What's My Line? - Mickey Rooney; PANEL: Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows (Jan 16, 1966)

[@renaultduck1]

Today 10/14/19 we lost our dear friend Louisa Arnold AKA Louise Davidson she blessed our lives with her sweet kind heart and wonderful spirit we will miss her dearly. At the age of 93, she was a sharp and witty as you see her in this episode WML. We are thankful and lucky to have shared our lives with her. She is now gone home with her dear husband Phil.

[@margaretmcgroarty2152]

I’m so sorry for your loss 😢🤗❤️

[@michaelbrown6032]

Ahh, man! So sorry for your loss. Her poise, humor and just great attitude made this such a highlight episode to watch. Rest in peace Louisa.

[@YonatanZunger]

She seems so utterly charming! You were lucky to have her in your lives.

[@rmelin13231]

I'm saddened to hear this. What an absolute delight she is on this show. I have no doubt whatever that she was even more so sans camera and audience. My condolences. She certainly brought a smile to my face tonight.

[@oughtssought1198]

one of the smartest, funniest guests I've seen on these shows and not shy about debating John's "corrections" with him to be sure they get it right I enjoyed that she broke script to take the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to (I guess or surmise) tell Arlene Francis how much she appreciated Arlene's kindred spirit as the smartest, funniest presence on the panel

[@michaelknittel5259]

This has to be one of the most entertaining WML shows I have seen. Cheers to Mrs. Davidson!

[@FlockOfHawks]

She was indeed a delight , plus i never realised doorknobs were actually designed - never too old to learn i guess ☺

[@16Lizards]

Mrs. Davidson is one of the funnest contestants ever on WML of all the episodes I have seen thus far, second only to the guy who operated a skirt blowing machine at an amusement park. She really enjoyed her experience and we enjoyed her!

[@doodahman101]

16Lizards I like that Mrs. Davidson, she had some personality and a great smile! Yes, she was very funny

[@kenowens9021]

The shaving cream and varnish were great lines.

[@perpieta]

Huh--never knew this was when Fifth and Madison Avenues became strictly southbound and northbound respectively. Love learning old facts like this!

[@kenyongray2615]

Mrs. Davidson was a great contestant. She really appeared to enjoy her time on and show and did not seem to be nervous at all. She was great.

[@AllenMQuinn]

Mickey Rooney was such a superstar without even trying. He just had IT

[@satori03]

When you met him you were bowled over by his energy...I met him when I was a teen and Oh my goodness!

[@princeharming8963]

Jane Meadows was super smart and super classy. She and Steve Allen (beyond brilliant in his own right) were the perfect couple.

[@beachelbowels2769]

She was also conceited as hell.

[@princeharming8963]

@@beachelbowels2769 -ya think? Did you know her.. or have any evidence of that? Even if she was... Who cares?? LoL

[@beachelbowels2769]

@@princeharming8963 You care because you commented.. hahaha hohoho

[@michellecalling]

I am having such a wonderful time watching WNL. Thank you for making them available.

[@SpicyHobbit03]

What's Ny Line? Me too 🤣

[@tedoneilclark4710]

They are all just terrific 😀

[@tedoneilclark4710]

@@SpicyHobbit03 😀

[@leannsherman6723]

Me too. I listen to them every evening before bed.

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

You can thank the Game Show Network for showing them.

[@dancelli714]

I liked the jokes with that traffic boss, and Mrs Davidson is a cheerful sort. Mickey was one of the great actors. Jane Meadows is so cute, and her laugh makes her even cuter. The varnish joke was a good one by Steve.

[@shuboy05]

For those wondering why Mickey Rooney's publisher Putnam might get a rise out of Bennett, Bennett Cerf was the co-founder of Random House which is still a major publishing house today. Putnam, which is also still around, would be one of their bigger competitors!

[@robertbowman7382]

20:00: "Gotta get a new upper plate!" Arlene was priceless.

