I have been watching these What's My Line shows over the last year and a half. I swear to God, between Dorothy and Bennet, they seem to guess at least 85% of the guests! !! They are friggin unreal!!
Here's a short article www.newsfromme.com/2002/04/18/kenptiwr/ that somewhat addresses how the panelists were so successful in guessing the lines of the guests.
It wasn't demeaning. It gave the panel something else to work with e.g. Dorothy K liked to look at their hands looking for callouses etc. Also there was the manner in which they walk maybe giving some clues so it wasn't 'demeaning'. But it didn't accomplish much- panel guessed it 4 times and did slow down the game
@rcbpiccolo Yes, you may certainly say how much you love the very witty and urbane John Charles Daly, who was probably the most intelligent person ever to host a television game show, in addition to his having been a first-rate broadcast journalist, whose CBS Radio bulletin of the December 7, 1941 attack by Japan upon the United States of America at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii is legendary. A donation in Mr. Daly's memory may be made to his beloved Tilton School, in Tilton, New Hamphire.
Gil Fates described Cerf's accent as upper east side Manhattan New York gentry. That lisp is not part of some speech impediment -- it was part of the accent at that time. Don't know if it still exists in New York City in 2013.
The American newscasters who spoke, as Edwards did, (I'm referring to many of his contemporaries) came from hugely diverse geographic regions of The United States yet they all spoke this way. The Edith Evans is obviously using "Standard British English" but I found her a little "over the top" this way as is the boy's speech however Mr. Greenfield sounds more "realistic" within this context. Fascinating subject! Nice to have met you; you're a good guy!
In "those days" many better educated Americans would sort of affect sort of English inflection; President Roosevelt would be another example of this. Then there were those who did make it a point to speak "Standard American English" even though there was really no place in The United States where people would speak this way by region; here's an example of this by a very famous American newscaster: watch?v=LZWVUXA1qbg
You're quite welcome. By the same token, there is something called "Standard British English" which does have "real life" speakers based (though not primarily) by region though it's my understanding that the percentage of people who speak this way is rather small.
@63utuber I was wondering why he was wearing that whole outfit. It looks as though he was late for the recording and came from home without having time to change lol
It was hard to find your comment; someone marked it as spam; this seems odd to me but then again, this is "RUclips" so anything can happen. Yes, I mean "BBC English" much as I exposed "ComposerinUK" to Standard American or "Broadcast English" which also has no real geographic base. (I hope you watched that clip of the late Douglas Edwards.) Actually you're shortchanging the number of people who, in the UK speak this way; my understanding is that it's probably about 14% but I could be wrong.
@PirateQueenMaureen I think it's fair to say she is something of an acquired taste. However, once that taste has been acquired, she is a requisite member of the panel.
Could someone in the USA help me, please? To my ears, Bennet Cerf (whom I adore) has a curious accent. I'm British and I can't quite place it, unless it's sort of educated Boston Latin. Would anyone be kind enough to let me know...?
As a hula dancer and a student in the style, I'm surprised she said no at first. It is very much the folk dance, the traditional dance of the original Hawaiian people. Also, it's very much for both men and women, since at first it was a worship rite that women could not take part in, I think this lady teached the americanized entertaining "haole auana" style made famous by Elvis among others.
![What's My Line? - Tennessee Ernie Ford; Gig Young [panel] (May 4, 1958)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-kZWxGcNqnE/mqdefault.jpg)
![What's My Line? - Arlene Dahl; David Niven [panel] (Dec 13, 1959)](/img/1.gif)
You can see the wheels turning in Dorothy's mind! Clever ladies!
Arlene looks pretty when she was blonde but she looked gorgeous in her natural hair color!
I have been watching these What's My Line shows
over the last year and a half. I swear to God, between Dorothy and Bennet, they seem to guess at least 85% of the guests! !! They are friggin unreal!!
Here's a short article www.newsfromme.com/2002/04/18/kenptiwr/
that somewhat addresses how the panelists were so successful in guessing the lines of the guests.
Me too!! Dorothy is a genius. Probably helps she was an investigative reporter too, huh?
Losing the demeaning walk in front of the panel and the free guesses really helped the show.
Paul James
Especially with Block there
Are you kidding? Getting rid of the walk is the best decision that show ever made!
It wasn't demeaning. It gave the panel something else to work with e.g. Dorothy K liked to look at their hands looking for callouses etc. Also there was the manner in which they walk maybe giving some clues so it wasn't 'demeaning'. But it didn't accomplish much- panel guessed it 4 times and did slow down the game
72 years ago folks!! Seems like yestetday!! ❤
This aired July 20, 1952 on CBS. The mystery guest was Ann Sheridan.
