It's taken me a long time to get over the culture shock of watching this program. I had forgotten how gentle, courteous, innocent, and entertaining a TV show could be.
January 2022 would have been my Mom's 100th birthday. She was the nut farmer Elizabeth Orchard. So, so cool to see her again like this. Way more to the story. Ah, the days of elegance.
Thank you for this. It always adds so much to the overall experience when a friend or relative of a guest posts here. Your mom had a most engaging smile, and she seemed a delightful person during this episode.
This is a great reason to thank those who are supplying us with these reruns. Every once in a while someone sees a family member who was on rhe show decades ago.
What a wonderful thing to have this. I have no video of my mom, and she was born 1938, died 2010. Photos are great, but to see and hear her speak and do things would be awesome.
The hearty applause the panel gives Mr. O'Malley, head of the launch team for astronaut John Glenn, shows the great amount of national pride we took in the NASA space program. I hope that someday, we can once again, feel such collective pride in our scientific achievements.
I remember them rolling the TV into the classroom and watching Glenn and the launch in elementary school. We rooted for the USA and real science then. Even the teachers and administrators.
Mr. O'Malley had the great honor to work with a world hero by the name of John Glenn. You can see the respect that Mr. O'Malley and Mr. Glenn had with the clapping by the entire panel! Olivia de Havilland recently passed away at the amazing age of 104. What a marvelous career she had. Thanks for the video.
Arlene is so warm and thoughtful. She often gives great reviews of a performance by the mystery guest, or says other wonderful and congratulatory things about them. It usually sounds sincere and appreciative - rarely like flattery.
And as a talented actress in her own right, her appreciation is based on experience, making it even more reliable. I never had a chance to see her on stage, but from her films and her attitude here, I'm confident that she had the ability to make everyone with her on stage seem - or be - better actors. The clichés about professional jealousy and scene-stealing mainly apply to minor actors; the truly great players are generous and supportive.
Well yes she would see someone who wasn't married to a bisexual & who had a child with a bisexual, as she was, as old fashioned. And he died of natural causes. No wonder she got on his nerves. If she wasn't tipsy she was showing off & giggling like a dchoolgitl.
My sister was one of the engineers who trained the astronauts, including Sen. John Glenn, of STS-95 which launched in October 1998. Training duration was several years so she knew each crew member very well. I happened to be an RN in an Emergency Department where another of that crew, Dr. Scott Parazynski, was a physician during that time. Talk about a small world! Two sisters working with astronauts in the same crew at the same time.
TODAY'S YOUTH has no idea how completely ABSORBED, PROUD and EXCITED we all were in those beautifully inspiring days of this new thing called: Space Exploration! Thank God, I was there to witness it FIRST-HAND myself!
Yuri Gargarin was testing an aircraft which failed. He had the option of bailing out which might have left his craft to crash in a village. He stayed in and crashed the plane at a safe remove from the village. He was 34 years old when he gave his life with this action.
What an act of humanitarianism and bravery. But that is what soldiers do: They sacrifice their own safety and well-being for the lives of their fellow humans.
"A steel magnolia" Vivien Leigh called her. "She'll outlive us all" See her in UA-cam WB bloopers "SOBi" ing & see why she & Bette Davis were such good friends.
Miss de Havilland has a big connection to the SF Bay Area. She attended both Los Gatos and Notre Dame High Schools where she was discovered by Max Reinhardt who cast her in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Hollywood Bowl. It was there that she was spotted by Warner Bros. who were about to make a film version. Miss de Havilland gave up a scholarship to the presitigious Mills College in Oakland which, on her 100th birthday, she said was her #1 regret. When Mills heard this news, they put out a press release which said the scholarship was still available!
@@bluecamus5162 Mills College (located in Oakland, CA since 1871) was just in the news again. They were in financial trouble and were rescued by Northeastern University (Boston, MA). It's now called Mills College at Northeastern University and serves as the West Coast campus. Mills has a good reputation and has a gorgeous and historic campus, but it's location in Oakland is not the best.
It's amazing that Olivia de Havilland had been in Hollywood films since the mid-1930's but was only 45 at the time of this episode. She lived to age 104! Also, I've noticed she was always conservative in her dress and appearance -- never the glamorous gowns and jewelry like other female stars.
Thank you for posting, and it's always wonderful to see the old WML shows. They are so nostalgic and very historical too. It was interesting to see Robert Morse as a young man since now he has a continuing role on Mad Men.
Interesting window to the manners of the early 1960s. Neither Dorothy nore Arlene had to stand up for him according to the cultural norms then, but you hear Arlene say something along the line of I have to stand for you. Apparently she was enthusiastic about space exploration.
+Ginny Lorenz Humans in outer space seems so commonplace now, but John Glenn's first U.S. orbital flight and the Mercury program in general was a huge deal and a source of great pride for the U.S. at this time. One of my earliest memories of science was the debate as to whether humans could survive in outer space. It was a big deal when we sent up a chimp (named Ham, as I recall) and brought him back to Earth alive and well. It was also a time of great excitement. The U.S. census bureau declared in 1890 that the U.S. frontier had been closed and the last three states of the contiguous 48 states were added by 1913. Between the addition of Alaska as a state and the possibility of reaching the moon, the other planets and even beyond, suddenly the country was excited by the prospect of new lands to explore and settle. President Kennedy even used the phrase "New Frontier" in his acceptance speech during the 1960 Democratic National Convention and it became the slogan for his campaign in anticipation of a successful foray into outer space. I can remember them bringing a television set into our classroom so we could watch either the launch or the splashdown or both for many of the Project Mercury missions. John Glenn's flight was on a Tuesday (Feb. 20, 1962 - this was the first WML televised after the successful completion of the mission that same day) and my 4th grade class was probably counting down along with the first challenger of this episode, Arlene and the rest of the country. (The only mission we couldn't have watched in school was Gus Grissom's, the second and last suborbital flight. That took place in July 1961.) Speaking of countdowns, I am never forgetting the lyrics of Tom Lehrer: You too may be a big hero Once you've learned to count backwards to zero "In German, oder Englisch, I know how to count down Und I'm learning Chinese!" says Wernher von Braun ua-cam.com/video/kTKn1aSOyOs/v-deo.html
@@loissimmons6558 yes, pretty much as Chuck Yeager is quoted as saying in The Right Stuff -- -Glenn really didn't do anything a monkey hadn't already done before him
Fourth game. The educational side of WML. 22:40 -- Very early mention of Quincy Jones. Interesting that Arlene guess jazz trombone -- for [unbeknownst to anyone yet] years into the future Arlene would have to learn trombone for "Mrs. Dally Takes a Lover."
