Arlene Francis looked so elegant here and she was so brilliant, she was able to guess many a secret guest . She looked so refined and of course with impeccable manners and a sense of wit & humor. They don't come around like this anymore.
I had the pleasure of meeting Tony Perkins when I was a student at New York University around 1973. I was working part-time as a sales rep at Paragon Sporting Goods in Greenwich Village when Tony Perkins and his mother walked in to do some shopping. I offered to help them if they needed some. Tony was very friendly and seemed like a down-to-earth person without the slightest hint of prima donna about him. Maybe it was a New York thing among the Hollywood community that lived there at that time, but I also felt the same about John Cazale, Fred Gwynne, Zero Mostel, and Otto Preminger, who I used to see and greet during my walks around town.
Sorry to reply to a year-old comment but I'm interested as to what was the dynamic between Tony and his mother like? In the short space of time you had with him. Just curious with everything that has been said about his relationship with his mother and how she treated him.
One thing I've learned from Perkins during his appearances on WML is how much more he seems a theatre person than a movie star. He exudes an artistic presence with no showbiz aspect at all....indeed he also seems quiet, modest and sensitive. I get the feeling then that perhaps his best work was on the stage. Like a number of others we associate with a handful movies but who had a prolific theatre presence first and foremost.
The thing with all great actors (comedians too) is they're interesting people in their own right which is why we want to see them. Who wouldn't want to just hang out with Tony Perkins, Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, or Richard Pryor? I know I would..
Wow two great ones here, Peter Ustinov and Tony Perkins, wonderful actors! I love Tony, he's my favorite, unique and very singular man with brilliant interesting roles and films, handsome and charming!
Mr. Anthony Perkins was taller than I thought. He really played the part in Psycho. He died so young, only 60 years old. One of my mom's favorite movie stars.
Tony was exceptionally gifted as an actor (much more than "Psycho" might lead one to believe). And he COULD sing, and rather well. His French was impeccable. And his earlier friendship with Tab Hunter was sweet. Miss both Tony and Tab and hope they're both having a great time UP THERE. P.S. RU-vid has quite a few of Tony's recordings, and if you ever want to see a totally charming side of Tony, see "The Matchmaker". His youthful enthusiasm in this film is quite infectious - a far cry from his "Psycho" persona. BTW Shirley Booth's performance in "The Matchmaker" is excellent, by far surpassing Streisand in "Hello Dolly", which is a remake of "The Matchmaker". 11/2019
And in my opinion didn't really change that much over the years. Even when he was very sick at the end, he gave an interview and he knew full well the end was just around the corner, he looked great, just a little thin.
Earlier on so many people said I looked like Tony. I didn't consider this assessment a compliment. But perhaps it was a compliment after all; thank you. 11/2019
When Daly refers to Orson Welles' War Of The Worlds, Arlene intones under the conversation "I was in that". 23:42 It went by unnoticed meanwhile I thought 'what?'.....checked it on Wikipedia and sure enough Arlene was indeed in it!! Way down the cast.
I love these shows of my childhood. These RU-vid versions are great. One thing I haven’t noticed up til now watching them again is what hand they sign in with. Interesting. I do wish they would include at least one of the commercials.
The glasses Harold Lloyd wore were not horn-rimmed, but circular. When the Japanese first became aware, in the 1920s, of this style of spectacles they became all the rage. Still are. They are known as "roido (Lloyd) megane " (Japanese for glasses). Sometimes I wear them when I'm in Japan. Mine have plain glass. I have 20/20 vision. I just wear them to look hip, somewhat Japanese and with it.
Arlene Francis was also in a silent film directed by Orson Welles (Too Much Johnson - 1938). She can be seen in love scene with Joseph Cotton. The film is available on RU-vid.
One could say they'd have a STAB at the answer here 😁. He'll always be remembered for playing Norman Bates (sad in one way) but he was much more than that. But then he'll never be forgotten coz of it either. RIP Anthony may peace shower down on you.🌹
Arlene's response "but his own" at 12:30 is an adaptation of a once-popular literary phrase, "a small thing, but mine own." The oldest attribution I've seen for it is to Abraham Cowley, an English essayist, but I'm not certain of that.
