Girdle Salesman--What's My Line

[calalilygirl]

Nine times out of 10 there probably were more than one. In this instance John did interfere appropriately though.

[calalilygirl]

This show was so hysterical at times!

[SOLE2SOUL]

7 pages of comments and no one has mentioned how cute the guest is? He's adorable!

[blueticecho]

Back in time people didn't a Tv in every room like today and I was to be in my bed by 8:00 on Sunday nites. But my dear Mother knew that I loved this show and would open my bed room door half way to our front room so I could watch this great show.Now that the two of them are long gone these WML videos mean so much. Thanks for the post !

[5star555555555]

geographically speaking (hehehehehehe)

would this product be worn more in chicago? (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA)

[SoaringTrumpet]

Easily the funniest non-celebrity WML I've ever seen. "Will you withdraw that question now!"

[bethl117]

If looks could kill at 5:15 Dorothy gives John a dandy look. This is so funny. It would have been fun to be there when all these things were said

[calalilygirl]

Just let the guest answer.

[calalilygirl]

I love when the guy says 'oh yes' to Peter when he asks if there could be more than one of them. But of course he is corrected by John.

[calalilygirl]

Daly should have let the guests answer on their own first and then jumped in IF he felt they may be wrong. 9 times out of 10 I found that the guests were right in their initial answering. After all they knew their product. Sometimes John interfered inappropriately before they had a chance to answer.

[calalilygirl]

Daly REALLY did get way too literal in this one

[irvingklaw57]

"Is it enjoyed?"

It's funny how all the men answer yes. If they only knew...

[emfahel]

In those days just about every woman wore a girdle, whether she needed it or not. I did and was skinny as a rail.

[calalilygirl]

@emfahel My mother told me that too, but she thought wearing one kept peoples shapes intact. She wasn't heavy either.

[neborac]

"Will you withdraw that question now, Mr. Cerf?!" XD

[TheBevanbevanbevan]

@neborac gggy

[nurula007]

peter lind hayes has really nice eyes. i know u can't really tell cuz its black and white but if you look closely u can kinda see

[RisingEdge111]

What's a girdle?

[CarlyIsAGangster]

There is something about Bennet Cerf's voice that I LOVE!

&& Arlene is soo funny, and attractive.

This was a cute episode.

[calalilygirl]

Arlene had a very thin, slim body. She probably never needed to wear a girdle.

[calalilygirl]

Dorothy looks at her best here.

[khtx]

Funny. When I first watched this I didn´t know (could´nt translate) what a girdle is. I first thought its a belt and I did´nt understand whats so funny about it.

So I was confused like the panel about this subject...

[calalilygirl]

You must be very young dear!

[khtx]

LOL I´m not. English is just not my native language!

[calalilygirl]

Watch the diaper episode 1957---that's funny too.

[oki1213]

it is my objective in life to someday be as elocuent and at the same time confusing as mr Daly... this clip is one of my favourites :)

[hankaaron1961]

When Daly says he's salaried, does that mean that the contestant's job pay is salaried as opposed to by the hour?

[calalilygirl]

yes

[mzkittymeow79]

that was hilarious!! i just want to watch it over and over lol.. thanks so much for posting!

[Eflatmajor09]

It's funny, something like this could never be done today because it wouldn't work at all, because talking about girdles isn't an 'embarrassing' thing like it was back then... it's just so funny, and at the same time, classy. :))

[calalilygirl]

@Eflatmajor09 True....for me it's the nostalgic element that really adds to these clips along with the great people we see from long ago.

[calalilygirl]

Bennett liked to ask that ALIVE question a lot

[GEVMM]

'Mr Cerf, would you withdraw that question now!'

[terrryc]

What made this show so great was that it could be entertaining to just about anybody. If you chose NOT to see the occupation of the contestant, you could guess along with the panel. Or, you could be entertained by the way the panel solved the mystery if you KNEW the answer. Either way, the show was greatly entertaining....

[26mae1987]

you can hear arene's laugh (chuckle) when he asked 'could are two beautiful ladies'' and told to stop there! lol and than 'bennett i dont wear one!'' lol so funny

[cattleman6420012000]

Really great!!

[13loomisst]

Good fun. Thanks very much.

[Imthecuteone]

I loveeee Dorothy's glare at John when she gets a no answer..lmao

[adrian993]

Dorothy played to win, and it shows BIG TIME. Still, nothing wrong with playing to win. Apparently that's why Arlene Frances was added to the show--to balance it out--cold and warm, as it were. And it DOES work...Love both of them for different reasons.

[calalilygirl]

@adrian993 It's true the show really needed both of them. When Dorothy was gone the loss was felt.

[TheLights045]

Haha, this is probably the funniest WML ever!

"I know you can make sling shots out of them..." HA!! I remember the same thing, being a kid.

