"Mama" Cass Elliot is the mystery guest in this season three episode taped on August 27, 1970 . Panelists are Soupy Sales, Anita Gillette, Gawn Grainger, and Arlene Francis. Wally Bruner hosts.
She was an ok singer. More charismatic than great. She only sang in her middle range. She wasn’t great live often off pitch trying so hard to stay in her throat voice in middle range.
As a panelist, I miss Dorothy, what an amazing story. Cass of course was amazing too, a unique voice. I still watch the original WML, love it and that they include the commercials!
As "square" of a show as "What's My Line" was by the late '60s-early '70s, it did make an effort to include big, current stars of the day that weren't necessarily catering to the show's demographics. And Wally Bruner was a terrific host; very conversational and engaging of both the panel and the contestants. Worth remembering: "What's My Line" celebrated people of relatively humble/mundane occupations right alongside the rich and famous. This was in an era when there was genuine human interest in the ordinary person, as opposed to today's occupation with fame.
I first heard of/saw Mama Cass in "H R Pufnstuf" when it was first out at the drive-in. My mom pointed her out like she was someone special. Good times.
Yea, I noticed her legs too. She did dance,ya know. For all people it is hurtful whenever some jerk says mean words that haunt. My looks and body let me know just how ugly people can be. A kind word or a smile is FREE. No need to be cheap or stingy.
Bennett said in an interview that Dorothy was a reporter first and a panel member second. Bennett, Arlene and John Daly didn’t have personal conversations around her. Dorothy would write about their comments, told in confidence, in her newspaper column.
Arlene is the most fascinating for how she became more modern looking as time went on. However, does anyone get the feeling she’s either uncomfortable with the show by now and/or feels like she has to sometimes “teach” the other panelists how to respond appropriately?
Most certainly. I'm not going to say she's going through the motions or anything like that, but clearly she is NOT HAVING FUN with the other panelists. She is fulfilling an obligation, and while being extremely gracious to them, clearly does not have the warmth to or from them as was obviously expressed in the old show.
The syndicated version of WML we see here was so poorly directed and conceived. The celebrity segments were always rushed to make way for the stupid little bits in between. They should have brought back Cass after the commercial and ditched the letters to the panelists.
16:15 Ellen Naomi Cohen (Cass Elliot) 1941-1974. She died in London after having performed a successful two week stint at the Palladium. Keith Moon died in the same room a few years later, also at 32. 18:15 "Do you sing in a group?" "No" Well that's misleading. She was most well known as being in the Mamas and the Papas. Even though they "broke up" and she was a solo artist they did record an album the following year 1971.
@@zenarcade64 The host of the show - SHOULD have chimed in "Well, not any more she's not". The old host used to clarify some vague answers. That said ; Soupy seems ENTHRALLED with her .
She was part of a group call The Mamas & the Papas so she did sing with other people. She should have answered the question about whether she sings alone or with other people by saying: at one time I did.
@@mikehalterman1615 affirmative, yet her notoriety was by and through The Mamas & the Papas. I feel that on the original series mr. Daly would have given a conditional answer or side note to the whole question to be fair.
@@grosbeak6130 The host should have pointed out "She WAS in a group but they broke up". The older hosts to this show used to clarify the vague answers.
The problem with the syndicated show is they never the Mystery Guest rounds go on like the original series! The contestants just don't have any time to really work at it!
I'm pretty sure that Arlene knew the answer about the parking meter when Wally all but gave away the answer, but she played along to let the game go another round. I m trying to think of any other game show where the host had his full name displayed at the podium, and I can't think of any. I am wondering if Wally had that specified in his contract since he was known as a journalist on network news, but was largely unknown in the world of games shows as far as I know.
Both the original and this show were produced by the same man - Gil Fates. He said in his book that he was going to make time for the host to talk to the mystery guest, something Daly rarely did in the original show.
The company made the meters 'theft-proof', but the NY Parking Violations Bureau members stole hundreds of thousands of dollars after the coins were collected.
@@thechadmosher Give me the 70's version. I like the more casual look and feel and I am willing to give up a little game play sometimes to see some of the actual lines done or seen on stage. Larry Blyden as host made this version perfect.
This is still very entertaining. I like they extra things they do eg testi g things out. It is a point of difference from the original. However, it's not as hilarious as the original could be.