Phyllis Newman had the most infectious, contagious laugh. She's still an adorable and effervescent lady, whom I see out and about at Broadway and theater functions quite often.
The brother of the second contestant will be the first contestant on the 9/25/66 episode with the same occupation. I guess the producers liked the way it worked.
I think he was handsome too. In fact, that is exactly why he was cast so well in Psycho. No one would ever think that such a polite, handsome, wholesome man could be so unhinged and I mean that just in the movie Psycho, not at all in real life.
I really like Myron Pomerantz's haircut. It is very neat and classic and very common in the early 60s just before the Beatles had their influence. Mr. Pomerantz looks like an actual Don Draper type of the time.
Who knows just about all these people from the 50's? It's great to see how young and good looking most of them were. I still can't get over how beautiful Hedy Lamour was in the 50's and how smart she was.
Phyllis Newman brought WML into the sixties. She was smart, didn't think twice about wearing her serious big glasses to read and married a brilliant man 20 years older than her, rather plain looking and he was the love of her life forever.
poetcomic1 - I used to watch Phyllis Newman regularly on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. She was throughout his NY period one of his mainstays, even just coming on when she had nothing to promote but another guest could not make it. She and Carson had great witty chemistry together and she was always uplifting and full of good humor: smart good humor, but humble and talented.
Here it is, the perfect opportunity for Dorothy to ask Anthony Perkins if he lost his address book out of a helicopter over the Greek islands -- and she is out sick. From about 1960 to 1965, Dorothy asked that gotcha question a number of times, but never to Tony Perkins himself. As to Dorothy, she missed 10 of the first 18 live broadcasts and taping sessions due to side effect illnesses and problems associated with drug abuse.
"Have you studied dentistry?" I have to say, I find these kinds of questions from Dorothy *extremely* annoying. Why would anyone consider this to be entertaining to an audience, having a mystery guest segment possibly short circuited due to a wild guess? That's bad enough, but then the wild guess is compounded by the reference to something the audience knows NOTHING about. When she's wrong with these hunches, which is almost always, it makes her look very silly. But if she ever actually caught out one of the guests this way, while she might have been pleased with herself for being so "clever", it would only have hurt the show.
David Von Pein True-- I do remember some cases that were exactly as you described. But it's the compounding factor of asking something so completely esoteric that really grates on me, not just whether it would have shortened the segment. It gives the feel of Dorothy leaving everyone else out of her fun little "secret", which was almost always wrong anyway. The worst was when, rather than just asking something specifically personal, the question directly involved the panel member, as in, "Did we have lunch this week?" To be fair, other panelists did this sometimes too (sometimes Bennett, hardly ever Arlene, I'd say), but Dorothy did it the most. It was part of the look-how-chic-my-life-is thing she had going which is, personally, the characteristic of hers I find the least appealing. Just one guy's opinion.
David Von Pein I know she did it with Ricky Nelson when he was a guest. But John prompted her to state her guess which of course he could tell she knew.
Taped the same night as the episode with Sir Ralph Richardson as a mystery guest (that episode aired on July 28, 1963). If you watch in airing order, it seems odd as to why Dorothy was absent again.
She was murdered investigating the JFK asasasination- she was a reporter. SICK govt. people back then like the Clinton's today. Sad she was murdered.... Kim
There is no proof of any of this. Can you please not use this forum for political conspiracy theories and speculation? I come here to escape from the horrors of contemporary society not to be reminded of it.
Greg .Patrei That doesn’t mean it has to be commented on. I’m sick of all the political posts. That’s not the point of these uploads. I could on and on about the corruptness of the current president and his family, but I don’t because it has no relevance here. People need to keep their politics to themselves here and save that rhetoric for videos where it’s appropriate.
