Steve Allen says some of funniest things and can think of funny comebacks so quick.

@ruthkidney3582

Жыл бұрын

I wish I knew why he left the panel. I was born in late 1956. So if anyone can help me?

@genekrauss

Жыл бұрын

He had many talents including as a piano player, entertainer, host, comedian and stunt man. Plus he was interesting to listen to. His comic writers were talented as well. It was a pleasure to watch The Steve Allen Shows.

@feraudyh

Жыл бұрын

He appears to have been an immensely creative person.

@bocajrs7628

4 ай бұрын

​@@ruthkidney3582 I was born too late to have seen the original episodes and have been watching several days. Steve Allen was asked to replace Hal Block, who was fired because he treated females very poorly on numerous occasions, including this episode. He declined because NBC was in talks with him to be the first host of The Tonight Show. He was the host from 1953 to 1957.

Two words to describe Jack Benny - simply wonderful.

@eepanusstar5940

5 жыл бұрын

He was so well liked people worked for him for years-and he could get every top star to be on his show. a great man

Jack Benny. .such a wonderfully distinctive voice.

Dorothy Kilgallen was such a pro.

@karensheline6958

Жыл бұрын

I truly miss seeing her in the later episodes. RIP Dorothy dear ❣️

@65hooptee

6 ай бұрын

I also miss Dorothy kilgallen in the final year of WML. She was amazing.

I love Jack Benny's eyes. The smile lines show he is a happy person.

@SueProv

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting that,a man who wrote a biography of Johnny Carson said the two most unhappy people on earth he knew were Johnny and Jack Benny. I'm not sure that Benny had a good marriage but was a very nice man. I am,a big fan of his myself.

@johanbrand8601

2 жыл бұрын

@@SueProv strange how he would say that Jack Benny and Johnny Carson were the most unhappy people. I wonder what he meant by that.

@SR-iy4gg

10 ай бұрын

He meant they were unhappy people!@@johanbrand8601

@hh-sb4nq

5 ай бұрын

I've read his autobiography by J.B and his daughter, nowhere did it say he was unhappy. As for his for him and his wife, he was devoted.

I love mr. Daly!! He makes me laugh watching him enjoy himself!

Daly was an amazing show host... intelligent, witty, charming and good natured.

@rmelin13231

8 ай бұрын

There were none better. Not then, and not since.

@65hooptee

6 ай бұрын

I agree completely, Mr. Daly was superb at all aspects of his duties.

Its so nice seeing this. People were so civilized and polite with one another. There was a simple eloquence and respect for one another that seems to be lacking today.

@freeguy77

Жыл бұрын

Blame that on the ubiquitous social media programs Facebook, Twitter, etc. Too much social media junk, not enough telephone or in-person learning communication!

@NoelleTakestheSky

9 ай бұрын

Aside from Hal, who sexually assaulted contestants and chased the minister around while the second contestant was signing in. He was fired that night, given three more episodes. The other panelists were always lovely though.

@mcbrion1951

6 күн бұрын

Yes, people did behave like that. And you're right, it is certainly missing in today's society. Part of the reason for that is people having much better boundaries 30 years ago, never mind 60 years ago.

Did you catch that Dorothy paid Jack Benny out of her purse as he left! One of the best moments of WML!

@hcombs0104

2 жыл бұрын

😂 caught that, too!

@gingerhaydon4693

2 жыл бұрын

@@hcombs0104 So cute that Dorothy was quick on the draw, and paid Jack... ha

@diananutt1517

Жыл бұрын

@Debbi Gray 🌿😄 Thanks, Debbie❣️ I noticed she was distracted, but she recovered in time to grab Jack's hand. I was so caught up watching him leave that I missed her little schtick!! Thanks for making sure we all got to savor that, too. P.S. Jack's hair sure seemed like his own when he brushed it forward. He wasn't gentle❣️😊

@freeguy77

Жыл бұрын

How much was it? Hard to see any denomination of the bills as it was so fast and Jack was blocking most of the view, could barely see her outstretched hand. He did not really need it. His cheap shtick was one of the most famous gags in radio and TV history. A very generous man in real life. He had to be one of the happiest men on Earth, no matter what some unknown writer offered as the truth! Now, Johnny may have been closer to the privately unhappier person, but it is all relative on the level of unhappiesm!