Interestingly, contestant Melba Liston was a fairly famous Jazz session player in her own considerable right, with plenty of Jazz recordings to her credit!
markie909 As someone pointed out in the Facebook group, Melba recorded an album in 1958 which contained her version of the WML theme song! It's on UA-cam somewhere. . .
What's My Line? I never knew that she recorded a WML theme version, and I'm so surprised that nobody here had mentioned Melba Liston specifically on this thread before! That's neat. Somebody needs to update her Wikipedia page!!
markie909 -Amazing. Another example of the commitment to diversity of this program. It only emphasizes my first observation about the hopefulness we all felt in that era.
This was the first episode after John Glenn's famous flight. His achievement took place on February 20, 1962, and the February 25 WML show was pre-empted.
The one persistent annoyance that I have with this program is their insistence that plant life is not a form of life. I cannot be the only one that has remarked on this
I'm guilty of not commenting enough on these fantastic vides! I just looked up Melba Liston and she passed away in 1999. Such a great career though!!! Thanks for the uploading!!!
Miss DeHaviland was never on my classic film radar until I saw her in "The Heiress", one of her Academy awarded performances. Oh my, is she special. Later I saw "The Snake Pit" and "Light in the Piazza". I think she's one of the top 5 film actresses of all time.
The first guest Mr. O'Malley said he didn't know the rules of the game. I've only seen that happen a handful of times, but it always baffles me when it does. Even if the person has never seen the show before wouldn't you think after they were asked to be a guest they would learn something about the show and maybe watch it the Sunday before (if booked far enough in advance) just to see what they were getting into. You'd think after you were asked to be a guest they'd ask somebody "what is What's My Line" and "how do you play it" just so they'd know if they had to be prepared in any way.
Jeff Vaughn It's fairly incredible, isn't it? Regardless of whether the contestant had taken the time out to view the show before, you'd think that he'd be briefed about how the game worked by the staff at least! It would have taken all of 20 seconds to explain the entire game, but no, better that we viewers should have to listen to the rules yet again, after 12 years on the air. John did eventually stop doing this-- I thought it was earlier than 1962.
Yes, it's almost unbelievable. You'd think just out of curiosity the contestant would have learned something about the game, but if not, you're right, ,you'd think the show would have informed him. After all they did tell him how to sign in, where to sit, where to exit, etc.
Jeff Vaughn Let me weigh in with this. You really couldn't record the shows easily to watch later...time shifting. So if you worked odd hours and couldn't be near a television(or if he even HAD one at home), it seems plausible he wouldn't know the show. No satellite or cable reception either..if you're in the air..you could be out of luck.
Yes, I understand that, but I also added that if you knew you were going to be on a game show on national TV you'd think you'd ask somebody "what is "what's my line" and how do you play it" even if you could never watch the show. I just can't imagine somebody going on a nationally televised show and not trying to find out a little something about it before they went on. There would have to be a neighbor, a co-worker, etc. that had seen the show that he could ask about it. After all it was a very popular show. Even if they failed to ask friends, etc. about the show, you'd still think they'd ask somebody at the show once they arrived. It just makes no sense to me.
Jeff Vaughn considering they always gave the full prize regardless of how many "no" answers were given the fact a handful didnt know the "rules" is a moot point
I can't believe that Bennett gave a shout out to my Guru and favorite author of all time Ted Geisel aka Dr. Seuss who as one of Bennett's best friends.
@@shirleyrombough8173 The pronunciations are both correct. They are regional and in the region where pecans are grown the pee-can version is ubiquitous, even though it comes in as the second, yet acceptable choice in dictionaries. Most of the Deep South uses pee-can. Other regions don't. My father used to say, and he was a big word person on all levels, that how someone pronounces his/her name is how we should say it. So, I may not get the word out of my mouth as they do, but I will not correct a pecan grower, especially when that pronunciation is considered acceptable. We have many acceptable regional differences in language that add color to our language, which lacks the vowels of the romance languages for color.
@@philippapay4352 I guess I spoke too soon. I didn't know pee-can was acceptable so now I know. I should talk. A town near Long Beach, California, where I grew up, is called San Pedro. The natives, I included, pronounce it as San Peedro. But the correct pronunciation is San Paydro. And we are so adamant that people pronounce the word wrongly as we do. Go figure.
@@shirleyrombough8173 This includes how wrongly Los Angeles is pronounced by Americans in general. I lived in L.A. for half a decade and then San Francisco for another half decade. I used to go to one of the bars on the Queen Mary in the harbor for dinner and drinks with friends, though I lived in the Wilshire District. Then there are the weird combos of language, like Anaheim. East Coast folk say San Paydro because they know the Spanish pronunciation. So one would have to live in the area to know that the locals say San Peedro. That is true of so many regional names, words. And to close, the Golden Gate Bridge is Rust-Oleum orange #12, or was. It all adds to the regional color and enhances the patois of the locale, locals.
With the last challenger, Arlene asks if she plays a wind instrument. She is given a yes answer. Then Arlene guesses the trombone. And I'm shaking my head with my mouth open. I was always taught that wind instrument was a short form for a woodwind instrument as distinguished from a brass instrument. Trombones are definitely a brass instrument (although a trombone player I know tells me that trombones are also made out of plastic now, also known as pBones).