And yet another left-handed mystery guest to add to the list: Kim Novak Hope Lange Eva Marie Saint Peter Fonda Rudy Vallee Judy Garland Jane Powell Jean Shrimpton James Brown (Syndicated revival) Anthony Perkins Joey Heatherton Robert Morse
***** A piece of trivia for you. Anthony Perkins was indeed left handed, but he learned to throw right handed for the film "Fear Strikes Out". You can only imagine how hard that would be to do.
+@@jvcomedy Patty Duke played a 7-year-old blind & deaf girl in the play The Miracle Worker. During one performance a large lighting fixture broke free & fell to the stage. It landed a foot or so behind Patty. Everyone on stage reacted to the huge crash...except Patty...because she was playing a deaf girl... The audience was stunned!
All these times and still no one has spoken to Peter about *not* stopping in the doorway for a moment when he's just been introduced? Seems so little communication.
23:33 23:40 There is a interesting off-camera on-microphone observation from Arlene. When Daly mentions "War of the Worlds" [Orson Welles radio broadcast, Daly mentions wrong date], Arlene pipes up and says she was in it. I knew she was in The Mercury Theater group, but I've never encountered any documentation that claims Arlene was a part of that cast.
She did say that here-- I missed that completely. I'm pretty sure Martin Gable was in that broadcast-- he was regularly part of the cast of those Mercury Theater broadcasts-- but I'm hard pressed to identify where Arlene came in. Going by memory, I would have said that there were no female parts in that show at all.
According to the Mercury Theater episode list, Arlene was a cast member of the episode broadcast the week before. If Arlene is in WoTW, she is either a crowd or a staff member.
soulierinvestments I'm curious what episode list are you using as a reference? Anyhow, my guess is that if Arlene's memory was accurate, she was just part of a crowd scene, akin to a background extra. But I'm sure it would still have been quite a memorable evening to have participated in regardless of whether the part was significant. Then again, it would never surprise me to learn that an actor's recollection was in error. I just re-listened to the WotW broadcast coincidentally a few weeks ago, and I honestly can't remember any identifiable female parts in it.
What's My Line? I'm venturing the crowd scene was probably where she participated. That was an unforgettable radio broadcast and I can't see her trippin' up that memory! :)
Not a fan of Phyllis Newman. She seems to pull a profession out of thin air and then ask questions to confirm her supposition. The better panelists ask probing questions in order to develop a lead as to what a contestant's line is.
Lately, we've had a lot of old favorites -- girl men's barbers, girl bullfighters, etc etc. My goodness, can't we try something different? The weakness of this show is the lack of men/women of science. How about Crick & Watson, or Rosalind Franklin, or Einstein, Edward Teller. Writers too, maybe, I can think of scads of writers. And I don't mean Hedda Hopper. I think they had Herman Wouk once. but only because he was being adapted for film. They missed the boat on variety. And why did they never have on women from the AAGPBL when it was still active?
I find it interesting that the first contestant said she was from Toronto CANADA and not Toronto ONTARIO. Americans wouldn't say "I'm from Pittsburgh USA but rather Pittsburgh Pennsylvania" (using the name of the state). I am Canadian myself. I wouldn't say Toronto Canada. I've heard this from many Canadian contestants on WML. I wonder why.
How could anyone not love Arlene Francis? As much respect as I have for Bennett, Dorothy and John, I don't love them. I could watch Arlene lots more, and am so sorry all of her "Tonight Show: appearances are greased, and her "Home" show AND her years on radio at WOR are not available. David, you are the master (I really and truly mean that) and boy I would pay for some of the above. I think she was on WOR for over 20 years. My, word, I hope those tapes exist somewhere!
Oh, she absolutely, and very clearly, uttered the word "falsies" on national television in 1963. I've always suspected Arlene was a strong role model for Betty White, who has displayed the same kind of effortless, bawdy charm in her many years of game show appearances.
What's My Line? And it's no surprise that Betty mentions Arlene specifically in one of her books, noting that Arlene was especially kind and made the effort to make her feel welcomed as a West Coaster. And little observation, Betty wears a diamond pendant necklace now that she doesn't take off. Reminds me of Arlene
Joe Postove she most definitely has always given Arlene props when she's brought up and offers it up. Betty was quite the pioneer herself and she's probably one of the most gracious gals in the industry.
