What's My Line? - Willie Mays; Paul Anka; Tom Poston [panel] (Jul 15, 1962)

MYSTERY GUEST: Willie Mays; Paul Anka
PANEL: Dorothy Kilgallen, Tom Poston, Arlene Francis, Bennett Cerf

[@petemarshall8094]

Back when I was in the Navy, my shipmates and I bought tickets to a Paul Anka concert. After the show, which was great, we went backstage to try and say hello to him. There was a guy at the door who eyed our naval uniforms. “Is Paul Anka in there?” I asked. “No,” the guy said, “Anka’s Away!”

[@Noone58319]

I love this.

[@chrisfiels2089]

2

[@KarenDeanne]

Lol ❤

[@bluecamus5162]

Ugh!

[@harriettedaisy2233]

Bennett would approve of that comment.

[@charlieking3115]

Willie Mays one of the great ball players with class

[@joyceyolandastorch8964]

That was a cute & somewhat funny episode. It was nice to see a young Paul Anka as the mystery guest. And an extra mystery guest on this episode, Willie Mays, the famous baseball player . I think it was Arlene Francis who mentioned what a nice person Bennett Cerf was, i whole heartedly agree, because i worked for him at Random House Publishing Co. In the late 1960's, and he was such a nice man, i really enjoyed working for him.😀

[@Hank13665]

Willie's voice is so recognizable. I knew Arlene would know--she was such a great fan of Willie.

[@MightyMoCat]

I loved how she identified him. ⚾

[@thesilentdiva]

I love Arlene Francis's voice it's so refined I can't take it

[@kenyongray2615]

Willie Mays is the greatest all-around baseball player of all time. He could run, hit, hit for power, field ( one of the greatest outfielders. See 1954 World Series) and had a great throwing arm. I believe the next birthday for Willie will be number 89 in May.

[@protamine4]

And he was and is a solid guy off the field. Mays has held this unofficial title of greatest five tool player for more than half a century and I see no challengers on the horizon. Mike Trout is a great power/percentage hitter and can steal bases but is not very strong defensively.

[@kenyongray2615]

@@protamine4 Totally agree. Mays is still the best all-around position player in baseball history. I hate to say it but before the steroids, Barry Bonds was close but he had no throwing arm. So, overall Mays was still better. Willie is coming up to 90 in a few weeks.

[@earlemorgan5068]

Yes, the best all around. Mickey Mantle may have been the second best.

[@bemore1134]

@@earlemorgan5068 Before his knee issues, Mantle was IMO very, very close to Mays. I'd go with Willie because he did things so naturally, no matter how difficult.

[@gonzo8721]

@@earlemorgan5068 Don Larsen has Mantle to thank for preserving his perfect game in the 1956 World Series against the Dodgers. Mantle ran half way across Ebbets field to backhand a well hit Gil Hodges fly ball to left center field. Larsen's was the first and so far only perfect game ever pitched in a World Series..

[@phtevlin]

Willie Mays--my childhood hero.

[@rr8960]

Such a nice man. And an amazing player.

[@timprescott4634]

One of mine as well. Along with Hammerin’ Hank!

[@sandydog291]

Mickey Mantle was my childhood hero but I believe Willie was, and still is, the best overall baseball player ever.

[@georgevincent1834]

Millions pf peoples childhood hero.

[@Marquettesignature]

I love sports and one of my favorite sports is baseball and I was pretty amazed that she was able to know who it was that it was Willie Mays that’s pretty awesome. I grew up in a suburb of Chicago so I grew up loving Chicago cubs my dad knew Ernie Banks he owned the Zimmerman Ford in Saint Charles IllinoisGraded his business and his home and we got autographs of them and eight by tens for my brother and I and I remember his 500th home run so I enjoyed watching this very much so. My favorite Performer Paul Anka is always a delight. I love his music & I grew up with music. Soon as they said, under 30 she guessed Paul Anka Immediately afterwards.

[@drewjames8673]

Of the panel and host, Willie Mays is the only one still living as of today.

[@loissimmons6558]

If we are counting mystery guests, Paul Anka (who is younger than Mays) is also still alive.

[@chrisdaugherty8265]

Mays is still kicking in 2020!

