What's My Line? - Margaret Truman; Jack E. Leonard [panel] (Jul 8, 1956)

MYSTERY GUEST: Margaret Truman
PANEL: Dorothy Kilgallen, Jack E. Leonard, Arlene Francis, Bennett Cerf
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[@ladya1953]

I love that the camera got a good quick shot of Miss Meyer's shoes as she left!

[@robertjean5782]

One gorgeous woman, I'd venture to guess she won the next beauty contest 😊

[@dariawells7438]

I am SO thrilled the camera person was on the ball enough to get a closeup on those shoes! I would have been forever curious!

[@vickiebohy7609]

Thanks, Miss Truman, for acknowledging the audience. So few celebrities do that.

[@gugurupurasudaikirai7620]

Not surprising Dorothy guessed Mrs. Truman. In a previous episode we learned that Dorothy and Margaret Truman lived in the same apartment. They had her on the panel one time because she was easily available on short notice. I got the distinct impression that they were pretty good friends

[@carolv8450]

I bet she and Dorothy would sing together. I heard Dorothy was an accomplished singer.

[@sugarfalls1]

Wow, that's an interesting factoid! Thanks for sharing that! I think these old television programs are so classy. They all have to introduce themselves and just very educated and well spoken. America sure has drifted downhill since then in some respects.

[@rah62]

Mrs. Daniel, not Mrs. Truman. Before she was Mrs. Daniel, she was Miss Truman.

[@enriquesanchez2001]

I was BORN, two days after this show was TELECAST!

[@FranklinCorona]

Wow Dorothy was the best the best so much time God bless you all with you wherever you are beautiful people thank you!!

[@dancelli714]

Margaret Truman is soooo likable. I remember she had a very handsome husband . I'll look for her on the panel next time.

[@Yowza78]

Her husband was Clifton Daniel, managing editor of the New York Times.

[@diamondstud322]

I sure wish the show was in color tonight...the dresses worn on the show tonight (by panelists and contestants) looked beautiful. And I really want to see Dorothy’s red hair! Love how they showed the shoes of miss Florida as she left 😂

[@JanetM-ro6xc]

It makes sense that Dorothy would be taken by Miss Florida's shoes since she was named to the Best Dressed List. She purchased her own clothes;whereas, it is likely that Arlene was provided with clothes for PR reasons ( especially when she was on the Bonwit Teller Board of Directors and why she lobbied for the walk on entrance so that dresses could be observed). I am sure that Dorothy found the shoes and bough the in multiple colors. 🙂

[@robertjean5782]

​@@JanetM-ro6xcDefinitely on all counts😊

[@jimhanold9026]

Margaret Truman was an accomplished singer and pianist.

[@Yowza78]

And a best-selling mystery author as well.

[@michellecalling]

Those mules were cute. You can still wear them today. They never go out of style.

[@leannsherman6723]

A smart cameraman focused in on Miss Florida’s shoes! ❤ 🎥

[@neilmidkiff]

John at 8:25 : "We never talk about color television on this program..." probably because the CBS color television system using rotating wheels of color filters had been tried out in 1951 and then deemed impractical and withdrawn from the market, both because of being incompatible with monochrome broadcasts and because the spinning disks made for bulky receivers even with relatively small picture tubes. NBC was introducing color broadcasts using the compatible NTSC system during the middle 1950s; they had a technological advantage since RCA was their parent company, which also gave NBC an incentive to push color programming in order to sell more RCA color TV sets.

[@JanetM-ro6xc]

Thank you for explaining about color TV . NBC was using it then: Bonanza, Disney show and others. A relative of mine was the tool and die maker for the colored TV for Packard-Bell. He was rewarded handsomely for his excellent work.

[@robertjean5782]

The first color tvs weren't clear enough to see anything and very expensive 😊

[@paulklenknyc]

Love the question about Egg Lady's shoes! Go, Dorothy -- you've got your priorities straight!

[@MeowingKittyCat]

+Paul Klenk And I love the way we were given a view of the shoes as the contestant left the stage!

[@loissimmons6558]

And I love that Dorothy can be both a hard-nosed investigative reporter and someone who goes gaga over a cute pair of shoes. (And based on a quick view and b&w picture, they did look cute. But I wouldn't want to wear them if I had to walk on eggshells!)

[@libertyann439]

But she did guess right!

[@hizgrase]

Love Dorothy’s dress.

