What's My Line? - Robert Montgomery; Peter Lawford [panel] (Jan 13, 1957)

MYSTERY GUEST: Robert Montgomery [film actor]
PANEL: Dorothy Kilgallen, Peter Lawford, Arlene Francis, Bennett Cerf

[@e.directmarketing932]

Robert Mongomery served with great distinction and bravery in WWII. At the height of his film career, and even before the US entered the war, he traveled to France and drove ambulances during the Battle of Dunkirk, at great risk of death and capture. He later joined the US Navy and captained a PT Boat, a small plywood gunboat that endangered the crew on every mission. Montgomery retired after 5 years of hazardous service with the rank of Lt. Cmr., having been awarded numerous awards and honors for valor.

[@carolleruppert2353]

John Daly was the most erudite and entertaining talk show host of all time.

[@joeblow7407]

Robert Montgomery was a great talent!.....Actor, Writer, Director, Producer......he was outstanding!

[@Babygirlly555]

So was his daughter Elizabeth.

[@thebeatnumber]

He was also father to the best looking witch on television

[@Lilbit09]

Bennett always walks on as if he were strolling into his library.

[@vaec58]

I love watching John Daly crack up!

[@CH-od8ni]

He has such an infectuous, wonderful laugh!! I had never noticed it much before watching this episode. He was laughing so much.

[@scotnick59]

It took me years to really appreciate the talents of Mr. Montgomery: a gem of a sophisticated comedy player and daddy to one of the most gorgeous ladies who ever lived (Hi Samantha!)

[@jubalcalif9100]

Well said and well put !! :-)

[@lopa2828]

He was great actor both in comedy and drama

[@drumbum3.142]

@@lopa2828 my personal favorite role of his is Here Comes Mr Jordan .. 🎷🎨

[@January.]

*whoever

[@sw5114]

Elizabeth Montgomery was a truly gorgeous woman .

[@pambayyari8573]

Robert Montgomery's daughter was Elizabeth Montgomery'(Bewitched fame)

[@jubalcalif9100]

Wonderful stuff ! I love the "street wise" voice Robert Montgomery uses ! He clearly had a wonderful sense of humor ! THANKS, as always, for sharing with us !! :-)

[@JulieStJohn-jb4cy]

He is also in some of the best and funniest films. Great actor!

[@donnacook8994]

I love Dorothy and Arlene's dresses! So beautiful!!!

[@sbalman]

My favorite Robert Montgomery movie: the original "Heaven Can Wait."

[@accomplice55]

Do you mean "Here Comes Mr. Jordan"? That was my dad's favorite movie. :)

[@kerrykeene6471]

I've read that Montgomery and his wife Elizabeth Allan did a fine job in raising their children, although, he was tough on Elizabeth. She broke out of his shadow and made it big on her own. Fine actor and he saw the advent of television, when a lot of movie actors didn't want any part of it. Montgomery was one the first actor to have his own TV show. He was the co-founder of the Screen Actors Guild.

[@jaengen]

He was jealous of her fame that eclipsed his.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Peter Lawford: Oh, did anybody ask anything about food or drink?

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Dorothy55: Are you a living American entertainer? As opposed to a dead one?

[@shirleyrombough8173]

What is that 55 doing after Dorothy's name? I didn't put it there.

[@waldolydecker8118]

Yes, as opposed to a dead one. Abe Vigoda, for example, was often humorously referred to as being 'dead' when he was living.

[@hizgrase]

Yea. He missed a great opportunity on that one I thought.

[@michaelbarnhart2593]

Even though I have seen many of Mr. Montgomery's films, I am always reminded of his daughter Elizabeth Montgomery in some of his facial expressions. :-)

[@Stephen70304]

+Michael Barnhart Do you have any particular favorites? Besides "Here Comes Mr. Jordan" & "Lady In The Lake"?

[@michaelbarnhart2593]

I liked him in "Private Lives" and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" (which I have seen on TCM.) I have still not seen "Lady in The Lake," so thanks for the reminder to watch it! ;-)

[@beforeourveryeyes]

I like Mr and Mrs Smith, too; I think it's the only comedy (ie not a mystery) directed by Hitchcock.

[@markxxx21]

Elizabeth always described her relationship with him as strained.

