I think because it was pure entertainment. Relaxed, smart and funny panel with the engaging John Daly as MC. The guests would try to stump the panel with their interesting/off-beat occupations and of course, the mystery guest. Feel good television, no stress or tension at all. I remember the Era. What's My Line puts me at ease, too.
@@michaelcaza-schonberger9282 I just love it so much it's looks like new in the past flash back past life look back at movie made of view of the TV's show up in more information on it and Subing the best part
I don't even know how I got here. All I wanted is to see few appearances from my favourite actresses from that era, yet few weeks later here I am. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking your time to upload each video and for having everything so organized (from playlists, to every description you wrote and extras, that I am looking forward to see when I'm done with the episodes). I am completely hooked to this show, It became a part of my "bed-time routine". I've enjoyed immensely reading the comments from viewers and learning more about the panellists and that Era. I'm not American, I'm in my early 20s so I'm so fascinated by every odd job title / the way people communicated. I adore Arlene the most and I hope I will be able to find more of her work online, later. Again THANK YOU, I truly appreciate it. x
Thank you so much for the wonderful message of appreciation! As for "how you got here", well, you're just one of many folks who have wondered the same thing. There's something extremely addicting about this series-- more so than even its sister shows "To Tell the Truth" and "I've Got a Secret". I'm really glad you've become a fan!
@@WhatsMyLine Thank you from me, too! WML is a form of time travel for me. I look forward to visiting my erudite friends...in New York of the 1950s and 1960s. 🙏 ✨ ❤️
Ok I watched the entire list. I absolutely love this show! Thanks so much for this incredible archive of American history. Something I did with most of the celebrity guests was to Google them, usually hitting their Wiki pages. I learned so much about people from my parents' generation! Most of them were people I was already familiar with (I was born in '58), but I learned a lot more. So I mean it when I say this is a true archive of 20th century American history. Thanks again.
Thank you for making these treasured episodes available to us today. I've become addicted to them as they take me back to my childhood days. I enjoy how people were more refined, articulate,v dressed so well, were respectful and classy. I wish we could go back in time.
I have been loving watching these WML episodes. It broke my heart to hear the story about Dorothy Killgalen. She was a lovely lady and a very intense and competitive panel member. I was born in '63 so I don't recall most of What's my Line and was an avid watcher of To Tell the Truth hosted by Gary Moore in the 70s. I really miss this type of television!
Such riches on YT, and this is one of them. Mr. Daly herds his cats efficiently, from the guests who wander off their mark on the floor and so he takes their arm to shuffle them onto place to the panel who 'conferences' without getting permission. I admire his genteel presence and wow, his hairstyle is a mystery - good luck to his barber!
You're very welcome! But brace yourself, because there are well over 600 more episodes posted that you haven't watched yet. :) I think you've been looking at the playlist for just 1950-54-- the entire available series is already posted, including a few shows never included in reruns on TV. Glad you're enjoying the videos!
Started 1955 this morning! What you are offering brings back pleasant memories and I enjoy going on Wikipedia to refresh my memory of the of Stars that gave us so much pleasure. Except for Turner Classic Movies and the news there is nothing I find appealing on TV.
I have to admit, whenever I watch this show, I find myself thinking of two other things: A Bugs Bunny cartoon titled "What's My Lion" and in "101 Dalmatians", Horace and Jasper, Cruella's henchmen, are watching a show called "What's My Crime". I think I, just, gave away the genres of movies and television I like to watch.
I really love the celebrities I see in these, but I also adore the unknown challengers! Many of them are just as urbane and mannerly as the panelists and the stars!
I've never been able to get over the dichotomy between that mid-Atlantic accent of Arlene Francis' and John Daly's, when right next to Arlene sits Bennett Cerf with one of the most distinct Westchester accents ever.
@@lllowkee6533 Carryover from British influence. Any word that ends in a vowel they toss that 'intrusive R' in there so as not to slide from vowel to vowel with no discernible break between words.
The producers probably hoped for more comic fireworks between Fred Allen and Bergen and McCarthy. B&McC were involved in the pilot program and a second early episode of the 1945 incarnation of "The Fred Allen Show." The plot eventually involved a law suit.
What's different here is that Charlie McCarthy can't really speak or he'd give it away, so Bergen is consciously making C.McC. eagerly follow the discussion, looking at every speaker, opening his mouth in a restrained, silent manner. It's a subtle effort that further fools the observer to assume that's a real live human, not a block of wood. I never fully appreciated his talent until now. In fact
That’s really most of the puppeteer’s job. It seems like the speech itself is just the gimmick. The real art is giving the puppet or dummy a living presence throughout the appearance. Jim Henson was also remarkably skilled in this way.
I wish there was a channel that would play nothing but tv shows and commericals from the 1950's, a lot of products are still around, they should have one for every decade.
At 3:50 Bennett shows his knowledge of the business world. The American Guggenheim family invested in mines, including a Chilean mine at Chuquicamata sold to Anaconda Copper in 1923; this is the same family that sponsors art museums.
I think the first WML clip I saw was of Salvador Dali and from then on I've been hooked. Lots of people in comments here, there, and everywhere on WML videos talk about their favourite panelist or of their admiration of Daly but for me I'd have to say that I love them all. There was such great chemistry between all the regular panelists and John Daly that I find it hard to choose one as my favourite. I love (in no particular order) Arlene, Dorothy, Bennett, and Daly, and I also love most of the regular guest panelists too: Steve Allen, Fred Allen, Q. Lewis, Martin Gable, and Tony Randall. Love 'em all. I just can't pick out a favourite, since I feel that the whole cast works so well TOGETHER that to pick one of them and say "that's my favourite" seems wrong. To reiterate: I love 'em all.
As to Edgar Bergen's being an actor, I can think of two movies in which he appeared playing a role with no ventriloquism involved. In the 1948 film adaptation of the play _I Remember Mama_, he played Mr. Thorkelson the undertaker, who courted one of Mama's sisters (Aunt Trina) -- and I believe it was Ellen Corby who played the sister in question. He also appeared as Grandpa Walton in the 1971 made-for-television film _The Homecoming: A Christmas Story_, which served as the pilot for the TV drama, _The Waltons_. (When the TV series came out, a number of the roles were played by actors other than the ones in _The Homecoming_.) Interestingly, Ellen Corby played Grandma Walton in both _The Homecoming_ and _The Waltons_. So she played Edgar Bergen's wife 23 years after she had played his fiancée. But I digress. Mr. Bergen did a fair amount of acting, but was best known as a ventriloquist.
Edgar Bergen moved his lips, and Charlie often mentioned this to him. They had a radio program! A ventriloquist on radio? People seemed to love it--All "pre-Terry Fader, ofcourse.