[@juanettebutts9782]

Both Paul Anka and Willie Mays are still alive as of 16 January 2021. FYI: Betty White is celebrating her 99th birthday this weekend.

[@leesher1845]

Thanks for sharing.

[@clarahammett2026]

willie mays wasn’t in the panel. he was a mystery guest and that means it’s him and paul anka

[@galileocan]

It's interesting how nicely and courteously black contestants (especially black celebrities like Willie Mays) were treated on the show, considering that right around this time in the early 1960s, in the south particularly, treatment of black people was abominable (burning of buses, refusal of integration at universities, separate restrooms, etc.). There was no evidence of prejudice on What's My Line. If only the rest of America could have been as "color blind" back then as the panel appeared to be.

[@brookehanley3659]

Galileocan g It was really great how WML treated them in general.

[@kennethbutler1343]

WML probably had as many people of color as ALL the rest of TV combined in their run. I've always admired that!!!!

[@shirtless6934]

WML was filmed in the North.

[@galileocan]

@@shirtless6934 - yes we all know that, but it's still a shame that all white people everywhere in America couldn't have acted more like the panel of What's My Line.

[@geraldkatz7986]

The Democrats still haven't learned how to be color blind.

[@MyREDTAIL]

I met Willie when he played with the NY METS While they were in Chargo playing the Cubs, Will was a great guy to talk to really down to earth and loves his Fans etc God Bless him etc.

[@edithsymmans3273]

A very cute Paul Anka husky voice and all..... Shame that Paul's 14 minutes of music for the movie, "The Longest Day" was not nominated for Best Score also is a good actor as well.... Watched the movie a few times over the years.... Paul has a great set of pipes as they say. Love watching What's My Line even now.

[@iamintheburg]

Yet another testament to Arlene Francis' all-around Great Broad repute : she's so glamorous, so witty and urbane, and now I learn so gung-ho for the Giants and Willie Mays........say hey, Arlene ! I love her.

[@juanettebutts9782]

"Say Hey!" I see what you did there. 💜⚾️💜

[@ilzamaria6424]

Me too. I adore her.

[@janetmarletto6667]

Paul Anka was very popular in Europe where his name was pronounced "PaaLanka". He earned his beautiful life!🏵💥😁

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

Had to look up the Telstar satellite, which led me to the first live transmission (it's here on KZbin).. super interesting and fascinating. This is why WML is so awesome...

[@loissimmons6558]

I remember watching it as it happened. President Kennedy was supposed to open the broadcast with remarks but he was held up in a meeting. They had to go to a backup plan: a small portion of a game at Wrigley Field between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs. Tony Taylor was the batter, I recall. The next day in the newspaper, they had a picture of a man on the street in Rome looking through a store window at an American baseball game. Even at 9 years old I knew how novel this scene was. It was even more amazing to most of the people of my parents generation.

[@loissimmons6558]

A bit of a clarification: I remember watching the first transmission made available to the public on Monday July 23, eight days after this episode of WML aired. I was not privy to the private test transmission on July 11. More details on the pictures from the ball game. It was the top of the third inning with the score tied, 0-0. Ex-Cub, Tony Taylor, was playing second base that day for the Phillies against his former team. Leading off the inning and batting against future Met Cal Koonce, Taylor flied out to right fielder George Altman, another future Met. Trailing 3-0 going into the seventh inning, the Phillies rallied to win 5-3. The Phillies finished seventh that season, but with a winning record for the first time in many years, 81-80. The Cubs were a dismal ninth, finishing behind the first year Houston Colt 45's (now the Astros and in the American League).

[@poetcomic1]

12:12 When Bennett guesses one he sits and grins like he is ten years old.

[@gailsirois7175]

Yea...so proud of himself..look ! I got it..ME ! I'm so great..he is very arrogant and a total idiot no matter how smart he's supposed to be..he also pouts when he doesn't get the solve..grinning or pouting fool

[@poetcomic1]

@@gailsirois7175 He was tired from staying up late nights grading papers from his Famous Writers School.

[@marycleary7810]

John is always so unabashedly patriotic

[@MyREDTAIL]

Since this Show has been on in 62' Paul Anka owns a lot of Real Estate and Casinos in Las Vegas he has done well for himself etc.A great Performer he is also etc.

