Joe E. Brown was uproariously funny as the old codger in "Some Like It Hot" who was after Jack Lemmon in drag. If any of you haven't seen that movie, I advise you rent it right away. I won't give away the last scene, but it is one of the funniest things I have ever seen in the movies. Thank you What's My line for putting up all this great entertainment, I truly appreciate it.
Joe E Brown happens to be one of the best comedians of the 30s and 40s. "Some Like It Hot" indeed was a great film comedy unfortunately, featuring a small role give to Joe E Brown. If you haven't seen any of his old movies you will be missing out on one of Hollywood's great comedians presented in a full motion picture role.
John Bogdon Thanks John. I have never seen Joe E. Brown as a main character, but I will try to find some of his old movies where he was in the starring role.
@@johnbogdon1413 TCM made him star of the month recently and although I thought he was wonderful as Osgood and I am a baseball fan, I found him to be very unfunny in those earlier movies, and I didn't think the movies themselves were very good. I had heard good things about "Alibi Ike" in particular and was disappointed. Different tastes. At least I gave him a shot.
Oh, that was who played the rich old guy after Daphne. The line you spoke of was perhaps the best ever spoken in any movie. And there were many good lines in the movies. Casablanca was known for many. Every time I see that "Some like it Hot" is being shown on TCM or any other channel I make sure I watch it regardless of what else I have to do.
Breathalyzer was coined and trademarked just a year later in 1954. However, there is no "Standard Character Claim" (that is, a claim without regard to font, color, or size) on the word, nor has there ever been, and is the generic term regardless of who makes them. (Compare to a trademark like "RUclips", which does have such a claim.)
@@anntaylor2039 I think each of them show some of that at times. I certainly didn't know Mr. Allen but I recommend seeking out some of the interviews where he discusses his personal life and experience. Certainly at that time in his life he gave a very different vibe.
🌿🇺🇲🐒🐒🐒🌿 It's a bit shocking to know that even these well-informed, bright regulars seemed so uninformed about the terrible treatment of the monkeys "Miss Stephanie" provided to research labs. Thank goodness for the people who started investigating these labs and waking most caring people up to the fact that these labs are torture chambers for the innocent animals sent there. Stephanie went out of her way to disagree about monkeys' habit of walking upright or having any other humanlike traits. Peta has rescued a lot of animals, like the recent beagle situation...but the torture goes on without strong laws to put a stop to it. Come on ,Congress!
I can see why everyone groaned when Joe used his normal voice! as a regular enjoyer of OH films, his voice is SO recognizable!! I think the panel may have even immediately recognized him but still kept the questions going so as not to ruin the episode.
They would never have kept going if they knew who it was. One may have, but, the ego of the main panelists was too large. The one even went so far as to look at the hands trying to gain an unfair advantage!
This is the first Mystery Guest I've even seen in all these reruns I've watched where they didn't bother to disguise their voice at all. Very surprised !
I'm reminded that Ray Milland on his second WML appearance used his normal voice which was quite recognizable and he fooled the panel for a while as well. We have to remember that what the panelists hear is different than what we hear. The panelists are across the room and has been reported they dealt with echo, noises from behind the set, and the audience. It's quite possible that they couldn't hear the subtleties in Brown's voice that made it so distinctive. The audience had less to deal with in listening to the guests. Brown was quite the movie star in the 1930s. But by 1953 he was most famous for entertaining the troops. However, his most famous movie role was still several years away in "Some Like It Hot", in which he nails the film's final line in what might be the greatest ending ever filmed.
@@Kitskacat Arlene tells Joey "Hello, Joe E. You disguised your voice." as he passes by her on the panel. In other WML Mystery Guest segments when the panel immediately recognized the guests, they would ask questions that indicated they knew who they were. Questions that would get a "yes" and then pass so that everyone on the panel could question them. Bennet in particular would ask specific questions when he knew who the guest was. Not in this case, and given Bennet's ego along with Dorothy who always wanted to be the one who guessed their identity, I'd say they were being honest in not knowing who he was.
I liked it when the decision was made to eliminate the prep walk for guests as well as having them cross the stage to greet the panel. Much less awkward.
It seems rather amazing that they didn't recognize Joe E Brown's voice right away. If not the tone, the cadence that he spoke in is unmistakable. In fact, you can hear the audience groan a little when he first spoke because they thought he was giving himself away. So, this may be a case of the panel just not being able to hear the contestant that well. It was a common complaint at the time, so that may be what happened here.
Alan Stewart Oh no, you are mistaken. Joe E Brown comedian was a silent film star as famous to today’s classic film fans, as Osgood, the millionaire mama’s boy with impressive boat in Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon. I was very fortunate to have met his son, Joe E Brown Jr. General Manager of the Pittsburg Pirates. He was so proud of his Dad, he kept a life size cutout of the comic in his study. He, as well as his entire family were modest , kind, and terrifically witty. Very funny!
I love the way Steve Allen paid attention to the audience reaction and tried to make sense of it. Often initiated humorous comments about the audience participation.
@Barbara Ludena 🍀💕😊 ...and how about the comment when Mr. Stephenson so gallently kissed Dorothy's hand. Steve: "I saw him nibbling on Dorothy's diamond ring. I think he's a jewel thief!"
It’s amazing how years ago they would just flippantly say they used Animals for testing products and nobody thought anything of it. Thank God we’re moving away from that because the animals are tortured.
Hey! You and l are probably the only James Brown fanatics who also check out "What's My Line"! Coincidentally, as you know, Jame's father was Joe Brown.
@@PaulDA2000 Yes! Ive seen that one. If l remember Soupy Sales guessed him. Aretha has been on too. Hank Ballard was a contestant on 'To Tell the Truth" as well.