This show brings out the personality of each panelist. You get to know each one as you could chat with them yourself. They are quite astute at narrowing down to the “line” of the guest. This show is most addictive and it has become my nightly ritual. So my past “friends” of the airwaves that stream through the walls of my house like Shakespeare points out “If questions be the food of love...play on!”. Oh, by the way, I actually started watching WML when it was live many eons ago!
Thank you thank you thank you for posting, maintaining and editing these videos Gary! I'm a newish fan and just finished this playlist. Love your work!
The dress designer was the 16th known regular guest from a foreign country. Edgar & Charlie were the 11th duo/group MG. Fred’s reference to a breadbox was the 50th time the term was used. This is the 16th men’s night.
First off thank you for posting these wonderful shows! Although Jeff Dunham is great another great ventriloquist is Terry Fator who won the America's Got Talent a few years back he is awesome he does singing impersonations with his act through ventriloquism!
Well, I've made it to the end of the first "chapter". I started watching back in late October, and have to say I'm completely hooked. Like NutellaCookieXO and many others have said, it has become part of my bedtime routine. So many wonderful things to mention about the show, but I hate commenting myself. I do however enjoy reading all the other comments left on these videos - I will often read them as the opening credits and introductions roll before the first contestant. You do such a fantastic job moderating in addition to processing and uploading the videos. I'm sure it is not an easy task, but you have my many thanks. Every video is a gift, glitches and all. Now I will move on to the next 3 years, which much excitement. I started compiling a list of all the WML episodes that touch on or are related to horses & horse racing (I work at a racetrack in CA and find the abundance of mentions in the show exciting and fascinating). I will continue to add to it as I work my way through the series. Once again, Thank You for your hard work, and thanks to all those that interact and enjoy these videos.
Thanks for the wonderful comment. :) It's been a pleasure for me to share these shows. Whether you comment again in the future or not, I appreciate your taking the time out to do so now!
I echo every word said here. I too am sad to see the first chapter go past, but eagerly await the next. Thank you for sharing this amazing glimpse into our American past.
I have fallen in love with this series once again. I was 10 when this aired and remember seeing Charlie at the end. I had listened to what I considered his show on the radio before we got a TV in 1952. I’m gratified that my favorite WML as a child is still so as an adult. The last thing I do before bed is watch an episode. Thank you seems far too small. I am grateful you have done this Herculean task. I hope you see my comment as I see others here are 2 years old.
I am glad that you enjoy this classic American TV series. You will be watching this show for a while. The show aired on CBS from 1950 to 1967. A daytime version of "What's My Line" aired on CBS and in syndication from 1968 to 1975. As for the original prime-time version of this TV series, ALL of the episodes were kinescoped and/or taped for future generations to enjoy. Our eternal gratitude goes out to Gil Fates and others at Goodson-Todman Productions for doing this.
One of the free guesses connected the first challenger, Carlo Guggenheim, with Gina Lollobrigida. According to a quote attributed to him in the Sunday Times Magazine of 2/12/1956, he designed dresses for her. Wonder how Gina Lollobrigida gets that gorgeous shape? “She suffers,” explains Carlo Guggenheim, the Italian fashion designer who drapes the famed Gina shape. “A dress should be molded to a woman,” he emphasized. “No Italian woman would wear a sack and Italian women always look like women.” “American women should learn that they have to suffer more to be more glamorous.” But isn’t there any non-suffering American girl who looks glamorous enough to suit Italian tastes, he was asked. “Ah,” said the man who dresses Gina, “Your Grace Kelly. Our ideal! Such ethereal beauty!”
From www.tv.com: "Per Gil Fates' logs, there was not enough time for the fourth scheduled game. However, the contestant who was originally scheduled for the fourth game was Sgt. Robert Giff, the deep sea diver, but he instead appeared as the contestant in the second game. The originally scheduled guest for the second game had the occupation of "Professional Flautist (Plays Flute)" but this person did not appear tonight or on any subsequent "WML?" episode. - Suzanne (2008)"
+Ronda Giff How wonderful that he was able to appear, especially considering that he might have been bumped from the show. I'm happy for you that you found this posting. Having lived in the NYC area since birth, I keep looking for a challenger who I have a connection to. So far, zilch, and by the end of 1954, the challengers are more likely to come from far afield than they did when the show began.
Hello! If I understood correctly, Fred Allen said that your grandfather was from Flint. Do you know what high school he went to? Did he move back to the Flint area after the military?
I'm really great full for you uploading these as it is before my time. I was born in 1956 and i really enjoy these. i watch them over and over. i never get tried of these. it's very enjoyable.
Just wanted to add to the list of people who have thanked you for letting us see all of these programmes again. I started watching these back in the summer 2020 during lockdown one in the UK. I am not even sure how i got here the first time but i was hooked like so many other people. I have many years to go i know and am looking forward to the rest of them. I had never heard of any of the panelist’s before i started this and yet now somehow i feel i know them at least very slightly. I was aware of the UK version of the program both the black and white version with Eamon Andrews and then mostly with the 1980 s reincarnation of the program by Thames TV but had no idea of the rich history of the American version although i was aware it had come from the US. As others have said you tube is so good for this sort of thing. Thank you for bringing hours of escapism to a very difficult time. I have also seen some of the syndicated colour version, it. Has its charm and great to see Arlene and even Bennet on a few of them but its not the same as this original version with its different world.. I must have spent hours already and now doubt will spend hours more. Ian
I'm not familiar with Jeff Dunham, but I've sure seen plenty of ventriloquists whose technical abilities far outshine Bergen's. I don't think he was ever noted for amazing skill at ventriloquism per se, but at this point he had spent 20 years primarily as a radio performer, where his ability to keep his mouth still was totally unimportant. His chops (to use a musician's term) couldn't have been what they once were. To his everlasting credit, Bergen poked a *lot* of fun at this himself throughout his career. The radio series was chock full of jokes about how Bergen was a terrible ventriloquist (usually cracked by Charlie. Very meta.) But ventriloquism wasn't his real gift, for me anyway. What really amazes me is his ability to make Charlie and Mortimer feel so alive, all while constantly making jokes that remind us they're dummies. And as far as I'm concerned, anyone who could hold his own in a ongoing duel of wits against the ferocious W.C. Fields, as Bergen had successfully done for years, deserves the world's undying admiration! :)
What's My Line? SO true! Didn't mean any disrespect for Mr. Bergen. He was in the right place at the right time. I do remember an interview when he suggested there were other ventriloquists much better than him. But pulling off the art on radio was ingenious.
rick charles Jeff Dunham is a joke compared to Mr. Bergan. He always will be. Bergan worked off of class and elegance. Jeff is a vile comedian with no respect for the craft.
