]

Wild guess score up until now: Arlene-4, Dorothy-3, Bennett--2.

[@randysills4418]

I really like Dorothy's necklace...

[@blueduck5589]

In Spain the bull is killed; in Mexico, the bull is spared. In either case, the bull hasn't got a chance.

[@ibnalhaytham]

It's a shame that Goodson-Todman didn't hire a writer to give John Daly something to say when inviting the guests to take the walk of shame. It is positively painful to watch him struggling to come up with clever or even coherent segues of his own.

[@Paul-010]

Just love Fred Allen .

[@floris.927]

Latin? PENSE!? A little learning is a dangerous thing ... how very appropriate.

[@boydblackwell]

I just love Bennet..once he smelled blood, that was it.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Was What's My Line seen in Hawaii in 1955?

[@dancelli714]

I enjoy the 'free guess' segment. I believe Arlene and Bennett are the only ones that have ever gotten those (Fixes Slot machines) right ? 5 times? The walk of shame, now that was awful and less awful when the contestant would shake the hands of all the panel . Arlene and Dorothy were disappointed when the Hypnotist didn't partake in the Walk Of Shame because he was good looking. Lilly Pons is so cute that I want to bring her back to life and Marry her.

[@robertjean5782]

9 correct guesses, then it was stopped😊

[@l.e.brookshire195]

When John makes an astute remark, why does he usually look behind himself?

[@jaydock1]

L. E. Brookshire I imagine it comes from him being smart/wise-cracking, which can get you admonished, even if jokingly. he looks behind him mirthfully as if to be like "who said that" to get the attention away from him.

[@AMJava]

As a big fan of the show and John Daly specifically, I hate how Mr. Daly belittled his guest! It’s an old show. I get that there are considerations to be made for time and progress. Ms. Dorothy Schoech, a bridge designer for the Missouri State Highway Commission, mentioned the saying, “Lift Missouri out of the mud.” (It was a thing. There are headlines with Truman campaigning that very thing.) He “corrected” her with, “You’re getting Missouri out of the mud? Mississippi mud, little one.” Little one?? Little one?! She just took it and graciously left as if she were the one who was mistaken. She’s a grown woman with a job he couldn’t dream of being able to do! He had the nerve to assume she didn’t know her mind or what she meant to say? 😤😡

[@OldTelivisionRocks]

The Jerry Lewis guess I believe was after this feature was disabled....but he guessed immediately even though he was joking. So it had that same thrill as if it was by accident and I like the moment because of the look on his face but hate what he said after that. It wasn't funny, I thought it was rude.

[@frankmarano7530]

In hundreds of shows, I never saw a panel member guess the occupation at the first free guess!

[@robertjean5782]

9 guest were guessed correctly. They stopped it then.😊

[@randysills4418]

Lily Pons was about 57 here...

[@randysills4418]

She had given her birth year as 1904 but it was 1898... Another soprano, Dorothy Kirsten, gave her birth year first as 1919, then 1917, and after she died it was disclosed it was 1910. She jumped in to help a colleague at The Metropolitan Opera who was sick in 1979 when she was 69 and sounded very good! There is an excerpt on KZbin.

[@petemarshall8094]

I’m surprised that Bennett thought “honi soit que mal y pense” is Latin. It is actually Old French. And he’s a book publisher?! American intelligentsia? Not very good advertising for Columbia University. Any 12 year old at Eton or Harrow knows this.

[@jackkomisar458]

The 12-year olds at Eton and Harrow know this sentence because it is on the shield of the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, not because they are necessarily proficient in late-14th century French.

[@petemarshall8094]

@@jackkomisar458 You're likely right, Jack. I was thinking more of the Eton and Harrow students of the 1950s and 1960s, more my era, when Latin and Ancient Greek were on the syllabus. Useless info? Yes, but it's good mind training, and exposes them to history and literature. Like teaching discipline in the army using old-fashioned marching drill - sure it's outmoded, but a hardwired fast response to orders can save your life. {No, I'm not very popular at my kids' parent-teacher nights.)

[@gugurupurasudaikirai7620]

Even though Bennett was the most frequent cheater on the show I'm not sure if he was cheating on that free guess or not because of the location the guest was from. They needed to take a page from Hal Block's book and make free guesses so ridiculous there would be no chance that would happen

[@robertjean5782]

No one cheated, they were very astute to guest jobs!😊

[@stephenvincent4989]

BC has the see thru mask again and again

[@robertjean5782]

Never existed see thru mask😮

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

Cerf doesn’t go anywhere without telling the WML audience where he’s been. Braggart and a ham

[@stevekru6518]

Unless I misheard, Arlene’s first free guess was “master of the hunt.” That’s not far removed from bullfighter

[@joeambrose3260]

The moronic free guesses were a complete waste of time

[@RobertJonesWightpaint]

Just how many bullfighters did they HAVE on this show over the years? Too many - far too many. I'm on the bulls' side.