I imagine that "Harvey" was a close to perfect role for Joe E. Brown. Harvey, who says at one moment in the play, I'm paraphrasing-- "In this life you must be ever so smart or ever so pleasant. I chose to be pleasant." I think Joe E. Brown was oh so funny and oh so pleasant.
I like Joe E. Brown as Flute the Bellows-Mender in 1935’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, marvelous movie with young Olivia de Havilland, Dick Powell, Jimmy Cagney and more. :)
What's interesting about this is that Otis Harlan was also in that movie. He played Captain Andy in the 1929 Showboat and Joe would play it in the 51 version.
This is the first episode to mention "the coronation", when Arlene is making her free guess. She was referring to the coronation of Elizabeth II as Queen of England. That event occurred in June of that year, and caused the absence of Dorothy (as a journalist covering the event) and Arlene (as an invited guest) from several episodes of WML. And in the historical continuity department: the queen who was coronated in 1953 is still the queen in 2020.
Thank you so much for everything you post - I'm absolutely hooked to WML and the YBYL channel, to the point where I'm slightly dubious about looking up what other shows you put up, in case I never get anything done! I must say, though, that as I go through the episodes so quickly, I cant help but notice that an awful lot of the 'next week...' contestants on What's My Line seem to look just like the man shown tonight! ;)
I so enjoy these shows! And keeping in mind that this one, as an example, is 65 years old, the mannerisms are markedly different from what we have in 2018. Humor is different. Yes, I cringe at what I think are sexist remarks (and not a huge fan of Hal Block), but this was a thinking person’s show. It’s entertaining and I can’t even compare it to anything on TV today.
I agree WML is a thinking persons show, combining logic, language and perceived probabilities, but I do not notice different mannerisms or, except for certain censorship and good taste, humor. Martha, knowing it will be time consuming, please point out the putatively different mannerisms. I too dislike Hal, but am unfazed by the sexism which was prevalent at the time.
hi.imagine what they would think of the language in films and television now, they would be horrified you will never hear them swear not even when you watch bloopers from that time..
On WML the panel and Daly and most guests were more dignified, dress like ladies and gentlemen and are polished. The Hollywood crowd today are slobs and vulgar, …. with a few exceptions.
My father had polio. The March of Dimes at this time was concerned with polio and this is a bit over a year before my father got the disease and two before the Salk Vaccine before was released to the public.
@@louisyock9285 - And it makes me wonder if his "My mother thinks so" line was his 'joke' already (or invented here), and he suggested it to Billy Wilder for his character in Some Like It Hot.
I do wish, as I think many others do, that WML had allotted more time to celebrity guests, to allow for a bit of an interview. They could have kept Joe until the end of the show, instead of bringing on another guest.
Yes, especially in these cases where they had such little time there wasn't much point in bringing on a fourth person. Would be so weird and disappointing to get on the show and only be on it for around 90 seconds.
I don’t like the sexism of the Hal dude. I did sit there and wonder if it is some sort of product of the time (not that that excuses it) but in actuality I think he’s just an arse. He makes a point of making some asinine comment of a woman’s appearance for EVERY female contestant.
I happened to like Hal Block. I have only recently started watching the show (born in the 80s) and I started watching random episodes. I decided to watch from the beginning and I can definitely see how Hal was utilized to save the show. I don't think he was especially good at solving anything. Actually, he was usually quite surprised if he got anywhere in questioning! However, I found that to be one of the funny bits about him. I also LOVED the quips directed toward him from John! For instance, in this episode, I would have been eagerly anticipating the quip from John when Steve asked about coming into contact with the Drunkometer! Ha! I also agree with another who suggested he was treated unfairly. I love Arlene, I do, but you can tell that she didn't care too much for Hal. Listen to the way she goes on about everyone other than Hal that she introduces. And John, he mentioned in the last episode with Rosalind that this was the most fun he had in a while, about a month after Hal. I wasn't alive so I don't know if he didn't really care for him but it seemed, to me, that he had fun cracking on Hal. Ah well
Hal Block was later arrested on more than one occasion for driving drunk and driving without a license. He told one police officer who arrested him to be careful because he was a big man. Any quip about Hal and a drunkometer would not have been funny.
Hal Block isn't my cup of tea. The endless jokes about his pursuing women and getting in trouble are just the same thing over and over again. He seems cheerful and like a nice-ish guy, but just not very funny for someone who's supposed to give the most common relief. His accent is a curiosity to me. He's the only person I know of who is a native speaker of American English and pronounces "something" as if it were "sahmthing"-as in "Is it sahmthing that I would ever wear?", audience laughs, he looks wide-eyed quickly to the audience then back to the contestant, grins, runs his left hand over his hair from front to back, then touches his left ear, then says "It is? Well, is it sahmthing that I would get a laugh for wearing?", then repeats the sequence, then says "Well, I pass."
There are tidbits of actual history embedded in some of these episodes, along with the regular and celebrity guests. Frex, some of the ones from Nov 52 mention the elections thatvyearcwhwre Eisenhower won his first term as president, and I think this one mentioned the forthcoming coronation of Queen Elizabeth. ( if not this episode, then the prior one with Roz Russell). I love those little snippets.
My grandmother always went to a chiropodist - dint have a clue as to what that was till years later - we now call them podiatrists the feet doctors. I,love those old terms.
Color giveth, and color taketh away. Insofar as television is a visual art, the choice to use color should be made with as much thought as an artist's choice to pick up a graphite pencil or a box of colored pencils is made. Color was great for such series as the original Hawaii Five-0 and the original Star Trek; it was the right choice to keep Perry Mason in black and white; changing The Andy Griffith Show to color pretty much ruined it for me. Unfortunately, nowadays, the market supposedly dictates that everything new be in color-just as it supposedly demands that no shot last longer than one second, that there always be animated graphics dancing in some part of the picture, and that every documentary have music running from beginning to end. What too many people don't realize is that "Everyone else always does it" is not a good enough reason to do something.