[@ObserverEffectX]

You don’t

[@juliansinger]

Man. Truman was so tense as a panelist and is so not-tense here. Suppose it helps to have a few years more experience. Miss Meyer did not come in in the top 15 in the 1956 Miss USA contest. And I can't find her otherwise. Miss Tegner, I am startled to discover, was 19 here, which mostly proves to me I'm bad at estimating ages. The family was, it seems, quite good at publicity, since she got into Life at age 9. I am finding her brother Bruce (who died in 1985) was prominent in some ways in popularizing some forms of martial arts in the 50s and 60s, and people argue heatedly about him on forums, and wow, I am now escaping this informational rabbit hole since I can tell it will expand infinitely. Pictures: www.valleytimes.org/valley-women-carol-tegner-teen-judo-instructor/ The aforementioned Life article: books.google.com/books?id=UEkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA127&lpg=PA127&dq=Carol+Tegner+judo&source=bl&ots=hMrIYElXV0&sig=XuACBjYkD1RBiCy4rx4mFXZvKfE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjIzY6pn9XLAhUJbSYKHQUqCaUQ6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=Carol%20Tegner%20judo&f=false

[@capncaviar]

3 years late but dang thanks for the research

[@FigaroHey]

She was Miss Florida USA, a 'nominee' so to speak, to go to the Miss USA contest. It's on Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Florida_USA Scroll down to 1956.

[@hizgrase]

I think she was an awesome panelist. One of my favorite episodes!!!

[@johnphillips5081]

Just to think that I was only one month in my Mother's womb during the airing of this show. Gads

[@frankroper3274]

If Dorothy had been a lawyer she would have been a good one since she knows what questions to ask to get to the bottom of things.

[@robertjean5782]

Dorothy was a investigative reporter for years 😊

[@loissimmons6558]

In just a few seconds, it was plain to see that the first challenger had the poise that comes from learning to be comfortable in front of a live audience and cameras.

[@joncheskin]

Dang, Dorothy got Miss Florida's occupation AND her shoe brand.

[@robertjean5782]

Would of liked to see more of miss Meyers😊

[@WhatsMyLine]

Comments left on prior version of this video: joed596 5 months ago Looks as if they totally did away with the walk in front of the panel What's My Line? 5 months ago The very last Walk of Shame was on May 13, 1956. They more or less abandoned it following Fred Allen's death, but for a couple of months John would still have the regular contestants do the perp walk occasionally. I'm going to be posting a video directly about this on Saturday. :) joed596 5 months ago +What's My Line? Thanks, Gary :-) orgonko the wildly untamed 4 months ago Arlene has a nice monogrammed blindfold Johan Bengtsson 8 months ago I like Margaret Truman as panlist and MG on WML. She was newlywed and signed in as "Mrs Clifton Daniels". Her husband died in 2000 and she in 2008. mrpuniverse2 9 months ago A shot of shoes on this episode for those with a shoe fetish Johan Bengtsson 8 months ago (edited) and a rare view from where the guests exit the show. 8:35 Todd Brandt 8 months ago +Johan Bengtsson Joseph LaRose was a fairly famous shoe designer of his day. I'm a little surprised that Dorothy didn't seem to recognize his name. www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2012-jun-joseph-larose-jacksonvilles-legendary-shoe-guru Jim Beasley 7 months ago The reason they showed a shot of the shoes was because Dorothy made such a fuss over them. She wanted a pair for herself. joed596 5 months ago first contestant was very attractive :-) orgonko the wildly untamed 4 months ago +joed596 yes but she didnt even finish in the top 15 for the Miss American pageant so you can imagine how beautiful the top ones looked Kim Fuhrmann 1 year ago I've been watching these WML videos since I came down with a bad cold in April, and boy am I hooked. There are so many things I love. I love it when Dorothy watches fondly as the mystery contestants walk away from the panelists' table after shaking hands. I love how Bennett's eyes get wide when he asks a question. Arlene's bawdy laugh. Steve Allen's chuckle. How John Daly holds the women's hand as they are introduced to the panel. The affection John Daly and the panelists have for one another. I dreaded the day that Fred Allen would disappear from the panel and dread the day that Dorothy is gone. Most of all I dread the day when I have finished watching them all. These videos always make me happy. Thank you so much for the many, many hours you spent in bringing them to us. I'm amazed at the nice quality of the picture, too! And I have also enjoyed the comments very much, including your moderating. In this particular episode, how nice was it of the cameraman to give us a shot of the first contestant's shoes? After Dorothy asked where she got them, I was dying to get a peek! Read more Robert collins 1 year ago I love when Dorothy says Oh! when she gets it wrong and realizes she should have gotten it. that slightly embarrassed side glance she does.