No respect for the craft?? Are you serious? You must just be mad about Jeff not being PC enough for the white-knights. His puppet handling skills are so good he INVENTED a new way to control Achmed, to give him more facial expression. And I don't need to even mention how incredible his ventriloquist skills are... The man's lips NEVER MOVE. I'd say that makes him a pretty damn good ventriloquist.
Brady McAtee : Jeff Dunham's first couple videos had a little colorful language and innuendos but were hysterically funny, IMO. The more in-demand he became, the more filthy he got until he was so vile I couldn't stand it. The "f-word" isn't funny. Having it in almost every sentence, and all the sexual references, was beyond the pail. His characters are wonderful (my favorite is Achmed followed by Peanut). I admired his talent; no, he doesn't move his mouth. Unfortunately, his vulgarity turned me off. If he cleaned up his language and toned down the sexual comments I'd return to buying his videos.
I, too, am not sure how I found these videos. I was born about halfway through the shows run. I was planning on telling my mom about these videos but she was in the hospital and diagnosed with liver cancer and passed a week later. So now I am watching them all and laughing and a little tear escapes now and then when I see a favorite star of hers as MG. It was a wonderful show and it was a wonderful thing for whomever to put these on YT. And yes, it is now part of my "bedtime routine"/addiction as well.
What I enjoy is hearing the people speak - proper English, good vocabulary, and no one ever says "like", "I mean", etc. I think it shows that they were clear thinking.
Thank goodness they changed the format so the guest contestant doesn’t have to walk behind John Charles Daly and instead shook hands with the panelists just like the celebrities did.
One of my favorite episodes-- but the radio version is substantially funnier. This is one case where the editing for the radio version versus the television version was drastically different.
What's My Line? I didn't know that YBYL had a radio version. I have several episodes of YBYL on DVD. I intend to watch your channel with YBYL later when I am finished with WML. :)
Johan Bengtsson Yes, it started as a radio series in 1947 and moved to TV in 1950, continuing on both media for the next decade. The final season of YBYL was on TV only. There are a lot of radio episodes over at archive.org (this is just one collection over there): archive.org/details/You.Bet.Your.Life
Thank goodness and I’ve said this before, that they got rid of that undignified way for contestants to leave behind John Charles daily as opposed to shaking hands with the panel. That Army deep-sea diver certainly should’ve been asked to shake hands with the panel. What he did was certainly far more valuable than what any celebrity did or does.
Boy, if they only had shows like this in 2023. You could never call this show dumb or stupid. It was great. I was only about 7 yo when I saw the show first time.
Watch Bergen carefully. He was not a top-drawer ventriloquist. And that made no difference whatsoever given how he imbued each of his puppets with so much personality. Radio suit him...them...to perfection.
Perhaps this has been asked and answered, but is the Edward Murrow program with the Daly family able to be watched anywhere? Thank you so much for posting all of these - I enjoy them very much! I watched many of them randomly and am now watching them all in order. 🙂
Compared to his appearance here, I’d say Edgar Bergen looked better nearly 20 years later when he played the role of The Grandfather on “The Homecoming,” a Christmas feature television film broadcast on CBS in 1971 that essentially became the pilot for “The Waltons,” the role that Will Geer performed on the television series. His daughter Candice Bergen, who will become a major model and actor in her own right was about 8 years old at the time this episode of “What’s My Line” aired. She would later say as an adult that Charlie McCarthy occupied such a significant role in her family that when she was a child he felt like another family member.
Interesting that the last message over at the end (Visit the Vintage Comedy Vault for more rare videos of classic comedians) leads to a terminated channel. For me, it's a shame people connected to these old classic moments deny people the pleasure of seeing them. All in the name of money. Sad.
Ooops. . . I really should have removed all those links and such to the VCV channel a long time when it got deleted (due to nonsense, of course). Thanks for understanding what the situation was without my even having had to explain it! Losing that channel was extremely painful. I still haven't really gotten over it. It was just starting to really take off when I got a bunch of completely insane copyright strikes for either public domain videos or material that falls under fair use (e.g., a two minute clip from a show from 1957 not available on home video nor seen on TV for over 40 years.) I almost lost the WML channel, too, last year-- but thanks to the overwhelming support of the WML fan community, I was able to fight back! Thanks again for the comment. It is indeed a sad state of affairs.
Humm odd post. I think you as a consumer can buy these episodes and since they are available for purchase I can't see how anyone is being denied them. However, if you elect not to buy them in the name of saving your money, then I suspect you understand exactly why 'people connected to these old classics" would elect not to give them away. It seems you are both acting in regard to money, which is not bad for them or for you. In any case, I really appreciate the time the poster took to post these gems here. THANK YOU!
How interesting that the panel is puzzled on the Mystery Guest until Edgar Bergen has Charlie McCarthy "spit" at Bennett Cerf. That was all it took for it to click in Bennett's mind. I have to assume it was something very common for Charlie McCarthy to do to show disdain as part of the shtick.
+Lois Simmons - Oh, yes. If you ever listen to the old radio shows with Bergen & McCarthy you can expect to hear Charlie spit -- or attempt to spit -- as Edgar interrupts with an "Uh-uh!"
I was quite amused to see John Daly tell Dorothy Kilgallen that they were short of time and for her to just say the name of the MG. In other words, no screen hogging this time, Dorothy.
Mr. Cerf was no gentleman. His jealousy showed in that interview when he spoke ill of the dead by accusing Dorothy of hogging screen time. The show wasn’t the same without her, yet now, years after his comment, people continue this misconception. The so-called comics such as Hal, Steve, and Fred hogged the screen time far more than she ever did, and I didn’t even find them to be funny. To me, they acted like juveniles who did nothing to further the game, and who often led everyone down the wrong path. Mr. Cerf hogged screen time by asking questions that were already answered and by his constant confusing stories. Count how many times he interrupts and how many times he calls out, “John, John.” I used to like Bennett until I read his derogatory remark about Dorothy . Worse yet, he tried to validate his opinion by dragging Arlene into it. I have never read anything to validate his statement that Arlene felt the same way. I believe Arlene had too much class than to speak ill of Dorothy. Yes, Dorothy used incremental questioning, but she was not doing it here. John just needed to get off the air. In fact, John often relied on Dorothy to keep the questions going because he needed her to fill the remaining time. In other cases, Dorothy was being careful. She sometimes used incremental questions and still got it wrong. This happened to Arlene on several occasions, too. I have seen her use the technique almost as well as Dorothy did. All in all, I believe Dorothy’s total screen time to be far less than the other panelists, especially the designated comics. The show needed her to put the game back on track after those gambits took the panel far afield. Whenever someone criticizes her for taking the game too seriously, they should remember that was what she was getting paid to do. (In the same manner that the designated comics were getting paid to act stupid). Arlene probably received the highest salary because she was both smart and funny (in addition to other qualities). I found Arlene to be far funnier than the paid comics.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if Sgt Giff got a marriage license from contestant Grace Kelly of Detroit ( not the famous Grace Kelly) who appeared April 29, 1956.