Your teacher was making a common abbreviation of woodwind, but most sources disagree with her in the general use of the term "wind instrument". OED lists "such as a horn, trumpet, flute" in defining 'wind instrument' within the first noun listing of "wind" at sense 12a. Cecil Forsyth's 1914 Orchestration textbook groups instruments as percussion, brass, wood, and strings, later using "Brass-Wind" and "Wood-Wind" in the descriptions. American Heritage Dictionary: wind 5.a.: "The brass and woodwinds sections of a band or an orchestra." Random House Unabridged: wind instrument: "...as the trumpet, trombone, clarinet, or flute."
12:46 "Is it something that is now or ever has been alive?" The contestant, a nut farmer, answers 'yes', and John Daly quickly corrects her to say, 'no'! Yet another example of plants not being alive. Jeez, people. And then afterward, John thinks that pecans grow on bushes. I thought news people (and panelists on a show like wml) were supposed to be knowledgeable on a broad range of subjects, but I am continually surprised by how little they know about life (biology). These people are certainly well-spoken and have good vocabularies, but sometimes I have to wonder if they don't know what some common words (like "alive" or "animal") actually mean.
+Robert Melson Like the previous episode, when John refers to mushrooms as "part of the vegetable family." These people are as close to the soil as an orbiting satellite.
+Robert Melson the one reason I can think of, why John Daly so constantly holds these wrong terms is: "this are our wml special terms to describe some thing in biology". like the way they sometimes deals in service and products, there are often questions about specific expressions. But in my opinion the better way would be to use the correct terms, the audience could and would learn this terms quickly
People thought that way back then. In school we were taught everything was either a plant or animal. Bacteria, mushrooms and so on were grouped into either of those, though we now know they are neither.
Was Mr. Morse nervous? He didn't appear to be picking up on any clues, and just seemed to say the first thing that came to his mind! Poor game player 😔
Interestingly enough, the question about would the panelist be able to avail himself to the service of the NASA man..... William Shatner touched the edge of space last week as a civilian. October 2021. (Edit): William Shatner was a panelist on *What's My Line?* between 1950 and 1967.
John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth (1962), but Yuri Gargarin of the Soviet Union was the first human to orbit the Earth and the first human in outer space (1961). Thus, John Daly is incorrect at 10:15 to 10:28. In general, nuts of a nut bearing tree can be called storage organs, and while growing they would be considered to be alive just as would the organs or any other collection of cells in any living organism. Thus, the pecans were alive at some point. Thus, to the question Bennett Cerf asks starting at 12:43, the guest was correct in her initial answer and John Daly was incorrect in having her change her answer. It is strange that at 13:02 Arlene repeats the assertion that the product has never been alive, but then asks "Does this product grow?" with the answer yes, and "Does it grow in the soil?" with the answer basically yes, but she doesn't then ask how can it not be considered to have been alive at some point. It seems that she and John Daly did not consider plants to be alive.
Sorry Mr. Daly, John Glenn was not the first man in orbit! The Russians beat us to it. Still an American hero though. Gee, Dorothy really knew everyone!
+MerleOberon Alan Shepard was the first in space from the U.S., but John Glenn was the first in an orbital flight. Years later, Shepard was the first to play golf in space (on the moon, in fact).
Going to a Salvation Army church, we have lots of brass band music including trombones. The majority of the trombone players I have seen are women. It's a changing world.
*_HEAD OF LAUNCH TEAM FOR ASTRONAUT GLENN_* *_NUT FARMER (PECANS)_* *_JAZZ TROMBONIST_* Arlene didn't wear her heart pendant, proving that her statement that she "never took it off" was untrue.
Garson Kanin. Olivia. Henry Fonda. "A Gift of Time" (February - May 1962). You would think a play with that stellar line up would have run for a year. Hard to tell if 4 months was the plan or if it was not popular. Hard to imagine.
Actually, "A Gift of Time" (written and directed by Garson Kanin, based on the book "Death of a Man" by Lael Tucker Wertenbaker) ran a little less than three months - only 92 performances. It opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Thursday, 22 February 1962 and closed on Saturday, 12 May 1962. Olivia de Havilland and Henry Fonda played Lael Tucker Wertenbaker and Charles Christian Wertenbaker. Other cast principals were Joseph Campanella (who was nominated for the 1962 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance as Daniel Stein), Lucretia Gould, Leslye Hunter, John MacKay, Gary Morgan, Marian Seldes (who was also Miss de Havilland's stand-by - and who, after the death of Ruth Gordon, would marry Garson Kanin "till death do us part" (his death, in 1999)), Rufus Smith, and Guy Sorel. The play was produced by William Hammerstein, of The Shubert Organization. The sets were designed by Boris Aronson; costumes were designed by Edith Luytens Bel Geddes; lighting was designed by Jean Rosenthal; and coiffures were designed by Michel Kazan. (By the way: Later in the show's run, dancer/choreographer Jose Greco replaced one of the supporting players in the cast, as well as understudying several other parts.)
This just makes me want to cry: Kennedy was president, we were all so proud of our astronaut program, we were so innocent. Now look what we have in the White House. I am so thoroughly ashamed of my country now and despair of ever being back to normal.
Earlier that same night, the August 5, 1962 episode was recorded. And here's a fun fact about the pre-recorded episodes: Even after the next version of the opening debuted on April 8, it was seen on all of the pre-recorded 1962 episodes.
+Vahan Nisanian That far in advance? That was taking quite a chance that something wouldn't happen to someone on the program that would cause them to have to scrap it.
Yes I think so. John didn't seem to like any of the comedians expect Arlene and Steve Allen. He tolerated Fred Allen because Allen was his senior and well established with the American public. But John seemed frustrated or annoyed with many of the comedians and actors who liked to be comedic, such as Johnny Carson, Ernie Kovacs, Jerry Lewis, Tony Randal and others. John didn't like the men who were quick-witted and clever and who could outsmart him. You just have to watch this series a few times to begin to see these things. Lol
What else do you put in it to get a noise? Now, it's not a "woodwind" instrument, no. But try getting a sound out of the trombone without blowing into it with your mouth or, some other part of your anatomy.
