What's My Line? - Francis the Talking Mule (Aug 3, 1952) 

Oh heavens. You come on You Tube for one thing, but start watching these wonderful old clips of What's My Line, and one leads to another just like potato chips...and two hours later...

I've been binge watching these episodes for two days now. Thanks to whomever is preserving these fine shows.

So fun to see Francis the Talking Mule!😄😍

It seems like every time I watch What's My Line I really enjoy it. Can't say that about a lot of shows on TV today !

Arlene has powerful skills of deduction!

Love Arlene’s detection of garbage in this episode! She is utterly charming.

What a joy this show is! An absolute joy!

Been watching for a month or so and couldn't refrain from making a few comments. I'll try to do better and be less opinionated, but from the time we got TV in 1958, my family and I were addicted. You've provided me with a long-awaited relapse. Thank you doesn't cover the joy you've given me. It's like my parents and brother and sister are back in the livingroom eating it up with me. Fudge and popcorn and love, oh my.

I am so addicted to this show. I love the panel- even Hal. I think he’s funny. I’m a woman and don’t find him offensive at all. I think it’s just his Schtick so to speak. I love Arlene and Dorothy. They’re smart, beautiful, classy, and glamorous. I’ve watched later episodes and Arlene gets more attractive as she gets older. Thanks for uploading these.

what a job for the "panel" people to have. Getting paid great money, having tons of fun, and best of all- meeting all of these Hollywood celebrities.

There is something very nostalgic about What’s My Line ...

Francis the Talking Mule from the movies was the predecessor to Mr. Ed the Talking Horse on television.

I was born in 1955...I remember this program as well as to tell the truth. I always thought the women were glamorous

Hal Bloch was so impressed by Dr. Kleppenger that he asked if the panel could shake her hand after her "line" was guessed. I thought that was so touching.

I love the ability to visit the past, the golden age of television, by watching quality television.

This was always a good show, but they were wise to eliminate the awkward walk or hike of inspection and the free guesses!

I loved this video when Francis the talking mule walked in!! Lol.

John Daly: "Yes, she is a male." LOL!

What a great program . All of these people where so part of their world then. I find it so sad that they have all moved on and have passed on, they can no longer meet and be a part of each others lives any more.

Arlene did a great job with the Garbage truck lady.

Oh I so wanted to see this show. I love Francis the Talking Mule movie more than the Mr.Ed TV Show. All the gang on this one too.

I didn’t grow up with a television so I missed all these shows. Now at 73 I watch WML and love it. It’s better than anything on television today.

Dorothy looks really nice with her longer hair style.

Watching this on the 67th anniversary of its airing! This was such a great TV game show.

It’s 2023 and this is still really entertaining.

Totally love these shows.

When I was a kid, my local town had a theater that played old movies on Saturday afternoon: Francis the Talking Mule pictures was shown often

"Francis" was actually a female mule named "Molly". (Female mules, like many species, being easier to work with.)

All of these generations, all of these lives. I have to assume that everyone who appeared on this episode is "no more." That's why I am more interested in the "non-celebrity" guests. For most of them, this is a kind of "immortality."

I was born the day after this show.

In the early 1950s I used to go to the theater for all the Francis the talking mule they were funny

Still a great show as I remember it! WML had . . . everybody . . . who was . . . anybody . . . on this show. It had a great run! Thanks for sharing.

I’m so hooked on these and hooked on Arlene .

Hal gave me the biggest laugh of the series so far with the end of his first line of questioning that first lady. Such a good set-up for comedy that first part and it just emerges naturally. Brilliant!

I have always loved this show and am so glad that I can see this anytime!!!

Good clean program. Wish we had something like this program today.

These shows are wonderful!

That was a Generous Gift for The Country Doctor, Awesome. I 💖 This Show 💖💯

I grew up watching this show every Sunday evening at 9:30pm. I never realized how addicting it was.

Kind words by Hal Block, there, in praise of country doctors

"What would you do with a thing (garbage) like that?" "This is your chosen work?" Obviously not Arleens idea of a dream profession.

Some of Hal Blocks *wild free guesses* are subtly disguised and thoughtfully clever.... "I think she punches out the wholes of Lifesavers... and makes a *mint* ." 😂

Francis is beautiful!

Very funny - every episode is hilarious.

The doctor donating money to the Polio Fund. In 2021 we don't even think of Polio being a thing that people need to think about, or contribute to it's eradication.

This is a simpler time but not an easier time.

I’ve never seen Bennett in a light colored suit. Looks nice.

I like how he says 'prizes' ... much less coarse than 'cash'.

My grandmother used Railroad Mills snuff for many years and enjoyed it. when I was a kid I would go to the store and buy it for her.

Just wonderful, great, I love this👀

That’s the cutest mule I’ve ever seen

I loved the Francis the mule movies.

Francis the Talking Muel was sensational

The mystery challenger is *SOOOO* cute! :P

WOW, I was 2 days old when this aired! (I doubt I was watching that night) LOL

"Yes, she is a male" xD the next line about jackass is a killer too.

This is a very early show when they still had the "free guesses" and what has become called the "Walk of Shame". In some of those, a panelist would even ask to see the label in a woman's dress. Or ask a woman to turn around and such. The free guesses were almost always useless, corny, and often a panelist trying to be funny and not successfully. They eventually dropped the free guesses and John Daly in a very perfunctory manner said something like, "We're going to do things a little differently tonight and not have the free guesses" and he moved on and that was that. Never again. With those two things gone, the show was then 100% class.

boy when tv was classy unlike the crap they peddle today

It is astonishing to see Arlene 's transformation from the first few seasons. By the 60's she had invested in her image.

