What's My Line? - Leontyne Price; Peter Ustinov; PANEL: Phyllis Newman, Woody Allen (Sep 18, 1966) 

I know 60 year olds who doesn't look as good

He was adorable!

golden86 Ms.Price,was someone I had not heard of until I heard her sing " Ava Maria" on a Long Playing L P. vinyl album on a special Firestone television recording.Her exquisite operatic voice brought me to tears,and she sang this.Thank You for showing Ms.Price on this WML program.

She was the number one soprano in the 1960s.

Still gong at 97 too! 2024.

Made me laugh out loud !

@@TheJMascis666 Yep, me too.

SuperWinterborn Probably the wittiest line in the entire history of WML. That's why he's one of our greatest raconteurs of all time.

Michael Winner directed Ustinov in 'Appointment with Death' and surprisingly wrote in 2011 that he was openly and strongly anti-Jewish in private.

@@esmeephillips5888 NO Mr. Ustinov was NOT anti-jewish, please do the needed research. He was against the segregation and the conflict between jews and palestinians. It was possibly the zionists he was "against" NOT the jewish people. He worked tirelessly for UNICEF and human rights all his life. He remains a great example as one our great humanitarians of all time. Michael Winner on the other hand could be extremely cruel to his actors, and on "Appointent With Death" the great actress Piper Laurie, who starred alongside Peter Ustinov, revealed that she created a kind of super persona, very different from herself, who would be outrageous and tough, in order to keep Winner at bay. They became friends after her display of confident ruthlessness on the set of that film, filmed in Israel :)

Phyllis would not have stood up if she didn't see Arlene do it first. Watch her, she intended to stay seated but realized at the last minute she should follow Arlene's lead.

0y

I haven't watched it yet but I'll judge when it comes along. My theory, when they all stand up, is that it's mostly for practical reasons ie. for an elderly person who can't bend over the panel's table or someone with restricted movement or someone who would look undignified reaching too far over or indeed they do it to save someone doing themselves a mischief. The reason I put those factors above the idea of standing up out of respect is that, if it WAS for respect, it should be happening more often!! EDIT: Yep. Elderly person. I don't agree with the 'respect' thing. They got up because it's common sense to do so!! You don't need to 'respect' someone to get up for them when they're ninety years old.

The two female panelists remained seated for L. Price. I think I personally would have stood to greet her with great admiration. That doesn't mean that I'm better than them. It's just an expression of sincere honor to her and others who graciously share their talent which I appreciate.

Omg yes. To me, Ustinov was always mesmerizingly attractive...if he had kissed my hand, I'd have fainted. Lucky Arlene Francis and Phyllis Newman!

It's actually thrilling to see respect for anybody.

I don't recall ever seeing such a "young" 90-year-old. That guy was born in 1876.

i agree. i'm 82 . if i get to 90, i hope i'm as aware as he is, or was???

I'm just turning 89 and wake up each morning thinking "What the hell am I still doing here?" He is indeed special.

+higharch Leontyne Price is still very much alive, although no longer singing publicly. I was fortunate to have seen Miss Price perform twice, first time at the San Francisco Opera and second time in a recital at UCLA. Both were great experiences.

One of my greatest musical experiences was sharing a stage with Miss Price on her last recital tour. OK, I was just turning pages for her piano accompanist, but it was a chance to experience her artistry closer than I ever expected. I had come to usher for the concert at Stanford, where I was a grad student. The music student who was to turn pages showed up way too informally dressed (blazer, purple t-shirt, jeans, white sneakers), and her brother, Col. Price, who was her tour manager, said that no way was he going on stage like that. The concert series director knew me to be a musician, and I had on a brand new navy suit, so I was asked to sub as page turner. All went well, and I was warmly thanked by both Prices afterward. I'll never forget that evening.

She's still alive!

​@@golden-63and still alive two years later 😃 God bless her.

wowwwwwwwwwww

She's 97 now!

Leontyne Price is alive (5-1-23) at the age of 96!

Johan Bengtsson She was one of the most highest paid and critically acclaimed singers of her generation. Her talent, influence and public adoration is on par with Caruso, Pavarotti and Callas.