[@GGE47]

The San Francisco Giants did come back and force a best of three playoff against the Dodgers. Giants won in three. They lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series in seven games. I remember seeing Paul Anka in 1962 in "The Longest Day."

[@stevenwebb7936]

Always my favorite game show!

[@aldiminico6513]

Growing up in the 50’s as a young boy, Willie Mays and Paul Anka were one of my favorite Ball Players and Singers👏

[@KororaPenguin]

*Kilgallen:* Is the sport something that can be performed indoors? *Mays:* No. *Houston Colt 45's:* Just wait three years, when we change our team name and venue.

[@rubberdc]

Arline..she asked him "whats my weight?" and he answered "its wonderful" ..lovely , she was a wonderful lady!

[@lllowkee6533]

The TORNADOS came out with the wonderful Telstar music in 1962 as well!

[@karlschwinbarger105]

It is nice when an ordinary average Joe comes out looking shy and put upon but then starts answering the panel's questions and discovers that he not can handle them easily but he enjoys it. Mr. Lambert the weight guesser.

[@carollee444]

Paul Anka is the best! Know one of his friends! Great guy ♥️

[@jmccracken1963]

And finally: Tom Poston played the role of Alan Baker (replacing Hal March, who created the role) during the last 2 1/2 months of the successful initial Broadway run of Neil Simon's play "Come Blow Your Horn" at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. The play had opened on Wednesday, 22 February 1961 and would run through Saturday, 6 October 1962 - a total of 677 performances. Joel Grey made his Broadway debut during the run of this play, replacing Warren Berlinger in the role of Buddy Baker.

[@loissimmons6558]

This aired on my dad's birthday. It's hard for me to believe that I am now nearly 14 years older than he was in 1962. He lived nearly 40 more years after this birthday, still had all his mental faculties and most of his hair, much of which still had not turned gray. My parents loved this show, so chances are watching this episode was the last thing he did on this birthday before going to bed so he could get up the next day and commute to NYC to go to work. He had to wake up at 5 AM so he could catch the bus to get to work on time. The only thing that would have changed that schedule was if he took some of his vacation that week or if he was assigned work in the field closer to home that he would drive to.

[@kkwok9]

Back when television was television and people were better behaved

[@lynnedonaldson4010]

There were so many people on WML I would have loved to have met😊

[@malcolmmarshall5946]

The panelists were discussing the 1962 Miss Universe contest. That year, Miss Argentina won, with Miss Iceland coming in second place. Miss USA, a native Hawaiian, placed in the semifinals.

[@soulierinvestments]

RE: Willie Mays and Arlene Francis. When Mays appeared on WML in the 1950s, Arlene identified him. Arlene identified him here. When he appeared in WML in the 1970s, Arlene identified him.

[@RayNDeere]

No surprise. Arlene was a big Giants fan and sports fan in general. On her WOR radio show in the 70s, she would have Mets and Yankees players on

[@tamiobannon]

She's sharp as a tack and obviously a great fan of Willie Mays.

[@milenabenton9333]

RayNDeere ,,:::,,).*. Do not buy

[@Kat-fw9se]

soulierinvestments WOW!

[@protamine4]

In Mays' first WML appearance in 1954, he was a young rising star, but Arlene was already a very enthusiastic fan. It was the most excited I have seen her in all the years of WML.

[@gbrumburgh]

Paul Anka wrote the theme music to "The Longest Day." Maurice Jarrre was credited as a conductor and composer of the film's original music. Neither were nominated but the film did win two of its six nominations -- for Cinematography and Visual Effects.

[@lllowkee6533]

Anka later wrote lyrics to the score of The Longest Day and sang it..

[@bbailey7818]

He also composed the immortal Tonight Show theme. First used later that year when Johnny Carson took over.

[@KororaPenguin]

That film was a Memorial Day tradition with me and my sister until the VCR half of the video player stopped working.

[@commandoxy]

A giant step in communications.