@SR-iy4gg

10 ай бұрын

She wasn't distracted. She was getting money out of her purse.@@diananutt1517

Dorothy Kilgallen just amazes me. She was so sharp, intelligent and perceptive. I can count the number of these shows where she zeros in on the answer like a hawk on rabbit.

@maryflanagan1493

5 жыл бұрын

Mask not on propley.

@TheBee87bee

4 жыл бұрын

I thought Dorothy handed Jack some money from her purse,funny!!!!

@davidsanderson5918

4 жыл бұрын

Well considering her own line, she had a nose for finding out things. As well as that though I suspect she did a little digging prior to each show. She seemes ahead of the game too often to me.

@thomashulsey8495

4 жыл бұрын

She was amazing. Her demise needs more investigation.

@fonso1030

3 жыл бұрын

Thomas Hulsey I think the reason and culprit of her demise is pretty well known. The fact that we don’t know, or will ever know, is another story. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Rochester: Mr. Benny? Your dentist and your barber called. Jack: Oh, what did they say? Rochester: They left the same message - you can pick 'em up tomorrow!

Jack Benny was wonderful, Steve Allen was hilarious and Dorothy Kilgallen was so smart.

I miss Bennett Cerf when he doesn’t appear on the panel. This show aired the year I was born! Love Jack Benny.♥️

Jack Benny had me rolling on the floor. I have watched this episode four times 🤣🤣🤣🤣

The inimitable Jack Benny...like so many millions of others, Oh how I love that man!

possible the most beloved comedian of all time. Too bad they ran out o time and couldn't interview him...

@robertholman8730

6 ай бұрын

WML not a talk show😊

Jack Benny, one of the greats! I love these shows. They are like time capsules to the past. So entertaining!

I had the unique honor of seeing Jack Benny perform live.

My addiction to WML is so serious, I may need an intervention!

@savethetpc6406

8 жыл бұрын

+goldenthroat86 Have you joined the WML Facebook group yet? I can't promise it would work as intervention; in fact it would probably just encourage your addiction, but at least you'll be in the company of a whole group of equally addicted folks, most of whom are managing to function through life in spite of it! ;)

@savethetpc6406

7 жыл бұрын

Gravydog316 Lol!

@LarsRyeJeppesen

7 жыл бұрын

Same here. hooked

@Rhonda9199

7 жыл бұрын

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I can't stop watching!!! 😊

@nadiazahroon6573

6 жыл бұрын

goldenthroat86 me too

It's a crying shame they didn't get him on as a MG when Fred Allen was on the panel. That could have been electric.

@Concetta20

2 жыл бұрын

I knooow! Oh, that would’ve been just too fantastic!

@Blairpark

2 жыл бұрын

Good Lord, yes. That would have been tremendous dous.

@freeguy77

Жыл бұрын

They were good friends in real life, but their famous radio feud was a terrific piece of inspired, created comedy for years!

Jack Benny had the best comedy show on radio. If you haven't heard it you should be able to find it on the internet.

Jack had some of the best reactions. “WELL!” 😆

Jack Benny may be the most beloved entertainer in history. A poll gave him a 97% approval rating. Jack responded, “what did I do to the other 3%?”

@Concetta20

2 жыл бұрын

He’s my all time favorite.

@freeguy77

Жыл бұрын

I would guess Bob Hope would have comparable approval ratings as he was so popular for decades, as Jack was.

@waldolydecker8118

Жыл бұрын

@@freeguy77 - yep, you would think Bob Hope was the most beloved entertainer by both the public and his peers. Benny was up there, but would not think he polled higher than Hope. Hope was so respected by literally everyone in Hollywood and he helped so many others become stars.

@JamesHenrey

10 ай бұрын

​@@waldolydecker8118w

@maryblushes7189

8 ай бұрын

He and Red Skelton were my two most beloved ones, Hope came in a close third.

I love Jack Benny, he is great on this

Just good clean fun.....And still fun today!!

Great stuff. Love the show and Jack Benny is wonderful.

The greatest comedian of all time. Wether it's standup or situation or sit com, Jack Benny did it all. A genius that all comedians use as the 'gold standard' of their art.

@TheProfessorpat

2 жыл бұрын

Johnny Carson was just one of many who idolized him.