[@Beson-SE]

Steve Allen says "Thank you Johnny (Olson)!" when he comes in. That's the first time ever I hear someone mentions his name that way. 1:01

[@Scot913319]

I think he usually did?

[@soulierinvestments]

The panel arrangement and the number of times Steve Allen has shown up of late indicates clearly the producers feel panicky about the issue of WML seeming fresh and interesting without Dorothy.

[@kristabrewer6736]

They no doubt chose Steve to be on here because he was so popular! (he and Martin were the 2 BEST guest panelists ON this show)!

[@greenvilla7]

Of all the panelists Steve Allen was the most affected by the death of Dorothy Kilgallen ever si😢the news of her death broke after which he never recovered his previously happy demeanor …

[@rhondablack8079]

I love Mickey Rooney❤️

[@joelfogelsanger5773]

Mickey Rooney was a sheer delight

[@Steezey7]

Mrs. Francis' comment at 20:06 made me spit take. Her satisfied smile almost makes me think she knows what happened.

[@rust44]

Who knew the idea of holding a doorknob would be so amusing.

[@Kat-fw9se]

40 lashes lol!🤣

[@VahanNisanian]

Mickey Rooney had appeared 6 times. One time a Panelist on the special Los Angeles edition (January 12, 1958), and 5 times as a Mystery Guest, including the lost April 27, 1952 episode, and the infamous lost October 2,1960 episode with Kirk Douglas coming on in Game 1 with a side business as his occupation. And the film Mickey promotes here was titled "Ambush Bay".

[@poetcomic1]

Jayne Meadows did her hair a little plainer here - wow what a difference. She always over did her hair, her clothes and her make up and she sure didn't have to!

[@TheBlackhawkbrat]

She looks lovely in this episode.

[@courtneywilliams5565]

I was a Disney kid growing up my first introduction to the late great Mickey Rooney was Pete’s Dragon and his voice work for The Fox and the Hound both Disney films 🤘🏽🤘🏽✊🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 his was an phenomenal talent and great humanitarian

[@romeman01]

Mike Quill was a union leader who called a 12-day transit strike in New York City, beginning on New Year's Day 1966. This event undoubtedly contributed to the decision to have Henry Barnes appear at this time, although it was mentioned only in passing. Quill died less than two weeks after this show was broadcast.

[@WhatsMyLine]

Thanks for the explanation; I didn't really know what they were talking about here.

[@exapno]

The many interesting things about that strike : 1. It started 12:01 New Year's Day 1966 - the very day John Lindsey took office as New York Mayor! 2. Since the subway workers were public employees, it was illegal for them to strike. A judge had issued a back to work order, but Mike Quill's answer was classic: "The judge could drop dead in his robes, but I still would not order my people back to work!" 3. Quill got thrown in jail, of course, and him and Lindsey 'negotiated' through the press and not at the table, with both sides throwing barbs at each other, 4, Quill had heart problems, and actually had a heart attack while in jail. And when he died two weeks after the strike was over, the city's hearst drivers were on strike! But their local authorized a driver for Quill's funeral and burial.

[@WhatsMyLine]

exapno This has nothing to do with anything you just said, but I have to ask: Your username comes from Harpo Marx, doesn't it, Mr. Mapcase? :)

[@WaltGekko]

That Transit Strike led to the Taylor Law in New York State that forbids strikes by public employees being implemented a year later in 1967. The Taylor Law calls for fines of two days pay for every day out on strike.

[@vincentdaly78]

I was a little surprised that they didn't explain that for the rest of the country. I was living in New York at the time so the name was well known to me.