[@loissimmons6558]

The 1962 All Star Game in Washington, DC was mentioned. It took place at what was then known as DC Stadium on July 10. It was the first year for baseball at the stadium. It was finished in time for the Washington Redskins to play their 1961 season there, but the expansion Washington Senators played their first baseball season at Griffith Stadium in 1961. 1962 was the last year that two All Star Games were played. The NL won the game in DC 3-1. Besides his catch of a fly ball by Roger Maris, Mays had two other putouts and went 0 for 3 at the plate with a walk and a stolen base. The MVP of the game was Maury Wills of the Dodgers, en route to his 104 stolen base season. Entering the game in the 6th inning as a pinch runner for Stan Musial, Wills promptly stole second and scored on a single by Dick Groat for the NL's second run of the game. Wills then replaced Groat at shortstop. During his only time at bat, he singled in the eighth inning, went to third on a single by Jim Davenport (challenging and besting the strong throwing arm of Rocky Colavito) and scored on a sacrifice fly by Felipe Alou that was caught in foul territory. It was the first time an official MVP of the All-Star Game was named. The second All-Star Game was played at Chicago's Wrigley Field on July 30 and won easily by the AL, 9-4.

[@jmccracken1963]

For the record: The San Francisco Giants split a double-header with the New York Mets at the Polo Grounds on Sunday, 15 July 1962. The Giants lost the first game, 5-3 (winning pitcher: Jay Hook (complete game); losing pitcher: Billy Pierce), which took 3 hours and 8 minutes to play, and then won the second game, 9-8 (winning pitcher: Bobby Bolin (save by Juan Marichal); losing pitcher: Willard Hunter), which took 3 hours and 1 minute to play. Willie Mays went 0 for 3 in game 1 (struck out once, and an RBI sacrifice fly in the 1st inning), and he went 2 for 4 in game 2 (struck out once, two singles, and, in the 3rd inning, a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored). The attendance at the Polo Grounds that Sunday was 35,463. (This was, by the way, the second Giants-Mets series at the Polo Grounds that season. They had already played there at the beginning of June and would do so again in late August.) Wasn't Russ Hodges (Giants broadcaster) a contestant on one of the WML? episodes in October of 1962, when the San Francisco Giants (who did, indeed, win the National League pennant that year, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 3-game playoff series to get there, as the two teams ended the regular season tied for 1st place) were playing the New York Yankees in the World Series?

[@loissimmons6558]

According to my reference material, Russ Hodges was a contestant on WML's episode of 10/7/62. The third game of the World Series took place that day at Yankee Stadium with the Yankees winning to take a 2-1 lead in the Series. Had it not been for the tie-breaking playoff, it probably would have been the day of Game 5.

[@soulierinvestments]

Anka appeared a number of times on WML in 1964. Here the audience reaction encouraged Bennett to ask if he were a female to huge laughs. In 1964, When Liberace appeared as mystery guest one night when Paul Anka was a guest panelist, the audience reaction led Anka to ask if Liberace were female. Huge laughs again on several levels.

[@ilzamaria6424]

Arlene knows everything about everything.

[@soulierinvestments]

RE: Arlene Francis hosting Tonight. Jack Paar did not hang around Tonight until Johnny Carson's ABC-TV contract expired, so he could then take the helm. Therefore a bunch of guest hosts took turns that summer and autumn 1962. When Paar visited WML as a mystery guest in 1960, Arlene said something that indicated that she had guest hosted for Tonight Show starring Jack Paar in the 50s. Apparently she was the first woman to host Tonight in its various phases.

[@BeIIeDoc24]

i

[@alskndlaskndal]

I'd love to see video of that. People talk a lot about Joan Rivers hosting for Carson but nobody seems to remember Arlene!

[@baberRuth]

Henry & Sey Hey, we're SO HUMBLE & SO GREAT.

[@soulierinvestments]

RE: Arlene guest hosting "Tonight." Jack Paar left in May. Johnny Carson was not available until early October. Tht spring and summer and part of fall, guest hosts filled in the gap. Other included Groucho and Jerry.

[@jameslandolt5835]

I was at the All Star game in DC in 62 (and 69) and still have the program.

[@PhilBagels]

I can't help but be reminded of Steve Martin in The Jerk - in which he worked as a weight-guesser for a while. "Yes, imagine the thrill of having your weight guessed by a professional!"