Arlene knew it was Joe E. Brown from the start or his appearance, they worked many times together. Joe's voice to those of today would not know him, it is very easy to tell it is him. I have seen all of his movies and listened to some of the old radio shows from the late 30's and 40's he appeared on.
There was a film in which Joe E Brown was supposed to ride an elephant. Brown & his director visited with a trainer & his elephant at a circus. The trainer explained that it would take at least a month-if not longer-before the elephant could learn to accept another rider. As the director & trainer continued to talk, Brown went over & touched the elephant's knee:it immediately picked him up with its trunk & placed him on its back. The trainer was totally shocked. He simply could not believe it as the elephant followed Brown's every command. The trainer questioned Brown until he found the explanation. Brown & his brothers had worked for a circus for a year when they were kids. Brown was always crazy about elephants & played with them whenever he could. When an elephant gave birth there was only one person it allowed to play with its baby:Joe E Brown. And 30 years later that baby elephant remembered its playmate.
+Jeff Vaughn Excellent! Joe L. Brown was also the Pirates GM when they won the 1971 World Series against the Orioles, the first World Series to feature a night game (Game 4). The 1971 Pirates were also the first Major League team to play an all-black starting lineup.
MrUhwoody Fidel Castro tried out for the Yankees as well. He should have gotten a contract, too, but the Yankees weren’t going to sign a Latino. Imagine how history might have changed if those old Yankees were a little more open minded.
It was kinda' jarring to hear that pitch for the March of Dimes and that polio was still very much a terror in this age. Salk's vaccine trials were being conducted at the time of this episode.
RE: Hal Block's brand of humor. Recall Buddy Hackett is also brought in to counterpoint a sophisticated trio. And Hackett reminds me of George Shelton, panelist on the OTR show "It Pays to Be Ignorant". Early WML hybridized the quiz show with Vaudeville to cast a wide net.
@@robertsvorinich7959 I agree, also. He was not funny when adlibbing at all. He was funny in Mad, Mad, etc. World. I once saw him doing a live comedy act and he actually threatened an audience member who was on the front row because he wasn't laughing.
My problem with Hal Block is he disturbs the cadence of the game...he always has to make a comment when thinks are moving on...just doesn't fit in on several levels
When I was a child sitting on my grandparents outside steps in Bloomfield, Pa. on Liberty Ave. Seen a man look like him walking past and said “ good morning”..to me .. I was surprised to see him...I always wonder if Joe E Brown had relatives in the neighborhood.
The "next week preview" photo of a male at 25:48 is the same as was shown in the Oct. 12, Nov. 23, and Nov. 30th (1952) shows. Anyone know why that is?
They used that photo of that man in far more episodes. Maybe they chose it because it looked so generic. Something tells me that, after the quiz-show scandals, such dishonesty would have been avoided.
Today's RUclips Rerun for 8/7/15: Watch along and join the discussion! ----------------------------- Join our Facebook group for WML-- great discussions, photos, etc, and great people! facebook.com/groups/728471287199862/ Please click here to subscribe to the WML channel if you haven't already-- you'll find the complete CBS series already posted, and you'll be able to follow along the discussions on the weekday "rerun" videos: ruclips.net/channel/UChPE75Fvvl1HmdAsO7Nzb8w
I'll bet the last guest of the night hated to be rushed on and off the way she was. If I was the last one before the closing of the show I would just prefer not to go on rather to be on for 2 minutes and then have the panelists have to rush through guessing what my line is. She just didn't look very happy.
Joe E. Brown delivers one of the funniest single lines in any movie ever, at the end of "Some Like it Hot" when he tells Jack Lemon that "Well, nobody's perfect!" (6 years after this appearance)
Regarding the topic of Hal Block, I also feel as though he was mistreated. My understanding is that the show would have been cancelled before the first season ended if not for Hal. He was hired after several bad reviews called the show boring and dull. Block turned that around and received nothing but good reviews. He was fired because it was felt he was beneath the dignity that the show aspired to have. Given that he saved the very life of the show and the jobs of the snobs that sought his termination, it seems to indicate a lack character in those snobs.
Having watched most of the Hal Block episodes, including some of his most ire-inspiring actions in the minds of some, I have gotten the feeling the WML team got exactly what they asked for with him and then complained when they got it. It's like when "shock jocks" like Don Imus or Howard Stern are hired (neither of whom I enjoy listening to or watching, by the way), and then their employers are shocked when they cross the line and it blows up in their face.
True, Hal Block did save the early show with his humor. It was the constant sexual subset of his humor that got him in trouble. He tried, for example, to kiss Miss America and Bette Davis. He also chased a woman around the set. He was repeatedly warned to tone down this sort of behavior, but chose to ignore those warnings.
Why didn't Joe disguise his voice? He was very famous at this point! I bet the panel guessed it right away, but had to keep up a pretence or the show would have ended too early! Maybe he forgot to disguise his voice - or the TV researcher assigned to him forgot to advise him about it!
Taking your comment seriously, a month other than March makes sense because March of Dimes will get organic attention in March without effort. Might as well pick another month to focus advertising and effort, resulting in more revenue for the year.
I thought it was rude to rush those last contestants. I always felt bad for them except that they won the full prize. The producers and directors needed to come up with a plan for that.
I close my eyes when Daly says "We'll show the audience what your line is" because, well, I wanna guess the line, too. I couldn't understand the word that was said to identify the last guest; it sounded like 'chirrupodist' or a 'corrobodist'! I had never heard of a chiropodist. hahahaaaa!