[@romeman01]

Henry Barnes was the subject of a Allen and Rossi joke on What's My Line?, which becomes even more amusing when told in the context of Barnes's remarks on this episode: Rossi: ... here's the director of traffic of New York City, Mr. Barnes. Allen: Hello Dere! Rossi: Mr. Barnes, how are you going to solve the traffic problem here in New York City. Allen: I'm going to make all the streets one-way going west. Rossi: And then what? Allen: Then it's New Jersey's problem. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2LRn4GBhpyjm8U

[@savethetpc6406]

romeman01 I remember watching that one when it was posted here, and I did laugh at that joke. :) During the morning rush hour, 5th Ave. traffic can still get mighty bogged down -- I can't even imagine what it would be like if it were a 2-way street! As to Mr. Barnes's appearance on this episode, I have to wonder, though -- outside of New York, how many people watching WML really knew or cared about NYC's traffic problems or the subway strike?

[@loissimmons6558]

Ironically, Barnes himself would often joke that the way to solve NYC's traffic problems would be to make all the north-south avenues one way north.

[@jaykroeker961]

@@savethetpc6406, in the book The Power Broker. Henry Barnes might be mentioned in it, but the book mostly focuses on the NYC Parks Commisioner Robert Moses, who leveraged his way into being over the whole Hwy, bridge and road systems of NYC. The author described mass public frustration over the city’s traffic gridlock. It’s long, but an excellent read.

[@galileocan]

You go from Henry Barnes who had absolutely no personality whatsoever, to Mrs. Davidson who was loaded with personality

[@sweeney60]

She would have made a great panalist on this show.

[@michaelbrown6032]

Gotta love a bureaucrat -- Barnes -- who denies his line has to do with politics. :D

[@raynehall5464]

@@sweeney60 That was my thought, too.

[@davidsanderson5918]

I still find it bizarre to think I saw the great Mickey Rooney in pantomime at the Sunderland Empire in the UK about ten years before he died. I went with my elderly father who sat there in disbelief, seeing the firecracker in the flesh several decades after seeing him at the movies with Garland.

[@WaltGekko]

Notable about this episode is it's one of the few times a man was in the first spot on the original version (that would happen more frequently in the syndicated version that began two and a half years later in the fall of 1968). Also, it was notable how they had Arlene between Steve and Jayne.

[@jvcomedy]

+Walt Gekko The show prior to this one 1/9/66 also had a similar line up, but with Suzy Knickerbocker in the spot Jayne occupied tonight. Unusual it's not their usual boy/girl arrangement.

[@wcwindom56]

Mrs Davidson was a lot of fun. Needed more guests like her

[@hairyscotman]

NO ONE did a better job at being in a movie than Mickey....always made me smile....God BLESS you, always....

[@soulierinvestments]

Henry Barnes: when he was traffic commissioner of Denver, he came up with a pedestrian friendly system. At intersections with traffic lights the pedestrian walk signs came in clusters of three -- left, forward and diagonal. At a given point all traffic at an intersection would stop and pedestrians could walk any which way they wanted. Very useful idea nicknamed Barnes Dance. . Anyone from New York know if he tried that in NYC?

[@savethetpc6406]

soulierinvestments I don't know of any intersections like that now, but I don't know what might have been tried back then. I was too young to be aware of things like that. There are a few intersections I know of in which there are times that the "Walk" signs are on in all directions and other times when the "Don't Walk" signs are on in all directions to allow for turning cars. I've never seen any encouragement to cross the street diagonally, though.

[@hoteldennis]

soulierinvestments The Barnes Dance was used in Baltimore when he was commissioner here. Barnes also hated the streetcars. He said that the only thing that he didn't like about streetcars was that they were in the street. We no longer have the streetcars or the Barnes Dance.

[@loissimmons6558]

I am going to trust this quote from Wikipedia because most of it is cited as having been taken from NYC DOT reports as recently as 2017. In New York City, there are numerous signals with a pedestrian scramble phase; those are most often found in intersections with only one vehicle phase. A notable pedestrian scramble exists in Lower Manhattan at the intersection of Vesey Street, Broadway, Park Row, and Ann Street. Another notable scramble occurs at the busy intersection of Nostrand Avenue and Flatbush Avenue in Midwood, Brooklyn; this particular signal was the site of several crashes due to pedestrians crossing against the light, since pedestrians have a "don't walk" signal when vehicles in either direction have a green signal. Elsewhere Barnes is credited with having tried it in NYC. However, he never claimed to have invented it, but did claim to have made it popular.

