Sophie Tucker on 'What's My Line' (1957)

[WiskeyDickBomber]

These were the best game shows ever

[graperonto]

I'd love to know what Dorothy said to her at the end when they were shaking hands. Likely apologizing for thinking she was a man. Dorothy just couldn't accept that it was a woman speaking.

[andy957]

Priceless.

[AdamMichaelMercer]

Did they all stand for Judy Garland?

[graperonto]

Add another to the list where the women panelists rose to shake hands. I think I'm up to almost 10 now.

[horarwgt]

Russian-born Sophie Tucker was one of vaudeville's greatest stars -- with 21 hits between 1910 and 1937. The theme song of "The Last of the Red-Hot Mamas" was "Some Of These Days," which was a #1 hit and a milliojn-seller in 1927.

[ClarasBeau]

This has GOT to be one of the most enjoyable WML clips... I love it!... Jeez, i wish they'd bring this show back! Everybody would LOVE it!!... Wouldn't YOU?!...

[thejonquil]

This, thanks to YouTube, fills in a great gap in my education. What a hoot and oh so precious!

[john44122]

I saw this show in 1957. I was 11 years old. I would watch TV with my parents and we always liked 'What's My Line?' At that time, I didn't realize who Sophie Tucker was. In 1966, I remember Dad telling us that 'That the last of the red hot mamas' had died. Once I heard recordings she made, I became her greatest admirer. Sophie Tucker was the best of her time. I regret that I was never able to meet her and tell her so.

[nostalgiajunkie70]

I watched the Beatles performance and did some looking and discovered that Sophie had been one of the entertainers for The Royal Variety Performance the year before in 1962. Bob Hope was there too! So I bet she or someone there used the joke and since it was televised, maybe Paul had seen it or someone else told him to say it. I also noticed she used a similar joke in a version of My Yiddishe Momme sung by Patti Page. I would assume that this show would not have been televised there.

[ClarasBeau]

This clip is a "Do That" to bring this show back! ... Can you IMAGINE?!... I love it!... Don't you?

[ronguell]

One of the panalists in this video asks, after establishing the guest is a famous female entertainer singer, "Are you a group?". The Beatles must have seen this show before the Royal Variety Performance where Pauls says that "Till There Was You" has also been performed by their favorite American group, Sophie Tucker.

[VTMCompany]

this one scared me as a kid...i couldn't fathom a lady making sounds like she...

[Gllsubm]

Thanks so much for sharing! Sophie looks gorgeous! I'm happy to have several of her classic record alblums.Belle Barth dressed beautifully like Sophie.

[louswire]

Are you a group?... LOL

[spagandtuna]

Now that is a star.

[marythebabynurse]

This was priceless. I remember watching Sophie Tucker on the Ed Sullivan Show when I was a little girl and being totally mesmerized by her. What a presence, what a voice, and what a lady!

[MANUELFARINELLI]

Can anyone tell me if there is a relation between Dorothy´s mistake when she asked "Are you a group? and afterwards Paul McArtney said "This song was sung by our favourite American group Sophie Tucker".. I can tell that there is a relation with this comic episode in What´s my line.

[Justtc]

@MANUELFARINELLI You know, I am going to google that and see if your on to something. Or maybe it is an honest mistake.. kinda like when someone ask "Which one's PINK?".. lol

Now you got me curious.

Doesn't just seeing her bring you a warm, comfy feeling? I love her work, and take her advice to heart more then once. When I found out that my old man was cheating on me a 2nd time, I heard Sophie remind me before to "never let the same dog bite you twice." But I had. She was right...

[MANUELFARINELLI]

@Justtc Thank you so much for sharing your great experience with a great star like Miss Sophie Tucker, I really appreciate the phrase "never let the same dog bite you twice" :) very clever! Take care!!

[TheLousyCafe1960]

One of the funniest WML episodes ever!

[carpentermanuel]

Very funny ... more in the question .. are you a group???LOL

[FamousBirthdays]

An error occured. please try later is all im getting!! Im viewing or trying to view in the UK!! Anyone!!?

[CarlyIsAGangster]

Sophie is soo funny!!

Freaking Love Her!

[sonjaxfactor]

how did arlene guess that.

[CarlyIsAGangster]

@sonjaxfactor Because she's amazing!

:]

[regent260]

Does anyone know what happened to the Sophie Tucker clip from the Ed Sullivan show? It was on here but seems to have disappeared.

[chucknyc123]

I hate to think of the day when people will not know who she was. On the sad day when Paul Newman died and I told my nephew, who is 21, he said, 'Who?' At least Bette Midler gives her a lot of credit in her Las Vegas act, and she lives on courtesy of YouTube now.