[@jmccracken1963]

By the way: An interesting juxtaposition of last week's final contestant, Ann Williams, whose line was an elephant act at FreedomLand, and this week's mystery guest, Paul Anka, who had just finished a week-long gig at FreedomLand......

[@ilzamaria6424]

Anka wrote My way.

[@tomitstube]

despite john's exuberance about the telstar satellite being "american" and a private enterprise, it was a multinational endeavor that included input from france, england, italy, canada, and germany, *and without nasa and tax dollars this satellite technology would have never happened.*

[@gailsirois7175]

Well...he touted the USA as being responsible for every good thing ever and always to the total exclusion of the rest of the world..if it can be said, he was REALLY over the top. We know we're not perfect..especially now ..gimme a break..don't get ne wrong..love my country and I'm still proud to be an American

[@tomitstube]

@@gailsirois7175 that's fine with me, i'm not one of these idiots who thinks anyone who criticizes the u.s. (there's plenty to criticize us for) is "un-american".

[@gonzo8721]

@@tomitstube There is plenty to criticize about every country none are perfect. That said, millions of people have left their homes to come here, and few regretted doing so. I also don't see many of America's most vocal homegrown critics leaving here to go live anywhere else..

[@tomitstube]

@@gonzo8721 and most of those people (coming here) are from war torn countries, largely due to our imperialist meddling and theft.. or countries our greedy predator capitalists have destroyed economically, then there's the thousands who come here to fill highly technical jobs because right-wing amerikkka actively tries to destroy our public education system, and we don't produce enough educators, scientists, or computer experts, etc.

[@domenicozagari2443]

Every body forgot about Marconi and Antonio Neucci.

[@MyREDTAIL]

Arlene Francis Was such a Beautiful looking Woman May she RIP

[@asteverino8569]

A most extraordinary episode. So much from the time.

[@erichanson426]

Taking in inflation, that 1 million dollar instrument would be worth 8 million today.

[@bpandorf33]

Paul Anka- my husband

[@crabbyoldman8209]

Slightly funny/interesting historical moment: it was asked if Mays could do his athletic endeavor indoors. Of course, he said no, because at that time, indoor stadiums had yet to be developed. ...Also, Mr. Mays sure does make a suit look sharp. Quite handsome.

[@tumarbongrox6074]

This was a time when women were publicly referred to as *BROADS* or 'girls' by men. This was also a time when almost EVERY FAMOUS WOMAN ACTRESS (whether they admit it or not) had sex with studio brass at one time or another to get a significant part or a leading part in high budget movie or Broadway play. Men and women would act sophisticated and proper in public but whored around in private, cheated on their spouses, and looked down on each other. Dorothy Kilgallen was cheating on her husband while filming the show and her husband had numerous sexual flings while married to her. Dorothy would drink heavily and used various drugs for depression and to rest. This was also a time of EXTREME racism in the entire nation (including New York) Nat King Cole stated in an interview, when asked about being on WML, that he had to come into the theater at the back entrance and remain in a dirty room the size of a small closet until his guest appearance at the end of the show. ALL the famous African American guests had to stay in a small, dirty dressing room until called to the show at the end.

[@shirtless6934]

Checking Baseball Almanac, I find that the San Francisco Giants did play a doubleheader on July 15, 1962. It was against the New York Mets, in New York. The Giants lost the first game, 3 to 5, but won the second game, 9 to 8. The Giants did win the National League pennant in 1962. At the end of the 162-game season, the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers were tied, but the Giants won a best-of-three playoff for the league championship. The Giants lost the 1962 World Series to the New York Yankees, three games to four.

[@jakedasnake7703]

Yea unfortunately for the giants it literally ended on a line drive out as well. Unfortunate. If that ball would have reached the outfield the giants likely win the World Series.

[@shirtless6934]

@@jakedasnake7703 My two favorite teams, in order: 1. Detroit Tigers 2.. Whoever is playing the New York Yankees

[@jakedasnake7703]

@@shirtless6934 I’m a pirates fan so just 2 years before in 1960😊was EXTREMELY SPECIAL maybe the best moment in pirates history lol

[@malcolmmarshall5946]

Within two or three years, the Yankees dropped to near last place.