[@maureen5540]

Ms Tegner; "It's a known fact that it could be but it is not a proven fact"

[@tugginalong]

Margaret seems to revel in receiving attention which most of us do but it seems the famous really need it. Politicians, celebrities, and the rich & famous like the limelight.

[@ToddSF]

Just for the sake of clarity, I point out that Margaret Truman married Clifton Daniel, who didn't have a final "s" on this last name. She then was introduced when she made television appearances as "Margaret Truman Daniel". However, when she was billed on book covers as an author, her name was given as Margaret Truman, even after her marriage. (Some people, it seems, tend to tack an "s" onto her married name when there was none.)

[@toddmccreary4579]

The S might be in tribute to her dad.

[@Yowza78]

Her husband was the managing editor of the New York Times. They were supposed to be quite the Manhattan socialites. Married 50+ years ...

[@Bestillivoze]

A lot of fun there back then

[@AdrianLopez-sb7eo]

Penn. Station would be demolished some 7 years later, an act that figures among the worst architectural crimes of the 20th century.

[@robertjean5782]

Totally agree absolutely 💯 percent 😊

[@accomplice55]

She touched John's hair! I've never seen anyone do that.

[@robertjean5782]

I wonder if she realized part of it was a toupee 😊

[@libertyann439]

I wonder how many blind folds were owned by Dorothy and Arlene or if people sent them to the show.

[@robertjean5782]

They had their own seamstresses for whatever they needed😊

[@theblake5356]

Bennett gets the credit for guessing Margret Truman.... he clearly knew who it was and passed it to Dorothy.

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

EGG FARMER TEACHER JUDO TRAIN ANNOUNCERS

[@deboraholsen2504]

Just think, today the first contestant COULD lose her Miss America crown to an egg-shaped, over weight MAN named Brian!! 😩

[@robertjean5782]

Ugh😮

[@GCoop1985]

I've found the way to watch the show is to skip ahead to see how quickly or not they guess a contestant line. I think it just takes fun out of it when they guess so quickly, I skip over those segments when I find them...makes the show a little shorter at times.

[@texan903]

Very sad for Mrs. Daniel that she lived only 83 years, especially compared with her father's 88 years, and her mother's 97 years.

[@xyzzyxyzzy2]

83 is above average for women.

[@shanegreen1677]

what's so sad about that?

[@texan903]

@@shanegreen1677 Margaret Truman Daniel's parents lived 97 and 88 years, she lived to only be 83. Even Mrs. Daniel's grandmothers lived to be 90 plus.

[@texan903]

@@xyzzyxyzzy2 For the Wallace and Truman families, however, 83 is considerably low.

[@shanegreen1677]

@@texan903 i suppose, but 80+ years nothing to sneeze at in my opinion, haha

[@416asshole]

I have been looking for a clip a couple years, of a female saddle maker, Judy Allen, from Eastern Oregon, Think it had to be early 60's

[@Rosarium2007]

I have seen it, but I have seen a number of episodes. I remember it because I”m from western Oregon.

[@malw1193]

Someone hands Dorothy a paper at 15:42.

[@loissimmons6558]

This was when Penn Station in NYC was still the original grand and glorious architectural marvel. Light and airy, it was a perfect marriage between beauty and functionality. Alas, with the decline of the railroads after WWII, the Pennsylvania RR could no longer properly maintain the station. Even so, it was a sad day when the powers that be turned a deaf ear to the protests and demolished the 1910 structure in the early-mid 1960's. I love sports (the current Madison Square Garden and Penn Plaza was built in the air space atop the station), but not at the expense of the desecration and destruction of one of the absolute best works the U.S. had ever produced. In place of well-ventilated, sunlit vaulted windows and ceilings, the current station is a rat's nest of cramped corridors and stairways lined with a hodgepodge of garish eateries and other shops. On the platforms, the air is stale and poorly ventilated. And this summer has been a horror with a number of derailments at slow speeds finally waking up the authorities to the need to remedy the lack of track maintenance work in recent years. There is talk now of converting the GPO across 8th Avenue from the station into new space for passengers to easy the congestion from having passengers from 6 subway lines, 2 commuter railroads and Amtrak passing through, in addition to those attending an event at the Garden or who work in one of the offices within the Penn Plaza complex. Supposedly the new design will be based on the 1910 structure, but in NYC until the final product is completed, I wouldn't take any bets on how it will turn out. Here's a web page with a generous amount of views inside and outside the glorious Penn Station in its best days, plus some as it aged and a few sad ones that show it being demolished. There is some insightful commentary and germane quotes as well. mashable.com/2015/07/20/original-penn-station/#nUHIzr54hPqQ

[@loissimmons6558]

It should be added that while it was too late to save the original Penn Station, the demolition of this magnificent structure was the primary impetus to the creation of a Landmarks Preservation Committee in NYC (that saved Grand Central Terminal from a similar fate, and other buildings as well) and the movement spread elsewhere.