Wow; Im surprised Bennett mentioned Anaconda Copper. I know them, simply bc when Inwas kid in Montana, my dad worked at their copper smelter in Anaconda until.he retired in 1961. When we lived i itislly in Butte, then later in Anaconda, in both places we were near the tracks for the BA&P railroad, the onlybrailroad i know of whose unabbreviated name was almost longer than.its tracks; theButte, Anaconda &Pacific ran the massive didtance of 25 miles from the mines in Butte tobthe smelter in Anaconda. Bit of trivia: the ore cars, which were designed to dump what they carried out of of the bottom, never had perfect closures, sonthere were always small bits of copper ore that dribbled out along the tracks. Since two of places i lived during those years in that area, we had to cross the tracks while walking to and from school, we kids picked up a lot of that loose ore. Itcwas perfect forcdrawing our hopscotch and 4-square grids on the playgrounds at school, and the schools saved a lot of money on chslk as a result 😊
All of the sudden I'm watching these Charlie McCarthy things because I'm getting a dummy that looks like him, so I want to know how he acted and sounds : )
I've seen to many horror movies with dolls and puppets so I can't really appreciate this art form. Charlie McCarthy looks very alike the dummy in one episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" with Claude Rains and Charles Bronson.
+John Bengtsson Growing up with Edgar Bergen and Jerry Mahoney, and later Wayland and Madame (plus a rather scary Twilight Zone episode starring Jackie Cooper), I was never a big fan of the art form, either. But I have come to appreciate Edgar Bergen's skill, if somewhat by reputation rather than actually reacquainting myself with his work. His first national success came on the radio. It almost got past me until it hit me: why would a ventriloquist act have any chance of success when you can't see the act? Normally, much of the success is based on not being able to tell that the ventriloquist is actually the one who is talking and in making the dummy "come to life". The rest is on the quality of the dialog. Bergen must have been extremely skilled to hold the audience's interest even though they knew all the other characters weren't real.
That's a very good point you have about Edgar Bergen. I read a biography on him and it never once occurred to me that the audience couldn't see him! I was watching a interview with Jerry Lewis recently, and he said when he was young, he would listen to tap dancers each week on the radio, and it never occurred to him at the time, how crazy that was.
I wonder if Frances Bergen let the then 8 year old Candice stay up to watch her dad on this one. In 1965 Candice Bergen appeared with Edgar on an episode as mystery guests. Edgar had more hair in his appearance 11 years later, somebody got a hair treatment or a toupee
When it came to the Deep Sea Diver....Instead of asking "But what does he do?" John should have asked "What is his Occupation or job title?" Because the panel did guess what he did.
John Daly was always so gracious (except when a guest on the panel acted like a jerk). The fact that time ran out was because they were having so much trouble with Edgar Bergen, who used a good accent and was a particular kind of mystery guest who didn't fit into the obvious categories. It wasn't John's fault. It was nobody's fault, except for the time limits to make sure each show fit into a 30, 60 or 90- minute time slot. Bergen was a pretty bad ventriloquist and a superb comedian. On radio, it didn't make any difference, of course, whether his lips moved. It was all about these crazy characters he created for the dummies and his ability as a straight man.
I don’t understand it but this show totally relieves stress and relaxes me.
I don’t know how I ever went to bed without it???
I think because it was pure entertainment. Relaxed, smart and funny panel with the engaging John Daly as MC. The guests would try to stump the panel with their interesting/off-beat occupations and of course, the mystery guest. Feel good television, no stress or tension at all. I remember the Era. What's My Line puts me at ease, too.
Great show, its like a remedy to the modern world of conflict.
I am in love with this program.
So am I !
Its addicting
I love Arlene's uncontrollable laughter when Charlie spat.
Who cares?
@@michaelcaza-schonberger9282 Jerk comment.
@@michaelcaza-schonberger9282 Jerk
@@michaelcaza-schonberger9282 Jerk
@@michaelcaza-schonberger9282 I just love it so much it's looks like new in the past flash back past life look back at movie made of view of the TV's show up in more information on it and Subing the best part
I don't even know how I got here. All I wanted is to see few appearances from my favourite actresses from that era, yet few weeks later here I am. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking your time to upload each video and for having everything so organized (from playlists, to every description you wrote and extras, that I am looking forward to see when I'm done with the episodes). I am completely hooked to this show, It became a part of my "bed-time routine". I've enjoyed immensely reading the comments from viewers and learning more about the panellists and that Era. I'm not American, I'm in my early 20s so I'm so fascinated by every odd job title / the way people communicated. I adore Arlene the most and I hope I will be able to find more of her work online, later. Again THANK YOU, I truly appreciate it. x
Thank you so much for the wonderful message of appreciation! As for "how you got here", well, you're just one of many folks who have wondered the same thing. There's something extremely addicting about this series-- more so than even its sister shows "To Tell the Truth" and "I've Got a Secret". I'm really glad you've become a fan!
Thank you for helping me relive my childhood
I’m from Australia and never seen it before, now I’m hooked. I think a new updated series would be fantastic. Love it.
This series is so cheering that it’s the perfect bedtime experience.
@@WhatsMyLine
Thank you from me, too!
WML is a form of time travel for me. I look forward to visiting my erudite friends...in New York of the 1950s and 1960s.
🙏 ✨ ❤️
I cracked up when the dummy spit at Bennet. "Call me an animal, will you? , acch, pooh !"
Ok I watched the entire list. I absolutely love this show! Thanks so much for this incredible archive of American history.
Something I did with most of the celebrity guests was to Google them, usually hitting their Wiki pages. I learned so much about people from my parents' generation! Most of them were people I was already familiar with (I was born in '58), but I learned a lot more. So I mean it when I say this is a true archive of 20th century American history. Thanks again.
At 8:00 - “Is this bigger than a kumquat? Steve took the breadbox away with him, we can’t use it.” :D
This is the 50th use of the term, and Fred’s first.
Thank you for making these treasured episodes available to us today. I've become addicted to them as they take me back to my childhood days. I enjoy how people were more refined, articulate,v dressed so well, were respectful and classy. I wish we could go back in time.