Regarding the first contestant, the man who made drunkometers, I think it is in accurate to say this is not something you find in a hospital or in use in medical procedures. I’m a retired physician. Information about blood alcohol level was essential in the treatment of many of my patients.
Mr.Brown didn't try to conceal his voice at all! One might assume that he wanted to be "guessed" right away. It's rather odd that The Panel didn't KNOW his voice, as I certainly would, even across so many years! ps - I have his 2-disc (78s) album of "How To Play Baseball" right next to me, and it is still funny! (omg! I just opened it & found moldy water damage because it was under the window. ARRGH!! )
Sometimes hearing a voice you know is hard when you are blindfolded - for some reason I haven’t a clue. Guess it’s just taking away one of our senses does that. ,
They use the same pictures for the "preview looks" (why not just "previews"?) repeatedly, and I don't know that we've ever seen as real contestants the people in the still photos.
From Dorothy’s reaction to that first contestant when she found out what it was, I’m guessing she was thinking that’s what it was, or was getting close. He was great in Some Like it Hot and I noticed that he acknowledged the audience before he left the stage.
Joe E. Brown must have been the most humble Mystery Guest ever on WML. Such a nice and dignified gentleman. You don't see many of those nowadays.
His mother thought so lol
Here on RUclips, there is a video of Joe E. Brown as an honored guest on "This Is Your Life". That was a wonderful episode.
His.. Persona here... Is WONDERFUL
Jackie Gleason, Mystery Guest - was Also a Sweetheart
I heartily concur !
This show is addictive!
That's so true....
Joe E. Brown was uproariously funny as the old codger in "Some Like It Hot" who was after Jack Lemmon in drag. If any of you haven't seen that movie, I advise you rent it right away. I won't give away the last scene, but it is one of the funniest things I have ever seen in the movies. Thank you What's My line for putting up all this great entertainment, I truly appreciate it.
Joe E Brown happens to be one of the best comedians of the 30s and 40s. "Some Like It Hot" indeed was a great film comedy unfortunately, featuring a small role give to Joe E Brown. If you haven't seen any of his old movies you will be missing out on one of Hollywood's great comedians presented in a full motion picture role.
John Bogdon Thanks John. I have never seen Joe E. Brown as a main character, but I will try to find some of his old movies where he was in the starring role.
@@johnbogdon1413 TCM made him star of the month recently and although I thought he was wonderful as Osgood and I am a baseball fan, I found him to be very unfunny in those earlier movies, and I didn't think the movies themselves were very good. I had heard good things about "Alibi Ike" in particular and was disappointed. Different tastes. At least I gave him a shot.
Oh, that was who played the rich old guy after Daphne. The line you spoke of was perhaps the best ever spoken in any movie. And there were many good lines in the movies. Casablanca was known for many. Every time I see that "Some like it Hot" is being shown on TCM or any other channel I make sure I watch it regardless of what else I have to do.
"Nobody's perfect". I just couldn't resist that one. That was the best line in the whole movie.
Unbelievable that this show is nearly 70 yrs old, it also made me laugh because I'd never heard a breathalyzer referred to as a drunkometer before
Breathalyzer is a trademark, there are many different machines.
Me either
Breathalyzer was coined and trademarked just a year later in 1954. However, there is no "Standard Character Claim" (that is, a claim without regard to font, color, or size) on the word, nor has there ever been, and is the generic term regardless of who makes them. (Compare to a trademark like "RUclips", which does have such a claim.)
Joe E. Brown- what a class act! & Steve Allen is always hilarious! Razor-sharp wit!!
Indubitably !
My great-grandfather was a tailor for Joe E. Brown. He made many of his suits.
Joe E. Brown was such a gracious, unassuming gentleman and a good Christian to boot.
The ideal panel once again with Dorothy, Bennett and Arlene, and Steve Allen in the fourth spot.
Agreed. Fred Allen and Martin Gabel were excellent fourth panelists, but Steve Allen is my clear favorite for that spot.
I find Steve Allen cocky and a bit full of himself.
@@anntaylor2039 I think each of them show some of that at times. I certainly didn't know Mr. Allen but I recommend seeking out some of the interviews where he discusses his personal life and experience. Certainly at that time in his life he gave a very different vibe.
🌿🇺🇲🐒🐒🐒🌿
It's a bit shocking to know that even these well-informed, bright regulars seemed so uninformed about the terrible treatment of the monkeys "Miss Stephanie" provided to research labs. Thank goodness for the people who started investigating these labs and waking most caring people up to the fact that these labs are torture chambers for the innocent animals sent there. Stephanie went out of her way to disagree about monkeys' habit of walking upright or having any other humanlike traits.
Peta has rescued a lot of animals, like the recent beagle situation...but the torture goes on without strong laws to put a stop to it. Come on ,Congress!
Listen to audience that laughs at anything
I can see why everyone groaned when Joe used his normal voice! as a regular enjoyer of OH films, his voice is SO recognizable!! I think the panel may have even immediately recognized him but still kept the questions going so as not to ruin the episode.
They would never have kept going if they knew who it was. One may have, but, the ego of the main panelists was too large. The one even went so far as to look at the hands trying to gain an unfair advantage!
This is the first Mystery Guest I've even seen in all these reruns I've watched where they didn't bother to disguise their voice at all. Very surprised !
I'm reminded that Ray Milland on his second WML appearance used his normal voice which was quite recognizable and he fooled the panel for a while as well.
We have to remember that what the panelists hear is different than what we hear. The panelists are across the room and has been reported they dealt with echo, noises from behind the set, and the audience. It's quite possible that they couldn't hear the subtleties in Brown's voice that made it so distinctive. The audience had less to deal with in listening to the guests.
Brown was quite the movie star in the 1930s. But by 1953 he was most famous for entertaining the troops. However, his most famous movie role was still several years away in "Some Like It Hot", in which he nails the film's final line in what might be the greatest ending ever filmed.
