What's my Line? Jonathan Winters

[quizmaster85]

And still going strong after all those years :)

[RelVleDy]

Forgive my lack of music knowledge, but what is the difference between an album and an LP?

[imsixftsix]

@RelVleDy They are one and the same....

[swise63]

@RelVleDy "LP" (Long Playing) indicates that the medium is an actually record, "Album" indicates a collection of music regardless of medium. I.e. an album could be an LP, an SP (single), an EP (extended play), a CD, a cassette, MP3s, etc. Of course in these days I'd guess only LPs and SPs existed....

[swise63]

@RelVleDy Apology for my "lack of coffee" moment, I should used the word "media", not "medium".....

[TheTubePortal]

I knew the wife of the man who taught Mr. Winters how to paint right around this same time period in which he appeared on this show. They liked him a lot, although they have passed. Jonathan Winters is still alive and kicking, and along with Don Rickles, and Jerry Lewis are the last ones remaining of the old classic comedians. BUT WHAT'S EVEN BETTER - He was married to the same woman for 60 years before she died in 2009. Very rare for celebs to stay faithful. He's a class act all around!

[leavetheherbitalone]

Is Arlene going swimming right after the show?

[darkwood777]

@leavetheherbitalone The ladies are wearing their Easter hats. Although it looks a bit like a swimming cap, that type of hat was actually quite stylish at the time.

[jerzeefranky3475]

GLEASON-WINTERS...THAT DOUBLE-BILL WOULD'VE SOLD BIG-TIME...EVEN 2DAY...

[snowden67]

At the beginning of this episode, Arlene Francis introduces the next panelist, her hhsband Martin Gabel asm "the man who bought me this hat!:

[misterdirtyknees]

Why is Arlene Francis wearing a salad on her head?

[auntbecky]

What does Arlene have on her head?

[keysersoze78]

Yeah..he's the voice of Papa Smurf...the upcoming Smurf film...

[andross51]

I find it hard to believe mr winters is pushing 85 years of age and is still with us! :)

[leahblashful]

Was that hat Arlene was wearing really in style?

[MrWilliamtom]

You can't help but recognize Jonathan Winters when he does his Maude Frickett.

[afanofoldradio]

what's thing on arlene's head??? It's ALIVE!!!

[rskissack]

I love Dorothy's reaction (5:00) to Jonathan's remark that he didn't have an LP but had an album...

[msmunkietime]

I totally forgive Arlene for the hideous Easter hat (especially since wardrobe most likely picked it out her), because she's so good. "It's Jonathan Winters. I'm sorry!"

I love how someone finally humoured Arlene's request for entertainment. Go Jonathan and Grandma Frickert! Now there's the master of ad libbing.

[Germaine52]

I love Jonathan winters...I love his short stories..I love his art work ...I love his sadness ...I love him...

I am his #1 fan.

[KingHopeMusic]

@Germaine52 Hahahahaok... ok....then I'll be fan #1A hahahahahaha ~♫ KK

[mca1218]

Two reasons to always watch this show: (1) the mystery celebrity, and (2) to watch Arlene knock it out of the park every time!!

[78rpmblog]

This must have been before he recorded his first album, since he answered "no" when Dorothy Kilgallen asked whether she would find an album with him in the record store. There are a bunch of loved Jonathan Winters albums in my collection.

[OldTelivisionRocks]

@78rpmblog he said he didn't have an LP but he did say he had an album

[quizmaster85]

Jonathan Winters - still going strong after all those years (as at time of writing)

[bradchaz]

I love how Jonathan answers in different voices each time--hilarious!

[futuristfood]

jonathan winters was funny and so hot.

[Jumbos51]

Today, you see panels of dim-witted celebs who couldn't find their arse with both hands. Or, so-called reality shows with bimbos and himbos trying to outwit each other. But on WML, emceed by the dapper JC Daly, you saw smart, really smart people who could think and speak well. TV was great then. We didn't know how we had it.

[auntbecky]

@Jumbos51 And people that can do nothing but write insulting comments when they don't like something rather than respectfully disagree.

[markko17]

@Jumbos51 And Arlene Francis was so good!! They could almost never fool her!

[ipmoic]

Oh how I envy you eheaven3! But you are too modest.

How wonderful to be truly funny.

A great gift--thanks for sharing.

[eheaven3]

In the mid-80s I had the honor and pleasure of writing for Jonathan. Here's how I did it. We set up the character and situation and I gave him an opening line or two and a funny line to close with and then just sat back and let him "connect" the beginning and ending with the funniest craziest wildest stuff that came into his head. Yes, I laughed as hard as any audience AND I was getting paid, to boot. Damn good job.

[tallpaul521]

Wow..an honor and a pleasure indeed. I have all of Winters' early LP's - or albums.

He should have had the career and success that Robin Williams has had.

[SIMPFANN]

@tallpaul521 Agreed- of course the reason Williams is so much more famous is because he's so much broader and often more lowbrow- Winters' humor is subtle and takes intelligence to 'get', and thus will never be popular with the majority of the American public. Don't get me wrong, Williams can be very funny, but let's put it this way- Winters could afford to end his sentences with ellipses, Williams has to end every sentence with exclamation points.