I have been loving watching these WML episodes. It broke my heart to hear the story about Dorothy Killgalen. She was a lovely lady and a very intense and competitive panel member. I was born in '63 so I don't recall most of What's my Line and was an avid watcher of To Tell the Truth hosted by Gary Moore in the 70s. I really miss this type of television!
Such riches on YT, and this is one of them. Mr. Daly herds his cats efficiently, from the guests who wander off their mark on the floor and so he takes their arm to shuffle them onto place to the panel who 'conferences' without getting permission. I admire his genteel presence and wow, his hairstyle is a mystery - good luck to his barber!
His rather complicated "comb-over" has always intrigued me. I too, wonder "who did it?" And again, "why?"
Daly wore a toupee 😊😊
WML, Thank you for letting the rest of us enjoy your hard work. Enjoyed all 135 episodes.
You're very welcome! But brace yourself, because there are well over 600 more episodes posted that you haven't watched yet. :) I think you've been looking at the playlist for just 1950-54-- the entire available series is already posted, including a few shows never included in reruns on TV. Glad you're enjoying the videos!
Started 1955 this morning! What you are offering brings back pleasant memories and I enjoy going on Wikipedia to refresh my memory of the of Stars that gave us so much pleasure. Except for Turner Classic Movies and the news there is nothing I find appealing on TV.
Rachel Moore 100% agreed on that!
Im just finishing the 1950 to 54 eps. I'm hooked! Next up '55 up. 👍😁
Thanks for posting Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy. They are amazing!
I have to admit, whenever I watch this show, I find myself thinking of two other things: A Bugs Bunny cartoon titled "What's My Lion" and in "101 Dalmatians", Horace and Jasper, Cruella's henchmen, are watching a show called "What's My Crime". I think I, just, gave away the genres of movies and television I like to watch.
I'm 36 and think cartoons are the best.
I don't trust people who don't like cartoons.
I really love the celebrities I see in these, but I also adore the unknown challengers! Many of them are just as urbane and mannerly as the panelists and the stars!
Dorothy was close when she guessed he was a shoe designer when they had their first guess in the beginning. He was a dress designer.
I'm watching this exactly 63 years later!
I've never been able to get over the dichotomy between that mid-Atlantic accent of Arlene Francis' and John Daly's, when right next to Arlene sits Bennett Cerf with one of the most distinct Westchester accents ever.
John and Arlene were from Boston. (John was born in South Africa, moved to Boston as child). Bennett grew up in NY.
@Acererak
John and Bennett used the 'intrusive R' as JFK did to CUBA, saying CUBAR ,
Idea- IDEAR.
John always pronounces CUBA as Cubar.
Daly from south Africa Arlene born in Armenia 😊
@@lllowkee6533 Carryover from British influence. Any word that ends in a vowel they toss that 'intrusive R' in there so as not to slide from vowel to vowel with no discernible break between words.
The producers probably hoped for more comic fireworks between Fred Allen and Bergen and McCarthy. B&McC were involved in the pilot program and a second early episode of the 1945 incarnation of "The Fred Allen Show." The plot eventually involved a law suit.
"The Army is everywhere." Very true Arlene.
This aired the day I was born!
You're old. Just kidding!! 😂
Thank you so much for all your hard work at putting these episodes together and sharing them, I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed them!
The contestants are better looking and more glamorous than celebrities are today.
What's different here is that Charlie McCarthy can't really speak or he'd give it away, so Bergen is consciously making C.McC. eagerly follow the discussion, looking at every speaker, opening his mouth in a restrained, silent manner. It's a subtle effort that further fools the observer to assume that's a real live human, not a block of wood. I never fully appreciated his talent until now. In fact
That’s really most of the puppeteer’s job. It seems like the speech itself is just the gimmick. The real art is giving the puppet or dummy a living presence throughout the appearance. Jim Henson was also remarkably skilled in this way.
I wish there was a channel that would play nothing but tv shows and commericals from the 1950's, a lot of products are still around, they should have one for every decade.
Utube has movies from the 1900s😊
At 3:50 Bennett shows his knowledge of the business world. The American Guggenheim family invested in mines, including a Chilean mine at Chuquicamata sold to Anaconda Copper in 1923; this is the same family that sponsors art museums.
Until know I did not know the show aired that late... 10:30 PM Eastern!
7:30 west coast😊
I think the first WML clip I saw was of Salvador Dali and from then on I've been hooked. Lots of people in comments here, there, and everywhere on WML videos talk about their favourite panelist or of their admiration of Daly but for me I'd have to say that I love them all. There was such great chemistry between all the regular panelists and John Daly that I find it hard to choose one as my favourite. I love (in no particular order) Arlene, Dorothy, Bennett, and Daly, and I also love most of the regular guest panelists too: Steve Allen, Fred Allen, Q. Lewis, Martin Gable, and Tony Randall. Love 'em all. I just can't pick out a favourite, since I feel that the whole cast works so well TOGETHER that to pick one of them and say "that's my favourite" seems wrong. To reiterate: I love 'em all.
]]l)
Ddddd
As to Edgar Bergen's being an actor, I can think of two movies in which he appeared playing a role with no ventriloquism involved. In the 1948 film adaptation of the play _I Remember Mama_, he played Mr. Thorkelson the undertaker, who courted one of Mama's sisters (Aunt Trina) -- and I believe it was Ellen Corby who played the sister in question. He also appeared as Grandpa Walton in the 1971 made-for-television film _The Homecoming: A Christmas Story_, which served as the pilot for the TV drama, _The Waltons_. (When the TV series came out, a number of the roles were played by actors other than the ones in _The Homecoming_.) Interestingly, Ellen Corby played Grandma Walton in both _The Homecoming_ and _The Waltons_. So she played Edgar Bergen's wife 23 years after she had played his fiancée. But I digress. Mr. Bergen did a fair amount of acting, but was best known as a ventriloquist.
When Charlie McCarthy spat at Bennett Cerf I laughed until I fell off the chair.
Edgar Bergen moved his lips, and Charlie often mentioned this to him. They had a radio program! A ventriloquist on radio? People seemed to love it--All "pre-Terry Fader, ofcourse.
@ZoneFighter1 We just had better imaginations in those days, out of necessity. (30's and 40's my time.)
This show brings out the personality of each panelist. You get to know each one as you could chat with them yourself. They are quite astute at narrowing down to the “line” of the guest. This show is most addictive and it has become my nightly ritual. So my past “friends” of the airwaves that stream through the walls of my house like Shakespeare points out “If questions be the food of love...play on!”. Oh, by the way, I actually started watching WML when it was live many eons ago!
Thank you thank you thank you for posting, maintaining and editing these videos Gary! I'm a newish fan and just finished this playlist. Love your work!