Yes, Arlene even apologetically commented on his undisguised voice when he walked by to shake hands. It surely helped them zero in on him.
@@Kitskacat Arlene tells Joey "Hello, Joe E. You disguised your voice." as he passes by her on the panel.
In other WML Mystery Guest segments when the panel immediately recognized the guests, they would ask questions that indicated they knew who they were. Questions that would get a "yes" and then pass so that everyone on the panel could question them. Bennet in particular would ask specific questions when he knew who the guest was.
Not in this case, and given Bennet's ego along with Dorothy who always wanted to be the one who guessed their identity, I'd say they were being honest in not knowing who he was.
I liked it when the decision was made to eliminate the prep walk for guests as well as having them cross the stage to greet the panel. Much less awkward.
It seems rather amazing that they didn't recognize Joe E Brown's voice right away. If not the tone, the cadence that he spoke in is unmistakable. In fact, you can hear the audience groan a little when he first spoke because they thought he was giving himself away.
So, this may be a case of the panel just not being able to hear the contestant that well. It was a common complaint at the time, so that may be what happened here.
"Drunkometer" this is the most hilarious one I've seen 🤣🤣😂😂
Joe E. Brown , a great American .
Totally agree !!
For whites
Joe E. Brown was my father's favorite comedian. He admired Mr. Brown for never stooping to profanity or lewdness to be very funny.
+Maisie33 Your father must have never heard him in person then. He was known as the blue-est comedian in the business
+Alan Stewart Is there any chance that you're confusing Joe E. Lewis with Joe E. Brown? Lewis was known for racy nightclub comedy.
+Alan Stewart The two comedian's names were very similar, Alan. But Joe E Brown was well-known for being a 'clean' comic.
Alan Stewart Oh no, you are mistaken. Joe E Brown comedian was a silent film star as famous to today’s classic film fans, as Osgood, the millionaire mama’s boy with impressive boat in Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon.
I was very fortunate to have met his son, Joe E Brown Jr. General Manager of the Pittsburg Pirates. He was so proud of his Dad, he kept a life size cutout of the comic in his study. He, as well as his entire family were modest , kind, and terrifically witty. Very funny!
Marjorie Margel Joe L Brown was the general manager for the Bucs.
I love the way Steve Allen paid attention to the audience reaction and tried to make sense of it. Often initiated humorous comments about the audience participation.
I loved his South Pole!
@Barbara Ludena 🍀💕😊
...and how about the comment when Mr. Stephenson so gallently kissed Dorothy's hand.
Steve: "I saw him nibbling on Dorothy's diamond ring. I think he's a jewel thief!"
It’s amazing how years ago they would just flippantly say they used Animals for testing products and nobody thought anything of it. Thank God we’re moving away from that because the animals are tortured.
Hey! You and l are probably the only James Brown fanatics who also check out
"What's My Line"! Coincidentally, as you know, Jame's father was Joe Brown.
@@carouselred8994 Yes, and you know that James Brown was actually on what’s my line in 1970?
@@PaulDA2000 Yes! Ive seen that one. If l remember Soupy Sales guessed him. Aretha has been on too. Hank Ballard was a contestant on 'To Tell the Truth" as well.
Sadly, even today some people callously and selfishly support animal testing, not realizing how conscious and sentient all mammals are.
Calm your skin down brudda
I imagine that "Harvey" was a close to perfect role for Joe E. Brown. Harvey, who says at one moment in the play, I'm paraphrasing-- "In this life you must be ever so smart or ever so pleasant. I chose to be pleasant." I think Joe E. Brown was oh so funny and oh so pleasant.
I like Joe E. Brown as Flute the Bellows-Mender in 1935’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, marvelous movie with young Olivia de Havilland, Dick Powell, Jimmy Cagney and more. :)
Yes, a great cast. With Mickey Rooney as Puck
What's interesting about this is that Otis Harlan was also in that movie. He played Captain Andy in the 1929 Showboat and Joe would play it in the 51 version.
This is the first episode to mention "the coronation", when Arlene is making her free guess. She was referring to the coronation of Elizabeth II as Queen of England. That event occurred in June of that year, and caused the absence of Dorothy (as a journalist covering the event) and Arlene (as an invited guest) from several episodes of WML. And in the historical continuity department: the queen who was coronated in 1953 is still the queen in 2020.
And still now in 2022!
That’s ancient history and yet we can see and feel the atmosphere from it today thanks to this…
Oooo how come Arlene was invited?
@@plutoplutoan4734 journalist
The coronation was in June, 1953....my Mother was pregnant with me
Thank you so much for everything you post - I'm absolutely hooked to WML and the YBYL channel, to the point where I'm slightly dubious about looking up what other shows you put up, in case I never get anything done!
I must say, though, that as I go through the episodes so quickly, I cant help but notice that an awful lot of the 'next week...' contestants on What's My Line seem to look just like the man shown tonight! ;)
Thanks for the support!
I hesitate to mention, but I DO have a few more channels you may not have discovered yet. . . :)
Haha! I suspected as much... Oh well, there goes my week off! ;)
Thirzahliza Ah, but I went out of my way NOT to give you links, in deference to the fact that you presumably have an actual life to lead. ;)
And I greatly appreciate that! :D
I so enjoy these shows! And keeping in mind that this one, as an example, is 65 years old, the mannerisms are markedly different from what we have in 2018. Humor is different. Yes, I cringe at what I think are sexist remarks (and not a huge fan of Hal Block), but this was a thinking person’s show. It’s entertaining and I can’t even compare it to anything on TV today.
"A thinking person's show" is a perfect descriplion of WML! Thank you!
