What's my Line? Edward R Murrow

[Hardryv]

I wasn't the one who made the comparison originally, but I do agree with it. You're of course free to make your own decisions.

[staytunedfor]

Read "Due to Circumstances Beyond Our Control..." by Murrow's "See It Now" producer and former CBS News president Fred W. Friendly about the increasing economic pressures from the network that eventually killed "See It Now" and how they started adversely affecting network television journalism even in the 1960's. Friendly's book was essentially a warning about what television journalism has become.

[Ishygog]

"Do a lot of people see you in whatever your job is?" "I hope so!!"

[delightfulstar]

12/7/52. Murrow was undoubtedly the best in the business, though I would also certainly put Daly and Cronkite in that upper echelon of "newsmen" as well. Murrow was almost never without a cigarette, and was certainly not the only MG who lit up...I remember many others puffing away in that seat; in the earliest days of the show, John and the panel smoked on camera as well. The times were different....

[Hardryv]

There will only ever be one Ed Murrow, but I still consider it an honor and a privilege to have witnessed the entire MSNBC career of his modern spiritual successor -- Keith Olbermann.

[tallpaul521]

@Hardryv You must be joking.

[iown813]

@Hardryv Olbermann is a partisan hack and vile bomb thrower

[Hardryv]

@iown813 He is partisan, and he does throw bombs... however he's mostly right too. Also unlike the other side of his positions his accounts all have a basis in reality. Murrow came form a time when op-ed reporting was neither invited nor acceptable, but I'm confident their politics would have also been similar..

[Andoy1]

The people on TV in those days were classy - just the opposite today

[Astoriaguy23]

Even here Mr. Murrow could not resist lighting up. The addiction to tobacco is that virulent.

[uofjim]

Was the memorial ever created in NYC?

[jimaroo100]

What a voice Mr Murrow had.

[jimaroo100]

What a voice. He could read the phone book and it would sound good and intersting.

[207nkf]

Don't think I've ever seen Bennett Ceft in a postion other than at the end of the panel!!!

[jslasher1]

Note the smoking. I can't recall any other contestant on WML puffing away. Murrow died of lung cancer.

[berezin99]

If you watch old TV shows from the 50's here in Canada and in the US you can see a very British influence as far as using proper English and impecible manners.

[jslasher1]

@berezin99 Also, many Yanks [ie. Americans] spoke in what was referred to by vocal coaches as 'a middle Atlantic accent'. That, unfortunately, is not the case today.

[frank47hammer]

@jslasher1 This is still the case today. All major programs have to be spoken in that accent, especially news and major TV programs. It may not be expressed literately or perfectly grammatical, which is what I think you mean, but the accent is still there. Even in the South, this standard accent is spoken. An anchor news person can't have a Southern accent, or any other accent, anywhere in this country. The mid-atlantic accent is our national accent; like our King's English.

[jjm31usa]

Very interesting how Mr. Murrow goes from looking a little bit out of his element during the questioning (example 2:06-2:15) but then quickly and wonderfully coming into his own at the end of this segment as he so eloquently begins to describe a simple cause he believes in (6:17). A gifted man that is so much missed in so many ways in today's media.

[jslasher1]

@jjm31usa Murrow was just brilliant. How very sad that the 'ciggies' got the better of him.

[VinylToVideo]

One thing I noticed about this show is that I've never seen anyone smoke on it which is very unusual for the years these episodes are from. I actually searched for Murrow as a mystery guest just to see if he had a smoke during his appearance; I would of been surprised if he hadn't.

[idle44]

Edward Murrow is still heard in War museums in the UK. He lives on and is still revered for what he did.

[kurtjk01]

Mr. Murrow is turning in his grave over what "journalism" has become.

[MedicDoc101]

@kurtjk01 Why?

[kurtjk01]

@MedicDoc101 Because just about everything he warned that could happen to journalism -- in particular, broadcast journalism -- has come to pass: style over substance; opinion disguised as fact, bias, etc., etc. Murrow was kind of like 'Dragnet': "Just the facts." He would be appalled at how low the media he helped to invent has sunk.

[QuietusSnape]

such a classy man, we need more Murrow's in this world

[Jantv81]

If you haven't already... watch George Clooney's "Good Night and Good Luck."

[stevevandien]

What a delightful demonstration of Murrow's sense of humor:) --

[Joemurph10]

Was that memorial ever built?

[JESmedley]

"...more fortunate or less courageous..."

Where is my generation's Mr. Murrow?

[forloveoffilm]

@JESmedley 8pm MSNBC in the name of Keith Olbermann.

[spagandtuna]

@forloveoffilm Yes, Obermann would definitely be in the class of a class less individual one would NOT want to see on WML. No way, no how. He is a tactless disrespectful SOB, an arch enemy of what was desirable on WML.

[MagikalKraker]

is it just me or does anyone else feel all entranced when Edward starts speaking?