[@greenvilla7]

Of all the panelists Steve Allen was the most affected by the death of Dorothy Kilgallen ever si😢the news of her death broke after which he never recovered his previously happy demeanor …

[@Arthur_McGowan]

Mickey looks better here than he did in 1957.

[@ccbsnyc]

Look up Henry Barnes, he iss quite interesting, and many of his innovations affected public life in many ways. Coordinated stoplights, for example.

[@galileocan]

Henry Barnes was 59 in this video and he looked 79 to me. Maybe even older

[@jvcomedy]

+Galileocan g You're absolutely right. He's either lived one hell of a tough life or was unfortunate to inherit some bad genes.

[@preppysocks209]

Perhaps he was not well. He died of a heart attack two years later.

[@RetiredForNow]

Henry Barnes was my Grandfather. He died of a heart attack in his boss's office that year. My guess is the stress of the job eventually did him in.

[@JulieStJohn-jb4cy]

I had to Google Mike Quill to find out what all the fuss was about him. As president of the transport workers union, he led a strike in January of 1966, then died three days after the strike was over on January 29, 1966, of a heart attack. This show was aired Jan 9, 1966.

[@ajs11201]

The traffic commissioner must have been prescient because some 56 years later, Fifth and Madison Avenues are still one-way avenues, just as he set them up many decades ago.

[@RonGerstein]

ALL north/south avenues in Manhattan are ONE WAY, including Broadway.

[@Beson-SE]

Mrs Davidson talks with Arlene a little bit too long which makes Steve glance at his watch. :) 18:17

[@savethetpc6406]

Johan Bengtsson Yes, I had to play that part back a few times to figure out what the audience was laughing about. If you divert your eyes for a second, you miss it!

[@Beson-SE]

SaveThe TPC Never ever divert your eyes or your attention when you are watching WML! ;-)

[@WhatsMyLine]

Johan Bengtsson See, this is why I count on you, Johan. My eyes are almost always diverted!

[@savethetpc6406]

Johan Bengtsson What's My Line? LOL!

[@ginnylorenz5265]

Dear Johan, thanks for spotting that. Hilarious. I love Steve.

[@soulierinvestments]

In this time period on ABC-TV -- Batman premiered and Tabitha Stevens was born on "Bewitched."

[@VahanNisanian]

soulierinvestments And they spent seasons 1 & 2, working around a pregnant Liz Montgomery. A similar thing happened with Barbara Eden during the filming of the first season of "I Dream of Jeannie" all through 1965, except IDOJ didn't add a child to the program.

[@soulierinvestments]

Time period was January 1966

[@latsnojokelee6434]

The original Star Trek was on this time to .

[@VSV659]

Sadly, Mike Quill died within days of this telecast.

[@ediebaxter6194]

Didn't Johnny Olsen do the Price Right with Bob Barker?

[@sandrageorge3488]

He sure did

[@henrywyche]

Mrs Davidson is delightful!

[@enriquesanchez2001]

MIKE QUILL actually died 19 days after this broadcast at the age of 60. Three days after the Union's celebratory win.

[@christianheitmann4922]

Mickey Rooney was for 88 years in Film Business.

[@RonGerstein]

Joe Yule Junior

[@soulierinvestments]

Cannibal humor. Always a sure sign of sophistication.

[@alanfollett6242]

+soulierinvestments Oh, good, then let me establish my credentials as a Glittering Sophisticate: "So, this cannibal asks another cannibal, 'Have you ever eaten a Kazakh?' "'Sure,' the second cannibal replies. 'Tastes just like Chechen.'"