The same goes for Sir Georg Solti. I actually saw her sing the soprano solo in the Verdi Requiem Mass in concert with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Solti, in late May of 1977 at Orchestra Hall in Chicago. It was a Musicians' Pension Fund benefit concert - and RCA recorded the work in the 3 days following the concert. (Said recording has been released on LP, audiocassette, and CD.)

Ustinov and Charles Laughton together in Spartacus were the best thing in the movie.

Joe Postove What a nice coincidence that this video posted on her birthday! :)

TOTAL coincidence!

What's My Line? It had to be someone's birthday, huh?

Still alive...Dec.20th 2015!

Still here on 1/13/16!

Not really suspicious. As soon as it was established that the lady was a singer and not in a popular field, the opening of the new Met at Lincoln Center starring her was a huge story especially in NY but it was also a nationwide broadcast. Only 2 days previously. Woody Allen just put 2 and 2 together and asked if she was in opera.

What about Franco Corelli? Made her Met debut with him. Amazing tenor voice and famously good looking, a rarity in the tenor department. Though temperamental he was nervous as a cat.

@@bbailey7818 Corelli was ridiculously good looking.

Me too -- what a beautiful man.

He was my great grandfather.....

@@ngrey76 I hope you have inherited his genes, not just for longevity, but for the great shape he was in physically and mentally that he was into his 90s. Good personality, too!

Khruschev made just about every effort to liberalize Soviet society and thaw relations with the West and as a result he still gets called a dictator. Only goes to show that you can't win with Westerners.

Mr. Libby was the most robust, energetic-looking 90-year-old I've ever seen! He was a joy to watch -- loved his smile!

I noticed that as well. She always, always makes contestants feel welcome and comfortable just as they are and she's sincere and genuine. She's very astute and observant, respectful, calm. Man, Martin got a winner!

All guests sat next to John - that's how the game was played. She knew she would be sitting there.

They did NOT kiss.

To be fair, I don't think Phyllis would have thought of that on her own if Arlene hadn't the class to do this in advance. She definitely looked to be looking for cues.

Phyllis wasn't going to stand. She was sitting and only rose when she saw Arlene do so. Arlene is an entirely classy lady, very elegant and with so much respect.

AMEN!!!

They might get Renee Fleming just from sheer omnipresence, but probably nobody else...

As I've said before in other posts, it seems as though the ease of life has replaced the quality and grace of life. Other forms of entertainment (more the bread-and-circus reality type) are widely discussed these days; but opera is rarely mentioned, unless it's by either an older or a more widely educated generation...

Joe Postove I guess it had something to do with her new play opening a week later.

Joe Postove ***** It could have been that sparkly dress -- I'll bet it was even more stunning in color -- and in person!

That dress!

I thought this question Phyllis asked Peter was adorable. And by God, he did have a "cute" -- as in, attractive in a uniquely beguiling way -- face. I had such a crush on him, and maybe Phyllis did too 😀.

@@christinepaige2575 I know I did and still do have a crush on him! He's adorable!!!

But how in hell did she guess him ?

@@susanrutherford866 He was incredibly famous at the time, and was known to be in plays in the US. He had also recently won an Oscar, so he was at the forefront of their minds at the time.

@@kugelweg Dont you think its still a little sus how she guessed so quickly ?

She is now over 97, as of 6/11/24.

Johan Bengtsson I was expecting something highly cringeworthy after Arlene's introduction to Bennett's introduction, but the Opporknockity joke is one I've heard my father tell many times, and I always thought it was cute. I'll have to ask him if he might have first heard it on this WML episode, though after all these years, I doubt he'd remember! There are actually quite a lot of references to and tellings of this joke on the internet, including one at a folklore site. I also found it on a website that I think you'll appreciate, Johan, on which I've already found one of Bennett's other groaners: wordplay.donhmorris.com/jokes.html. *Warning to Gary:* don't even *dream* of clicking the link, unless you're willing to risk severe pun inundation! :-)

SaveThe TPC Thanks for the warning. Pass. ;)

+Johan Bengtsson I'd say it's more like his "weakly" pun. ;)

+Jeff Vaughn Ouch!! :)

+Johan Bengtsson I can appreciate a good pun, but it seems to me that a pun that depends on a made-up word or name is cheating.