[JubalCalif]

Very sad that cancer took the intelligent, thoughtful & articulate Mr Murrow away from us too soon.....it was no doubt due to in part to his very heavy smoking. In fact, in all the Whats My Line clips I've seen here at youtube, he's the first mystery guest I've seen that is seen lighting a cigarette & then smoking it. He was one of the GIANTS of mass media journalism. THANKS for sharing this informative & stimulating clip with us!

[KiryahLove92]

My school's namesake is such a great person.

[nixthetiger]

The second Murrow addressed the panel, I was spellbound. Before that, I was impressed with his humanity, smiling as the panel tried to guess his identity. These WML clips are pieces of TV history; maybe history in general, and I think Edward R. Murrow was a genuinely great man.

[deanaugust]

amazing, he lights up a cigarette on tv, you would never see that nowadays.

'

he must have been a heavy smoker., think lots of people were then.

[nilviod45]

So heavy that died from cancer :S

[BreakerdeGodot]

Apparently he smoked about 50-60 A DAY. So yeah, he was definitely a heavy smoker.

[LazlosPlane]

Great seeing him laugh.

[franklindavid]

Great Journalist! A pioneer of TV broadcasting.

[proken58]

Murrow WAS in show business! His Person To Person show was more entertainment than news.

[dcbandnerd]

Where are the Murrow's for my generation? :-(

[LazlosPlane]

They're driving cabs, sadly.

[dcbandnerd]

They're sure not on T.V.

This is the guy I'm looking to. I'm a journalism student right now and I want to go out into the field when I'm done. When someone asks me who my greatest influence is, I'll point them towards Murrow. He was, is, and always will be THE greatest.

[ThisGuysRetarded]

That woman was extremely intelligent, well done.

[boiledelephant]

It's amazing how much more intellectual and eloquent even the most average daytime shows used to be. It irritates me that this level of language and dialogue is now restricted to elitist debating situations and political arenas.

[Lennon4life1968]

@boiledelephant ..sadly you are right. My belief is that its an unfortunate result of televisions ravenous infatuation with the 18 to 24 demographic ( or its underestimation of the intellectual capacity of said demograhic ).

[Reggie1971]

@boiledelephant Unfortunately in modern times there is a prevelant attitude that

in order for something to be entertaining it has to be salacious. Nothing could be further from the truth. A show like "What's my line" could be done today, be suitable for family viewing, and could be very entertaining to adults. I also think that it would be successful.

[boiledelephant]

@Reggie1971 It could be, but it would never be approved. Marketing experts go by raw viewer turnout and the fastest and easiest ways to do that are the coarse, lowest common denominators. Even if they're not as fulfilled or entertained by something in the long term, people will watch it if it's gratifying and attention-grabbing. This has caused a downward spiral of increasing stupidity in TV and film.

It reached its most cavernous depth so far with the Transformers films.

[jhr459]

@Reggie1971 - After I stumbled onto these videos, I thought the same thing and I would watch religiously.

[jhr459]

@boiledelephant - Babel Fish needs to make a new software program - English to American Teenager

[ipmoic]

Pretty shoulders Arlene!

Her best feature, I think.

Murrow was a voracious newsman with a great voice and a winning personality.

[eheaven3]

Mr. Murrow, on behalf of my generation, thank you for standing up to that big bully McCarthy. Wish you were still around to take on the Limbaughs and Palins of today. Is there anyone around today with your voice, your pen, your keen sense of fairness?

[ciroalb3]

so sad to see him with the cigarette, died of lung cancer at 57

[Dyrsen]

Somewhat yes. But those were the times...

[mca1218]

Four words: Leave it to Arlene.

My girl always pulls these out of the sky. And what a great smile and wit Mr. Murrow had- only to go back into that fabulous voice and steely gaze into the camera lens at the end. The beginning of true journalism, as it were.

[rinsedpie]

Excellent posting NorbertR33

[hourlynewscaster]

For we in the Baby Boom generation it IS horribly sad that there IS no news on radio or TV, unless you want to know the latest on the Michael Jackson death. I was with UPI (United Press International) for 20 years and was never once told what to write or how to present it. Those days are over. Broadcast news is driving by ratings. Watching Ed Murrow's old shows is a real breath of fresh air. Thanks for posting this. And, remember, don't believe anything you read nowadays. Dennis

[illadrobici]

Don't forget - John Charles Daly - the host of What's My Line? was in the same category, and will always be remembered as a first-class journalist.

[masterdeviance1985]

With Cronkite's recent death, the era of responsible journalism has come to a close. Very sad.

[blueblazer68]

Did that correspondents memorial ever get built? This is the first I have heard of it, but Edward R. Murrow we all loved and respected.

[HowardOfOz3565]

damn has the news just disentagrated into pure crap since these legendary days.....Where are the Edward R

Murrow's today? They couldn't make it. Too much class, integrity, and statesmanship....

[AlexKing666]

I honestly think the closest we can get today is someone like Jon Stewart, sadly. I say "sadly", because Jon is a comedian, not a journalist, but he's easily one of the best journalists out there right now.