[@shirtless6934]

@@malcolmmarshall5946 To the great delight of Detroit Tiger fans.

[@bbailey7818]

Telstar was huge. The 1962 equivalent of, as Daly mentioned, the Morse telegraph and the later 1866 transatlantic cable. But even more important long term.

[@malcolmmarshall5946]

There goes Bennett demolishing another name, calling the Dodgers pitcher "Koofax."

[@Amthaus2600]

My Goodness! Paul Anka was so handsome!

[@carollee444]

Cerf could never shunt up!

[@malcolmmarshall5946]

I like Dorothy's hair style. It softens her appearance.

[@georgevincent1834]

Mays is the Best !!

[@victor-th4qs]

Mr. Willie Mays., and Telstar.

[@richatlarge462]

This was two weeks before Paul Anka's 21st birthday. I would have pegged him at being at least 30 years old. The young people back then managed to clean up and look like adults.

[@robertfreedman6651]

Willie and the Giants did catch the Dodgers in 62 on the last day of the regular season when Willie hit a game winning home run that sent the Giants into a three game playoff with the Dodgers. The Giants won that playoff in three games and faced the Yankees in the World Series.

[@loissimmons6558]

Those playoffs and the end of the 1962 season were a sad time for this young Dodgers fan. In mid- September, the Dodgers won 7 in a row and led the Giants by 4 games with 13 to play on 9/15. But then they lost 10 of their last 13, mostly because the team went into a collective batting slump, except for one game when they beat Houston 13-1. They were shutout in three of those games (including the last 21 innings of the regular season) and scored less than 5 runs in 10 of the 13. They were also shutout in the first playoff game and their scoreless inning streak stood at 35 innings when they suddenly erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning to overcome a 5-0 deficit, hanging on to win 8-7 on a sacrifice fly by Ron Fairly in the bottom of the ninth. Then 11 years to the day, the only difference being that the Dodgers were at home, not on the road, the Dodgers once again led the Giants by a 4-1 score going into the ninth inning of the third game of a best of three playoff. And once again they blew the lead and the game, but this time by giving up walks and errors, not a home run. The Giants scored four runs on only two hits.

[@golden-63]

*Paul Anka is adorable here.*

[@1731dave]

Wasn’t too much after this that baseball was ‘performed’ indoors.

[@robertmelson2130]

4:34 Dorothy: "Is the sport something that can be performed indoors?" Willie Mays, "No." The groundbreaking ceremony for the Astrodome in Houston occurred six months earlier, on January 3, 1962. An oft used question will be removed from the panelists' arsenal when it's completed.

[@loissimmons6558]

It was still far from completion, not opening until 1965. But if Walter O'Malley was serious about keeping the Dodgers in Brooklyn if he got his desired location for a new ballpark, he had planned to build a geodesic dome stadium designed by Buckminster Fuller (he had a scale model on his desk in Brooklyn) and Mays probably would have been playing there by 1962 as a member of the Minneapolis Giants (where Horace Stoneham was planning to move the team in 1958 until O'Malley talked him into joining him in a move to the west coast). It should also be noted, although there is no reason why Mays had to be aware of this, that Houston was awarded an expansion franchise on the condition that they build a covered stadium because of the hot, humid midsummer temperatures and frequent rain at that time of year. The current major league baseball stadium in Houston has a retractable roof, allowing for a grass field rather than the artificial turf field that was necessary when the grass died during the first year of the Astrodome.

[@MyREDTAIL]

Lucky Tom Poston was Married to the beautiful Susann Plechette, May they RIP etc.

[@hopelewis5650]

Gotta look that up

[@BeIIeDoc24]

boy the camera men were having issues tonight lol

[@neilmidkiff]

Actually it's the director's job to select which camera is being broadcast. The cameramen often have to do a quick move that is not intended to be viewed, while one of the other cameras is active. We don't usually think about the coordination required, until something goes wrong as it did a couple of times in this episode.

[@malcolmmarshall5946]

God, if someone said "Today is Thursday," John Daly would say "Uhh, just a minute, we need to have a small conference..."

[@bluecamus5162]

The first Telstar, launched over 60 years ago, is still in orbit above our heads, but no longer operational, of course.