[darkwood777]

Who is Bette Midler?

/j

[perfectjazz78]

"From birth to age eighteen, a girl needs good parents. From eighteen to thirty-five she needs good looks. From thirty-five to fifty-five, she needs a good personality. From fifty-five on, she needs good cash."

- Sophie Tucker

[Brighteyes1ful]

@perfectjazz78 WHY? does she need money at fifty-five on?

[aalrl]

Must be one of the only times the panel never says the guest's name. These are so much fun!

[iffnya]

Buster Keaton and Helen Hayes were and are legends, yes, but Soph was active in the entertainment industry for almost a decade before either of them, and had more popular affection. At least from what I can gather. Two were dead long before I was born, and Helen Hayes stopped working when I was 6.

[rstephen52]

Watching this clip was a real catharsis for me. I know a professional drag queen, older and chubbier than most, who claims that "her" inspiration was Sophie Tucker, "Last of the Red Hot Mamas." I can see now what "she" meant. Both are dead ringers for eachother. Thanks for sharing!

[gdw1910]

Wonderful and hilarious. Sophie is a real piece of Americana.

May she live forever!!

[1borito]

The hilarity was unsurpassed. With all due respect, I don't see how why the ladies would stand to greet Miss Tucker, when they would remain seated for legends like Buster Keaton and Helen Hayes.

[calihartley2010]

@1borito They stood when Helen Hayes appeared for the second time on the show.

[RobertDominkovic]

She ROCKS !!!

00:35 - YES !

[sharonmcn]

Thanks for the posting. I wrote and starred in a musical re: Sophie's life, and it's always nice to see her "live". Nice surprise.

[Imthecuteone]

hahah Arlene's laugh at the end when she knows who it is..lol

[PatinPDXOR]

They also stood for Bishop Sheen when he was the Mystery Guest as well. Absolutely delightful and hysterical spot. Always enjoyed Sophie Tucker, thank you for posting it.

[spoonido]

Gotta love her! Thanks for posting.

[gottamatch]

This is one of the funniest famous WML contestants I've seen. Hilarious stuff.. Dorothy's confusion is priceless lol

[Cris43130]

Could this have been the inspiration for that famous John Lennon ad lib, "My favorite signing group is Sophie Tucker?" (And forgive me if that was one of Paul McCartney's rare bon mots.)

[pintpot]

Actually, it WAS McCartney :)

[rolfh]

Yes, certainly this must be the genesis of Paul's confusing little joke. Beatles trivia!!

[shishilala]

rolfh - Exactly what I was thinking, this little 'group' joke was obviously where Paul's line came from! :)

[VonCringe]

I was hoping someone would post this episode after seeing a small snippet of it on the Best Of video awhile back. Thanks for posting.

[soulierinvestments]

Oh that's right, I forgot Fates used a clip of this as part of WML at 25" -- and not even the funniest bits either.

[soulierinvestments]

Thanx for posting this landmark: a favorite WML episode! R Q Lewis was hot that night -- he spotted Sophie and identified a pretty female rural Idaho mink trapper. (No kiddin') Dorothy is so wonderfully out to sea; rarely do we hear an audience howl with glee at a perfectly serious DK question. And to see Sophie Tucker on live TV, a talent worth her weight in platnum. She worked/sang right up to the end in what? 1965? Note the entire panel stands to greet her. They SHOULD, too. Thanx.

[karlakor]

Yes, it is unusual that the entire panel stands up to greet Sophie Tucker. I have known that to happen only three times on the clips I have seen here on YouTube. They all stood for Eleanor Roosevelt, Frank Lloyd Wright, and now Sophie Tucker, all of whom deserved the show of respect.

[graperonto]

ANd for Bishop Sheen, and for when a nun was a contestant... I think I've counted at least six now.

[Tasgaro]

@karlakor

The panel also stood up for Bishop Fulton J.Sheen and James Killgallen (Dorothy's father)

[Thorneycroft1937]

@karlakor I have also seen clips where they stodd up for Maurice Chevalier and Jimmy Durante.

[gabsylv]

@karlakor i think they did so because theytfelt bad about the questions....

[tamerlano]

@karlakor I believe they all stand for Marian Anderson as well.

[calihartley2010]

@karlakor They also stood for the nun who was a dentist and for Bishop Fulton J Sheen. Those were the days when class had respect.

[Dirkdebruyne]

@karlakor they also stood for Ethel Barrymore

[bhamdodger]

This is one of the funniest ones I've seen.

Thanks for uploading it.