[@loissimmons6558]

1st Cannibal: I'd don't like my mother-in-law. 2nd Cannibal: So just eat the noodles.

[@byte01010101me]

They always invited mystery guests who were working in the area. So the panel would always figure out who it was.

[@loissimmons6558]

They tried as often as they could to find celebrities who were in town without much fanfare. But that didn't happen very often. Besides there were basically two types of Mystery Guests: those who tried hard to fool the panel and those who wanted to be guessed (although some would say they tried to fool the panel).

[@leannsherman6723]

Bennett Cerf always asked the question: Has the product ever “bean”alive?” 😂😂

[@YY4Me133]

I read that in his voice. ☺

[@FlockOfHawks]

"Are you or have you ever bin alive ?" Mr Laden : "yes"

[@RonGerstein]

​@FlockOfHawks Bemett Cerf always talks funny and mispronounced words.

[@MartinWillett]

"In the film industry, a 'mickey' is a gentle camera move forwards. It is named for Mickey Rooney (a 'little creep')."

[@peternagy-im4be]

That is bullcrap

[@MrJoeybabe25]

This is the ONLY time that I have seen, where the first contestant has thanked the announcer (Johnny Olsen here). About time! Has anyone seen this before, where the announcer is thanked by name.

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

*_HENRY BARNES, TRAFFIC COMMISSIONER OF NEW YORK CITY_* *_DESIGNS DOOR KNOBS_*

[@kenhenderson1762]

Not sure, but I think the "business achievement" Bennett was credited with is Random House merging with RCA. It meant a lot of money to the firm and to Bennett personally. And Bennett remained in his post as publisher as well as becoming a major stockholder in RCA.

[@RonGerstein]

You lie as this merger never happened.

[@morganrussell6783]

Mickey Rooney G.O.A.T. 💖💯...

[@tylerpaul1825]

Mr. Barnes was in show business. He was appearing regularly on a radio show which he clearly states after Arlene guesses him. He definitely was in show business and "no" was the correct answer to Steve Allens question.

[@loissimmons6558]

However, John Daly was trying to make it clear that show business wasn't Barnes' principal line of work.

[@FlockOfHawks]

After this great performance , they should have made Mrs Davidson a regular contestant with a different exotic fake profession each time

[@richatlarge462]

I had to look up Mike Quill, and see that he died just 12 days after this episode aired.

[@Plasdopake]

I had to look him up too !! 🤔 ** this episode is from the weekend after I was born !! 😮😀👍

[@jackkomisar458]

He is worth looking up. His union, the Transit Workers Union, was a strong supporter of civil rights and of Dr. Martin Luther King.

[@RetiredForNow]

Henry Barnes was my Grand Father. He died not long after this as well. He had a massive heart attack and died in his boss's office.

[@georgiayost550]

Sad Mickey ended with $1,800 as family stole his money

[@algoritmosalfredohipicasig7116]

The delightful Mrs. Davidson shut the door on the panel. #Top10Challenger

[@YY4Me133]

During that transit strike, NY Telephone provided some transportation for its employees. As such, I got one ride to work in a white, stretch limo, and one on the Cable Queen. *CS Cable Queen lays underwater telephone cable in the Hudson River between Liberty and Ellis Island* kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6LYl3qqibdog7M EDIT: I met Mickey Rooney, once, in a movie theater lobby. He had a wonderful smile.

[@Theyralltakenfu]

So interesting to hear about our University here, which was once known as Carnegie Tech, and presently known as Carnegie Mellon University. CMU. Mickey Rooney seems to have an abundance of energy.

[@simeonbaumel7293]

Was it every alive? No, it's as dead as a doorknob....

[@soulierinvestments]

The humor of door knobs. Knobs are serious. Nowadays, public building codes go into painful detail about what can and cannot be put onto a door.

[@rangerboy7877]

sometimes john interrupts too often

[@RonGerstein]

It is the law that John Charles Daley must interrupt.