[@Sylvander1911]

@@loissimmons6558 We had something similar in my city, where an historic railway hotel was demolished (it's just green space) leading to the creation of a heritage building list. The disused station next to that hotel has been preserved and repurposed, and many heritage buildings have been saved. I still own a couple of dining chairs from the old hotel sold when the railway auctioned off the contents prior to the demolition.

[@robertjean5782]

Thank you for your constant detailed information 😊

[@leannsherman6723]

Why would Bennett have a “sneaking feeling” that Margaret Truman was on the panel? 🤔

[@mtnman6557]

Because the regular panelists were very perceptive

[@robertjean5782]

​@mtnman6557 Exactly and they kept up who was in town, etc😊

[@leannsherman6723]

Are you a chicken farmerette? 😂❤

[@brucealvarez9263]

STILL they can't afford a second chair when there are two guests!?!?!?!

[@Merrida100]

LOL. I know, right? I can't believe all these years and they're still squashing two people onto that one tiny chair. Those poor guests.

[@jubalcalif9100]

HA ! Clearly not a high budget series !

[@InjuredRobot.]

A single seat forced guests to sit close together and fit in the camera 'frame'. Keep in mind that most people had tiny black & white TV's in those days.

[@jerrylee8261]

@@InjuredRobot. Tks, that makes sense. So it wasn't a case of cheapness.

[@mtnman6557]

@@InjuredRobot. No offense, but IMO, that doesn't seem like a logical reason for using only 1 chair. If they just put the 2 chairs side by side, the cameraman could have easily gotten them in the picture. Logic: They did use 2 chairs once or twice & more importantly, when they had groups of people as contestants, the cameramen fit them all into the picture w/ no issues & they took up much more width than 2 people sitting on 2 chairs.

[@sophiemorrison9820]

I am surprised that it took so many years for blind folds for the ladies to be styled like eyeglasses. It was too complicated for them to tie them and untie them without messing up their hairdos.

[@steveburrus5526]

OI was just wondering when exactly were the very first Color episodes of What's My Line? Does anyone know about that at all? I have been wondering about this for a while.

[@neilmidkiff]

Steve Burrus The 1966-67 season, the last year on the CBS network, was broadcast live in color but preserved for posterity on black-and-white kinescope film. The syndicated later series was videotaped in color.

[@MarthaCarnahan]

And here is a color episode... check out Arlene in pants!!

[@gugurupurasudaikirai7620]

September 19 1954 was the first color episode. It's missing on this channel but Daly made a comment at the end of the episode on September 12 with Alfred Hitchcock that they would have their first episode in color the next week. Gina Lollabrigida was supposed to be the MG I believe

[@toddmccreary4579]

Don't know how many were before that but all TV shows went color in 1966 but all YT copies are in B&W for the original series

[@robertjean5782]

Mid 60s😊

[@dancelli714]

She's charming and amusing.

[@leesher1845]

Chicken farmerette; that’s funny!

[@MrYfrank14]

did she say "judo dogs"?

[@robertjean5782]

Yes, someone had kangaroos he was training to box😊

[@gilbertotongco1054]

Brown belt can teach judo? Oh no!

[@JackDecker63]

Ever notice how sometimes the women kiss each other and other times they don't? This time Margaret Truman kissed Arlene but not Dorothy. I wonder if there is any logic to that. Anyone know? Anyone care to guess?

[@chayashalom2065]

+Jack Decker Based on my experience, perhaps she was closer friends with Arlene? Who knows?

[@jp0308]

@Jack Decker: Another consideration is that Ms. Kilgallen was not very well liked by several in the entertainment business because of her journalistic prowess to expose certain entertainers' strengths and weaknesses. Ms. Francis was well liked but to associate with Ms. Kiligallen meant doing so with some discretion; to coin an old phrase: loose lips sinks ships!