[@darshanr2369]

Who ever thought Fred Allen was funny?

[@macmcleod1188]

Fred's absurdist topically-pointed radio program The Fred Allen Show (1932-1949) made him one of the most popular and forward-looking humorists in the Golden Age of American radio. His rabid fans included u.s. presidents. His on going fake feud with Jack Benny laid the ground for Kimmel and Damon. Many comedians like Groucho Marx and Johnny Carson said he influenced their comedy routines. He's definitely constrained here on live television as he was frequently at odds with censors. I'm not a big fan of Fred Allen. I never really knew he existed prior to watching wml. Once I saw him, I realized he was the man that Jack Benny kept talking about on his shows which I have listened to.

[@lilybean835]

That always bugged me about Fred Allen. Daily will specifically say they're short on time, you can see his eyes darting to the clock, his body language is easy to read that time is getting close, and Fred doesn't pick the pace up but instead pauses for laughter while telling jokes I don't find that funny or entertaining, it just fills me with anxiety.

[@519djw6]

What was it with WML and its fixation with non-Hispanic bullfighters--a couple of whom were women? To their credit, in my opinion, "sophisticated" audiences and panelists of today would not find this work as something to "ooh" and "ahh" over.

[@WhatsMyLine]

For one thing, as I'm sure you're aware, bullfighting wasn't considered controversial when WML was airing. You can't apply today's standards to a show aired 50 years ago. But why all the non-Hispanic bullfighters? Because the producers were trying to throw the panel off. It's the exact same thing as when they'd have an elderly woman who was a store detective as a guest, because who would have guessed based on her appearance, age, etc., that this was her line?

[@sorceress1986]

+519DJW the point is the unlikely factor. don't presume a racial bias where there is none.

[@ToddSF]

I can tell you that bullfighting back then wasn't something most Americans had thought about to the extent they had any problem with it as cruelty to animals. In fact, I think most Americans might not have realized it involved killing the bull. I remember that bullfights from Mexico were routinely televised on the one Spanish-language station in Los Angeles in the 1960's -- channel 34, one of L.A.'s two (count 'em) UHF stations in those days. (The other one was channel 28, which was then the PBS affiliate in Los Angeles, KCET.) I think WML's penchant for having non-hispanic and female bullfighters was, indeed, to misdirect the panel. Everyone had the notion that bullfighters would be Spanish, Portuguese or Latin American. In fact, I'll wager that most people still have that idea. I've noticed a lot of comments on these WML message boards unfortunately apply today's standards to people in the 1950's and 60's. The truth is, a whole lot of things have changed since the period of 1950-1967 and many people have a completely different way of thinking about certain subjects and a lot of professions that have many women practicing nowadays didn't include many women back then. Nowadays, female lawyers and physicians are practicing in large numbers, but, back then, they were relatively rare.

[@orgonkothewildlyuntamed6301]

piggybacking on our host yes it wasn't a big deal then & to add the Marilyn Monroe look-alike(imo better) who was a Judo instructor though I give kudos for the panel to guess her occupation; also, considering how many millions of animals we slaughter we're the last country who should be complaining about a few bulls

[@519djw6]

@@sorceress1986 *I did not mean to imply that thee was any racial bias whatever. If the contestant were Hispanic, it would make it easier to guess that he was a bullfighter.*

[@stevekru6518]

Not to be too disrespectful of the long departed, Dorothy, who was never much to look at, has eyebrows which are a harbinger of Star Trek aliens. If those eyebrows are normal my iPad is broken

[@lilybean835]

Bennett Cerf makes me cringe when I hear how he fixates on women's bodies, curves, and shapes. Uugghh

[@dancelli714]

I don't.

[@timothydouglas7949]

Well the women were getting off about the bullfighter!

[@donaldmanthei1224]

He's not as bad as Mr. Lock. These people seem to be very fixated on looks, men and women.

[@dinahbrown902]

Why? Are you after this period in time?

[@dinahbrown902]

@@donaldmanthei1224 Most people are very shallow in that way hence makeup,clothing styles,hairstyles, Most people

[@sandrageorge3488]

Lily Pons I think is cute, not gorgeous.

[@abelardoavendano6013]

My goodness, John Daly was a real pain in the neck.

[@dh3279]

I’m shocked that the stunning Lily Pons was almost 57 years old at the time of this episode.