I thank you for all the work put into uploading this classic show! I have thoroughly enjoyed each one! Now onto the next set I go!!!
The dress designer was the 16th known regular guest from a foreign country.
Edgar & Charlie were the 11th duo/group MG.
Fred’s reference to a breadbox was the 50th time the term was used.
This is the 16th men’s night.
First off thank you for posting these wonderful shows! Although Jeff Dunham is great another great ventriloquist is Terry Fator who won the America's Got Talent a few years back he is awesome he does singing impersonations with his act through ventriloquism!
Well, I've made it to the end of the first "chapter". I started watching back in late October, and have to say I'm completely hooked. Like NutellaCookieXO and many others have said, it has become part of my bedtime routine. So many wonderful things to mention about the show, but I hate commenting myself. I do however enjoy reading all the other comments left on these videos - I will often read them as the opening credits and introductions roll before the first contestant.
You do such a fantastic job moderating in addition to processing and uploading the videos. I'm sure it is not an easy task, but you have my many thanks. Every video is a gift, glitches and all.
Now I will move on to the next 3 years, which much excitement. I started compiling a list of all the WML episodes that touch on or are related to horses & horse racing (I work at a racetrack in CA and find the abundance of mentions in the show exciting and fascinating). I will continue to add to it as I work my way through the series.
Once again, Thank You for your hard work, and thanks to all those that interact and enjoy these videos.
Thanks for the wonderful comment. :) It's been a pleasure for me to share these shows. Whether you comment again in the future or not, I appreciate your taking the time out to do so now!
me too
I echo every word said here. I too am sad to see the first chapter go past, but eagerly await the next. Thank you for sharing this amazing glimpse into our American past.
I have fallen in love with this series once again. I was 10 when this aired and remember seeing Charlie at the end. I had listened to what I considered his show on the radio before we got a TV in 1952. I’m gratified that my favorite WML as a child is still so as an adult. The last thing I do before bed is watch an episode. Thank you seems far too small. I am grateful you have done this Herculean task. I hope you see my comment as I see others here are 2 years old.
I am glad that you enjoy this classic American TV series. You will be watching this show for a while. The show aired on CBS from 1950 to 1967. A daytime version of "What's My Line" aired on CBS and in syndication from 1968 to 1975. As for the original prime-time version of this TV series, ALL of the episodes were kinescoped and/or taped for future generations to enjoy. Our eternal gratitude goes out to Gil Fates and others at Goodson-Todman Productions for doing this.
One of the free guesses connected the first challenger, Carlo Guggenheim, with Gina Lollobrigida. According to a quote attributed to him in the Sunday Times Magazine of 2/12/1956, he designed dresses for her.
Wonder how Gina Lollobrigida gets that gorgeous shape?
“She suffers,” explains Carlo Guggenheim, the Italian fashion designer who drapes the famed Gina shape.
“A dress should be molded to a woman,” he emphasized. “No Italian woman would wear a sack and Italian women always look like women.”
“American women should learn that they have to suffer more to be more glamorous.”
But isn’t there any non-suffering American girl who looks glamorous enough to suit Italian tastes, he was asked.
“Ah,” said the man who dresses Gina, “Your Grace Kelly. Our ideal! Such ethereal beauty!”
Yes everything he said is true, in France also.
Thank you for this.
From www.tv.com:
"Per Gil Fates' logs, there was not enough time for the fourth scheduled game. However, the contestant who was originally scheduled for the fourth game was Sgt. Robert Giff, the deep sea diver, but he instead appeared as the contestant in the second game. The originally scheduled guest for the second game had the occupation of "Professional Flautist (Plays Flute)" but this person did not appear tonight or on any subsequent "WML?" episode. - Suzanne (2008)"
Robert Giff is my grandfather. I was completely surprised when I come across this!!
+Ronda Giff
How wonderful that he was able to appear, especially considering that he might have been bumped from the show. I'm happy for you that you found this posting. Having lived in the NYC area since birth, I keep looking for a challenger who I have a connection to. So far, zilch, and by the end of 1954, the challengers are more likely to come from far afield than they did when the show began.
Hello! If I understood correctly, Fred Allen said that your grandfather was from Flint. Do you know what high school he went to? Did he move back to the Flint area after the military?
I'm really great full for you uploading these as it is before my time. I was born in 1956 and i really enjoy these. i watch them over and over. i never get tried of these. it's very enjoyable.
I love it that the wind up let almost everybody know that it was Charlie!!🤗🤗🤗
Gracie Allen and Jerry Lewis also did this. All had great timing.
Dorothy Kilgallen was simply amazing! I am impressed by her ability to guess correctly the people's line.
Dorothy was a investigative reporter for years 😊
Edgar Bergen was Candice Bergen's father. Candice said Edgar cared more about his ventriloquist's dolls than he did about his children.
What she said is her opinion. It may or may not be true.
I know she did Charlie had a bigger wardrobe!
Bennet Cerf cracks me up
I like this guy
Just wanted to add to the list of people who have thanked you for letting us see all of these programmes again. I started watching these back in the summer 2020 during lockdown one in the UK. I am not even sure how i got here the first time but i was hooked like so many other people. I have many years to go i know and am looking forward to the rest of them. I had never heard of any of the panelist’s before i started this and yet now somehow i feel i know them at least very slightly. I was aware of the UK version of the program both the black and white version with Eamon Andrews and then mostly with the 1980 s reincarnation of the program by Thames TV but had no idea of the rich history of the American version although i was aware it had come from the US. As others have said you tube is so good for this sort of thing. Thank you for bringing hours of escapism to a very difficult time. I have also seen some of the syndicated colour version, it. Has its charm and great to see Arlene and even Bennet on a few of them but its not the same as this original version with its different world.. I must have spent hours already and now doubt will spend hours more. Ian
The Legendary Edgar Bergen!
Would love to see Mr. Bergan watching Jeff Dunham and see how far ventriloquism has come.
I'm not familiar with Jeff Dunham, but I've sure seen plenty of ventriloquists whose technical abilities far outshine Bergen's. I don't think he was ever noted for amazing skill at ventriloquism per se, but at this point he had spent 20 years primarily as a radio performer, where his ability to keep his mouth still was totally unimportant. His chops (to use a musician's term) couldn't have been what they once were. To his everlasting credit, Bergen poked a *lot* of fun at this himself throughout his career. The radio series was chock full of jokes about how Bergen was a terrible ventriloquist (usually cracked by Charlie. Very meta.)