@freeguy77

Жыл бұрын

@@TheProfessorpat I was going to mention Johnny as one who used Jack as one of his inspirations in comedy.

If you all want a good read, get the book Jack Benny's daughter wrote about him and growing up in Beverly Hills. She really loved him.

@savethetpc6406

5 жыл бұрын

@Sara N I think you are referring to _Sunday Nights at Seven_ , which is a combination of Jack Benny's unfinished autobiography and biographical reminiscences of Jack's life by his daughter, Joan Benny. It is indeed a good read and a great resource for Jack Benny fans! Here's a link to the entry for the book at GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/944519.Sunday_Nights_at_Seven?ac=1&from_search=true

@hcombs0104

2 жыл бұрын

He was a good person. Mary Livingstone, on the other hand...

I love that Dorothy just paid Jack Benny!

@romansroad2007

6 жыл бұрын

Randall Riley She is so smart , too bad someone killed her...or whatever really happened? God bless

“Do I get paid for tonight?” 😂😂😂

John Daly had a nice smile.

It’s so refreshing to see cursive writing, suits, dresses, bow ties, politeness, and extraordinary vocabulary that we are sorely lacking today. I love watching this show!

@bannedheretic2971

3 жыл бұрын

All of those nice things are going extinct.

@freeguy77

Жыл бұрын

Too much government monopoly skools that have dumbed down the population over the last 50 years, and worse since the Dept of Educashun established to centralize power in the District of Criminals from 1979. Teacher unions rule educashun, not the parents or students!

@b3j8

Жыл бұрын

Late to reply, but one thing nobody thought a thing about in that era was the forwardness of Mr. Block toward the first contestant. Today that would certainly be a huge no-no.

I love watching the shows that aired before I was born. Thank you for posting them.

@WhatsMyLine

9 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome!

@nowvoyagerNE

9 жыл бұрын

these are out of my babyhood and childhood :) i enjoy watching them too :)

@WhatsMyLine

9 жыл бұрын

nowvoyagerNE Glad to hear it!

So cool to watch these. Thank you.

Dorothy Kilgallen is the bomb!

@stevekru6518

3 жыл бұрын

Bomb exploded, took off her chin. Looks aside, she is bright, perceptive and motivated.

@SG-ug9xj

3 жыл бұрын

@@stevekru6518 your face isn't worthy of Dorothy's Gold shoe resting on it pal!

@suelutz5364

3 жыл бұрын

@@stevekru6518 how rude. Maybe you can share your picture for critique.

@robertholman8730

6 ай бұрын

I beg to differ, Arlene was the bomb 😊

Loved Jack Benny!

Oh my word, my mom was two yrs old then. Love these episodes! Thank you

I throyghly enjoyed his humor clean fun there will never be anyone like him again.

Do I get paid for tonight? And Dorothy pulls out her purse!

Yay for Jack Benny!

From 23:20 - Oh my gosh. Hysterical. It’s clear that John Daly couldn’t hold it together at all. He was trying but just couldn’t.

I loved that Dorothy gave Mr Benny money. He was. a national treasure

Dorothy slipping him money at the end was priceless!!

I adore Jack Benny.

I Love Jack!!!

Dorothy Kilgallen paid JB a quarter lol

Back when even the biggest stars were humble and appreciative of their status.

Leila Dell Miller is 91 in 2015, so she must have been 29 or 30 on this show. An evangelist with a mink ... Glory be!.

@portagee66

5 жыл бұрын

W Brewer Her niece or someone else may correct this, but I believe they sometimes lent jewelry, furs, suits, etcetera to contestants with which to fool the panel. Notice that it didn't quite fit with her dress, and also possibly was fake.

@BMarPiano

5 жыл бұрын

portagee66 I am her niece and don’t know for sure, but that makes sense to me. I don’t remember her wearing minks, although I was not even born at the time of this recording.

@dinahbrown902

Жыл бұрын

They were of the world way back then too, suppose that is the only reward she ever got

@65hooptee

6 ай бұрын

Actually the Rev. Miller died on Oct, 2 2002 at the age of 79

I also love the regular guests-they really buck assumptions, which is the point. I would’ve never guessed jazz drummer from a woman who looks like Marie Callender.

I wonder what was funny at 25:26 when Jack Benny was leaving? You see Dorothy digging in her purse as Jack approaches, and then laughter.

