What's My Line? - 5 Feb 1961 - Mystery Guest Dorothy Kilgallen - Part 1 Prelude

What's My Line? 5 Feb 1961 part 1 Prelude

What's My Line? on Sunday evening 29 January 1961

Panelists: actress - radio show host Arlene Francis, comic Shelley Berman, actress Rita Gam, publisher Bennett Cerf

After Oleg Cassini (in YouTube), and the egg farmers, and Julie Newmar (in YouTube)

1 Last game with two Broadway musicians

2 Panel says goodnight

3 The only time John Daly just about tells the audience in advance next week's mystery guest (Dorothy Kilgallen!) plus next week's guest panelist (Debbie Reynolds)

4 Un-crunched credits

Whats My Line? on Sunday evening, 5 Feb 1961

1 Animation and sponsor

2 Announcer Johnny Olson's first performance on WML

3 Introduction of Unusual Panel configuration:
producer / actor Martin Gabel,
actress-singer Debbie Reynolds,
actor Anthony Perkins (year after "Psycho"),
actress-radio show host Arlene Francis

Moderator: John Daly

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• What's
• My
• Line?
• Dorothy
• Kilgallen

[soulierinvestments]

5:22 Wow. Martin Gabel at the height of his sophisticated period.

5:39 Wow Debbie Reynolds at the height of her early luscious period.

5:55  Wow. Anthony Perkins in his early luscious period.

6:10 -- Arlene in her most busy period.

[44032]

Why was the audience "brave and courageous" to show up that night?

[soulierinvestments]

bad blizzard in New York City that particular night.

[WMLandPassword]

Sorry - I should have watched the other episodes before I asked - You wrote that she was hospitalized in the info box for part four.

Incidentally - was I the only one who felt that Debbie Reynolds' remark was rather rude?

[soulierinvestments]

No you are not the only one. Dear Debbie had tons of talent and many good qualities, but -- how shall we say? -- Debbie could be blunt.

[WMLandPassword]

Thank you so much for sharing this with us!

Was Dorothy still in hospital? - I guess we all remember the Christmas episode from the previous year...

[soulierinvestments]

That Christmas episode might have been videotaped earlier in December 1960, so the panel / moderator could take a holiday.

In January, her health spiraled downward. The official explanation mentioned something about anemic blood, but her substance abuse problems certainly hurt her health.

[nyfachris81]

@1borito

Exaclty, if anything it showed strong support of a fellow actor's work that a lot of people thought should be rewarded. Considering that it's 50 years later and most people still believe the Academy was foolish in not nominating Anthony Perkins for Psycho, I think she was prescient and, yes, generous.

[weightfeather1]

This isn't fair to Mr. Perkins, but I have never ever able to separate him from his "Norman Bates" character. It has overshadowed every other performance I've ever seen him play. Sometimes, a particularly graphic role will haunt a performer for the rest of their life.

[Attila709]

Rita Gam was a babe!

[proken58]

"Busy" is right about Arlene Francis during this period. Besides being on WML, she hosted a daily NYC radio talk show, often was in Broadway plays, was one of the hosts of NBC radio's weekend "Monitor" program, was a guest on prime time TV shows and was a frequent guest host of Jack Parr's Tonight Show.

[YellowDogTV]

I always love seeing the introduction and good-night portions of the show to see what the panel says to/about each other! This clip has both, and that is wonderful!

[ijustwanttosing]

I was referring to her comment in part 4 :-)

She shouted "I thought you were ill!?" - when she must have known that DK had been hospitalized (and probably known why too...)