Whats my line? - Nat King Cole

[dangraphic]

LEGEND!!!

[TheJubi91]

from that mmhhhmm you just know it's him!

[woah455]

I am so ashamed that Blacks were always treated as second-class citizens (even to this day)! Only in America, can a person have a different water fountain, bathroom, restaurant, etc. just because of his skin color. It's nice to see they did not treat him any different here...but he's also a celebrity. What about regular black people during that time?? :(

[Hootowl54]

I am an old rock and roller from the 60s and 70s but I have to say Nat King Cole along with Andy Williams have the greatest voices in history. (My humble opinion) :-)

[grandexandi]

wow thats a great smiling face

[whirlyfan]

makes good christmas album nat very smooth

[jakehrizn]

@manwithouthat44 no because he asks if its gordon macrae

[manwithouthat44]

when the lady asks "is there something about our guests voice besides from the fact that its famileir as so many of our guests' voices are that would be a tip-off" and nat answers "yes". What is that about. Do they mean the fact that hes a "negro" and that they could hear that from his voice ??

[Lee05211]

@manwithouthat44 What are you talking about?Some guests had voices that were more recognizable and others not so much. It is nothing to do with his race! How the hell could they guess he was black from a whistle?

[phtevlin]

What has struck me is the total courtesy that all the members of the panel routinely extended to the "colored" guests back then. Equal treatment wasn't a known quality for television in the 1950-60's; What's My Line was way ahead of its time.

[captainpanic08]

@phtevlin It is warming. I think the arts has always cared less about race though, generally speaking. I guess that's at least in part because any human is capable of great artistic talent.

[Lee05211]

@phtevlin so you assume that all whites are racist? The civil right's movement was starting at that time....funded and supported by whites.

[gyrene1966]

Was Nat from the islands, I wonder;

[Patequi]

The islands? no, Nathaniel was born in Alabama and raised in Chicago.

[1summero]

I love watching these clips Nat was an awesome singer

[marknolan5553]

Yes, our past is ugly. And of course we all now that the United States is the only country with an ugly past. Or some here would have you believe...

[FireStar32005]

What a fun show. :D

[jmrleroy]

@djAmericantoast178 Yes, they would have bought his records but not allowed him to be in the same restaurant. In the late 1950's, I had a friend who traveled with Sam Cook when he toured the south. Sam was not allowed to be served in the restaurant. This friend- a support staff- would have to go in and pick up the food and bring it to their bus.

[gregory4668]

If Nat was so loved by southern "Whites" why did his show was canned for lackof support!

[amexred]

The ladies on the panel are so intuitive. They are almost always breaking down who the person is.

[TheAwakenedHeretic]

@amexred women are good at that sort of thing.

[Dodmen1]

My left ear love this.

[Kingofcorrect]

Arlene has eyes on her mask, lol

[nickelwindow53]

This was the 1950s how did a black man get on a show like this? I bet they didnt even air this episode in the South.

[pianofroglady]

@nickelwindow53

Shut up. Don't show your ass on something enjoyable. Black or White good music was enjoyed. Even the south happily supported negro musicians.

[nickelwindow53]

@pianofroglady I was born in rasied in Mississippi still live there today and with the attitudes of Whties I was just suprised.

[playboatify]

Nat was the epitome of class, he never brought up fact thet Sinatra appropriated arranger Nelson riddle from Nat in early 50's Capitol days. From Riddle's bio September in the Rain

[leahblashful]

He had such a beautiful voice. It could bring tears to my eyes!

[Eli3459]

@leahblashful if you think that then watch this /watch?v=1GVKbhYrcGM (add it onto the youtube address)

[leahblashful]

Everyone had such beautiful penmanship! 

[dbmrhi]

Every time I see Nat "King" Cole I'm reminded of him and Stubby Kaye in Cat Ballou. What a great movie.

[MsSarjen]

@dbmrhi Yeah, same here. I love that film!

[MoiselSpecky]

DOES ANY BODY KNOW WHO HIS WIFE IS/WAS?... AND IS SHE THE MAMA OF NATALIE COLE? TY

[Eli3459]

@MoiselSpecky his wife was Maria Ellington and I believe she is still alive, although information on her has been restricted, and yes she is the mother of natalie cole

[dennyolver2]

He was a most gifted vocalist!

[tutus4life]

the sweetest man who ever lived was Nat King Cole

[TreesOfBaylor]

Even from the humm you can tell who he is.

[mrspivvy]

oh, come on! they would have gotten it straight away if he'd spoken!

[DerAdventurer]

This is priceless! One marvellous voice with such a great sense of humour!

[tommiexander]

@digztytwo

I know that things were bad for Black people back then, but Black people were allowed to speak on T.V. Where did you get that nonsense from? He wasn't talking because he didn't want the panel to recognize his voice, fool. You need to know the events of your history if you are Black before you post comments like this that make you look like a dummy. And if you are White, then you are excused, because you are just plain old ignorant. You can't help yourself...