If you watch, you can tell there is dislike on the part of John because of the way he refers to his "colleagues on the panel." Normally john says " my FRIENDS on the panel." That's the first clue. Then John reveals a little more by saying to Robert that he hopes that he "will teach the panel how to figure out the guests' lines without really trying." Then when John jokes about Robert lacking fitness for the job of the guest, that's when Robert puts up his middle finger and holds it there, right in the center of his eyes and locks eyes with John. Right after that, Robert grins in a way like he knows John didn't figure it out. Lol lol
Yes I think so. John didn't seem to like any of the comedians expect Arlene and Steve Allen. He tolerated Fred Allen because Allen was his senior and well established with the American public. But John seemed frustrated or annoyed with many of the comedians and actors who liked to be comedic, such as Johnny Carson, Ernie Kovacs, Jerry Lewis, Tony Randal and others. John didn't like the men who were quick-witted and clever and who could outsmart him. You just have to watch this series a few times to begin to see these things. Lol
I despise these people don't consider plants alive. I understand the show took place in the 60s but, good grief, this wasn't the middle ages either. Surely they knew plants were living things, too.
WOOOW can you BELIEVE John flipped over those stupid cards for the guy that already had 40 points, but let the lady leave with only 15? I'm sick and tired of him flipping over those cards on pretty much every episode!! and I can't believe the producers hadn't talked to him about it, but still if he's gonna flip em over for the man who had 40 points, he could have at least done for the one who had 15 I still can't hate John (I'll admit, it's been getting easier to not like him, but yet it's hard to dislike him)
Those cards were just a prop to make it feel like a game show, rather than just a parlor game. If they irritate a person, that person is always welcome to shimmy on over and spend an hour being face-blasted with MONEY MONEY MONEY prizes and loud, shrill, annoying music, graphics and contestants on the Price is Right.
![What's My Line? - Sargent Shriver; Van Cliburn; Tony Randall [panel] (Mar 11, 1962)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/K_ByZ-fIuOU/mqdefault.jpg)
![What's My Line? - Sargent Shriver; Van Cliburn; Tony Randall [panel] (Mar 11, 1962)](/img/tr.png)
![What's My Line? - Ginger Rogers; Alan King [panel] (Aug 5, 1962)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/oBAbq4mVozQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![What's My Line? - The McGuire Sisters; Merv Griffin [panel] (Apr 8, 1962)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/jEIzhpNfxe8/mqdefault.jpg)
![What's My Line? - Bert Lahr; Peter Ustinov [panel] (Jan 6, 1963) [UPGRADE!]](/img/n.gif)
It's taken me a long time to get over the culture shock of watching this program. I had forgotten how gentle, courteous, innocent, and entertaining a TV show could be.
Well said
January 2022 would have been my Mom's 100th birthday. She was the nut farmer Elizabeth Orchard. So, so cool to see her again like this. Way more to the story. Ah, the days of elegance.
Thank you for this. It always adds so much to the overall experience when a friend or relative of a guest posts here. Your mom had a most engaging smile, and she seemed a delightful person during this episode.
She really was quite charming. I find it interesting that John refers to her place as a "pecan ranch" instead of a pecan orchard.
This is a great reason to thank those who are supplying us with these reruns. Every once in a while someone sees a family member who was on rhe show decades ago.
Lovely lady
What a wonderful thing to have this. I have no video of my mom, and she was born 1938, died 2010. Photos are great, but to see and hear her speak and do things would be awesome.
The hearty applause the panel gives Mr. O'Malley, head of the launch team for astronaut John Glenn, shows the great amount of national pride we took in the NASA space program. I hope that someday, we can once again, feel such collective pride in our scientific achievements.
Me too, but unfortunately today some people get all upset about a shirt a scientist wears that his colleagues gave him.
I remember them rolling the TV into the classroom and watching Glenn and the launch in elementary school. We rooted for the USA and real science then. Even the teachers and administrators.
Deep Sea exploration is far more intriguing than deep space.
Sadly, we haven't accomplished anything positive as a country since then.
Even more pride would be if you would have such politeness and decency especially in politics.
Mr. O'Malley had the great honor to work with a world hero by the name of John Glenn. You can see the respect that Mr. O'Malley and Mr. Glenn had with the clapping by the entire panel! Olivia de Havilland recently passed away at the amazing age of 104. What a marvelous career she had. Thanks for the video.
Arlene is so warm and thoughtful. She often gives great reviews of a performance by the mystery guest, or says other wonderful and congratulatory things about them. It usually sounds sincere and appreciative - rarely like flattery.
An elegant, sophisticated, intelligent, beautiful, womanly, warm lady.
And as a talented actress in her own right, her appreciation is based on experience, making it even more reliable. I never had a chance to see her on stage, but from her films and her attitude here, I'm confident that she had the ability to make everyone with her on stage seem - or be - better actors. The clichés about professional jealousy and scene-stealing mainly apply to minor actors; the truly great players are generous and supportive.
21:15 I love Dorothy laughing at Bennett for being such a square. She even calls him “so old fashioned!”
Well yes she would see someone who wasn't married to a bisexual & who had a child with a bisexual, as she was, as old fashioned. And he died of natural causes. No wonder she got on his nerves. If she wasn't tipsy she was showing off & giggling like a dchoolgitl.
My sister was one of the engineers who trained the astronauts, including Sen. John Glenn, of STS-95 which launched in October 1998. Training duration was several years so she knew each crew member very well.
I happened to be an RN in an Emergency Department where another of that crew, Dr. Scott Parazynski, was a physician during that time.
Talk about a small world! Two sisters working with astronauts in the same crew at the same time.
It is really interesting and I can not even imagine the history you would both have to share!
TODAY'S YOUTH has no idea how completely ABSORBED, PROUD and EXCITED we all were in those beautifully inspiring days of this new thing called: Space Exploration! Thank God, I was there to witness it FIRST-HAND myself!
Yuri Gargarin was testing an aircraft which failed. He had the option of bailing out which might have left his craft to crash in a village. He stayed in and crashed the plane at a safe remove from the village. He was 34 years old when he gave his life with this action.