@perpieta

3 жыл бұрын

He'd just asked if he was getting paid for his appearance here...so she gave him a quarter.

This was exactly 49 years before I was born.

I love Steve Allen too.

My friends might be getting a little tired of me telling them to watch these old programs. Oh well.

@magnificentfailure2390

7 жыл бұрын

Gravydog316 You've stumbled upon my master plan. I'm gonna have to swear you to secrecy. Pinky Swear. The most serious kind.

@bookwoman53

6 жыл бұрын

I’m just discovering these programs. I tend to like quiz shows and game shows that require knowledge instead of pure luck.

@juanettebutts9782

5 жыл бұрын

I stumbled across these during December 2018, became immediately addicted. I bounced around watching shows from all the years WML aired until I realized there was a chronological order set of programs. I've been such a Happy Camper since then! I might be late to the game but I'm a super fan now!

@robertholman8730

6 ай бұрын

I wholeheartedly agree!!😊

I love these earlier episodes.

Jack Benny was awesome.

Mystery guest: Jack Benny: If they had focused on which instrument he played, they would have identified him almost immediately.

@savethetpc6406

9 жыл бұрын

William S. Yes, what's funny is that Dorothy had specifically asked the previous contestant (the jazz drummer) if _she_ played the violin and had gotten a "no" answer, so maybe that made everyone even less likely to think of the violin again.

Dorothy gave Jack a COIN as he was leaving.

@paullad3178

9 жыл бұрын

***** You are very welcome!!!

@tomitstube

9 жыл бұрын

+Paul LaD i was wondering what that was, good eye.

@rosemma34

8 жыл бұрын

+Paul LaD I thought she was giving him her hastily scribbled telephone number

Fantastic show

Love you , JACK, what a great man xxxxxxxxxxxx RIP x PS.. JACK APPEARS @ 17:03 :)

@TheInvincibleViolet

9 жыл бұрын

xoxooxooxoxooxo Forever xx

@inkyguy

6 жыл бұрын

Frederick de Cordova his producer worked for Jack Benny for years (as well as George Burns and Johnny Carson) and said Benny was just as great and kind a man as he appeared to be.

Particular interesting show, the day before I was born

I just realized that Mr. Benny signs his name the same way I would. We have very similar hand writting.

Oh, it’s too bad Fred Allan wasn’t on the panel for this one!

It's too bad that Moe Howard never appeared on this show.

19:50 Daly's reaction to "Do you play a musical instrument?" 😂

I never did look Miss Miller up, the first time I watched, because other folks had done some sleuthing already. But it occurs to me, I don't actually know what denomination she was. So, she was famous in her own circles (niche famous, as I keep saying), and is of the Church of the Nazarene, which as I understand it, isn't actually Baptist (though it does baptise), but is descended from Methodism. Her sister Nettie basically got her into evangelism. They both graduated from the still-extant Trevecca Nararene University in Nashville. (So did their brother Jack. But not the older sister, Alice.) Leila Dell became known as The Flying Evangelist, since she went anywhere and everywhere, Hawaii included. Did this through the 70s, at least; died in 2002.

@WhatsMyLine

8 жыл бұрын

Never trust other people's research. ;)

@inkyguy

6 жыл бұрын

Nazarenes are very religiously conservative. It pleasantly surprised me to learn the allow - or at least allowed - female ministers.

25:26 - We'll probably never know what evoked that big laugh while Benny was off-camera.

@mrs.manrique7411

3 жыл бұрын

Dorothy handed Jack Benny money from her purse in response to his, "Am I gonna get paid?" comment.

7:15 Dorothy Kilgallen was the best, by far. Incredible.

@robertholman8730

6 ай бұрын

She was an investigator reporter😊

the sad part of all this...everyone of the celebrity guests are no longer with us...great show...natural and genuinely funny and hugely entertaining

@Lava1964

7 жыл бұрын

Do you mean to say that every mystery guest who ever appeared on the CBS version of WML is now dead? If so, that's not true. Jerry Lewis and Betty white come to mind.

@Rhonda9199

7 жыл бұрын

howard greenberg also Kirk Douglas!