[digztytwo]

@tommiexander *sigh* you're insane, of course black people weren't allowed to speak on tv

[tommiexander]

@digztytwo

You can't be serious...I refuse to believe that anybody, Black, White, Green, or Purple, can actually be this dumb to think that Black people could not speak on T.V., especially on Whats My Line. I have seen a lot of dumb comments before, but yours is by far the most stupid. But it is almost hilarious that you can be that backwards. You need to be on T.V. as a comedian with that statement.

[digztytwo]

@tommiexander heheheheheheheeehhe trollolololololo stop getting emotional bro

[eqsmooth]

He was also a fantastic pianist. Unfortunately, 3 packs a day does not for a long life make.

[ParkerAllen2]

I'm glad as the show matured they started spending a few moments chatting with the mystery guest after they were guessed. I would have liked to hear Nat answer a few questions.

[TheVineyarder]

what a great smile he had..a class act

[goobs1000]

he's so cute!

[georjec]

What a treat !!! Bravo !!!

[delightfulstar]

"Well, *whistle* *whistle* to you!!!" ;-)

[DrHotSauce]

Nat King Cole...so unforgettable.

[ShivecianMagnet]

"Is that a Masculine whistle I'm hearing?"

*fail whistle*

I will always remember that about Nat King Cole <3

[MrFrankiesHands]

" - A married, masculin whistle..."

[dropthepucknow]

Why not ask. ARE YOU BLACK?

[rosrychaplet]

@dropthepucknow back then who would have thought to ask are you black? everyone assumed he would be white.

[49jubilee]

Nat King Cole had a beautiful voice, but it cost him--- to get that sound in his voice, I heard he had to smoke 5 packs of cigarettes a day and he died at 45 from lung cancer---I heard his voice when he was with the King Cole trio, and it wasn't that 'smoky'

[MattTheSaiyan]

It's really cool Goodson-Todman Productions were smart and kept many of these priceless episodes with stars like this.

[ozmiata]

Does anyone else think Arlene has an incredibly sweet voice?

[henrygrove100]

@ozmiata I do!

[ClassicsWEREandARE]

i adore him!

[Blackjesus3]

yesss natt :)

[RedNoir]

If he spoke it would give it away!!!! LOL

[TrainRoundTheBend]

imagine having the opportunity to watch nat king cole live in this cosy jazz bar in ny. what an experience

[daisylady913]

Thanks so much for posting these!! They're wonderful!

[9TheMajor]

I swoon to Mona Lisa

[mycodenameismonkey]

He had such a beautiful voice. It was fun to watch. Long Live Nat King Cole!!

[MJMyrna]

He had perfect pitch. I love his voice.

[franklindavid]

Nice to see nat king cole on this show,

what a voice he had.

[JubalCalif]

This was a JOY to watch. The late great Nat "King" Cole was one of my all time favorite male vocalists. And he was an extremely talented pianist too! What a suave & debonair gentleman he was. Strictly from coolsville, daddy-o! Many THANKS for sharing this delightful "blast from the past" with us! And a VERY "Happy New Year" to one & all !!!

[tatertotter808]

HAHA He's pretty cool :]

[hepcat2009]

8 years after this guest spot, Nat Cole appeared again on WML in 1961. The difference in Nat's maturity and demeanor is quite noticeable. Perhaps some1 will post it for all to see. I hope to write a book on Cole and will cover several facts not mentioned in past books on him.

[snoops71]

Best wishes on your book! I look forward to reading it. I am a big fan of Nat King Cole.

[mca1218]

ParkerAllen2 said it all: wish we could've heard Mr. Cole speak after such a wonderful game; we already know the elegance of his singing voice. And Arlene- yet again- rocks!!

[xander7ful]

"A masculine married whistle." LOL Dorothy was the cutest.

[cheyenne86]

I love these wml shows. Nat is great.

[Foxx1981]

@cheyenne86 every christmas since I've been a 5 year old I've listened to Nat amongst others. Every christmas is 10x better with Nat, Bing and Dean...

Bless all these good artists

[Tubyubber]

this man had such a beautiful voice. he could say 'uh-huh' and make it sound smooth :D

[BeckEis]

What a treasure! Thank you for posting!

[deppwaswho]

thx for posting!

[foxmulder420]

volume sucks. this video gets quieter as it goes by.

[leesterg]

His Royal Highness, Mr Nat King Cole, was in a class all by himself!

[thelittlegirl1602]

he's such a charming man! :D

[ParkerAllen2]

I'm glad the show's producers eventually realized the entertainment value in chatting with the mystery guest after their identity had been guessed. Pity to have Cole right there and not get a chance to have him talk a little after the masks had come off.

[peter359]

What a guy, and what a voice. Ah, that there could be talent and class like this again...