[@scottevans748]

Markxxx That could be said of many past and present father-daughter relationships in Hollywood. Still-in-all... sad to hear of another.

[@nicklh186]

Peter Lawford 😍

[@brianwilliams3438]

I agree

[@loissimmons6558]

Robin Roberts was far better known to me than Robert Montgomery. I have seen so many pictures of the Hall of Fame pitcher that I knew it was the same person. It was an interesting twist to bring him on the program for the panel to guess his less famous line. By the 1956 season that had ended a few months earlier, Roberts was starting to lose his fastball, but he knew no other way to pitch than to throw his fastball past hitters, using his good control to put the pitch where he wanted it to go. Now the NL hitters were catching up to his fastball. He was only 19-17 in 1956 and then fell to 10-22 in the upcoming 1957 season. Although he rebounded from that 1957 season, by 1961, his record dropped to 1-10. The Phillies sold him to the Yankees after the season, but the Yankees young pitching developed well in spring training and they didn't lose any other pitchers to the military draft. Roberts was released in April 1962 without throwing one pitch for the Yankees. Within a month, he signed on with the Orioles and finally was able to make the transition from a hard thrower to a finesse pitcher. He pitched effectively in the major leagues for over 4 more years. The shrimp business, however, wasn't a winner for him. It took him a while to figure out what to do to earn a living when he playing career ended. In the end, he worked in the investment business and as the host of a radio sports show. He later became a college baseball coach.

[@carolv8450]

Loved his dimples and smile!

[@buckhart]

He was our hometown baseball hero....Springfield, IL

[@mercedeslatapie9772]

@@carolv8450 Handsome, handsome, handsome!!!!!

[@ClarenceHW]

Thanks for uploading these quality versions.

[@jubalcalif9100]

Amen to that !! :-)

[@jamesfeldman4234]

As an interesting bit of trivia, about five years after this show, Peter Lawford went on to become the Executive Producer of a movie called Johnny Cool (released in 1963), which co-starred Robert Montgomery's daughter Elizabeth, and was directed by Elizabeth Montgomery's husband at the time, William Asher. Lawford made film history of sorts with Johnny Cool, as I think it's the first modern gangster flick, though some give it a more fancy term, "neo-noir crime" film.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Neo noir. Interesting.

[@lilybean835]

I'm still recovering from Yul Brynner from the last episode. Swoon

[@soulierinvestments]

It would have been darned interesting if Robert had played "Maurice" in Elizabethj's Bewitched.

[@jubalcalif9100]

As I do when I take off my hat, you make a good point !! :-)

[@accomplice55]

That would have been awesome.

[@donnacook8994]

You've got to love Robert Montgomery. He's was a very funny guest! 😘👏🤣

[@joncheskin]

The Robert Montgomery Johnson Floor Wax commercial is actually up on KZbin. Peter Lawford's "shoe wax" query was possibly the single most bungled panel question in the history of What's My Line.

[@jimboy819]

He's dumb that's for sure.

[@pambayyari8573]

But was married to a Kennnedy sister ... smart on that aspect...

[@phil2u48]

@@pambayyari8573 His first wife, Pat

[@lepoisson3665]

Thank you so much for explaining.

[@kingforaday8725]

As a kid back in these days I would hear and see the names of actors and I would see their faces but I never made the connection. Like I had heard of Peter Lawford and Robert Montgomery and I saw them on TV but just seeing their faces here I couldn't tell you their names!

[@anneroy4560]

Montgomery was wonderful in Night Must Fall 1937 ... quite a different part than he generally played ... slightly disturbing ...

[@bobmaddox5436]

Yes indeed...he was perfect as Danny...his first scene is as good as it gets.

[@francoaragosta4285]

AGREED!

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Ooh, I think I should try to find that movie on Turner Classic Movies.

[@BlackPixel1]

One of the best Celebrity Guests on the show and don't even know him

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

עידו שמחי Me neither

[@QueenOfTheNorth65]

He was very famous in the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.

[@donaldleroy6502]

It's amazing how much he and his daughter look alike

[@January.]

You obviously haven't seen a picture of her mother.

[@donaldleroy6502]

@@January. you're right, I haven't seen one, which is odd since I watched one of possibly a dozen bios on her life. Now the one I saw it was all about Liz and her father and how they tragically drifted apart for whatever reason

[@Muirmaiden]

She looked like both her parents. When you look at a young Robert Montgomery you can see a strong facial resemblance between father and daughter.