@inkyguy

6 жыл бұрын

I believe @Jakes G meant the celebrity guest panelists are all deceased now. Yes, I watch a lot of the "George Burns and Gracie Allen Show" and all of the cast, including their children, are dead. A few of the younger guest actors such as children who have appeared (e.g., I just saw Jill St. John on a show as a child) can still be found alive, but obviously fewer and fewer.

Columbus Ga! My hometown

@patfulton7746

5 жыл бұрын

My late husband was born & raised in Columbus, GA. I think he would’ve got a kick out of this.

I do think it interesting John Daly made the "peaches" comment at the beginning of Leila Dell Miller's appearance, given he already knew she was a minister. His doing so made the panel feel free to make comments in that direction. Perhaps he did it to steer them away from even remotely thinking "minister."

@d5r8u2e7

9 жыл бұрын

stlmopoet Peaches, tomatoes ... I was waiting for Hal to say "melons".

@savethetpc6406

8 жыл бұрын

+stlmopoet And John holding a "small conference" with her in his usual flirtatious way was surprising too, given that he knew what her profession was. Maybe that's what made Hal think he could get away with what he did. (In case you haven't already heard or noticed it in the other comments, Hal later chased this lady around the stage "a la Harpo Marx," and that seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back and made Gil Fates fire him. It's not on camera, but you can hear the audience laughter while the next contestant is signing in and even see the curtain swaying while John is talking to Mrs. Landuehr --beginning at about 8:43 in this video.)

@loissimmons6558

7 жыл бұрын

+stlmopoet Fairly often, it would also seem that the female challengers with less glamorous professions or professions normally associated with men in those days, wear more glamorous outfits. Again this presumably was arranged to throw off the panel. It would have been more difficult to do this with the male challengers. At this time in American culture, men would have basically been restricted to a neutral color suit, dress shirt and tie. I don't even recall any who wore a sport coat and slacks instead of a suit during these early episodes that haven't been lost. The one variable would have been the quality of the suit: hence Dorothy occasionally asking to see the label in the jacket (which she also did occasionally when a female contestant wore a jacket).

@loissimmons6558

7 жыл бұрын

+W Brewer Not for nothing, as we say in Brooklyn, but Miss Miller didn't exactly have "melon" curves (and this falls into the "it takes one to know one" category).

@inkyguy

6 жыл бұрын

I think Mr. Daly was simply being the cordial, complimentary gentleman he was in every show.

Mildred, that's a name that's gone extinct.

Notice that they're still hand-flipping the credit cards at the end. This was the "straw that broke the camel's back" episode vis-a-vis WHAT'S MY LINE? and panelist Hal Block. Though his Marx Brothers-style chasing of the first panelist, Leila Dell Miller, upon her exit from the stage, was not shown on-camera, it did happen, and that incident (after Block had been suspended for 2 weeks by the show in early January and after he had been repeatedly warned by the producers about his behavior and his often lewd remarks on the show) was the "one too many" that led WML producer Gil Fates to notify Mr. Block after the show (over a drink at a local bar) that his option was not going to be renewed and that, after the next 3 shows, he would be replaced on the panel.

@WhatsMyLine

10 жыл бұрын

I've just been rereading Gil Fates's book on WML because people keep making these interesting comments and I can't remember what they're referring to. . . Anyhow, Fates talks about firing Block in an early chapter, but he doesn't mention anything specific as the grounds beyond Block not fitting in with the tone of the show. But I have heard that story about his chasing a contestant around elsewhere, maybe from another comment somewhere. Block was the kind of a guy you'd really have to think twice about inviting to your fancy dinner party.

@jvcomedy

10 жыл бұрын

You could hear laughter from the audience when the next contestant was signing in so I'm guessing that's when Block was doing his chasing that you refer to. Daly didn't crack a smile so I imagine he viewed it as an embarrassment and in poor taste. Thanks for the interesting input.

@DLAN-jb3hb

10 жыл бұрын

What's My Line? Bennett Cerf's interview in 1968 explains how WML fans hated Hal Block.

@savethetpc6406

9 жыл бұрын

DLAN 1122 In all fairness, I think Bennett misrepresented some things in that interview, and of course, was basing everything he said on his own personal biases. I actually feel rather disappointed in Bennett for the way he badmouthed several people in that interview -- if we're talking about the same interview, that is! I'd have to look for it again to find it, but the one I have in mind is on KZread somewhere, I think.