Dorothy strikes me always with her analytical skills. What would they have done without her?!
Fail miserably lol
Can I just say how much I love John Daly =)
Gotta love Dorothy.
@rcbpiccolo Yes, you may certainly say how much you love the very witty and urbane John Charles Daly, who was probably the most intelligent person ever to host a television game show, in addition to his having been a first-rate broadcast journalist, whose CBS Radio bulletin of the December 7, 1941 attack by Japan upon the United States of America at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii is legendary.
A donation in Mr. Daly's memory may be made to his beloved Tilton School, in Tilton, New Hamphire.
Thanks so much for taking the time to explain this to me. I really appreciate it.
Well now I am fully informed... thank you for taking the time to write.
Gil Fates described Cerf's accent as upper east side Manhattan New York gentry. That lisp is not part of some speech impediment -- it was part of the accent at that time. Don't know if it still exists in New York City in 2013.
No. People speak Dominican now.
The American newscasters who spoke, as Edwards did, (I'm referring to many of his contemporaries) came from hugely diverse geographic regions of The United States yet they all spoke this way.
The Edith Evans is obviously using "Standard British English" but I found her a little "over the top" this way as is the boy's speech however Mr. Greenfield sounds more "realistic" within this context.
Fascinating subject!
Nice to have met you; you're a good guy!
In "those days" many better educated Americans would sort of affect sort of English inflection; President Roosevelt would be another example of this.
Then there were those who did make it a point to speak "Standard American English" even though there was really no place in The United States where people would speak this way by region; here's an example of this by a very famous American newscaster:
watch?v=LZWVUXA1qbg
You're quite welcome.
By the same token, there is something called "Standard British English" which does have "real life" speakers based (though not primarily) by region though it's my understanding that the percentage of people who speak this way is rather small.
How do you dance the hula?
You put a crop of grass on one hip, and a crop of grass on the other hip. Then you rotate the crops...
She may dance the hula, but the correct answer Dorothy should have asked was if she was a hula instructor.
Must have aired before 1959 ... before Hawai'i was admitted as a State ...
it seems that John Daly normally wears a bow tie on this show, how often has he wore this style of tie before
@63utuber I was wondering why he was wearing that whole outfit. It looks as though he was late for the recording and came from home without having time to change lol
@imonpainkillers Yes a rare gem for certain.
Whoa, what's with the audience reaction when they get to know who the lady is ?
People back in the 1950s and 60s were always titillated by people with jobs that were either unusual or connected somehow to something sexy .
@@latsnojokelee6434
People back in the 1950s and 1960s held jobs.
The guest parading in front of the panelists and the free guess was a waste of time. Fortunately, they got rid of that segments early on.
I liked it. Wish they got rid of segments of you instead.
No one cares, boomer
Educated Jewish New Yorkese (early 20th century division) is more like it. Lifelong New Yorker and he studied at Columbia.
It was hard to find your comment; someone marked it as spam; this seems odd to me but then again, this is "RUclips" so anything can happen.
Yes, I mean "BBC English" much as I exposed "ComposerinUK" to Standard American or "Broadcast English" which also has no real geographic base. (I hope you watched that clip of the late Douglas Edwards.)
Actually you're shortchanging the number of people who, in the UK speak this way; my understanding is that it's probably about 14% but I could be wrong.
@PirateQueenMaureen I think it's fair to say she is something of an acquired taste. However, once that taste has been acquired, she is a requisite member of the panel.
I got something you can taste...
that was good
Gosh the audience really give away a lot of these.
Huh ... I wonder why Daly is wearing a straight tie here.
ComposerInUK That's why Scorsese cast Brits as the aristos in The Age of Innocence
Could someone in the USA help me, please? To my ears, Bennet Cerf (whom I adore) has a curious accent. I'm British and I can't quite place it, unless it's sort of educated Boston Latin. Would anyone be kind enough to let me know...?
ComposerInUK, light New York.
@wmlfan9 How true!
What accent talk miss Kilgallen ?
@wmlfan9 I agree lol it's just not right :P
There's something just not right (to a rabid WML fan) about Bennett not sitting on the end near the entrance.
@wmlfan9 I knwo. it is just so awkward.
2:58 anti-science loons might have something to say.
Questioning what is put in our bodies is not being anti-science, you sheep.
As a hula dancer and a student in the style, I'm surprised she said no at first. It is very much the folk dance, the traditional dance of the original Hawaiian people. Also, it's very much for both men and women, since at first it was a worship rite that women could not take part in, I think this lady teached the americanized entertaining "haole auana" style made famous by Elvis among others.
Hal Block is SO CREEPY!!! Eww!