[TheCatgirl6]

@eheaven3 My God... where did you go to get employment like that?! Certainly not the want ads... I'll bet it was a damn good job, indeed!

[whenmonkeysattack16]

@eheaven3

awsome...he's one of my conedy idols

[sclogse1]

@eheaven3

Our man Jonathan is still around, and I miss his presence.

[tallpaul521]

@eheaven3 How lucky you were. I'm 46 and I have all of Jonathon's albums.

Genius that never got his due.

[posthumanhero]

@tallpaul521 yes he has....u kidding?

[Veggieman87]

@eheaven3 May I say, with all respect, you are one lucky bastard.

[1949man]

@eheaven3 ONE of the BEST there ever was!!!!

[tallpaul521]

@eheaven3 What a great gig. I heard a radio interview with Robert Duvall, promoting his latest film "Get Low". I'm a huge fan of Duvall and Winters. In the interview, Duvall was asked what it was like working with the funniest man in the world, Bill Murray -- Duvall's co-star in the film. Duvall replied, "Murray's the second funniest..the funniest man in the world is Jonathan Winters." And he was right. I have all of Winter's early LP's.

[funkeekatt]

Why does Arlene Francis have a centerpiece on her head?

[weightfeather1]

@funkeekatt I thought it looked like she got a little giddy with the spray-on Kool-Whip! Actually, it looks like she carved the center out of a leafy head of cabbage and wore it for a hat!

[007InMiami]

i love this show

[Korea4Me]

He still makes me laugh!

[MalubaySyecado]

No to the LP question? You mean this man didn't do comedy albums?  Wow.

[torchkit]

He had several comedy albums. He was confused by the term "LP." He thought that meant a 45 rpm single.

[MisterEvasion]

In those days an album could easily be associated with the old binders with a collection of 78s. That's how the word started. As you know the word 'album' has stuck ever since right into the CD era.

[clewi1091]

these binders you are talking about.....i recently was given a lot of 78s that were in leather looking books. there are several 78s in each book and i got a lot of those books. are they the binders you are talking about? my neighbor was moving and the albums belonged to his mother i think and he just gave them all to me. there are a lot of old ones in there. inside the cover of each "book" there was a place you could write in what albums were in there.

[MJMyrna]

LP actually stands for Long Play.

Every time I saw Jonathan Winters, he cracked me up.

[meanwiddlekid]

I'm in the minority thinking that he is/was a better dramatic actor than comedian. I wasn't crazy about a lot if the comedic characters that he did but his Twilight Zone is a classic.

[joeenglert]

robin williams is a very pale immitation of winters. i met him once at a toy show in san mateo. the greatest ever

[meanwiddlekid]

Odd that you should say that because I think that Robins Williams at his best (which he no longer is) was 100 times funnier than Winters. Williams either lost his desire or his mania was helped by his prior drug use. Winters was called the comedian's comedian chiefly because more successful comics than he were big fans of his, most notably Williams.

[SIMPFANN]

@joeenglert One big difference is that Winters aims for the brain while Williams more often than not aims for the crotch. Williams' talent manifests itself in one-liners and individual moments, whereas JW is a craftsman who can sustain something genuinely funny over the course of a whole routine and, unlike Williams, doesn't have to be bouncing off the walls at 100 MPH to do it. To be fair, Williams CAN be very funny, but he doesn't have the truly inspired and sustainable comedic gifts of JW.

[bonzoforlife]

god bless he is still with us

[Muffy2314]

i think the hats were the style then;especially if it was Easter and i think they look great on them both.

[chalomirof63]

Oh my Lord! JONATHAN WINTERS! The funniest man in the world, an American classic, a treasure, and ... and ... and .... bless you, Norbert! Many thanks!

[KarinPluss]

Dear lord, what is that on Arlene's head?? She's usually very stylish, but that bonnet...well, not so much so.

I wasn't paying attention when it started and when I looked up and saw Arlene I actually got a fright hahah. Ah well, everyone's entitled to miss once in a while.

[Fenhalls]

LOL!

[Imthecuteone]

lmao and Dorothy's expression at 5:03...now that's funny..lol haven't seen that side of her..lol

[Imthecuteone]

lol Dorothy's bonnet!! that's sooo cute...i love it!!

[soulierinvestments]

Easter 17 April 1960 -- apparently live TV even though producers videotaped occasionally starting in 1959.

Dorothy's Easter bonnet would be appropriate for mass. Arlene's bonnet would be . . . gads . . . appropriate for Free Drinks for Funny Hats Night at El Morocco.

Jonathan Winters displayed comic genius worth his weight in platnum. He should have answered Bennett's more-than-one-guest question "yes" considering how many different characters he could improvise in short order.

[chalomirof63]

And thank you, "soulier...": I can always rely on you to give the intricate details, timelines, etc. And yes: Winters was the King of Improv. He was a favorite of Parr, Steve Allen at this time, and not surprising he had, up to this point, never been on Sullivan.

[CK1223]

thank u classic tv