+Purple Capricorn It shows dedication, but some would argue it shows bad judgement to show up ill and possibly infect those around you. In this case the panelists and his guests. I hope you're well now!

Joe Postove This cannot be confirmed, as no color versions exist, but I'd be shocked if they didn't.

***** Back in 1966, when a color show was about to air on any of the three TV networks, they always showed their respective color logos, usually with a short musical accompaniment as the logo revolved, unfolded, took on color, or whatever it did, and they even had a voice announcement in many cases such as "This program is brought to you in living color" or something along those lines. The most memorable one was the NBC peacock logo and, as I recall, NBC was the first network to offer color broadcasts. I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that CBS displayed a logo calling viewers' attention to the fact that WML was about to be broadcast in color -- they'd certainly have wanted to play that up since it was the first color broadcast. I think one reason they did that was to let black-and-white television owners know they were missing something, especially when it got to the point (around 1966) that just about every prime-time show was broadcast in color. Ten years prior, not so many color programs were aired, though color televisions existed A large color TV that stood on the floor in a furniture-type cabinet in 1957 cost $1,000 and was way out of our price range. By 1967, my father sprang for one with a 25" screen and he paid $475 for one at a discount store -- they threw in a freebie antenna to put on the roof as part of the special sale. Keeping in mind that the 1967 dollar was worth quite a bit less than the 1957 dollar, it shows how much prices had dropped for color TVs.

Really, it's not like John coughed on anyone or was right in their face. Peter Ustinov touched his nose at least twice and that's much more relevant to the causation of spreading germs. And I really like Peter Ustinov who, BTW, was kissing the ladies' hands!!

Did you possibly mean "knew it?" Otherwise, I need to have the joke explained to me.

Joe Postove Bennett did try hosting once in 1957. He really felt he did not do that great. But yes, Arlene would have been a terrific substitute host.

As TTTT illustrates, if John had been responsible and called in sick, Mark Goodson would have jumped in to moderate. That means we might have gotten a color videotape of this episode. What a dazzler that would have been what with the gowns of Mses. Francis, Newman, and Price and Mr Ustinov's hair.

+Joe Postove He may have been too responsible to miss work, but some would argue that he was being irresponsible for exposing others around him to his germs and possibly passing along his illness to them.

There is an episode with Tab Hunter from 1957 where John looks and sounds like he's ill, and Dorothy's husband is the panelist who introduces him, saying he hasn't missed a show in 8 years. No mention is made of him not feeling well specifically but he definitely appears to be sick.

The primary reason why I wish the WML episodes were in color would be to see the full effect of the gowns of the female panelists, most of the female Mystery Guests and many of the female challengers.

Joe Postove I already mentioned this. Allen had nothing to do with the 1969 film. He was involved with the 1994 ABC TV film, though.

***** He directed, wrote and starred in the 1994 version. I'd call that being "involved", yes. :) I've still never seen the Gleason version, which is supposedly terrible, but then again, the 1994 version is supposedly terrible, too, and I quite like it.

+Vahan Nisanian Allen did have something to do with the 1969 film. He is credited as a writer as it was based on his screenplay.

Jeff Vaughn Yes, but the point here is that other than Woody's playscript (not screenplay) being used as the basis for the film, he had nothing whatsoever to do with its production, nothing. Woody has repeatedly disowned the film entirely-- and presumably, this is what motivated him to do his own version of the script for TV.

What's My Line? I took his comment literally when he said "nothing". I guess I missed the back story.

And Miss Leontyne Price is now 95.

As both a black man and a musician, sir, allow me to thank you for your admiration and respect of Misses Price and Anderson. I have enjoyed opera as performed by them, and I am pleased to know someone who appreciates beauty and talent... One of my favorite sopranos is Anna Moffo. Her 1956 'Butterfly' on RCA is a favorite of mine, as is Leontyne's 1963 'Carmen' on the same label...