What an act of humanitarianism and bravery. But that is what soldiers do: They sacrifice their own safety and well-being for the lives of their fellow humans.
Jesus did this very thing for the whole world!
Class act, Dame Havilland. Rest in peace. ❤️
"A steel magnolia" Vivien Leigh called her. "She'll outlive us all" See her in UA-cam WB bloopers "SOBi" ing & see why she & Bette Davis were such good friends.
I love this dress Arlene wears several times. One of my favorites.
What!??! If it grows, it is ALIVE!
"Dorothy's nocturnal habits"
What a way to phrase it, Bennett XD
Jill Gordon
She probably didn't need to mention it at the end like she did.
Miss de Havilland has a big connection to the SF Bay Area. She attended both Los Gatos and Notre Dame High Schools where she was discovered by Max Reinhardt who cast her in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Hollywood Bowl. It was there that she was spotted by Warner Bros. who were about to make a film version. Miss de Havilland gave up a scholarship to the presitigious Mills College in Oakland which, on her 100th birthday, she said was her #1 regret. When Mills heard this news, they put out a press release which said the scholarship was still available!
You'd think that they would've just given her an honorary degree, but I'm sure there were reasons they did not.
@@bluecamus5162 Mills College (located in Oakland, CA since 1871) was just in the news again. They were in financial trouble and were rescued by Northeastern University (Boston, MA). It's now called Mills College at Northeastern University and serves as the West Coast campus. Mills has a good reputation and has a gorgeous and historic campus, but it's location in Oakland is not the best.
Seeing this reminds me of a quote from a TV history reference book, which describes John Daly as "reeking of urbanity". Thanks for posting!
Yes. Graciousness of the past. Lovely, well spoken compliment.
It's amazing that Olivia de Havilland had been in Hollywood films since the mid-1930's but was only 45 at the time of this episode. She lived to age 104! Also, I've noticed she was always conservative in her dress and appearance -- never the glamorous gowns and jewelry like other female stars.
Conservative and yet so classy.
Thank you for posting, and it's always wonderful to see the old WML shows. They are so nostalgic and very historical too. It was interesting to see Robert Morse as a young man since now he has a continuing role on Mad Men.
Interesting window to the manners of the early 1960s. Neither Dorothy nore Arlene had to stand up for him according to the cultural norms then, but you hear Arlene say something along the line of I have to stand for you. Apparently she was enthusiastic about space exploration.
I don't remember ever seeing the whole panel ( and John) so enthused before.
+Ginny Lorenz
Humans in outer space seems so commonplace now, but John Glenn's first U.S. orbital flight and the Mercury program in general was a huge deal and a source of great pride for the U.S. at this time. One of my earliest memories of science was the debate as to whether humans could survive in outer space. It was a big deal when we sent up a chimp (named Ham, as I recall) and brought him back to Earth alive and well.
It was also a time of great excitement. The U.S. census bureau declared in 1890 that the U.S. frontier had been closed and the last three states of the contiguous 48 states were added by 1913. Between the addition of Alaska as a state and the possibility of reaching the moon, the other planets and even beyond, suddenly the country was excited by the prospect of new lands to explore and settle. President Kennedy even used the phrase "New Frontier" in his acceptance speech during the 1960 Democratic National Convention and it became the slogan for his campaign in anticipation of a successful foray into outer space.
I can remember them bringing a television set into our classroom so we could watch either the launch or the splashdown or both for many of the Project Mercury missions. John Glenn's flight was on a Tuesday (Feb. 20, 1962 - this was the first WML televised after the successful completion of the mission that same day) and my 4th grade class was probably counting down along with the first challenger of this episode, Arlene and the rest of the country. (The only mission we couldn't have watched in school was Gus Grissom's, the second and last suborbital flight. That took place in July 1961.)
Speaking of countdowns, I am never forgetting the lyrics of Tom Lehrer:
You too may be a big hero
Once you've learned to count backwards to zero
"In German, oder Englisch, I know how to count down
Und I'm learning Chinese!" says Wernher von Braun
ua-cam.com/video/kTKn1aSOyOs/v-deo.html
@@loissimmons6558 Yes, Glenn's flight was a BIG deal. I remember watching the launch in school. Nothing like today.
@@loissimmons6558 yes, pretty much as Chuck Yeager is quoted as saying in The Right Stuff -- -Glenn really didn't do anything a monkey hadn't already done before him
Olivia. Absolutely stunning. Rest In Peace. 😞💐
Fascinating to see Robert Morse as a young man, knowing him first from "Mad Men."
Not seen How to Succeed in Business?
wow Bennett got a real smooch from Miss de Havilland! and all the men were green with envy :)
Fourth game. The educational side of WML. 22:40 -- Very early mention of Quincy Jones. Interesting that Arlene guess jazz trombone -- for [unbeknownst to anyone yet] years into the future Arlene would have to learn trombone for "Mrs. Dally Takes a Lover."
I hope people like sweet Melanie Wilkes live forever.
Interestingly, contestant Melba Liston was a fairly famous Jazz session player in her own considerable right, with plenty of Jazz recordings to her credit!
markie909 As someone pointed out in the Facebook group, Melba recorded an album in 1958 which contained her version of the WML theme song! It's on UA-cam somewhere. . .
What's My Line? I never knew that she recorded a WML theme version, and I'm so surprised that nobody here had mentioned Melba Liston specifically on this thread before! That's neat. Somebody needs to update her Wikipedia page!!
Thanks for providing the link here-- I didn't have it handy when I added that comment 6 months ago!
markie909 - Another welcome example of the diversity displayed on this program.
markie909 -Amazing. Another example of the commitment to diversity of this program. It only emphasizes my first observation about the hopefulness we all felt in that era.
It’s not often that two on the show are still with us as I write, both Robert Morse, who was only 28 here, and Olivia deHavilland who is 101
And now, July, 2018, she's 102. God bless her!!!!! Born July 1, 1916.
@@ginnylorenz5265 - And now, July 2019, she's 103
@@manuelaffonso2191 Wonderful! Thanks. I haven't looked her up lately. Wonder if she still lives in Paris.