[Songsmirth]

He was one of my favorite as a young girl. I still love his singing and that smile! Wonderful, handsome man I cannot think of one besides Andrea Bocelli like him today. Thanks for posting this. It brought back a lot of good memories.

[sonofakbar]

that s my boy NAT

[petitefleur24601]

THIS MAN IS GOD!!!! And that voice would melt butter, shame he only uttered one word!!! LOVE IT!!! swoon

[brewcrew01984]

Really? My parents lied to me. They said it was Jesus...

[Apacherz818]

A married masculine whistle

[ChrisMiran]

"Do you have dark hair?" How RACIST!

[reduff627]

There is nothing racist about asking what color hair someone has. There are plenty of people of all different colors that have dark hair.

[GGE47]

ChrisMiran must be a liberal.

[GGE47]

Did you notice Nat King Cole took no offence to it?

[asilahvista]

There's nothing racist about asking him if he has dark hair. My hair is jet black, and I'm Arab-French. lol They asked almost everyone if they were blonde, brunette, bald, short, buxom, etc. Had nothing at all to do with ethnicity.

[so2luv]

I'm with you on this one. I'm afro-american decent but I'm of mixed race, and have jet black fine/ring curl hair. I did not see anything racist about the question. The musician he guessed after that questiion was of European decent anyway, which totally validates that the question was in no way possible racist.

[bfyau]

Why? White people have dark hair as well as black. My mother had dark hair and she was a white lady.

[JaAngelese]

He's so charming and down to earth. I wish he could have used his voice!

[FiskPole]

A towering talent.

[zachw225]

Sunday: December 6, 1953

[youarenowreadingthis]

I enjoyed that, very good.

[xxNIKEDAN63bb]

I find it interesting that after Nat King Cole was quested by one of the panelest, he was kinda excused by the host. The other Stars I've seen were interviewed by the Host for a couple of minutes. I guess we have to remember that this was 1953.

[youarenowreadingthis]

Yeah, I noticed that too, although I think I remember him doing that with salidor dali as well.

[youarenowreadingthis]

*salvidor

[1ILoveNewYork1]

that's not true. i mean i know there obviously was racism towards him but i think the judge just excused him swiftly because they were running out of time. he still said hello to the judges, however.

[Cris43130]

The very first thing John Daly said when Nat "King" Cole sat down was that he was having problems with his voice. Did anybody take that into account for why he was being rushed off the stage so he would not strain the voice that earned his living?

[9worries]

Obviously the show was running gout of time. That's why Daly kept counting down the minutes.

[branchwater7]

i find it interesting as well and noticed the same thing with eartha kitt.

[xxNIKEDAN63bb]

Lena Horne was also ushered right off in 1953.

[bibbler227]

Do you find it interesting that he did the same thing with Ronald Reagan as well??

[branchwater7]

i find it interesting that you do.

[bibbler227]

Branchwater..

My comments were directed at the people who tried to make a big deal out of the fact that Lena Horne and Eartha Kitt left right after the round was over (implying some kind of racism)...

I'm old enough to remember WML and that's simply not true. It was live television which which had time constraints. Some people stayed and talked, and some left right away regardless of race, color, creed, sex, or national origin..

[branchwater7]

i just read PRIME TIME BLUES: african americans and network television. its author donald bogle, an historian and university of pennsylvania professor, probably wouldn't share your opinion about the relationship between race and representation not only on WML but on network tv generally during this period. but for all i know you could certainly be right. as for me, i find the subject an interesting one, especially regarding pioneering figures like horne, cole and kitt. thanks for your comment

[MalubaySyecado]

You're silly. NKC had his own TV show in 1956 and was a guest on every variety show at the time singing, joking, chatting, just like a white dude. He was enormously popular. If the mystery guest was found out quickly it left more time for chatting. Also if they were promoting something on air. If being black were a problem then he wouldn't even be a mystery guest. Of course it wasn't and if they had interviewed him for 5 minutes it still wouldn't compare to his other TV appearances.

[Gnillob802]

Louella Parsons had no chat time afterward. She's not black. Quite a few had no chat time. If they are playing the game until the very end of the time clock then they don't have time to chat. Watch more of these and you'll get the hang of it. I think a few guests figured this out and purposely tipped off the panel so they would get more promotion time (see George Burns and Gracie Allen for example).

[lunsj]

Agreed. Ronald Reagan was out of his chair almost from the second his name was guessed.

[Ramubay]

Also there were minor differences from season to season that allowed more chat time with the mystery guests. For one, their appearances were more and more linked to promoting an upcoming project. The also dropped having the panel guess at a guests occupation before starting the game. This wasted time and wasn't very entertaining.

[cocodivatime]

I noticed that too on Eartha Kitt and Lena Hornes appearances.

[ebrules]

Nat King Cole is an amazing singer. His Christmas songs are especially good.

[pinklover0208]

his signature is amazing!!!

[sachalex]

Man,

Lauren Bacall would love this

whistle technique.

[DunhillHilton]

Just great !