@savethetpc6406

9 жыл бұрын

Jeff Vaughn jmccracken1963 Yes, I think it must have happened at around 8:43 in this video. I kept replaying that part to see what was so funny about the way the contestant was signing in, but there was nothing funny about it, so I figured there must be something going on off camera. I had also heard the story that the "last straw" leading to Hal Block's firing was when he chased an attractive female evangelist minister around the stage -- so this had to have been it.

Neat seeing Jack Benny, he always made me smile. But dunno what it is and if it is just me as I go through all these old episodes. There is just something kinda uncomfortable. Reading all the behind the scenes stuff in hindsight I can see why.

Leila Dell Miller was a well-known evangelist with the Nazarene denomination. She was privileged to lead many people to Christ in her ministry.

It is a measure of how popular Arthur Godfrey was in 1953 that when a star as popular as Jack Benny signed in, at 17:25, Hal Block thought that based on the audience reaction that Godfrey was the MG. This is why Arlene starts off the questioning by saying she does not think Godfrey is the MG. Benny stayed popular over the years but Godfrey didn't.

Boy they were a little dense on Jack, but Dorothy came to the rescue. Comedian with his own radio and television show featuring monologues and supporting actors including his wife, plays a musical instrument with strings, has been featured in movies. Duh. Maybe the "leading man" threw them off. But really, how many comedians at that time had their own TV and radio shows?

@hhale

2 жыл бұрын

Arthur Godfrey, Groucho Marx, Jack Benny, Jack Webb (though certainly not a comedian...on purpose), J. Carrol Naish, Gale Gordon, among others. They seemed to think at one point it was Bob Hope, who was popular on radio and TV at the time as well.

Did Dorothy actually give Benny some money?!

@Beson-SE

9 жыл бұрын

Probably as a joke. Since he asked if he was being paid for the show.

@Nicolas-zb9uw

7 жыл бұрын

Since she is a brilliant woman ,she played the game .

@dinahbrown902

Жыл бұрын

Yep

Rev. Lella Dell Miller 1923-2002 RIP

Steve Allen asking about trouble with hair? Now that’s a laugh.

Dorothy picked up the clues on the jazz dummer in more than one type of instrument that had to be in the percussion area. And she figured it was Mr. Benny with the wife acting with him and he plays a string instrument. Who else could it possibly be! His long-running tv series plays on the AntennaTV network M-F at 6am and 6:30am CT, following George Burns and Gracie Allen's long-running series 5am and 5:30am.

Although I've long found Dorothy's hand-inspection undemocratic and awkward, I wonder whether part of her reason for doing it was to *reduce* awkwardness. When you've stepped out onto a television stage for the first time in your life, and you're being watched at that very instant by millions of people, and you've just shaken hands with a very famous person, and you've had to write and speak in front of that audience too, you may already be pretty nervous. Then, suddenly, you're asked to do a strange, staged walk in front of four more people you haven't met, very close to them, yet not introduce yourself or shake hands-and all four of them are rich and famous, too! When you get to the end of this, Dorothy, the gentlest of the bunch, suddenly addresses you kindly, politely, and asks you to do something easy, and gives you what may well be a calming touch, some human contact. Then she sweetly thanks you, without offering any negative opinion of your hands. Maybe, for many people, that little inspection by Dorothy was the best they'd felt so far in their first several seconds of a strange, nerve-racking experience, before they finally got to sit down behind a barrier . . . and endure a live TV close-up of their faces.

@tugginalong

Жыл бұрын

I always assumed she was looking for calloused hands but making someone feel comfortable is plausible.

@NoelleTakestheSky

9 ай бұрын

What would be undemocratic about it?

People used to have a very beautiful hand writing

It would be nice to have these on a website so that we can play along to guess the guest with no picture to spoil the game.

Funny memories

And so Dorothy digs down to ensure Mr. Benny does "get paid".

Great! But it took them unconscionably long to get Jack, didn't it.....

Including Hal Block as a panelist on WML was like throwing a monkey wrench into a well oiled machine.

@RadialSkid

6 ай бұрын

It's a shame...he obviously had a lot of comic talent, he just didn't seem to know when to reel it in. No sense of propriety.

It's a pity that in these first seasons in the early 50's they didn't interview the celebrity guests...such an opportunity lost...