[@bruceg7152]

Do they make them like Robert Montgomery any more?

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

Bennet's secretary didn't seem to disguise her voice at all!!! 09:16 Bennet says "I recognized your voice".. .. how foolish could she be?

[@franklesser5655]

I would just DIE if my social secretary appeared on TV!

[@keymaninmusic]

Wow, Frank, I love your music!

[@deboraholsen2504]

Although Elizabeth Montgomery was much more beautiful than her father, if you look very closely when he smiles broadly, you can see where Elizabeth got her smile!

[@Muirmaiden]

Robert Montgomery was a very handsome man, especially in his younger years.

[@accomplice55]

@@Muirmaiden: Agreed!

[@erichanson426]

Yes, I truly believe John Daily is right, they probably would know who their own secretaries were. If not blindfolded.

[@geraldkatz7986]

At the time I did not know why it was such a big deal Peter Lawford was in the movie Supergirl when it came out. I guess he was a star in his hey day way before my time.

[@kathleenharris3403]

Can tell which guests John Daly admires. I love Robert Montgomery in this! And I've adored Elizabeth since i was ten! I even had my parent's buy me a Samantha doll with a sparkly long red dress. The front slit on it for the sixties was quite risqué.

[@audreydaleski1067]

A voice from night must fall.

[@nanaberry4120]

Dorothy: “Are you a living American actor?” What the hell????? Does she think dead American actors are on the show????

[@UFO_computers]

Don’t second guess, Dorothy.

[@mitch89014]

Love this, he is one of favorite actors

[@January.]

*one of my favorite...

[@patricebest545]

Great actor Robert Montgomery and his daughter Elizabeth not bad either eg Samantha Stevens Bewitched

[@keymaninmusic]

Robert's daughter looks like him a lot.

[@timothydouglas7949]

Elizabeth looks a lot like your dad!

[@WintersWar]

so shocking to see him not as quick as he used to be. I've never seen him as an older man. shame we don't last very long.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Isn't it ever? What a waste.

[@sw5114]

Not quick about what? Seemed fine to me.

[@anneroy4560]

he looks fine ... he was only 53 years old ...

[@erichanson426]

For the shrimp man; the question about is it expensive, I would have to reply that it depends on your economic status. For us poor people, eating shrimp is not exactly an everyday thing.

[@UFO_computers]

There was a lot more of them back then.

[@emitwine]

my comfort show

[@emitwine]

peter is so

[@emitwine]

robert is so fun awh

[@dovbarleib3256]

Johnson's FLOOR Wax, I believe.

[@stevendaniel8126]

Class !!!!!!!!

[@KevinBradshaw1972]

Day before Humhrey Bogart dies

[@300biggirl]

Peter Lawford doesn't seem like the brightest bulb in the chandelier

[@m.e.d.7997]

Many guest players were out of their element on this show.

[@timcollins3794]

Well, he was married to a Kennedy.

[@lorraineb.4698]

Bob had one of the most beautiful daughters in the world

[@keithnaylor1981]

Wow that first round was ingenious!

[@drumbum3.142]

Even Though Answered in the Negative, .. Good Query/Question .!

[@marilynolsonburns2084]

Interesting and entertaining tutorial of post-war USA

[@lorraineb.4698]

Apparently, the panelists were given clues before the show to help lead them in the right direction

[@lorraineb.4698]

Loved Bob Montgomery’s voice

[@julielovelace7189]

Peter Lawford was toasted

[@phil2u48]

Notoriously

[@lorraineb.4698]

I did not see that

[@thecandidcounterbalance1492]

There seems to be a language barrier tonight. Nobody seems to be on the same page. Lots of confusion and long silences in tonight's episode.

[@bubgum00]

Elizabeth Montgomery’s Father.

[@Lilbit09]

Thank you , i didn't know that. I can see her smile when he smiles, cool!

[@QueenOfTheNorth65]

It sounds like Robert is using the voice he used in “The Earl of Chicago.” Clever!

[@kingforaday8725]

Bennet recognized his secretary's voice

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

Hey, Bennett. It's pronounced "pitcher", not "pitchah." Robert Montgomery was only 52 here, but looked about 70.