[HowardOfOz3565]

I would suggest someone more along the lines of John Stossel than Jon Stewart

[Cris43130]

Yep, that' Murrow all right, recognized him as soon as he lit that cigarette.

[jimmysudar]

a show known for its class and sophistication achieved even more with guests like murrow. a pleasure to watch.

[prchristman]

A man of such eloquence, and unscripted eloquence. As demonstrated in his appeal at the end.

Edward R. Murrow had the idea, long before the rest of us, of the educational potential of the medium of television. He fought all of his life to elevate that medium, and hence the rest of us. Collections of his radio and TV commentaries preserved in books are must-reads. They still have a lot to say to Americans in 2009.

[prchristman]

Shades of the last What's My Line in 1967: Hal Block's "Maybe it's John Daly."

[soulierinvestments]

Late 1952. Hal Block on the panel. Funny Man!

Murrow -- Great voice, Great turns of phrases. Katie Couric try and top THAT.

Supposedly Daly felt unhappy that TV audiences preferred WML to ABC Evening News; Murrow felt unhappy that TV audiences preferred "Person to Person" with the star interviews to the documentary program "See it Now." Well, it wasn't THEIR fault audiences preferred entertainment, but both WML and "Person to Person" were quite educational in their ways. Thanx.

[lytrigian]

Katie Couric isn't even worthy to inhale his second-hand cigarette smoke.

I get my news mostly from radio, and she does this "Katie Couric's Notebook" segment every day. It's amazing how someone could sit in her position and yet be so shallow and vapid in her commentary.

[60sThru80s]

lytrigian, well said.

I live in the New York metro area and I've noticed something: in the last few years many news stations, both national and local NYC, have been reaching anniversary milestones and they air specials commemorating it. But they are "front loaded" in the sense that they spend very little time showing thier OLDER material.

It is not because it is unavailable. It is because they are embarrassed at its high quality as compared with today.

[60sThru80s]

On YouTube you can see many examples. 20 years ago, networks aired a 90 second "News Update" around 9 p.m.

There is more solid global, serious, adult, non-celebrity, non-lurid crime trial NEWS in those 90 seconds than you could get today if you spent 24 hours watching ANY of the cable news networks.

A viewer of those old 90 second spots would be seriously informed of the news of the world. Watching 24-hr cable news today would seriously make a person dumber than before they started watching.

[lytrigian]

Thank you -- it seems a Couric fan has taken exception to my criticism.

It's true what you say. There's so much substantive news that could be reported, but broadcast journalism spends so much time on faux-balanced viewpoints and other garbage we get little of it. And then they make the excuse that they can't report on every important issue because of limited time.

It used to be that a news outfit like CBS went for quality first, as their duty to the public, and ratings be damned. No more.

[Richcelt]

Sadly there is no one today who could wield such journalistic authority that everyone would take his/her words for the truth. When Murrow called out McCarthy, everyone, Republicans and Democrats, saw the truth in Murrow's words and McCarthy was soon finished.

No one has that power now. Especially in the political arena, if a journalist were to report the facts, whichever side the facts supported would praise it, and the other side would condemn it, and nothing would get done.

[Richcelt]

Now equal time is given to both sides, and that shouldn't be done. If the facts happen to support one party's platform, the opposition shouldn't be allowed to go on TV and spew their views, which would obviously be lies told to counter the facts. Yet this is what happens all the time. "Equal Time" does not, and should not, count in the realm of NEWS. Ed Murrow is probably rolling in his grave due to today's so-called journalists.

[lytrigian]

Yes, exactly. If today's journalists don't have his authority, it's because they have neither his journalistic judgment nor his ethics and integrity. They're not even minimally competent.

[Orsley]

@Richcelt - I think Murrow could never have imagined that a huge media corporation with a political agenda would find a way to dress up lies to look exactly like the truth, simply by calling it "news." That they should employ the slogan "Fair and Balanced" to describe their lies, using words contained in the defunct Fairness Doctrine (repealed by Reagan's FCC), turns tragedy into high comedy. The recent American experience seems to have dreamed up by Kafka. Murrow, one imagines, is not smiling.

[soulierinvestments]

Both Murrow and Daly worked in CBS Radio News in the 1930s and 1940s. Daly did the first bulletins reporting the attack of Pearl Harbor (Dec. 1941) and the death of President Roosevelt (April 1945). Morrow did all those famous radio reports in Europe during World War II (1939 - 1945). His radio report describing the atrocities of Buckenwald is still haircurling to listen to. And what modern radio network would broadcast something that was 31 minutes long without complaining?

[bitterchew]

Murrow reportedly smoked around 60 cigarrettes a day

[soulierinvestments]

And if he hadn't, he would have still been around to take on Presidents Johnson and Nixon, to say nothing of Brezhnev and all those despots in Vietnam. That would have been something to behold.

[weatdamal]

Thank you!