[@VahanNisanian]

Henry Barnes signed in as "Mr. X" in Game 1 on February 18, 1962. This is kinda like when Vidal Sassoon signed in as "Mr. X" in Game 1 on March 19, 1967. When he came on again on the Syndicated revival in 1969, he was now a full-fledged Mystery Guest.

[@rust44]

When she said Henry Barnes, it sounded like "honey buns."

[@buffbill-t2i]

Jayne had a wonderful laugh but its usually drowned out by the audience.

[@alskndlaskndal]

I wonder why they didn't seat the panelists Arlene - Steve - Jayne - Bennett, to alternate male-female and put the husband and wife together?

[@jvcomedy]

+R.D. Dragon The did the same thing in the prior 1/9/66 episode. The only difference being Suzy Knickerbocker occupied the spot Jayne did in this episode. Definitely a switch from their usual boy/girl arrangement.

[@gailsirois7175]

What does it matter ??

[@carlfalt174]

Door knobs have never been so complicated

[@tonycevallos7513]

That commishener Barnes sure knows how to throw some real hum dingers. I gotta look him up.

[@TheNeodermskin]

I know Louisa Davidson! AMAZING LADY!!!!

[@WhatsMyLine]

Cool! Does she know this video is available?

[@odelski]

What's My Line? She did see it early this year and me and my friend found it for her..

[@loissimmons6558]

She was one of the most fun and entertaining non-celebrity challengers to appear on WML. She was totally at ease on camera. Whittier isn't that far from Los Angeles. She could have had her own show!

[@randylovering24]

800th show

[@Retroscoop]

How many times did Mickey R. came to this show ?

[@ElectrologyNow]

Oh yes ... Mickey my hero ... all those awesome women ... the guy was a little stick of dynamite.

[@ginnylorenz5265]

Mickey (whom I adore!) and John have the hair-do!

[@leannsherman6723]

Mickey Rooney was married eight - count them - eight times.

[@RonGerstein]

Just like Elizebeth Taylor.

[@davidsanderson5918]

I wonder if the panellists would be interested in the restricted train services in Devon, England.

[@lindaroper2654]

Arlene just had to say who it was knowing Bennett had it.

[@joelfogelsanger5773]

Mrs. Davidson was totally cool!

[@jimlaguardia8185]

When America was great... I lived through that strike in NYC. Quite an adventure!

[@VahanNisanian]

Speaking of my last post, let me say this about Dinah Shore: She is easily the most jinxed celebrity to ever be on "What's My Line?". She was Mystery Guest three times (1st and 3rd solo; 2nd with her then-husband George Montgomery). Her WHOLE segment from March 11, 1956 is gone, and so is the WHOLE January 23, 1966 show. No question about it: They were both victims of the rushed assembling of "What's My Line at 25". What was so special about Dinah Shore that made Gil Fates want to use her clips for the special anyway? Only her 1959 appearance (her only existing episode) made it to the special.

[@WaltGekko]

Dinah Shore was still very big at the time of "What's My Line at 25" in 1975. She had a daytime talk show then as I remember along with her LPGA Tournament, then the biggest in Women's Golf. That was why they wanted to use her appearances.

[@beachelbowels2769]

Mr Henry Bons?

[@VahanNisanian]

It has been almost five years since Jayne Meadows was last on the panel!

[@savethetpc6406]

I think she looked more attractive and younger-looking in this episode than she did in her earlier appearances!

[@preppysocks209]

@@savethetpc6406 this hair style was much more flattering

[@jacquelinebell6201]

Bennett's joke 😂😂😂. It's funny if corny lol.

[@originalmatchgame]

Does Bennett ever miss ?

[@gailsirois7175]

Only when he isn't cheating

[@joelfogelsanger5773]

Gail Sirois...Yes!

[@scottpardee6303]

I liked it when John admitted that they do their homework, which is why they guess the mystery guest so often. All those viewers who comment that they cheat should know this.