​@@terencedove5047Price made probably the reference recording of Verdi's Ballo in Maschera, I think in that very same year, 1966. In it all of the female principals were black including Shirley Verrett and Reri Grist. I'm not sure things have gotten better since. Singing in general certainly hasn't.

@@bbailey7818 …I’m going to put my neck on a chopping block in suggesting that the 60s to the 90s (roughly a 30-year period) might have been the greatest operatic period for black female principals…beginning with Anderson and Price and ending with Battle and Norman (although the last two were more classical than operatic); with Bumbry, Verrett and Quivar dotted in there. Then along came Graves in the late 90s-2000s. Nowadays it’s Brown and Sutton (whom I play for sometimes). But it’s my humble opinion that those within that thirty-year strat provided some of the best opera that ever existed, vocally speaking…

Leontyne is a distant cousin of Whitney's maternal grandfather (the Drinkard family). The birth name of Whitney's mother (Cissy Houston) was Emily Drinkard.

It was Barber's Antony & Cleopatra.

Beverly Sills was starring in Gulio Cesare at The New York City Opera...

To see who the mystery guest is. How do you think she guessed Peter ?

Actually "Antony and Cleopatra" by Samuel Barber.

+Johan Bengtsson Not too many people from the classical music world appeared on What's My Line, but Thomas Schippers who conducted the premiere of Antony and Cleopatra with Miss Price, was a contestant in a 1958 episode.

Well, off the top of my head, those who did would also include Richard Tucker, Robert Merrill, Lily Pons, Patrice Munsel, Helen Traubel, Ezio Pinza (both as Mystery Guest and as guest panelist), Marian Anderson, and Seiji Ozawa. This was Miss Price's second appearance as Mystery Guest on WML?

She wasn't "caught" in it, but the over-elaborate set piece was meant to open and reveal her. The mechanics though kept it shut, so she kept singing through a wall. But at no point was she in danger. It was just awkward and confusing for those present. For that matter the music wasn't exactly the best.

"Antony and Cleopatra" was not a successful opera, but it didn't do Ms. Price's career any harm.

He took the opportunity to try.

She probably was cheating....never liked her!!!

I didn't particularly like her as a panelist, but in another post it was said she wore glasses but didn't on here. Vanity? That's why she held her head like that?

soulierinvestments Actually, I think Bennett would be thrilled to know that piano tuners enjoyed his joke. Perhaps it's Arlene that should get the, "So there." ;) Do you suppose Bennett actually invented that joke? My father's been telling it for as long as I can remember. I wonder if he could have first heard it on WML! Then again, it could have been in one of Bennett's joke/humor books, or Bennett could have just been repeating a joke he'd heard from someone else -- perhaps even that Indiana banker he mentioned!

It only means that Jews were and still are predominantly really good and successful at music and show business in general. Start checking with Irving Berlin, Danny Kaye, Oscar Levant, The Marx brothers, Al Jolson, Jimmy Durante, Jack Benny, Lauren Bacall, Barbara Streisand, George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Mort Saul, plus the movie moguls, ad infinitum. I must have had something to do with their religious culture, which forbade making images, so you find very few Jewish artists, and the restrictions upon them by the governments they lived in. So they invented a lot of things to do that would appease the people who were supposed to hate them for killing Christ, or whatever non truth that came from. The Jews of yesteryear, were an entity in themselves, with special connections whether by religion or other cultural associations. In modern terms, they possess a lot of DNA on the business and entertainment side of natural talents.

Jewish people are not necessarily more intelligent or talented to begin with than other people, but they have a respect for learning and studying and perhaps apply themselves more to achieving. Still, your comment brings to mind a statement Sherman Alexie made about how the funniest people he knew were those who survived holocausts.

@@slaytonp Making cultural generalizations is very hazardous. In any case, Jimmy Durante was a Roman Catholic of Italian heritage.

@@slaytonp There's nothing in Judaism that forbids making images. In fact, there have been many famous Jewish artists.

You are a screaming racist idiot, do you belong to the KLU KLUX KLAN

Thank you! I thought I was the only one who felt that way.

Again, two actors, one slot: Phyllis Newman or Marlo Thomas?