[@daler.steffy1047]

Even though Bennett Cerf's pronunciations can seem odd or off-beat at times, in the end it's important that we recognize and value regional dialects in our country, especially as we are losing them due to people migrating from one state or specific region to another, which causes, then, the in-place dialect to get "watered down" or "weakened." In the 1950s, I would think that a lot of people in Florida would have had a very recognizable and Floridian ("Southern") accent, if you will. But with so many people from the northern part of our country, including the northern Midwest, moving down to Florida over the last several decades, the existing dialect has become so deluded that I don't think there is much of a recognizable state-of-Florida dialect still in place (sadly). And I think this situation could be applied to our other regional dialects that are still (barely) with us.

[@poolside123canadian7]

Robin Roberts is genuinely one of the best pitchers in MLB history for those who don’t know. The only thing he couldn’t do was win the World Series. Shame.

[@gbrumburgh]

The Frozen Shrimp.contestant is the first to exit the stage and shake hands with the panel.

[@lindaroper2654]

Those, people talk to good of Arlene . They didn't say that about dorathy and she was very nice

[@UFO_computers]

Dorothy’s the star.

[@victorvelazquez6547]

Oh my stars!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It's Elizabeth Montgomery's Dad! .....um....what's his name!?☺

[@waldolydecker8118]

you've got it butt-backwards dude. Daughter made it in the business largely because of the accomplishments and respect her Dad had in the industry. Daughter looked very nice but was never an actor on the same level as her father. Your ignorance of his name and achievements is a personal incompetence, not his.

[@audreydaleski1067]

He is skilled.

[@lorraineb.4698]

Bob Montgomery was very funny

[@emmetthouse5600]

TIME. 2020 WHAT MY LINE IN 2020

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

SECRETARIES TO ARLENE, DOROTHY, BENNETT PRESIDENT OF FROZEN SHRIMP COMPANY

[@rtususian]

WOW...Robin Roberts the shrimp President is kinda HOT!!

[@MrJoeybabe25]

They didn't show the secretaries shaking hands with the panel!! I wanted to see if any of them got kisses!

[@accomplice55]

Generally, only the Mystery Guest shakes hands with the panel.

[@patrickgreene687]

Freebie and the bean

[@Yowza78]

Mr. Shrimp is handsome.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

I'll bet the producers looked down at guest panelists who passed too often. Was Peter Lawford invited back after this show?

[@ilzamaria6424]

The ' bigger than a bread box ' became a joke among the panelists

[@accomplice55]

It was started by Steve Allen years before this episode.

[@kasperjoonatan6014]

What is the shuuax, shoe wax or smg that they were talking about ?!

[@jeffzest8393]

Cerf is so much better than any other panelist. Not even close.

[@UFO_computers]

Nah, Dorothy is the one that rules them all.

[@lorraineb.4698]

Nonsense. Kilgallen and Francis were the best panelists

[@hopicard]

When I see the secretaries, I must say that something deep inside me tells me that Bennett Cerf must have been a horrible boss. I don't think he had as much humor behind the scenes as on stage.

[@SuperWinterborn]

hopicard You can bet on that Bennett's secretary was chosen by Phyllis, and I don't think he was a rude boss, just so busy that his secretary had her hands full all the time.

[@victorvelazquez6547]

I have a "feeling" he was VERY introverted off-stage as he would constantly " trashing "(1950's) Rock 'n Roll music. P.S. if he ever heard or saw some of Madonna's antics, he'd probably would've "expired"!

[@UFO_computers]

Cerf was a square.

[@hizgrase]

…. That’s OK Mr. Lawford you can just sit there and look pretty.

[@matronista]

Three men having dimples on the show is killing me! Women with janky eyebrows annoy the heck out of me (including my own). So, I must say, Dorothy’s eyebrows are on point.

[@leannsherman6723]

Janky? That’s a new word for me!

[@petersmafield3474]

Robin Roberts should have said he was Batman's sidekick.

[@Night-Tid3]

20:40 lol

[@terryniblett9329]

Peter Lawford....FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO DO!!!!

[@jimboy819]

He's dumb as a post.

[@Lilbit09]

@@jimboy819 But Margaret Truman has him beat, she could barely put a sentence together- lovely, but geez!