[@kentetalman9008]

Stupid people always accuse smart people of cheating.

[@lyndapierson6338]

i remember how important penmanship was. kinda sad to see it go.

[@edmundpower1250]

Mrs Davidson was beautiful and she was soooo into John.

[@VahanNisanian]

Also, as someone who loves finding out these things, was Dinah Shore left-handed or right-handed? If there is any Dinah Shore fan, who is also a fan of "What's My Line?", please help me out here.

[@YouDummy]

A quick Google images search shows her signing autographs with her right hand and another holding right-handed golf clubs, unless both images had been reversed.

[@philippapay4352]

@Vahan Nisanian - The only WML episode on which I know Dinah Shore appeared was as Mystery Guest with her husband, George Montgomery. He signed them in on the chalkboard as "Mr. & Mrs. George Montgomery." So? She was entered into the LPGA Hall of Fame and the only couple of photos I could find in a brief search of her golfing were at a distance, but she appeared to be using a right-hand swing. I'm sure there are more photos of her golfing around.

[@stevenginsberg8471]

And to this day, more than 50 years later, Fifth Avenue still runs southbound and Madison runs northbound.

[@loissimmons6558]

They were the last north-south avenues to convert to one way traffic. The conversions started in the late 1940's. The major exceptions to conversion are basically only Park Avenue with a median or an elevated train trestle, most of 11th/West End Avenue (which used to have a median), Broadway (north of Columbus Circle, which has a median until its intersection with St. Nicholas Ave), Central Park West and any avenues east of First or west of Fifth for their sections north of Central Park. This final conversion also "changed" the line of one of TV's most iconic characters. On at least one occasion, Ralph Kramden remarked that he made his meager living with the difficult job of driving a bus "up and down Madison Avenue." Now for most of their routes, the M-1, M-2, M-3 and M-4 buses go up Madison and down Fifth.

[@preppysocks209]

@@loissimmons6558 Fifth Avenue used to have a median as well. In 1931, Winston Churchill crossed part of Fifth Avenue to the median. He looked left as a Briton is want to do, saw no traffic, and proceeded safely to the median. He then looked left again, saw no traffic, and continued on his way. Fifth Avenue, then being two way, had uptown traffic to Churchill's right, which he did not see. He was hit at 30 mph and severely injured (he was able to procure from his doctor a prescription for "medicinal" alcohol during his convalescence (this was during Prohibition)). Fortunately, he survived to save the world -- things might have been different if he had been killed. On the other hand, had Fifth Avenue been only southbound then, he would not have been injured at all.

[@loissimmons6558]

@@preppysocks209 I always appreciate learning something new. I had never heard about Churchill's accident on 5th Avenue before. Perhaps it is because he wasn't seriously injured, so it is mostly talked about now by people who wonder what if he had been killed (what if FDR had been killed in 1933 when he was shot at, etc.). However, I can find no evidence that 5th Avenue had a median, especially in the area where he crossed the street (around 76th and 77th Streets). 5th Avenue was actually one of the narrower north-south avenues in Manhattan but it had wide sidewalks. At some point, the widened the road at the expense of the sidewalks. But this is only south of 59th Street. From 59th Street to 110th Street, the west side of 5th Avenue is the eastern border of Central Park. Traffic was relatively light there, especially before WWII and there wouldn't be much need for a median near a park. I checked this three ways. First I did a Google satellite view of the area where the accident occurred. It is only two lanes plus curbside parking on both sides: no room for a median. Second, I found a story about it online. It includes an artist's sketch of the accident. Although the artist was incorrect about the car that hit Churchill (the artist confused the fact that Winston had just exited a cab and thought a cab hit him) but would have been familiar with what the area looked like. The sketch shows Churchill being hit and an oncoming car going in the opposite direction with no median in between. winstonchurchill.hillsdale.edu/contasino/ Third, a researched the history of Fifth Avenue. This was where I found that it was a relatively narrow avenue that was only widened south of 59th Street. Fourth, I did a Google Image search for "Fifth Avenue NYC 1930's". None of the pictures show Fifth Avenue with a median. According to the story I linked to, Churchill exited the cab, saw a break in the traffic (which was light) and started to cross the street. When he got to the center line (a single white line in those days), he stopped to look but looked the wrong way. Someone reading that he stopped in the middle of the avenue incorrectly interpreted the middle as being a median.