I agree WML is a thinking persons show, combining logic, language and perceived probabilities, but I do not notice different mannerisms or, except for certain censorship and good taste, humor. Martha, knowing it will be time consuming, please point out the putatively different mannerisms. I too dislike Hal, but am unfazed by the sexism which was prevalent at the time.
hi.imagine what they would think of the language in films and television now, they would be horrified you will never hear them swear not even when you watch bloopers from that time..
Why would you cringe?, life was so much more relaxed, too many people are so uptight in today’s world
On WML the panel and Daly and most guests were more dignified, dress like ladies and gentlemen and are polished.
The Hollywood crowd today are slobs and vulgar, …. with a few exceptions.
"My mother does" - great answer!! Surprising more mystery guests did not use this or similar lines in answering some questions.
Joe E Brown was brilliant! Cracked me up in films on tv appearances. This appearance shows his warmth and dignity too.
I have always loved Joe E. Brown. I thought he had a kind face. He was a pretty good actor as well.
I agree 100 per cent !
My father had polio. The March of Dimes at this time was concerned with polio and this is a bit over a year before my father got the disease and two before the Salk Vaccine before was released to the public.
Salk, a great man. He never attempted to profit from his medical research. He could have made millions.
Hard to believe that one of his greatest successes "Some Like It Hot" was still six years away
That may be why he didn't have to disguise his voice. When he said "well" I heard, "Well, nobody's perfect."
@@louisyock9285 Exactly! That old familiar line...And that "Hot" movie is still my favourite one.
@@louisyock9285 - And it makes me wonder if his "My mother thinks so" line was his 'joke' already (or invented here), and he suggested it to Billy Wilder for his character in Some Like It Hot.
he was in " some like it hot" .
+calvin ghanian Well, nobody's perfect!
JOE E BROWN WAS STAR OF EARTHWORM TRACTORS too :D
well, nobody's perfect i guess
Jack Lemon, "I can never have children " So Joey said , " We can adopt ! "It was so funny with Jack Lemon and Tony Curtis !
Some Like it Hot was about six years after this episode.
I do wish, as I think many others do, that WML had allotted more time to celebrity guests, to allow for a bit of an interview. They could have kept Joe until the end of the show, instead of bringing on another guest.
Yeah, there should have been a lot more time for all of them just to talk for a while. That would have been very interesting
Yes, especially in these cases where they had such little time there wasn't much point in bringing on a fourth person. Would be so weird and disappointing to get on the show and only be on it for around 90 seconds.
A Very Gracious Man Joe E. Brown Is.
Indeed.
Steve Allen is great! Have to say I am glad when Hal Block is not on here!!
A "South Pole"-classic Steve Allen-he was great.
I'm not, it seems, the sole individual, who's irritated, by Mr. Block's inanities.
He seemed so snarky a lot of the time.
I don’t like the sexism of the Hal dude. I did sit there and wonder if it is some sort of product of the time (not that that excuses it) but in actuality I think he’s just an arse.
He makes a point of making some asinine comment of a woman’s appearance for EVERY female contestant.
On the other hand, Daly can smirk a bit when he goes into conference with the women, and it NEVER seems snarky or crude.
not sure why exactly but I find Steve Allen and John Charles Daly so attractive and both for different reasons!
Ahhh, yes! For me it is the quick wit mixed with kindness...and cute :-)
The Drunkometer maker was really fun 😂😊
Honest to goodness, if more advertisers made commercials like the Stopette commercials, I would buy more products.
I agree. I might also own a television set and look at it.
Unless the Internet lied to me, $50 is worth $570 ish today
Not chump change
Crazy to think that silent movies were only 25 years ago at this point in time
I happened to like Hal Block. I have only recently started watching the show (born in the 80s) and I started watching random episodes. I decided to watch from the beginning and I can definitely see how Hal was utilized to save the show. I don't think he was especially good at solving anything. Actually, he was usually quite surprised if he got anywhere in questioning! However, I found that to be one of the funny bits about him. I also LOVED the quips directed toward him from John! For instance, in this episode, I would have been eagerly anticipating the quip from John when Steve asked about coming into contact with the Drunkometer! Ha! I also agree with another who suggested he was treated unfairly. I love Arlene, I do, but you can tell that she didn't care too much for Hal. Listen to the way she goes on about everyone other than Hal that she introduces. And John, he mentioned in the last episode with Rosalind that this was the most fun he had in a while, about a month after Hal. I wasn't alive so I don't know if he didn't really care for him but it seemed, to me, that he had fun cracking on Hal. Ah well
Hal Block was later arrested on more than one occasion for driving drunk and driving without a license. He told one police officer who arrested him to be careful because he was a big man. Any quip about Hal and a drunkometer would not have been funny.
@@preppysocks209 Are you kidding? There wouldn't have been a dry seat in the house.
Hal Block isn't my cup of tea. The endless jokes about his pursuing women and getting in trouble are just the same thing over and over again. He seems cheerful and like a nice-ish guy, but just not very funny for someone who's supposed to give the most common relief.
His accent is a curiosity to me. He's the only person I know of who is a native speaker of American English and pronounces "something" as if it were "sahmthing"-as in "Is it sahmthing that I would ever wear?", audience laughs, he looks wide-eyed quickly to the audience then back to the contestant, grins, runs his left hand over his hair from front to back, then touches his left ear, then says "It is? Well, is it sahmthing that I would get a laugh for wearing?", then repeats the sequence, then says "Well, I pass."
There are tidbits of actual history embedded in some of these episodes, along with the regular and celebrity guests. Frex, some of the ones from Nov 52 mention the elections thatvyearcwhwre Eisenhower won his first term as president, and I think this one mentioned the forthcoming coronation of Queen Elizabeth. ( if not this episode, then the prior one with Roz Russell).
I love those little snippets.