[@jonpaul70]

HAHA! The Giants caught the Dodgers and the Giants made it into the World Series!!!

[@tomitstube]

1962 was the first year of the new york mets. finishing a horrible 40-120. the expansion team gave willie a chance to play in new york again, 5 years after the giants had moved to san francisco. a very exciting year in baseball, the giants and dodgers would have a tie breaker which the giants would win, then lose to the mickey mantle yankees in a 7 games world series. willie had a tremendous year narrowly finishing second to maury wills of the dodgers for mvp, maury wills that year became the first person to steal over 100 bases, breaking ty cobb's 1915 record of 96. mickey mantle won mvp in the american league.

[@jewell92]

I feel that Paul Anka was a singer-songwriter who never got his due.

[@gailsirois7175]

He did just fine...Google him

[@Vitte4]

Beginning at 4:45: John Daly gives it away again. He qualifies Mays' simple and plain and correct "No" to Tom Poston's "Did you participate in an Old Timers' Day?" with his officious, "We're assuming there that you were asking specifically if participation in an Old Timers' Day had some relevance to Old Time." Um ... why, yes. Thereby leading Arlene Francis directly to the baseball game itself - where else would she go? One of many times I find myself wanting to enjoy a WML contestant and Mr. Daly gets in the way and changes the game.

[@lopa2828]

He seldom did so too

[@crabbyoldman8209]

I've seen every episode so far, and I don't remember Daly giving any games away.

[@nysaxman]

Willie Mays only got a mild reception because the NY Giants franchise had moved to San Francisco. If he had been on the show in the 1950s while playing in NY, the reception would have been louder.

[@cristiradu9982]

He was on the show in 1954 kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqC0gHycbNqnorssi=pzTzmRCy3qAD9XzX

[@boydrcoleman3590]

Bennett asked Willie if he thought they would catch the Dodgers and Willie said we,re trying. They did catch the Dodgers and won a 3 game playoff series against the Dodgers and go on to the World Series.

[@leannsherman6723]

Bennett Cerf mispronounced the lady name of Sandy Koufax. Willie Mays was very charming.

[@opiet8081]

Is it a sport that can be played indoors? Well no, not in 1962.

[@cjb8010]

Yes, Bennett, the Giants DID catch the Dodgers....

[@sandydog291]

Koufax or Drysdale better? Come on Bennett, you know Willie had too much class, was too much a gentleman, and too smart to answer that question.

[@justinmay3451]

Very interesting how Willie says "no" when asked if his sport can be played indoors! (Of course, this was 3 years before the Houston Astrodome opened.) And, the Giants did catch the Dodgers and lost to the Yankees in the 1962 World Series.

[@richardwilliams473]

The Say Hey Kid

[@michaelinminn]

I have to say this. Why do all of the Black contestants on this show seem so polite; vis-a-vis today's Black athletes? What a change in culture we have witnessed! Please, don't reply with racists comments.

[@gailsirois7175]

What you wrote is racist in itself...so don't write that mess and then ask folks not to comment...please..was a different time is your answer...African Americans were still trying to be accepted in white society...and tried to blend in as best they could. Fearful of raising any controversy ..not hard to figure out

[@igkoigko9950]

All WML contestants seemed polite. That cannot be said about the many settings in which today’s athletes appear. People tend to behave in accordance with what is expected.

[@Ransomhandsome]

@@gailsirois7175 Oh, Gail ... if you own a dictionary, look up the definition of the word, "racist."

[@kennethlatham3133]

Paul Anka sure didn't make much of an attempt to disguise his voice, did you hear that? First words out of his mouth........ It was like he WANTED to get caught. I know he said later his voice was hoarse but, man.

[@lllowkee6533]

Dorothy finally had a great haircut and coiffure!

[@robertmelson2130]

18:45 Dorothy talking about Paul Anka's having written the music for "The Longest Day": "It may win an Academy Award." It wasn't nominated.

