Thank you for all your videos you've posted. I've spent many hours watching What's My Line? Fred has a unique type of humor. I wish we had these kind of comedians today, I'd watch them. Thank you again!
MY pleasure-- and thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. Fred Allen is actually THE reason I started watching WML in the first place, I was already such a fan of his radio shows and books.
If this show didn’t kill you laughing the free cigarettes would have. Fred Allen a special wit and certainly a star in the golden age of radio and early TV. “Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be”
Oh man- I just love this guy. Love Fred Allen. I sat here laughing at some of his hilarious comebacks. I got the one about "Stoppette" (from the old What's My Line sponsor ads of course) it's terribly sad he passed away so suddenly and at such a relatively young age. His great undoing was his snobbery about television. He should have embraced it wholly when it was first a thing.
I love Fred, too bad I wasn't a contestant this evening, I would have won the grand! Easy-Peasy on this one the talent was all entertaining, but easy to judge who was 1,2,3rd place. How many also picked this one right? I bet it's a high number it was so obvious! 👍✌💚
I guess I'm in the minority but that was REALLY PAINFUL. Whoever was Fred's manager mangled his post-radio career. I did enjoy all three acts expecially Roldopho and Juanita! As always, Thanks for the upload, Gary!! :)
The problem with this show was not Fred, but the complication of the format. Too much game and not enough Fred. Fred's best moment on TV was "Fred Allen's Sketchbook", where he was wonderful: ruclips.net/video/5PyAu2F8cpw/видео.html
Fred is a delight in anything, but I can see why it didn't last. Too many moving parts for a game show (the "expert"" judges, the contestant judge, the performer being judged, the MC) and most of them hardly contributing anything.
In the 1950’s cigarettes were often sponsors of these shows and people smoked freely. The old I Love Lucy shows show Lucy, Ricky and others smoking all the time.
That's because Allen specialized in topical humor and satirizing current events and fads. If you're not a student of history it's hard to understand what he's talking about and why it resonates. That's also why people like Will Rogers don't cast a giant shadow either. By contrast, Jack's material wasn't tied to topicality and has a timeless quality that holds up.
![What's My Line? - Roy Campanella; Ted Husing [panel] (Sep 6, 1953)](/img/1.gif)
More rare Fred Allen videos, including many more episodes of "Judge for Yourself" in this playlist:
ruclips.net/p/PLqsaqh5sqUxrVpwsY3Q5uGTipClD5IhyG
Thank you for all your videos you've posted. I've spent many hours watching What's My Line? Fred has a unique type of humor. I wish we had these kind of comedians today, I'd watch them. Thank you again!
MY pleasure-- and thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. Fred Allen is actually THE reason I started watching WML in the first place, I was already such a fan of his radio shows and books.
If this show didn’t kill you laughing the free cigarettes would have. Fred Allen a special wit and certainly a star in the golden age of radio and early TV.
“Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be”
Thank you for posting - truly special and for the great quality in B&W.
Oh man- I just love this guy. Love Fred Allen. I sat here laughing at some of his hilarious comebacks. I got the one about "Stoppette" (from the old What's My Line sponsor ads of course) it's terribly sad he passed away so suddenly and at such a relatively young age. His great undoing was his snobbery about television. He should have embraced it wholly when it was first a thing.
Agree, but 61 wasn’t percieved as young as it is today in 1956. He was great!
Welcome to the show. Here's 200 cigarettes.
thanks for posting this vid
Happy to share it. :)
Great to see this stuff again
Glad you enjoyed it-- thanks for the comment!
Thank you so much for uploading these old shows and I wish RUclips's copyright system wasn't so awful
Kathy Barr , wow what a voice !! Just love her !!
Love the New Fred Allen Show
I love Fred, too bad I wasn't a contestant this evening, I would have won the grand! Easy-Peasy on this one the talent was all entertaining, but easy to judge who was 1,2,3rd place. How many also picked this one right? I bet it's a high number it was so obvious! 👍✌💚
Very nice voices!
6:15 Wow - that dress!!!
Wonderful mix of laughs and great entertainment!
It looked more like lingerie.
Thanks for posting. Interesting in a historic context. Doesn’t make me nostalgic.
I began to think Juanita was the name of Rodolfo's cape.
Me too. Juanita got third billing.
I'm definitely going to pick up a carton of Old Gold
If tobacco taxes go much higher, a carton will cost more than the prize!
💜 Fred Allen.
I love his wit. Also watching the old Groucho Marx shows which are a gem.
They both have writers.
How can it never be shown on TV again when there's a Game Show Network logo right on the screen?
Reading the jokes off of cue cards.
Introduced by Dennis James.
Don Pardo is the announcer.
Love the canned laughter. I wouldn't know to laugh otherwise.
I bet the tobacco companies paid these folks to smoke on the air!!! It's so common even in a half hour show.
I guess I'm in the minority but that was REALLY PAINFUL. Whoever was Fred's manager mangled his post-radio career. I did enjoy all three acts expecially Roldopho and Juanita! As always, Thanks for the upload, Gary!! :)
The problem with this show was not Fred, but the complication of the format. Too much game and not enough Fred.
Fred's best moment on TV was "Fred Allen's Sketchbook", where he was wonderful:
ruclips.net/video/5PyAu2F8cpw/видео.html
Fred is a delight in anything, but I can see why it didn't last. Too many moving parts for a game show (the "expert"" judges, the contestant judge, the performer being judged, the MC) and most of them hardly contributing anything.
American idol my ass ;)
"I wish you had a writer, we would have a battle of wits." That was highly rude and condescending.
carton costs what ? a dollar then??
Fred is great - this show had some great singers too - but the show was too slow
I've judged this show for myself and I'm NEVER watching this drivel again.
Fred Allen looks like he’s been beaten with a cricket bat!
The bags under his eyes are indicative of kidney problems which he more than likely had. Not nearly he medical care in those days!
Can't believe they allowed smoking on these shows. You'd think a person could wait thirty minutes to not smoke.
In the 1950’s cigarettes were often sponsors of these shows and people smoked freely. The old I Love Lucy shows show Lucy, Ricky and others smoking all the time.
Never understood how anyone thought this guy was funny. Jack Benny's shows have aged very well. Allen's radio shows are painful to listen to.
That's because Allen specialized in topical humor and satirizing current events and fads. If you're not a student of history it's hard to understand what he's talking about and why it resonates. That's also why people like Will Rogers don't cast a giant shadow either. By contrast, Jack's material wasn't tied to topicality and has a timeless quality that holds up.
Love the New Fred Allen Show