@Lelski

Жыл бұрын

Because it’s boring

@robertholman8730

6 ай бұрын

Because WML not a talk show😊

The attractive female minister is believed to be a calculated move on the part of the producers to provoke the 'expected' hubba-hubba response from Hal Block so Gil Fates (the producer) would have all the more reason to fire him for inappropriate behaviour, which he did shortly after the airing of this episode.

Mary Tyler Moore said once Jack Benny told her to let everybody else get the laughs...it's your name they will remember. No self importance. Neither minded being the brunt of a joke.

@molarguy

2 жыл бұрын

P

Monologist. There’s a word you’d never hear now. People seemed much more intelligent back then. Gotta love Jack Benny. One of my favorite comedians of all time 👍

Today's KZread Rerun for 8/13/15: 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: kzread.info/dron/hPE75Fvvl1HmdAsO7Nzb8w.html

How do you hold a piano on your shoulder and between your chin?

I found this trivia interesting, it mentions this episode and hal block From IMDb: "The Paley Center for Media, with locations in midtown Manhattan and Beverly Hills, California, has a long interview with Franklin Heller, director of the CBS version of What's My Line, that was videotaped in 1987 and never telecast. Among his many revelations is the precise reason why regular panelist Hal Block disappeared from the series in 1953 and never again appeared on a quiz show or game show. Although Block's vulgar sense of humor caused his two-week suspension in January 1953, mail from viewers proved he still had thousands of admirers, and he had a substantial future with Goodson-Todman Productions, possibly on another of their shows, if only he had behaved himself during the What's My Line episode that aired live on February 8, 1953. According to Heller's videotaped statement, Block cheated while playing the game during the segment with female jazz drummer Mildred Landwehr from Trenton, New Jersey. One of the producers, Gil Fates, was standing very close to the soundstage and could see not only the panelists but also the studio audience members in the front row. He witnessed Block's sister, seated in the front row, pantomiming playing the drums. Heller said Hal Block obviously had conspired with his sister, arranging for her to sit in the front row for deceitful purposes. By this time, the less dignified I've Got A Secret was popular, and Block could have had a future on it or some other Goodson-Todman quiz show, but according to Franklin Heller, if anyone cheated, that was grounds for a permanent separation from the company. A 1978 book by Gil Fates reveals that Mark Goodson and Bill Todman instructed him to fire Hal Block. Fates makes no mention of the cheating or of Block's sister, but his explanation of why Block had to disappear is vague and does not contradict Heller's videotaped statement.."

@nicknicely6315

5 жыл бұрын

But that doesn't fit with the show here . Its Dorothy who gets the drummer answer . Block just repeats her assertion .

When hal Brock passes after saying male and female then saying who's left here we are in 2020 and that means something

@dinahbrown902

Жыл бұрын

Still just two sexes. More people, more confused souls 😢

@Kitskacat

9 ай бұрын

I noticed that too! Funny time capsule they would not have predicted back then!

@robertholman8730

6 ай бұрын

The DNA doesn't change, period!!😊

When the Jack Benny Show would go to the South of course Rochester (Eddie Anderson) was with them. Any Hotel that wouldn’t take Black people; they’d go to another Hotel. Just think about all the money those Hotels lost because of the segregated South.

@stevekru6518

3 жыл бұрын

Your calculation omits the loss of business from other customers which (unfortunately and sadly) would have occurred had Rochester been accommodated. Hoteliers weren’t the prime movers for segregation, society was.

Somebody tell us more about the jazz drummer! I'm fascinated, but everyone is talking about Jack Benny and occasionally about the minister or Hal.

Did Dorothy hand Jack Benny money when he was leaving?

I liked this episode, I know people tend not to like Hal Block but I like him in limited doses.

@TheProfessorpat

2 жыл бұрын

When he was not being crass or lecherous, Hal was actually funny.

@jerrylee8261

Жыл бұрын

@@TheProfessorpat Those moments were rare. As soon as the camera focused on him at the intros, he started digging in his ear. Ugh! Gross!