Entertained the troops before Bob Hope even thought if it....
Joe E. Brown played the captain in the 1951 movie version of the musical “Showboat”.
I am so glad they got rid of that Block creep!
My grandmother always went to a chiropodist - dint have a clue as to what that was till years later - we now call them podiatrists the feet doctors. I,love those old terms.
"Some Like it Hot" but many prefer it very funny like this great and noble comedian.
I was 2 years old when this aired. Man, these old shows are great. Why the need for color TV?
Color giveth, and color taketh away.
Insofar as television is a visual art, the choice to use color should be made with as much thought as an artist's choice to pick up a graphite pencil or a box of colored pencils is made. Color was great for such series as the original Hawaii Five-0 and the original Star Trek; it was the right choice to keep Perry Mason in black and white; changing The Andy Griffith Show to color pretty much ruined it for me. Unfortunately, nowadays, the market supposedly dictates that everything new be in color-just as it supposedly demands that no shot last longer than one second, that there always be animated graphics dancing in some part of the picture, and that every documentary have music running from beginning to end. What too many people don't realize is that "Everyone else always does it" is not a good enough reason to do something.
That was great that Mr. Stevenson kissed Dorothy’s hand. Perfect!
I loved Joe E Brown in the movie Some Like it Hot.
He's priceless !!
This is the day I was born!
+Richard Graham
Nice to meet you, "kid". I've got nearly two months on you (8 weeks to be exact).
Arlene knew it was Joe E. Brown from the start or his appearance, they worked many times together. Joe's voice to those of today would not know him, it is very easy to tell it is him. I have seen all of his movies and listened to some of the old radio shows from the late 30's and 40's he appeared on.
There was a film in which Joe E Brown was supposed to ride an elephant. Brown & his director visited with a trainer & his elephant at a circus. The trainer explained that it would take at least a month-if not longer-before the elephant could learn to accept another rider.
As the director & trainer continued to talk, Brown went over & touched the elephant's knee:it immediately picked him up with its trunk & placed him on its back.
The trainer was totally shocked. He simply could not believe it as the elephant followed Brown's every command.
The trainer questioned Brown until he found the explanation. Brown & his brothers had worked for a circus for a year when they were kids. Brown was always crazy about elephants & played with them whenever he could. When an elephant gave birth there was only one person it allowed to play with its baby:Joe E Brown. And 30 years later that baby elephant remembered its playmate.
Barry Kendrick, that is an awesome about Joe Brown and the elephant!
Joe E. Brown turned down signing with the NY Yankees in order to pursue entertainment.
His son was the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates when they beat the Yankees in the 1960 world series.
+Jeff Vaughn
Excellent! Joe L. Brown was also the Pirates GM when they won the 1971 World Series against the Orioles, the first World Series to feature a night game (Game 4). The 1971 Pirates were also the first Major League team to play an all-black starting lineup.
MrUhwoody
Fidel Castro tried out for the Yankees as well. He should have gotten a contract, too, but the Yankees weren’t going to sign a Latino.
Imagine how history might have changed if those old Yankees were a little more open minded.
He played for 3 years for the NY Yankees Then show business
So awkward the way they initially had the guests exiting behind John Charles Daly. Thank goodness they changed that.
It was kinda' jarring to hear that pitch for the March of Dimes and that polio was still very much a terror in this age. Salk's vaccine trials were being conducted at the time of this episode.
RE: Hal Block's brand of humor. Recall Buddy Hackett is also brought in to counterpoint a sophisticated trio. And Hackett reminds me of George Shelton, panelist on the OTR show "It Pays to Be Ignorant". Early WML hybridized the quiz show with Vaudeville to cast a wide net.
Buddy Hackett gets on my nerves. His stupidity, as well as his voice.
@@anntaylor2039 I agree, Ann. I found him silly not funny
@@robertsvorinich7959 I agree, also. He was not funny when adlibbing at all. He was funny in Mad, Mad, etc. World. I once saw him doing a live comedy act and he actually threatened an audience member who was on the front row because he wasn't laughing.
My problem with Hal Block is he disturbs the cadence of the game...he always has to make a comment when thinks are moving on...just doesn't fit in on several levels
@@debbigray1752 Hal would make some silly remark while another panelist was in the midst of questioning which were never funny. Just irritating.
When I was a child sitting on my grandparents outside steps in Bloomfield, Pa. on Liberty Ave. Seen a man look like him walking past and said “ good morning”..to me .. I was surprised to see him...I always wonder if Joe E Brown had relatives in the neighborhood.
At exactly, 10:00, does someone yell, "Hey Frida"?
The "next week preview" photo of a male at 25:48 is the same as was shown in the Oct. 12, Nov. 23, and Nov. 30th (1952) shows. Anyone know why that is?
They used that photo of that man in far more episodes. Maybe they chose it because it looked so generic. Something tells me that, after the quiz-show scandals, such dishonesty would have been avoided.
Joe E Brown
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
Boy, do I hate this hand-checking thing!
Does anyone else find it creepy when Dorothy grabs the man’s hands ands starts flipping them over and commenting on them?
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I'll bet the last guest of the night hated to be rushed on and off the way she was. If I was the last one before the closing of the show I would just prefer not to go on rather to be on for 2 minutes and then have the panelists have to rush through guessing what my line is. She just didn't look very happy.
I dunno, I'd be happy to get paid for so little
Crying all the way to the bank!
Joe E. Brown delivers one of the funniest single lines in any movie ever, at the end of "Some Like it Hot" when he tells Jack Lemon that "Well, nobody's perfect!" (6 years after this appearance)
Blimey I just realised old this show actually *is* when Arlene said she’s coming for the Coronation!!
16:40 - "What is the animal experimental group called?"