[@preppysocks209]

@@loissimmons6558 Thanks for your comment. The article you linked is excellent -- it even has a copy of the doctor's prescription for Churchill to obtain alcohol! His injuries were fairly serious -- he was in the hospital for 8 days. I have read stories about Churchill having stopped at a median but it is possivle that your explanation is the correct one -- that someone who wrote that piece incorreclty described the middle as being a median. If you like learning new things, there is nothing like reading a good biography of Churchill. He was one of a kind --- brilliant, erudite, confident, courageous, an expert in history, a great speaker and writer, farsighted, wise, and more.

[@adamodeo9320]

Mike Quill was an amazing man.

[@RonGerstein-tf5tp]

Irish drunk 😂😂😂😂😂

[@lindaroper2654]

Dint know why the men didn't whistle for Mrs Davidson, she was prettier than slot of the women they whistled for. 🤦

[@SenorZorrozzz]

Gee Mickey was so bald by then!

[@jceepf]

This guy who claimed to have the largest "manhood" said that he can englobe a door knob with the skin on it.... I guess that counts as amuzing in some circles.

[@srothbardt]

Wish they didn’t whistle at the women who come in

[@joelfogelsanger5773]

Bennett was ticked off and pouting over the whole Mike Quill thing.

[@dinahbrown902]

He pouted alot

[@SenorZorrozzz]

What’s that white spot in her hair?

[@TheBlackhawkbrat]

I think it's the overhead lights shining off a small part of her scalp exposed by her hairstyle

[@josepocos]

@@TheBlackhawkbrat It looks too bright for that; maybe some sort of pin or badge with a jewel in it.

[@deepdrag8131]

Aliens have an extra eyeball on their scalp. Mrs. Davidson is from Planet X.

[@pattimaeda6097]

Who tf is Mike Quill?

[@deepdrag8131]

Michael Quill was the fiery head of the Transit Union. The transportation union was on strike starting on Jan 1, 1966 (John Lindsay’s first day a mayor) and New York City was at a standstill (thus the joke about the Quill cocktail being Manhattan on the rocks)

[@RonGerstein]

​@deepdrag8131 The transit union closed down the NYC subways and buses in January by going out on strike.

[@scottpardee6303]

Mickey Rooney had eight wives!

[@ElectrologyNow]

I remember these programs when I was a little kid. I always thought John Charles Daily was good, until he attempted to sound intelligent. Instead, he sounded pompous ... and, usually ended up screwing-up whatever he was trying to say. I still think the same ...

[@1928gerry]

Bennett ruins most of the mystery guest segments because of his advance studying. He should have done less advance research or excused himself.

[@gregmoorhead7203]

1928gerry ~ I totally agree!!!

[@TheGreatAtario]

Meh. I'm fine with getting some more conversation with the mystery guests

[@peternagy-im4be]

Bennett always opens his mouth before his turn to question the guest.

[@FlockOfHawks]

i.m.o he ruins many an episode with his mere presence . . .

[@kennithumperovitch1606]

Ah ha Ms. Davidson is the one! She was so hot she could turn my doorknob! And open my door!😉

[@geraldinemilo2804]

Examine the current state of the world. 2 Timothy 4:1-5 states "You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. People will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!" Jesus is coming back. Are you ready?

[@kentetalman9008]

Oh please, spare us from your delusional piety.

[@dorisisaacs7740]

The mountainous atom monthly juggle because granddaughter undeniably lighten as a tan packet. itchy, sleepy tea