I realize my view of Mr. Hal Block, pertaining to this show alone, (because this is the only venue I’ve seen/heard him in) might be different from others, but, I do hope that this comment is taken with open minds and with the understanding that I’m not talking ill of the WML cast- - I’m just presenting what I’ve observed while watching the WML episodes, in order, and wondering if perhaps what I’ve noticed others may have as well. Or, am I completely wrong in what I’m seeing? 🤔🧐🤷‍♀️🙃 As you get to know the panelists of WML, it’s evident that each one has their own distinctive style and line of questing their guests. This being said, at times, Steve Allen’s questions/comments/comedy on this show seem to take a page from Hal Blocks, and the fact that Mr. Allen was/is more revered/liked than Mr Block, Mr. Allen’s comments and wit were more well received. WML writers seemed to know the show needed a ‘touch’ of crass for ratings, because whenever Mr. Block was absent from the panel (or even present), Mr. Cerf, Mr. Allen and/or other male guest panelists would take on Mr. Blocks direction of questioning and the occasional ‘crude’ comment and, as stated before, it was well received by all and with lightheartedness concerning any crudeness. From the episodes I’ve watched in these early years of the show, Steve Allen and other panelists take their questioning towards crudeness just as far as Hal Block. I recall Steve hinting that the product a guest made might be a pink negligee/nightie and other times a two piece bathing suit- getting him the same laughs from the audience that Hal Block would have received had he tiptoed precariously around the product in question as Steve Allen did. Before Hal’s two week vacation from WML, one of Hal’s more famous questions AND signature reactions to the audience reaction, ‘Would “I” enjoy/benefit/use your product/service?’, would always get a rise from the audience and Mr. Block would almost always look out to the audience and/or towards his fellow panelists with a quizzical expression on his face and a quick quip in the ready and seemed well received by the audience, Mr. Daly and his fellow panelists. When he returns from his vacation (what seems to be a few episodes before this one), the other panelists and Mr. Daly appear to be less amused with Hal’s everyday norm of jokes and questions. Steve Allen used Hal Blocks style of questioning during this episode (and others), which to me, seems a bit unfair to Hal as Allen is seated ahead of him in the panel lineup and, Allen was not given any flack for it. I understand that every now and again a panelist would ‘borrow’ a question from another, however, if the shows writers didn’t approve of Mr. Blocks signature style of questioning, you’d think the panel would be made aware of this and know that said questioning would be frowned upon. I also noticed that Mr. Daly didn’t seem annoyed with Mr. Block until a couple of episodes after that two week vacation Hal went on. Before then, Mr. Daly always had a genuine look of amusement when Mr. Block introduced him in the opening segment. I do agree that Mr. Block did take things too far at times (more so after his vacation). The ‘tomatoes’ comment he made, when Miss Leila Dell Miller made her walk past the panelists and back to Mr. Daly, in particular, was just very bad taste. Allowing the whistling from the audience, whenever they found a female guest pretty, could be considered bad taste as well. But- maybe that was the norm of those days- - however, I wonder if the females not getting the whistles would feel a little self conscious in those moments of silence while signing in. From what I gather, Mr. Block wrote comedy for a number of well known and loved comedians. Were those comedians acts crude as well? If so, why did the writers of WML hire Mr. Block knowing his type of comedy? I understand Mr. Blocks termination from the show may go beyond his comments on it and, sometimes it looked as if he purposefully crossed the line a few times to ensure his departure. 🤔🧐🤭🤷‍♀️ All this said, I do enjoy this show and I’m grateful for this channel and the time, care and commitment that is given to it. Many thanks. I was mainly wondering why Mr. Block was looked upon so differently than other male panelists when asking basically the same questions. I’m sure I’m missing something- 🧐 Be well, stay kind and blessings to all~ 🙏🏼

@stevekru6518

3 жыл бұрын

Grape, your points are well-founded; there are more similarities than most would acknowledge. The reason for Cerf’s and Allen’s popularity in spite of misogyny is similar to the Halo Effect: better looking or more popular people or people particularly good in one field tend to be perceived as being better, more virtuous, in all field. Studies have shown that in courts, better known lawyers and basketball players, respectively have more objections sustained and are penalized for traveling less than others. When teachers from elementary school up through college English are asked to grade essays, essays attributed to better looking students - let’s call them Arlenes - are given more A’s than essays attributed to the Dorothys, when in fact the essays were identical.

@robertholman8730

6 ай бұрын

I thought the same, and agree with you 💯 😊