"University of North Carolina" 🤣
Regarding the topic of Hal Block, I also feel as though he was mistreated. My understanding is that the show would have been cancelled before the first season ended if not for Hal. He was hired after several bad reviews called the show boring and dull. Block turned that around and received nothing but good reviews. He was fired because it was felt he was beneath the dignity that the show aspired to have. Given that he saved the very life of the show and the jobs of the snobs that sought his termination, it seems to indicate a lack character in those snobs.
Having watched most of the Hal Block episodes, including some of his most ire-inspiring actions in the minds of some, I have gotten the feeling the WML team got exactly what they asked for with him and then complained when they got it. It's like when "shock jocks" like Don Imus or Howard Stern are hired (neither of whom I enjoy listening to or watching, by the way), and then their employers are shocked when they cross the line and it blows up in their face.
True, Hal Block did save the early show with his humor. It was the constant sexual subset of his humor that got him in trouble. He tried, for example, to kiss Miss America and Bette Davis. He also chased a woman around the set. He was repeatedly warned to tone down this sort of behavior, but chose to ignore those warnings.
@@golden-63yeah
Why didn't Joe disguise his voice? He was very famous at this point! I bet the panel guessed it right away, but had to keep up a pretence or the show would have ended too early!
Maybe he forgot to disguise his voice - or the TV researcher assigned to him forgot to advise him about it!
I too was perplexed right away by Mr Brown's not disquising his voice.
Amusing audience reaction when Joe E Brown used his own voice.
I’ll never understand why when they were short on time John Charles Daly asked the guest to walk past the panel. That took up time.
I think it was the producers that made the rules, and I don't know why the need for the walk especially the last one.
I like how Steve Brylcreme'd up his toupee. That 1953 greasy look.
The sad part is there’s a park named for him in Toledo Ohio and the majority of its residents have no clue who this wonderful man is!
John was so hyper for this episode, haha! 😁
Joe E. Brown, patent leather hair from the 20's!
I noticed that too, right away. An odd hairstyle by the early 50s.
17:40 I could never understand why January was the month for the March of Dimes; itshould be the Month of March, of Dimes...
Taking your comment seriously, a month other than March makes sense because March of Dimes will get organic attention in March without effort. Might as well pick another month to focus advertising and effort, resulting in more revenue for the year.
Unreal that the coronation is of the current UK monarch.
Check out Joe E. Brown in "EARTHWORM TRACTORS"
I thought it was rude to rush those last contestants. I always felt bad for them except that they won the full prize. The producers and directors needed to come up with a plan for that.
FYI… the last guest was Chiropodist, which is basically a FOOT Doctor.
💁🏻♀️ I had to look it up💁🏻♀️
Steve Allen: I think she's a south Pole. Very clever.
Thanks for posting. Looking for a print of Bright Eyes (1936) if you know anyone who has it.
I close my eyes when Daly says "We'll show the audience what your line is" because, well, I wanna guess the line, too. I couldn't understand the word that was said to identify the last guest; it sounded like 'chirrupodist' or a 'corrobodist'! I had never heard of a chiropodist. hahahaaaa!
The panel lost the last game because they didn't have time to go down to da feet!
I do that too
"Nobody's perfect"........
Regarding the first contestant, the man who made drunkometers, I think it is in accurate to say this is not something you find in a hospital or in use in medical procedures. I’m a retired physician. Information about blood alcohol level was essential in the treatment of many of my patients.
This was 1953
It wouldn't have been the first time their information was wrong.
very cool
They don't spend any time talking to their mystery guests on these early episodes. It's a shame.
Great
Miss Stephanie with the monkey farm would not be very popular these days 🙈🙉🙊
Mr.Brown didn't try to conceal his voice at all! One might assume that he wanted to be "guessed" right away. It's rather odd that The Panel didn't KNOW his voice, as I certainly would, even across so many years!
ps - I have his 2-disc (78s) album of "How To Play Baseball" right next to me, and it is still funny! (omg! I just opened it & found moldy water damage because it was under the window. ARRGH!! )
Max Chester vhh
Sometimes hearing a voice you know is hard when you are blindfolded - for some reason I haven’t a clue. Guess it’s just taking away one of our senses does that. ,
They use the same pictures for the "preview looks" (why not just "previews"?) repeatedly, and I don't know that we've ever seen as real contestants the people in the still photos.
The fellas whistling at the last contestant would be severely frowned upon nowadays.
Yes,,,, very sad!
From Dorothy’s reaction to that first contestant when she found out what it was, I’m guessing she was thinking that’s what it was, or was getting close.
He was great in Some Like it Hot and I noticed that he acknowledged the audience before he left the stage.
I am surprised they didn’t guess Joe E Brown faster given the fact that he didn’t disguise his voice.
I wouldn't mind waltzing Matilda
Ha ! Good one ! She's made me wonder if boomerangs are coming back....
If you’re not familiar with Joe E Brown, research his life.
Bennett is so quick to take notes 📝
Did anyone ever guess it right what their occupation was at the start? A lucky stab?
Yes, it happened from time to time. I believe there's a compilation elsewhere on the channel.
Monkees have two legs and two arms!
Daley has a British accent or is
He putting it on
He was born in South Africa, deduct the rest.
How did he get away with using his normal voice
Look at Mr. Cerf's natty suit!
I wonder why it was necessary to change the name of the foot doctor ( from one fancy word to another )🤷🤔🤷
How in the world did Arlene Francis guess Joe E. Brown?
God knows.
Arlene was good a picking under the mask.
Joe E. Brown / 1891 - 1973/
Why didn’t he attempt to disguise his voice?
I wonder about that too. Til now I had never seen a Mystery Guest who didn't disguise their voice.
@@jubalcalif9100 Many of them couldn't, or didn't care to, Gary Cooper was one of them.