[@robertjean5782]

​@@jp0308Exactly 😊

[@robertjean5782]

​@@chayashalom2065Exactly 😊

[@robertjean5782]

It depends how close they are😊

[@soulierinvestments]

First game. No Bennett. Lucky eggs.

[@ClarkRahman]

I can only imagine the dinner parties Margaret Truman hosted and attended. That woman is the definition of old-school, NYC, elite society.

[@soulierinvestments]

20:39 > 20:50 -- rare instance where John Daly announces ahead of time in front of the panel who one of the mystery contestants will be next week. This appearance of Margaret Truman is amusing, though not nearly as amusing as that time in the Hal Block era when he asked something impertinent and she shot him a withering look.

[@robertjean5782]

It was the panelist name taking Dorothy place😊

[@cricketrecords]

Why would Bennett Cerf think she had been on the panel before? What would give him that idea? Very strange.

[@shuboy05]

I was thinking there was something in the voice that gave her away.

[@accomplice55]

Several guest panelists were later mystery guests.

[@gugurupurasudaikirai7620]

Well Margaret Truman had been on the panel before, multiple times even. This isn't even her first mystery guest appearance.

[@carolv8450]

Could be her voice.

[@robertjean5782]

​@@shuboy05Exactly 😊

[@bubblinbrownsugar616]

What do you do? 😆

[@nanaberry4120]

Margaret Truman was only 32. She looked at least 50. Everyone looked middle aged back then. Even teenagers... look at some high schoolyearbooks from back then. Heck, look at the first contestant, Kim Meyer, Miss Florida 1956... she was probably 18-21 years old and looked 30.

[@libertyann439]

That's because the women wore their hair so sort and prim.

[@kennethbutler1343]

Lighting and makeup were not sophisticated; women always seems to look old and plain. The lighting was much brighter than in B/W movies and required different techniques. It wasn't until color TV became mainstream that they really mastered TV makeup.

[@dpm-jt8rj]

I watched the video of the episode in 1953 where Margaret was the mystery guest and the quality of video/audio is quite interesting.

[@dpm-jt8rj]

Margaret seemed much more outgoing in this episode as well.

[@headoverheels88]

Definitely because of make-up and lighting. It's why people like JLo and Gwen Stefani look like they've never aged... advances in make-up!

[@randylovering24]

She likes shoes

[@dennistucker9081]

I Think these men on the panel are lecherous, even for 1956.😮

[@Mmdmade]

How did they keep those dresses up? (Egg farmer). And the judo lady was far prettier

[@peternagy-im4be]

Extraordinary comment

[@robertjean5782]

Buttons😊

[@christopherwatkins4640]

TPIR Janice Pennington 14th Birthday🎊🎊🎉🎉🎁🎁🎈🎈🎈💯💯💯‼️‼️‼️

[@kenowens9021]

Never saw the shoes. Guess Dorothy found a way to Jacksonville to get some.

[@robertjean5782]

The shoes were shown as she left.😊

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

Margaret Truman was only 32, but looked about 45. Jack E. Leonard had hardly any presence in this episode.

[@leannsherman6723]

How is an egg decorative except maybe at Easter time?

[@thesweeples3266]

At easter time.

[@robertjean5782]

Also at Christmas and church religious events 😊

[@veronicamariegracia9271]

what in life today to discuss of my resume of whats needed of me and less of you ...

[@armyvet4081]

francis can not shut her mouth

[@robertjean5782]

Very impolite😊

[@miketheyunggod2534]

margaret was only 32 here. she looks in her 50s.

[@deboraholsen2504]

I get the feeling you must be of a pretty young age.

[@deboraholsen2504]

...on second thought, you are Yung!

[@jubalcalif9100]

Very true ! She took after her mom (Bess) in the looks dept.

[@robertjean5782]

It's the lights and makeup😊

[@youbetcha6880]

Oh the 1950s, when sexism was out in the open.

[@ObserverEffectX]

Would it be in a family of food that has been connected to living things?Is there any other kind of human food that is not please do point it out

[@robertjean5782]

Hundreds of items😊

[@ObserverEffectX]

Do you teach judo to dogs?And she says yes….Speechless

[@robertjean5782]

There was a mystery guest that trained kangaroos to box😊

[@markxxx21]

She won Miss USA in 1956 Kim Meyer

[@wchumphries]

+Markxxx No, she didn't even place. Iowa's Carol Morris won.

[@chayashalom2065]

+Markxxx definitely Carol Morris won Miss USA.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

A farmerette. My how far we have come. Some of this fifties stuff can stay back then. I guess it's all a trade off.