But ventriloquism wasn't his real gift, for me anyway. What really amazes me is his ability to make Charlie and Mortimer feel so alive, all while constantly making jokes that remind us they're dummies. And as far as I'm concerned, anyone who could hold his own in a ongoing duel of wits against the ferocious W.C. Fields, as Bergen had successfully done for years, deserves the world's undying admiration! :)
What's My Line? SO true! Didn't mean any disrespect for Mr. Bergen. He was in the right place at the right time. I do remember an interview when he suggested there were other ventriloquists much better than him. But pulling off the art on radio was ingenious.
rick charles Jeff Dunham is a joke compared to Mr. Bergan. He always will be. Bergan worked off of class and elegance. Jeff is a vile comedian with no respect for the craft.
No respect for the craft?? Are you serious? You must just be mad about Jeff not being PC enough for the white-knights. His puppet handling skills are so good he INVENTED a new way to control Achmed, to give him more facial expression. And I don't need to even mention how incredible his ventriloquist skills are... The man's lips NEVER MOVE. I'd say that makes him a pretty damn good ventriloquist.
Brady McAtee : Jeff Dunham's first couple videos had a little colorful language and innuendos but were hysterically funny, IMO. The more in-demand he became, the more filthy he got until he was so vile I couldn't stand it. The "f-word" isn't funny. Having it in almost every sentence, and all the sexual references, was beyond the pail.
His characters are wonderful (my favorite is Achmed followed by Peanut). I admired his talent; no, he doesn't move his mouth. Unfortunately, his vulgarity turned me off. If he cleaned up his language and toned down the sexual comments I'd return to buying his videos.
Thanks for sharing this show.
I, too, am not sure how I found these videos. I was born about halfway through the shows run. I was planning on telling my mom about these videos but she was in the hospital and diagnosed with liver cancer and passed a week later. So now I am watching them all and laughing and a little tear escapes now and then when I see a favorite star of hers as MG. It was a wonderful show and it was a wonderful thing for whomever to put these on YT. And yes, it is now part of my "bedtime routine"/addiction as well.
What I enjoy is hearing the people speak - proper English, good vocabulary, and no one ever says "like", "I mean", etc. I think it shows that they were clear thinking.
@@bogieviews one of my father's biggest pet peeves was if someone, in recounting a conversation, used the words "he goes" instead of "he said".
@@susanmoon8043 My pet peeve is "I seen it".
Thank goodness they changed the format so the guest contestant doesn’t have to walk behind John Charles Daly and instead shook hands with the panelists just like the celebrities did.
There's a funny (they are all funny!) episode of "You Bet Your Life!" with Edgar Bergen and his young daughter Candice.
One of my favorite episodes-- but the radio version is substantially funnier. This is one case where the editing for the radio version versus the television version was drastically different.
What's My Line? I didn't know that YBYL had a radio version. I have several episodes of YBYL on DVD. I intend to watch your channel with YBYL later when I am finished with WML. :)
Johan Bengtsson Yes, it started as a radio series in 1947 and moved to TV in 1950, continuing on both media for the next decade. The final season of YBYL was on TV only.
There are a lot of radio episodes over at archive.org (this is just one collection over there): archive.org/details/You.Bet.Your.Life
Johan Bengtsson Candice and Edgar also appeared on WML when she was in her early 20s.
Gotta love Arlene Francis. She was always smiling. And see was extremely attractive
Thank goodness and I’ve said this before, that they got rid of that undignified way for contestants to leave behind John Charles daily as opposed to shaking hands with the panel. That Army deep-sea diver certainly should’ve been asked to shake hands with the panel. What he did was certainly far more valuable than what any celebrity did or does.
A fantastic collection of videos
We're not tight with the chalk... yeah right. Lol
Geez, I guessed fashion design right away!
9:11 haha and when Arlene asks, "made of leather??" hahaha
Charlie doesn't take kindly to being called an animal... :D
Boy, if they only had shows like this in 2023. You could never call this show dumb or stupid. It was great. I was only about 7 yo when I saw the show first time.
Second contestants right up my alley 20 years army transportation
That spit is known in the radio world as!!!!
❤️❤️❤️
Watch Bergen carefully. He was not a top-drawer ventriloquist. And that made no difference whatsoever given how he imbued each of his puppets with so much personality. Radio suit him...them...to perfection.
Perhaps this has been asked and answered, but is the Edward Murrow program with the Daly family able to be watched anywhere? Thank you so much for posting all of these - I enjoy them very much! I watched many of them randomly and am now watching them all in order. 🙂
Arlene has a new chain tonight.
Bigger than a kumquat!
I wanted to see some of Mr Guggenheim’s creations!
Charlie and Ed were Fred Allen's nemesis in the 40's films they did together. So Fred would definitely know who Ed Bergen is.
I immediately guessed dress designer.
"Or a short person bending over". Fred Allen was TOO BIG for the room!
In those days they didn’t say Thank you for your service…..
Compared to his appearance here, I’d say Edgar Bergen looked better nearly 20 years later when he played the role of The Grandfather on “The Homecoming,” a Christmas feature television film broadcast on CBS in 1971 that essentially became the pilot for “The Waltons,” the role that Will Geer performed on the television series.
His daughter Candice Bergen, who will become a major model and actor in her own right was about 8 years old at the time this episode of “What’s My Line” aired. She would later say as an adult that Charlie McCarthy occupied such a significant role in her family that when she was a child he felt like another family member.
This show is as old as I am.
Interesting that the last message over at the end (Visit the Vintage Comedy Vault for more rare videos of classic comedians) leads to a terminated channel. For me, it's a shame people connected to these old classic moments deny people the pleasure of seeing them. All in the name of money. Sad.
Ooops. . . I really should have removed all those links and such to the VCV channel a long time when it got deleted (due to nonsense, of course). Thanks for understanding what the situation was without my even having had to explain it! Losing that channel was extremely painful. I still haven't really gotten over it. It was just starting to really take off when I got a bunch of completely insane copyright strikes for either public domain videos or material that falls under fair use (e.g., a two minute clip from a show from 1957 not available on home video nor seen on TV for over 40 years.)
I almost lost the WML channel, too, last year-- but thanks to the overwhelming support of the WML fan community, I was able to fight back!
Thanks again for the comment. It is indeed a sad state of affairs.
Humm odd post. I think you as a consumer can buy these episodes and since they are available for purchase I can't see how anyone is being denied them. However, if you elect not to buy them in the name of saving your money, then I suspect you understand exactly why 'people connected to these old classics" would elect not to give them away. It seems you are both acting in regard to money, which is not bad for them or for you. In any case, I really appreciate the time the poster took to post these gems here. THANK YOU!
why so negative.
The best chapter hahaha
How interesting that the panel is puzzled on the Mystery Guest until Edgar Bergen has Charlie McCarthy "spit" at Bennett Cerf. That was all it took for it to click in Bennett's mind. I have to assume it was something very common for Charlie McCarthy to do to show disdain as part of the shtick.