John Mentioned that the contestant, Myron Pomerantz, worked for a family business. Another member of the family who worked in the family business, Howard Pomerantz, was a contestant on the September 25, 1966 episode.
I do not admire bull fighters... At all... Unfortunately they pop up every now and again in this show. Animal welfare was not discussed in these times as intensely as later on..
It was live. But the word "live" got edited out. Possibly because this was not an east coast airing. Anytime you hear a hiccup in Olsen's intro, odds are very good that this was a live airing that wasn't in the east coast.
A cut occurred a few episodes ago and I commented on that back then. What I believe happened on that occasion and also here (educated guess) is that they cut the word "live" when they rebroadcast the recording on the West Coast and that this is a recording of the West Coast version. Possibly in some cases only "West Coast" kinescopes survived. Since the show aired on the West Coast at the same clock time as on the East Coast, the West Coast broadcast was certainly recorded. Either CBS or Goodson-Toddman probably didn't like people hearing "LIVE!" when it really wasn't (maybe there was even a regulation against it) and so they got out the scissors. That is my strong suspicion. It is only a guess.
romeman01 It's a good theory-- the only part that doesn't make sense to me is how they would have had time to edit the film in the two and a half hours they had between the east and west coast broadcasts. I don't know exactly when the rules changed, but it was the case through at least the early 1950s that recorded broadcasts needed to be identified as such to distinguish them from live shows. The networks were extremely skittish about pre-recorded programs: Bing Crosby had to strong arm ABC into letting him pioneer the use of transcriptions for broadcast. All non-live broadcasts on radio in the late 40s and early 50s were clearly identified as pre-recorded.
Interesting, though. I guess you pointed out that YBYL was NEVER live, so they had no time constraints in editing. Once Crosby got into RT's he was never live either. was he (on radio that is)?
Do the panel members deliberately face the 'wrong' camera? Bennet Cerf for example looks to his right and seems to address a camera on that side while we see the side of his face via a camera he seems to ignore. Perhaps the director wanted it that way or perhaps TV was primitive and clumsy in 1963. It's odd but still a fun show.
It looks like a glitch. If you are referring to the introductions, you will see that Peter Ustinov also looks to his right, while Arlene and Phyllis Newman face forward. I read somewhere that a red light was illuminated on the active camera, so the people who were talking knew where to look. In the case of the introductions, one camera follows the guests from the entrance to their seats, and the director switches to another camera when they are standing at their seats and talking. It looks as though the switchover didn't work consistently, and Peter Ustinov and Bennett Cerf must have seen a red light on the first camera after it was no longer active, so they thought they should face that camera while they were talking.
C'mon. c'mon! Why in the world would Arlene feel that this meek little girl (first contestant) had something "lively" about her. Nice lady, but lively? I hate to say it but as good as they are, I can't help but think that sometimes the panelists get a look at the monitor just a little bit. And she got right to the area at issue.
I can't really believe they would cheat either, but the regulars are so good, that when they dive in, they always hit the deep end. What a great show. I don't watch much tv at all anymore (download...but not off air) and I sure do miss great programs like this.
the thing that gets me about Arlene.. is she tries to hard to sound intelligent and she gets caught up in acting " High society" is that she misses more than she gets right. She sounds Pretentious to me
I don't know your background or point of view, but I have an almost opposite reaction to Arlene. She was a trained stage actress, so her manner of speaking may sound "high society" to you, but it was the standard for public speaking, broadcasting, and so forth in that era. I don't think she was trying to sound intelligent; I think she was intelligent. Watch more of these episodes and you'll see how many times she does get it right.
Just can't take the nasally whines of Phyllis Newman and Cerf. Cerf especially would never shut his yap. Every guest you can hear Bennett's nasal tones... "John... John can I just say.....(more nasally whine and/or a stupid pun)" John was trying to say something most the time when Bennett cried out for attention.
![What's My Line? - Anthony Perkins; Phyllis Newman [panel]; Peter Ustinov [panel] (Feb 17, 1963)](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