Olivia deHavilland was 101 on this show. Jeepers! She looked great.
I think she just celebrated her 159th birthday!
104 now!
This was the first episode after John Glenn's famous flight. His achievement took place on February 20, 1962, and the February 25 WML show was pre-empted.
olivia is such a charming human
The one persistent annoyance that I have with this program is their insistence that plant life is not a form of life. I cannot be the only one that has remarked on this
Thanks, I look forward to these!
I'm guilty of not commenting enough on these fantastic vides! I just looked up Melba Liston and she passed away in 1999. Such a great career though!!! Thanks for the uploading!!!
Miss DeHaviland was never on my classic film radar until I saw her in "The Heiress", one of her Academy awarded performances. Oh my, is she special. Later I saw "The Snake Pit" and "Light in the Piazza". I think she's one of the top 5 film actresses of all time.
Absolutely stunningly beautiful lady. May she rest in peace!! Olivia
A lot of jazz fans would immediately recognize the name Melba Liston.
Rest in peace Olivia de Havilland
These people did so many things in so many places. I wonder how they had time to go to all the shows.
I wondered the same.
In many instances, they recorded several shows in one day for broadcast later, giving them weeks to run to other places.
The first guest Mr. O'Malley said he didn't know the rules of the game. I've only seen that happen a handful of times, but it always baffles me when it does. Even if the person has never seen the show before wouldn't you think after they were asked to be a guest they would learn something about the show and maybe watch it the Sunday before (if booked far enough in advance) just to see what they were getting into. You'd think after you were asked to be a guest they'd ask somebody "what is What's My Line" and "how do you play it" just so they'd know if they had to be prepared in any way.
Jeff Vaughn It's fairly incredible, isn't it? Regardless of whether the contestant had taken the time out to view the show before, you'd think that he'd be briefed about how the game worked by the staff at least! It would have taken all of 20 seconds to explain the entire game, but no, better that we viewers should have to listen to the rules yet again, after 12 years on the air. John did eventually stop doing this-- I thought it was earlier than 1962.
Yes, it's almost unbelievable. You'd think just out of curiosity the contestant would have learned something about the game, but if not, you're right, ,you'd think the show would have informed him. After all they did tell him how to sign in, where to sit, where to exit, etc.
Jeff Vaughn Let me weigh in with this. You really couldn't record the shows easily to watch later...time shifting. So if you worked odd hours and couldn't be near a television(or if he even HAD one at home), it seems plausible he wouldn't know the show. No satellite or cable reception either..if you're in the air..you could be out of luck.
Yes, I understand that, but I also added that if you knew you were going to be on a game show on national TV you'd think you'd ask somebody "what is "what's my line" and how do you play it" even if you could never watch the show. I just can't imagine somebody going on a nationally televised show and not trying to find out a little something about it before they went on. There would have to be a neighbor, a co-worker, etc. that had seen the show that he could ask about it. After all it was a very popular show. Even if they failed to ask friends, etc. about the show, you'd still think they'd ask somebody at the show once they arrived. It just makes no sense to me.
Jeff Vaughn considering they always gave the full prize regardless of how many "no" answers were given the fact a handful didnt know the "rules" is a moot point
John Daly misspoke when he said John Glenn was the first man in orbit. Yuri Gagarin was. Glenn was the first American in orbit.
If you can believe the Russians which I don’t.
@@jaengen You're being silly. Americans confirmed that Gargarin went into orbit. The Russians had their own capable German rocket scientists.
American rewriting history? Not unusual. The Country was founded on broken treaties & attempted genocide.
I can't believe that Bennett gave a shout out to my Guru and favorite author of all time Ted Geisel aka Dr. Seuss who as one of Bennett's best friends.
I love Dr Seuss books to this day!
Happy 100th Birthday, Olivia de havilland!!!!
This is one of very rare episodes where Arlene does not wear her famous heart-shaped diamond necklace
i noticed that right away :D
The nut grower was really pretty. Funny some say (wrongly) pee-cans rather than puh-cahns (accent on the second syllable.)
@@shirleyrombough8173 The pronunciations are both correct. They are regional and in the region where pecans are grown the pee-can version is ubiquitous, even though it comes in as the second, yet acceptable choice in dictionaries. Most of the Deep South uses pee-can. Other regions don't. My father used to say, and he was a big word person on all levels, that how someone pronounces his/her name is how we should say it. So, I may not get the word out of my mouth as they do, but I will not correct a pecan grower, especially when that pronunciation is considered acceptable. We have many acceptable regional differences in language that add color to our language, which lacks the vowels of the romance languages for color.
@@philippapay4352 I guess I spoke too soon. I didn't know pee-can was acceptable so now I know. I should talk. A town near Long Beach, California, where I grew up, is called San Pedro. The natives, I included, pronounce it as San Peedro. But the correct pronunciation is San Paydro. And we are so adamant that people pronounce the word wrongly as we do. Go figure.
@@shirleyrombough8173 This includes how wrongly Los Angeles is pronounced by Americans in general. I lived in L.A. for half a decade and then San Francisco for another half decade. I used to go to one of the bars on the Queen Mary in the harbor for dinner and drinks with friends, though I lived in the Wilshire District. Then there are the weird combos of language, like Anaheim. East Coast folk say San Paydro because they know the Spanish pronunciation. So one would have to live in the area to know that the locals say San Peedro. That is true of so many regional names, words. And to close, the Golden Gate Bridge is Rust-Oleum orange #12, or was. It all adds to the regional color and enhances the patois of the locale, locals.
man ... miss Olivia ... she was the last link to greatness and true stars.
This is the first time I have seen Arlene without her heart pendant!
I don't know why Bennett insisted on always asking the MG if they were attractive
I hardly remember his asking that.
I met John Glenn in the Bohemian Gove about 15 years ago. He gave a marvelous speech about the mission. A real gentleman!
What is this thing about plant products not being 'alive'?
Young Robert Morse. wow. cute.
And adorable!