+Lois Simmons - Oh, yes. If you ever listen to the old radio shows with Bergen & McCarthy you can expect to hear Charlie spit -- or attempt to spit -- as Edgar interrupts with an "Uh-uh!"
I was quite amused to see John Daly tell Dorothy Kilgallen that they were short of time and for her to just say the name of the MG. In other words, no screen hogging this time, Dorothy.
Mr. Cerf was no gentleman. His jealousy showed in that interview when he spoke ill of the dead by accusing Dorothy of hogging screen time. The show wasn’t the same without her, yet now, years after his comment, people continue this misconception. The so-called comics such as Hal, Steve, and Fred hogged the screen time far more than she ever did, and I didn’t even find them to be funny. To me, they acted like juveniles who did nothing to further the game, and who often led everyone down the wrong path.
Mr. Cerf hogged screen time by asking questions that were already answered and by his constant confusing stories. Count how many times he interrupts and how many times he calls out, “John, John.” I used to like Bennett until I read his derogatory remark about Dorothy . Worse yet, he tried to validate his opinion by dragging Arlene into it. I have never read anything to validate his statement that Arlene felt the same way. I believe Arlene had too much class than to speak ill of Dorothy.
Yes, Dorothy used incremental questioning, but she was not doing it here. John just needed to get off the air. In fact, John often relied on Dorothy to keep the questions going because he needed her to fill the remaining time. In other cases, Dorothy was being careful. She sometimes used incremental questions and still got it wrong. This happened to Arlene on several occasions, too. I have seen her use the technique almost as well as Dorothy did.
All in all, I believe Dorothy’s total screen time to be far less than the other panelists, especially the designated comics. The show needed her to put the game back on track after those gambits took the panel far afield. Whenever someone criticizes her for taking the game too seriously, they should remember that was what she was getting paid to do. (In the same manner that the designated comics were getting paid to act stupid). Arlene probably received the highest salary because she was both smart and funny (in addition to other qualities). I found Arlene to be far funnier than the paid comics.
PURE COMEDY ‼️
📻🙂
Wouldn’t it be interesting if Sgt Giff got a marriage license from contestant Grace Kelly of Detroit ( not the famous Grace Kelly) who appeared April 29, 1956.
I believe that Guggenheim is a German Jewish name.
It is still hard to believe that Charlie McCarthy's little sister is Candice Bergen.
He was less wooden.
Let me guess.. he was mostly on the radio
Wow; Im surprised Bennett mentioned Anaconda Copper. I know them, simply bc when Inwas kid in Montana, my dad worked at their copper smelter in Anaconda until.he retired in 1961. When we lived i itislly in Butte, then later in Anaconda, in both places we were near the tracks for the BA&P railroad, the onlybrailroad i know of whose unabbreviated name was almost longer than.its tracks; theButte, Anaconda &Pacific ran the massive didtance of 25 miles from the mines in Butte tobthe smelter in Anaconda.
Bit of trivia: the ore cars, which were designed to dump what they carried out of of the bottom, never had perfect closures, sonthere were always small bits of copper ore that dribbled out along the tracks. Since two of places i lived during those years in that area, we had to cross the tracks while walking to and from school, we kids picked up a lot of that loose ore. Itcwas perfect forcdrawing our hopscotch and 4-square grids on the playgrounds at school, and the schools saved a lot of money on chslk as a result 😊
"Do you get off under your own power?"
Dorothy - the dagger, once again!
All of the sudden I'm watching these Charlie McCarthy things because I'm getting a dummy that looks like him, so I want to know how he acted and sounds : )
I've seen to many horror movies with dolls and puppets so I can't really appreciate this art form. Charlie McCarthy looks very alike the dummy in one episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" with Claude Rains and Charles Bronson.
Did you ever watch Anthony Hopkins in "Magic"? He was terrifying as a ventriloquist - He ruined my childhood LOL
THE 12 HOUR MOVIE SPECIALIST No I haven't heard of that movie. It's too late to ruin my childhood but the movie could ruin my adulthood instead. :)
Johan Bengtsson LOL! You're Right! Forget I mentioned it :)
+John Bengtsson
Growing up with Edgar Bergen and Jerry Mahoney, and later Wayland and Madame (plus a rather scary Twilight Zone episode starring Jackie Cooper), I was never a big fan of the art form, either. But I have come to appreciate Edgar Bergen's skill, if somewhat by reputation rather than actually reacquainting myself with his work. His first national success came on the radio. It almost got past me until it hit me: why would a ventriloquist act have any chance of success when you can't see the act? Normally, much of the success is based on not being able to tell that the ventriloquist is actually the one who is talking and in making the dummy "come to life". The rest is on the quality of the dialog. Bergen must have been extremely skilled to hold the audience's interest even though they knew all the other characters weren't real.
That's a very good point you have about Edgar Bergen. I read a biography on him and it never once occurred to me that the audience couldn't see him!
I was watching a interview with Jerry Lewis recently, and he said when he was young, he would listen to tap dancers each week on the radio, and it never occurred to him at the time, how crazy that was.
I wonder if Frances Bergen let the then 8 year old Candice stay up to watch her dad on this one. In 1965 Candice Bergen appeared with Edgar on an episode as mystery guests. Edgar had more hair in his appearance 11 years later, somebody got a hair treatment or a toupee
MLB hall--of--famer Ozzie Smith was born on this very day!
❤😊
Why did Bennett Cerf always pronounce the word been like bean? 😂 🤔
When it came to the Deep Sea Diver....Instead of asking "But what does he do?" John should have asked "What is his Occupation or job title?" Because the panel did guess what he did.
So who was first, Charlie McCarthy or the Planters peanut icon? Just wondering who could sue who. .
Dorothy Kilgallen was so smart.
Edgar John Berggren was his birth name. Why the change?!
John Daly was always so gracious (except when a guest on the panel acted like a jerk). The fact that time ran out was because they were having so much trouble with Edgar Bergen, who used a good accent and was a particular kind of mystery guest who didn't fit into the obvious categories. It wasn't John's fault. It was nobody's fault, except for the time limits to make sure each show fit into a 30, 60 or 90- minute time slot. Bergen was a pretty bad ventriloquist and a superb comedian. On radio, it didn't make any difference, of course, whether his lips moved. It was all about these crazy characters he created for the dummies and his ability as a straight man.
gosh things in the world was so much better then ,,,,,,,,,, now
pay attention dorothy
The deep sea diver said he was from Detroit and then the panel said Flint before anyone mentioned it... Which one is it?
Never seen him before!