[historychic]

LOL, "Bennett, I don't wear one!"

I just love Arlene and Dorothy - such classy ladies. Dorothy had that marvelous, sophisticated withering "glare" that she occasionally shot at John (or, on occasion, the audience) and Arlene had such a talent for double entendres - comedians today could certainly stand to learn a from her.

[Muffy2314]

Dorothy was classy--Arlene too. Well said

[Waldo99]

Great clip, but the description of the video is incorrect. The gentleman guest was a girdle designer, not a girdle salesman as noted in the description.

[Muffy2314]

you're right- i noticed that too. funny clip though.

[Muffy2314]

Arlene of course. Who else? Just listen to that great laugh.

[martinimerlin]

You're right - such a great laugh and a great lady sadly lost to Alzheimers.

[calalilygirl]

@martinimerlin I know very unfair

[KarinPluss]

This is simply hillarious, so many great moments, looks, comments, explainations etc etc. Arlene is so funny in this, even more so than usual. John Daly cute, gentlemanly and well-spoken, as always.

Thanks so much for posting, I keep laughing myself silly at this clip!

[SueBeaWho]

I always that Dorothy looked like a pretty little china doll. And i think Arlene had sex-appeal. I just re-read my earlier comment from a month ago - it makes me sound like I was angry - I wasn't, I just trying to be emphatic. Soulier always has good informative comments. But I see lot of ppl agreed with me. :-)

[LewAyres]

I don't think the original windbag comment was meant to be at all insulting. Note he said "magnificently" windbag explanations, and I agree. Daly certainly was verbose, but it was deliberate. Brilliantly entertaining exercises in paraphrasis.

[Muffy2314]

would also like to add that Arlene spoke eloquently as well.

[UofLCardFan08]

5:02-5:14 then Dorothy gives the evil eye

[Imthecuteone]

just an off topic comment anyway, i usually find boards saying how unattractive Dorothy is and that they mention her having no chin. But,i think she was a pretty lady overall, and her hair and makeup is done nicely. and to me, i believe people mistaken her of having no chin or small chin because she doesn't have a longer jaw line. when the camera stays on her long enough you can see as she turns her head and smiles that she doesn't have a more pronounced jaw line.

[Muffy2314]

Agree with you. it was good of you to make that insightful comment on her-for me i find her looks grew on me and the more you see her she gets prettier looking each time. some people have that kind of a look-nice looking but not in the obvious way. she did always make a nice well-groomed appearance with hair and make-up. i will take note of her profile when she turns. also on a note of my own she was always so well-spoken in her speech that it definitely added to her appearance.

[calalilygirl]

@Imthecuteone Dorothy really does look very pretty in this one.

[UofLCardFan08]

Hey, this aried on my birthday...but 34 years beforehand.

[Imthecuteone]

haha this aired the day BEFORE my b-day but 24 years beforehand, how funny!

[26mae1987]

that was my nan's birthday too!!! but my nan woulda been about 24 when this was aired x

[Muffy2314]

Definitely one of the funniest Whats My Lines.

[Cris43130]

Arlene Francis got away with more suggestive material by her careful use of double entendre than Howard Stern could ever say with his blunt style and it was so much more entertaining because you had to analyze her words to get the meaning.

[Muffy2314]

Agreed, Arlene was great, she had great sense of humor and was really nice too-she balanced Dorothy Kilgallen and together they were great.

[Muffy2314]

Someone described her as having a wicked sense of humor. She really did. She was a real cool cookie-a legend before her time. Unforgettable.

[calalilygirl]

Wonderful comment and it's true.

[wschmrdr]

@Cris43130 'Twas also acceptable; she had no idea what it was.

[SueBeaWho]

John Daly is NOT a windbag. His clarifications are GENIOUS! He get's to the point without giving it away. I think that takes great skill. Plus he is adorable :-)

[Muffy2314]

Agree, John Daly was precise and excellent at his job. i thought he was great.

[soulierinvestments]

Thanx for posting this landmark clip. This has just about everything in it that makes WML great--

John Daly's magnificently windbag literalness in making simple clarifications.

Dorothy Kilgallen combativeness

Peter Lind Hayes lost in space

[Muffy2314]

Agree, great clip for every reason you stated. It had it all. i love this segment!

[calalilygirl]

@soulierinvestments And the lovely and classic humor of Arlene. Loved the Kilgallen combativeness comment. True Dorothy really added a lot with that combativeness when it came out.

[ClassicFilmFan]

Brilliant. :D

The 'best of' clip made me curious about the whole episode - so thanks very much for posting!

[cottagechskitty]

Yep. it's my favorite segment. Love that Bennett just HAS TO KNOW! :) He was a delightful one. Just no shame. I think we all wish we could live life like that.