With the last challenger, Arlene asks if she plays a wind instrument. She is given a yes answer. Then Arlene guesses the trombone. And I'm shaking my head with my mouth open. I was always taught that wind instrument was a short form for a woodwind instrument as distinguished from a brass instrument. Trombones are definitely a brass instrument (although a trombone player I know tells me that trombones are also made out of plastic now, also known as pBones).
Your teacher was making a common abbreviation of woodwind, but most sources disagree with her in the general use of the term "wind instrument". OED lists "such as a horn, trumpet, flute" in defining 'wind instrument' within the first noun listing of "wind" at sense 12a. Cecil Forsyth's 1914 Orchestration textbook groups instruments as percussion, brass, wood, and strings, later using "Brass-Wind" and "Wood-Wind" in the descriptions. American Heritage Dictionary: wind 5.a.: "The brass and woodwinds sections of a band or an orchestra." Random House Unabridged: wind instrument: "...as the trumpet, trombone, clarinet, or flute."
Neil Midkiff - Yes, I had always thought that a trombone was a wind instrument.
I'm with Lois. I always assumed a wind instrument was basically a reed instrument along with flutes and piccolos, and not brass. I stand corrected.
Trees are living things.
12:46 "Is it something that is now or ever has been alive?" The contestant, a nut farmer, answers 'yes', and John Daly quickly corrects her to say, 'no'! Yet another example of plants not being alive. Jeez, people. And then afterward, John thinks that pecans grow on bushes. I thought news people (and panelists on a show like wml) were supposed to be knowledgeable on a broad range of subjects, but I am continually surprised by how little they know about life (biology). These people are certainly well-spoken and have good vocabularies, but sometimes I have to wonder if they don't know what some common words (like "alive" or "animal") actually mean.
+Robert Melson Like the previous episode, when John refers to mushrooms as "part of the vegetable family." These people are as close to the soil as an orbiting satellite.
+Robert Melson
the one reason I can think of, why John Daly so constantly holds these wrong terms is: "this are our wml special terms to describe some thing in biology". like the way they sometimes deals in service and products, there are often questions about specific expressions.
But in my opinion the better way would be to use the correct terms, the audience could and would learn this terms quickly
People thought that way back then. In school we were taught everything was either a plant or animal. Bacteria, mushrooms and so on were grouped into either of those, though we now know they are neither.
To be fair I had no clue pecans were grown on trees. I think of bushes like peanuts. However, he should know that they are alive!
These were people who lived on beef and whiskey.
Those were the days! I could feel the patriotism in the room! Everyone so proud!
One of the last stars of the silver screen. She's now 104 years old!
There's a children's picture book about Melba.
Shes such a lovely lady ❤
Olivia de Haviland played the wife and Henry Fonda her husband in The Gift of Time.
Was Mr. Morse nervous? He didn't appear to be picking up on any clues, and just seemed to say the first thing that came to his mind! Poor game player 😔
Such grace and wit and urbanity. I was born too late.
A grand star!
Interestingly enough, the question about would the panelist be able to avail himself to the service of the NASA man..... William Shatner touched the edge of space last week as a civilian. October 2021.
(Edit): William Shatner was a panelist on *What's My Line?* between 1950 and 1967.
A farmer named Orchard...ha ha
John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth (1962), but Yuri Gargarin of the Soviet Union was the first human to orbit the Earth and the first human in outer space (1961). Thus, John Daly is incorrect at 10:15 to 10:28.
In general, nuts of a nut bearing tree can be called storage organs, and while growing they would be considered to be alive just as would the organs or any other collection of cells in any living organism. Thus, the pecans were alive at some point. Thus, to the question Bennett Cerf asks starting at 12:43, the guest was correct in her initial answer and John Daly was incorrect in having her change her answer.
It is strange that at 13:02 Arlene repeats the assertion that the product has never been alive, but then asks "Does this product grow?" with the answer yes, and "Does it grow in the soil?" with the answer basically yes, but she doesn't then ask how can it not be considered to have been alive at some point. It seems that she and John Daly did not consider plants to be alive.
Arlene isn't wearing her heart necklace!
Interesting that John mentioned marching band music as it influenced Jazz.
Sorry Mr. Daly, John Glenn was not the first man in orbit! The Russians beat us to it. Still an American hero though.
Gee, Dorothy really knew everyone!
Of course Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space, but Alan Shepard as the first American always took a back seat to John Glenn
+MerleOberon
Alan Shepard was the first in space from the U.S., but John Glenn was the first in an orbital flight. Years later, Shepard was the first to play golf in space (on the moon, in fact).
Bennett Cerf was such a square. 😂
Bennett Cerf was the oldest contestant, born in 1898.
Still alive at 99.
Still Alive at 101
104!!!
How odd, that they didn't consider plants to be alive. They had some very idiosyncratic definitions.
Re. Mrs. Orchard: News flash - plants are alive, something WML doesn't have the ability to redefine.
She knew! John feels he has to correct all the time.
@@jacquelinebell6201 Their definitions of "alive" and "animal" are about what I'd expect from people squarely in the liberal arts. I love then anyway.
RIP Bert Cooper!
Going to a Salvation Army church, we have lots of brass band music including trombones. The majority of the trombone players I have seen are women. It's a changing world.
*_HEAD OF LAUNCH TEAM FOR ASTRONAUT GLENN_*
*_NUT FARMER (PECANS)_*
*_JAZZ TROMBONIST_* Arlene didn't wear her heart pendant, proving that her statement that she "never took it off" was untrue.
Happy Birthday
104
she's still alive? wow (hope she's saved)
@@kristabrewer9363 she died in 26 july 2020, at the age of 104, in Paris, France.
Garson Kanin. Olivia. Henry Fonda. "A Gift of Time" (February - May 1962). You would think a play with that stellar line up would have run for a year. Hard to tell if 4 months was the plan or if it was not popular. Hard to imagine.
Actually, "A Gift of Time" (written and directed by Garson Kanin, based on the book "Death of a Man" by Lael Tucker Wertenbaker) ran a little less than three months - only 92 performances. It opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Thursday, 22 February 1962 and closed on Saturday, 12 May 1962.
