© Mark Ollig
CBS broadcast the original “What’s My Line?” (WML) Sunday nights from Feb. 2, 1950, until Sept. 3, 1967.
I recall as a youngster, watching WML with my mom, dad, and siblings.
The opening theme to WML was cartoonish, which, as a child, immediately caught my attention.
The regular WML panel members varied over the years; Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis, Bennett Cerf, and Fred Allen were among my favorites.
John Charles Daly was the panel moderator of WML.
Trivia: Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, John Charles Daly, who was then a CBS radio news reporter, interrupted a music program to report that the naval and air forces of Japan had attacked a US base at Pearl Harbor.
“The Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by air, President Roosevelt has just announced. The attack also was made on all naval and military activities on the principal island of Oahu,” Daly said. The audio file is https://bit.ly/2H17X7p.
As panel moderator for WML, Daly would have a new player/contestant come out on stage and sign their name on a chalkboard by announcing, “Will you enter and sign in, please?”
The show’s premise was to have the panelists ask contestant questions to reveal their occupation or “line.”
The contestant, sitting next to Daly, could only give a yes or no answer.
Only the audience, the panel moderator, and those watching on TV knew what the contestant’s occupation was.
Famed comedian Groucho Marx has appeared twice on WML as a panelist.
In one of my favorite WML episodes, he brought the house down (including John Charles Daly) in complete and utter laughter as a panel member Sept. 20, 1959.
This episode had two contestants; a Nikita Khrushchev look-alike whose occupation was a jail warden, and a professional wrestler named Judy Grable.
The mystery celebrity guest was actor Claudette Colbert.
If you enjoy the humor and wit of Groucho Marx, watch this episode at https://bit.ly/2ZzR3mL.
The WML panel members were always blindfolded whenever a mystery celebrity guest was on.
Marx also appeared as the celebrity mystery guest Oct. 13, 1953.
Questioning of the mystery guest, Groucho Marx, began with Bennett Cerf.
“Do you ever make after dinner speeches in the course of your operations?” asked Cerf.
“Yeah, only before dinner!” Groucho wisecracked back to a smiling Cerf, while Daly, the audience, and the other panelists roared with laughter.
I found out one was not going to limit Groucho Marx to just a yes or no answer.
Groucho Marx had everyone on stage and in the audience laughing in stitches with his witty answers to the panelist’s questions.
Arlene Francis finally revealed Groucho Marx as the mystery guest, and the panel members took off their blindfolds and laughed.
I recently watched this episode and had a feeling the minute he spoke his first sentence in a half-heartedly disguised German accent, that the whole panel knew it was Groucho, but they kept the game going to keep Groucho on.
Groucho was also puffing away on his traditional cigar, so one would think the panelists would have smelled it.
“It’s exhilarating to have Groucho show up on a program that you’re supposed to be running, because you stop running it the minute he gets in,” moderator Daly quipped, while the audience laughed.
Groucho listened while holding a cigar in his right hand; he was smiling, with his head slightly tilted while looking toward Daly.
WML had become so popular on TV during the 1950s and ‘60s that celebrities would jump at the chance to be on the program, mostly when they wanted to plug their Broadway play, movie, or television show.
It was the golden age of television.
The number of Hollywood stars, authors, industrialists, political and sports figures, military persons, inventors, and folks with unusual occupations who appeared on WML made for an impressive list.
One year, after the original “What’s My Line?” ended, a new syndicated daily version was started in 1968, and ran until 1975.
John Charles Daly did not moderate the new WML game show; however, Arlene Francis returned in her regular role as a panelist.
During one syndicated broadcast, Bennett Cerf made a surprise appearance as the mystery guest and spoke of how he missed being on WML and the camaraderie with John Charles Daly.
After this appearance, Cerf would re-appear occasionally as a panelist, until he passed away in 1971.
One of the things which makes the original WML so interesting for me is the comical, playful bantering between the panelists and their interactions with the guests, audience, and Daly.
I enjoy watching John Charles Daly, pontificating with his prodigious vocabulary, humorously expounding explanations to questions, and his father-like conduct with the panelists.
The “What’s My Line?” YouTube channel features 758 episodes (including original commercials on many) of the classic/original game show, plus dozens of videos featuring WML cast regulars.
Check out the WML YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/3bVho3q.
Be safe out there.