"Yes, she is a male." I can't breathe...!

Arlene is so smart ❤❤❤❤❤

Bennett's line of questioning with the last contestant, especially the last question about physical strength, leads me to believe he suspected she was a chiropractor.

Best legs on a mystery guest EVA!

what a great to have been a kid, tv was so much fun and new

Sad Dorothy died 1965 unexectedly

I’ve watched so many of these episodes now, it’s wonderful to see Miss Arlene wearing the same heart necklace. It must have been a special gift and cherished by her.

The episode guide for the Syndicated revival says that Lassie was also a Mystery Guest. As far as live animals on WML are concerned.

country doctor today known as a general practitioner

I don't understand why so many commentators have a thing against Hal Block. Not just this particular episode but other airings also. He seems normal enough to me.

I love that John Daly pet Francis.

What a treat is What's My Line in 2021

When men carried handkerchiefs. You don’t see them much today. People prefer their sleeves today.

Hal was the only one who gave Francis some type of affection. An every day Joe.

So cool they had on Francis the Talking Mule! Terri Johnson

Watching these early WML episodes, I miss the practice of the contestants meeting the panel members at the conclusion of their game (which was later adopted). It's interesting to see the people being acknowledged by the panel and their brief interaction. On the other hand, I like the fact that the show later removed the practice of allowing free guesses by the panel. I felt that was a waste of time and provided little entertainment value.

Mr. Francis the mule, be there but something be missing. Please could we get more of the pure Mr. Francis the mule

God bless you Francis for your patience, dealing with these PATIENTS!! 🤪🤪🤪

Arlene is so good at this.

Man, I thought the second contestant's job was "Sells Stuff" XD

23:59 - She donated her prize to The Polio Fund - two years after this show the first effective and commercially available polio vaccine (Salk) was released to the world. Around the time of this show (1952) and into 1953, the US experienced an outbreak of 93,000 polio cases with deaths numbering 4,600 - just in those two years. 2,996 people died in the September 11 attacks to put it into perspective. Today, in 2019, we still have dangerous fools who are against vaccinations - they are the people who hold back civilisation and in many respects, take us backwards.

¶ I had thought the episode of "What's My Line?" with "Francis the Talking Mule" as Mystery Guest was among those presumed "lost" (no kinescope filmed), as is the episode of December 24. 1950 with Santa Claus as a Mystery Guest. It is nice to see the "Francis" appearance on "What's My Line?" is not lost to the ages. ~ ¶ It was too bad "What's My Line?" producer Gil Fates could not also have arranged for actor Chill Wills (the voice of "Francis" in six of Universal-International's seven films in the "Francis" series) to have appeared on the program as well; with Wills, of course, disguising his voice, at least through most of the questioning segment. ~ ¶ I wonder if there is any chance some of the so-called "lost" episodes (from between 1950-52) of "What's My Line?" might still be unearthed one day? There is or was a person who maintains a library of actual network episodes (complete with sponsor advertisements) of "What's My Line?," ostensibly available by request to those with a close relative who appeared as a guest on the show. I had always wondered if this person who maintains network episodes of "What's My Line?" had any of the so-called "lost" episodes of the classic Goodson-Todman panel game show. As with most, if not all, classic television, it is better to watch episodes unedited and with original sponsor segments.

Great episode. Thanks for sharing. 😊

Love this gameshow. Fun and direct to the point in opposition to today's overdramatized freakshows.

Wow, refreshing to see my favorite - Francis... They know who the MG are.........

Francis was the first one to get a Patsy award.

I have never thought of snuff as being a food.

It just struck me that Arlene had had her nose done a few years ahead of this. Good for her - it made her look even better than ever!

Well, whatever else one is to think of Hal, I give him a buncha comedy points for his kiss to FtTM. (And always more sympathy points for his particularly unpleasant death many years later). If I'm ever a contestant on some next-worldly WML ("Minion who would have been sent out with a shovel and a brain bottle if the Regional Commissioner of his Federal agency had decided to build a Creature"), I rather hope that Hal will be on the panel.

Would have liked to see a debate between Francis vs Mr Ed.

The contestants' handwriting is beautiful.

Arlene is very bright !

Funny how surprised to see a lady garbage truck driver they were in the 50s. This one cleaned up well.

Awww. I wanna hug francis!!

I 💖 Mr Ed 💖💯

Another mistake by Mr. Daly. He allowed Ms. 'Drives Garbage Truck' to lead the panel astray thinking her line deals in a product. Driving a garbage truck provides a _service_ to those for whom she picks up garbage. Therefore, the act of picking up garbage and disposing of it is firmly a service, not a product. Yes, her garbage service does handle many different types of products (including food) when disposing of said garbage, but the products themselves being disposed of are not her line. In this show's defense, I know this was early into the run of this series (2 years), so Mr. Daly may not have been nearly as fastidious as he would later become farther into the run of this series.

$50 in 1952 is the equivalent of $500 in 2019 terms

Howard Katz, the snuff merchant: I wonder if he was related to the J.J. Katz who donated a large collection of Chinese snuff boxes to Brandeis in 1964.

that first guests job shocked me i wouldn't have ever guessed that

Arlene Francis is adorable.

The last contestant they cut part of the introduction out. I think John said from Kutztown . If that is correct that is in Pa. a 15 minute drive from me. A great little town & still looks the same as back then. I just googled her name. She passed away in 2002 at the age of 79.