[@graperonto]

@@jimboy819 He was trying to get laughs. This was a serious show. Same with Groucho Marx and Victor Borge. They were trying to be funny.

[@graperonto]

@@Lilbit09 Actually, she was often a very good panelist.

[@m.e.d.7997]

Not. Well educated and a fantastic PASSWORD player. Also a fine actor.

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

16:41 "In the abundant economy of our time"... oh Daly, if only you knew... today's economy and abundance makes the 50ies look like the Stone Age in comparison...

[@franklesser5655]

Mr. Roberts is kinda hot!

[@jubalcalif9100]

And Ensign Pulver was no slouch either !! :-)

[@halkahn5035]

I always wonder why Arlene so often brings her purse onto the set. They must of had lockers backstage, so she had to have some reason.

[@user-tt3qq1zn7d]

Both ladies brought their handbags in occasionally!! They even wore gloves (both wrist & elbow length) on occasion!! They had class…unlike many of the celebrities of today!!

[@debbigray1752]

And it's handy to have a compact to check nose shine or lipstick, handkerchief, throat lozenge.

[@wynnssecret8243]

I've wondered about that too. My theory is the dresses were provided to them by some designer/store and that the purse was sent along ( complete outfit) and that Dorthey and Arlene maybe felt obligated to wear everything on the show (???)😉🤷🤔

[@rogerpropes7129]

Why wouldn't one of the three panelists recognize one of the three secretaries' voice?

[@juliansinger]

Ah, hm, Mr. Montgomery was a friendly HUAAC witness. And I was otherwise being entirely amused by him. I do wonder if his version of Busman's Honeymoon is any good.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

juliansinger - R Montgomery was a friendly witness to the HUAAC? Does that mean he was one of those rabid anti-communists led by Joe McCarthy?

[@Muirmaiden]

@@shirleyrombough8173 He didn't name names, but he was concerned about the alleged communists in Hollywood.

[@petemarshall8094]

As a Dorothy L. Sayers fan, I much recommend avoiding Mr. Montgomery’s version of Busman’s Honeymoon. The novel was superb, though not as spectacular as the preceding “Gaudy Night”. Busman’s Honeymoon was the “reward” to readers who had followed the difficult yet cerebral romantic pursuit of mystery writer Harriet Vane, by sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey, through three novels. To jump immediately into the fourth novel was shallow, and there was no meaning to anything. It was just a cheap one-off film that Sayers despised. You can find the first three Masterpiece Theatre sagas on KZbin, a terrific and charming series starring Edward Petherbridge and Harriet Walter. Then read the fourth book (never added to the series) and you’ll be in for a treat!

[@llyngibson4160]

What's shoe wax?

[@markschildberg1667]

It’s used to seal in the polish and can be brushed to a high gloss.

[@enriquesanchez2001]

Why was Ball player and Chock Full of Nuts funny at this particular time? Was there some kind of scandal surrounding this?

[@enriquesanchez2001]

Was it because Jackie Robinson had a connection to it?

[@juliansinger]

+Enrique Sanchez It may be that Jackie Robinson (and the Dodgers) were rivals of Roberts (and the Phillies), but that's only a theory.

[@enriquesanchez2001]

Interesting tidbit, Julian... Could be, could be. Thanks for responding!

[@loissimmons6558]

Jackie Robinson had just retired weeks earlier and Chock Full of Nuts hired him as a Vice President.

[@enriquesanchez2001]

@@loissimmons6558 Thank you

[@leannsherman6723]

Shoe wax??

[@lavernestub6270]

Ì

[@lindaroper2654]

Arelene didn't look so beautiful there. She's stuck on herself 😁

[@neilphelan145]

Peter Lawford doesn't seem to be very good at this show.

[@terryniblett9329]

Put blindfolds on right...CHEATERS!!

[@daler.steffy1047]

After watching a number of these "What's My Line" episodes, I did not enjoy Peter Lawford's performances as a guest panelist. He often seemed lost, awkward, disinterested, out-of-place. He just didn't shine like his colleagues, nor did he seem to fit in with the overall tempo and general light-hardness of this show.

[@caroler01]

Montgomery was very right wing and not always in a good way.

[@tennissir1986]

Peter Lawford always struck me as a cad and not a very nice person.