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

*_WILLIE MAYS, SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS_* *_HEAD OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF TELSTAR SATELLITE_* *_WEIGHT GUESSER AT AMUSEMENT PARK_*

[@gartrek28]

Arlene really laid it on to praise Mr. Cerf, and I totally agree...if only his voice wasn't so grating 😬😊

[@jeremybeaver1821]

Dorothy: "Is the sport something that can be performed indoors?" Willie: "No" Times have changed.

[@PatrickEarley]

I saw Willie Mays at LaGuardia airport a few years ago when I was driving a limo and asked him for his autograph.....he told me to get away from him...."I dont do autographs" he said.....shame.

[@jeffgolson7393]

he was happy to give me his autograph, I still treasure it.

[@rucksackzen]

Maybe a bad day? He signed one for me when I was much, much younger. I also got one from Hank Aaron.

[@gailsirois7175]

I have an autographed baseball so he signed at some point

[@igkoigko9950]

By any chance were you blocking traffic when you asked him? You’d get the autograph, he’d get the blame

[@gailsirois7175]

DK looks great on this episode

[@carolv8450]

Yes

[@igkoigko9950]

DK’s chin looks like it was grated. For great looks look two seats to screen right.

[@thetiler]

If Willie were to write something here at youtube, the 1984 grammar supervisors would love to show disrespect especially if he spelt somethang wronge :) Glad he moved and his statue is near where the SF Giants play! Though What's My Line is a great show and of course was viewed coast to coast !

[@igkoigko9950]

Spelt is the past tense of spell in English speaking countries other than the US. In the US it’s only a grain

[@paddle_shift]

Wonder what the pension was like for a "weight guesser"

[@aliceberry9392]

Oh, Bennett, doesn't know when to refrain from speaking 🙄

[@RaineStudio]

I don't really get why someone like Paul Anka would fail to disguise his voice and give long answers. It takes all the fun out of the game.

[@davidarcudi230]

The Giants were salaried. Good to know. Lol

[@winonafrog]

7:47 This show was taped live at like 10 PM ??

[@neilmidkiff]

It was broadcast live at 10:30 pm Eastern time on Sunday nights, not "taped" but kinescoped: recorded on 16mm movie film by a camera aimed at a television monitor in the studio that displayed exactly what was being broadcast.

[@grape811]

What was the rude remark John wanted to make? "Lay off the pit-sa pies, Bennett?"

[@preppysocks209]

Instead of making a rude remark, John's approach to Bennett's question appears to have been to lie.. Daly was a tall man and looks a little overweight to me. I highly doubt he weighed 168 1/2 lbs at that time.

[@marywebb9127]

People were not overly sensitive like they are today!

[@lancefarrar3442]

M

[@brookehanley3659]

Paul Anka's nose was made too short. They went to far like Michael Jackson.

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

Disguise your god damn voice, Paul Anka.... /s

[@shirtless6934]

John Charles Daly always invaded the privacy of female contestants by asking them "Is is Miss or Mrs.?" Assuming the contestant's marital status was any of his business, why didn't he require them to write that on the blackboard when they came in? In this video, at 8:37 he finally comes up with a way to invade a man's privacy. He just has to know what the R. stands for. One has to be careful. For some people, initials do not stand for anything. Example: harry S Truman. Also, I knew someone who was married to a man named D C (last name). D C was all the name he had. The letters did not stand for anything. When the couple divorced, someone said, I guess she is going to try a little AC now.

[@susanfenton4647]

Good grief.

[@igkoigko9950]

While it’s correct initials might not stand for anything, that’s no reason to exercise care. No embarrassment to either party.. Asking marital status can’t be an invasion of privacy since marriage, divorce, annulment and death are all public records. As for requiring Miss or Mrs to be written, the criterion would be whether that would help or hurt the show.

[@shirtless6934]

@@igkoigko9950 I took typing class in the 1960s and we were taught the close for a letter written by a woman should show the proper prefix. For example: Sincerely, (Mrs.) Eleanor Roosevelt and she should affix her signature above the printed name without writing the prefix.

[@igkoigko9950]

@@shirtless6934 Small world. My mom taught typing in the mid 20th century. It wasn’t much before that that wives were considered the property of their husbands and a woman who married an alien would expatriate. The 19th Amendment is only a hundred years old. Lots of change.

[@earlemorgan5068]

Anka sang the most pathetic song ever "Having My Baby."