Olivia de Havilland and Henry Fonda played Lael Tucker Wertenbaker and Charles Christian Wertenbaker. Other cast principals were Joseph Campanella (who was nominated for the 1962 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance as Daniel Stein), Lucretia Gould, Leslye Hunter, John MacKay, Gary Morgan, Marian Seldes (who was also Miss de Havilland's stand-by - and who, after the death of Ruth Gordon, would marry Garson Kanin "till death do us part" (his death, in 1999)), Rufus Smith, and Guy Sorel. The play was produced by William Hammerstein, of The Shubert Organization. The sets were designed by Boris Aronson; costumes were designed by Edith Luytens Bel Geddes; lighting was designed by Jean Rosenthal; and coiffures were designed by Michel Kazan.
(By the way: Later in the show's run, dancer/choreographer Jose Greco replaced one of the supporting players in the cast, as well as understudying several other parts.)
I always think “mellie” gwtw.
This just makes me want to cry: Kennedy was president, we were all so proud of our astronaut program, we were so innocent. Now look what we have in the White House. I am so thoroughly ashamed of my country now and despair of ever being back to normal.
Three years after your comment, America is worse. It's a shame (and crime) what is being taught to children in schools.
It has always surprised me that they didn’t throughly explain how to keep score in advance.
The scoring means nothing. All conestants still receive $50 for their appearance.
Nuts are fruits... fruits aren't alive?
No sir
@7:04 Robert Morse gives John Daly the finger for saying he doesn't have what it takes to be an astronaut
Maria Petrie - Really?
Wow, yeah, he really does.
Scientifically speaking, nuts are alive, at least while attached and, for some time, after being detached. John got that wrong.
Earlier that same night, the August 5, 1962 episode was recorded.
And here's a fun fact about the pre-recorded episodes: Even after the next version of the opening debuted on April 8, it was seen on all of the pre-recorded 1962 episodes.
+Vahan Nisanian
That far in advance? That was taking quite a chance that something wouldn't happen to someone on the program that would cause them to have to scrap it.
7:06 Robert Morse flips off John hahaha.
Who’s Quincy Jones? 😂
Beautiful Black woman!!!
Yes I think so. John didn't seem to like any of the comedians expect Arlene and Steve Allen. He tolerated Fred Allen because Allen was his senior and well established with the American public. But John seemed frustrated or annoyed with many of the comedians and actors who liked to be comedic, such as Johnny Carson, Ernie Kovacs, Jerry Lewis, Tony Randal and others. John didn't like the men who were quick-witted and clever and who could outsmart him. You just have to watch this series a few times to begin to see these things. Lol
Bennett: Who's Quincy Jones?
He's the guy who helped Michael Jackon with Thriller in 20 years.
RIP
Trombone a wind instrument?
What else do you put in it to get a noise? Now, it's not a "woodwind" instrument, no. But try getting a sound out of the trombone without blowing into it with your mouth or, some other part of your anatomy.
If you watch, you can tell there is dislike on the part of John because of the way he refers to his "colleagues on the panel." Normally john says " my FRIENDS on the panel." That's the first clue. Then John reveals a little more by saying to Robert that he hopes that he "will teach the panel how to figure out the guests' lines without really trying." Then when John jokes about Robert lacking fitness for the job of the guest, that's when Robert puts up his middle finger and holds it there, right in the center of his eyes and locks eyes with John. Right after that, Robert grins in a way like he knows John didn't figure it out. Lol lol
Are you saying John disliked Robert Morse?
Yes I think so. John didn't seem to like any of the comedians expect Arlene and Steve Allen. He tolerated Fred Allen because Allen was his senior and well established with the American public. But John seemed frustrated or annoyed with many of the comedians and actors who liked to be comedic, such as Johnny Carson, Ernie Kovacs, Jerry Lewis, Tony Randal and others. John didn't like the men who were quick-witted and clever and who could outsmart him. You just have to watch this series a few times to begin to see these things. Lol
There's a lot of hair-touching going on from Dorothy when Mr O'Malley leaves...though perhaps not as much as she did when the Irish milkman was on!
Learned man John, grow on a bush!, lol!
Behind that beautiful appearance was a very tough lady.
I despise these people don't consider plants alive. I understand the show took place in the 60s but, good grief, this wasn't the middle ages either. Surely they knew plants were living things, too.
It is better when Arlene is next to Bennett ...
I always get Olivia de Havilland confused with Yvonne DiCarlo
Olivia de Havilland is the sister of Joan Fontaine.
Really? They don't look alike; it must be the "de" at the beginning of their names.
Weird how something that grows, like nuts, has "never been alive"! Maybe they should say it's other than animal or human!
I know Robert Morse wasn't a total idiot, but you'd never know it from this show. He consistently ignored what the other panelists had established.
With all the dumb shows on in 2024,they should bring this show back.
Who's Quincy Jones? Really, Bennett.
On 3/4/62, the Sunday this epoiside aired live, very few people ever heard of Quincy Jones.
U
Sure... Melba Liston was black; why turn the cards and give her the full prize like when the contestant are blonde and white.
BULL
You're right! IT'S AN OUTRAGE!
QUICK! LET'S DESTROY SOMETHING!
.....not.
WOOOW can you BELIEVE John flipped over those stupid cards for the guy that already had 40 points, but let the lady leave with only 15?
I'm sick and tired of him flipping over those cards on pretty much every episode!! and I can't believe the producers hadn't talked to him about it, but still if he's gonna flip em over for the man who had 40 points, he could have at least done for the one who had 15
I still can't hate John (I'll admit, it's been getting easier to not like him, but yet it's hard to dislike him)
Calm your skin down.
Those cards were just a prop to make it feel like a game show, rather than just a parlor game. If they irritate a person, that person is always welcome to shimmy on over and spend an hour being face-blasted with MONEY MONEY MONEY prizes and loud, shrill, annoying music, graphics and contestants on the Price is Right.
FUN was the goal of the show, not flipping cards.
Again??????