Hmph! Nat and Oscar! And you're only scratching the surface! So many of them! I love Mary Lou Williams and Art Tatum myself. And Sarah Vaughan actually played piano on occasions when she sang, as did Carmen McRae. And I think Ella played once or twice too...
His singing was secondary to his piano talent. The original Nat Cole trio recordings are worth finding, if you can. Of course, like everyone, I fell in love with his voice as a young teenager. "Lost April" was my favorite of all his vocal recordings when I was about 12, in 1946. It's hard to find now. It wasn't one of his favorites, either.
My husband is a jazz pianist. He told me that Oscar Peterson and Nat King Cole were friends who were both excellent vocalists and pianists. For some reason, they agreed that one would be the pianist and the other a vocalist. I have no idea why!
When the Hall of Fame evaluates the greatest athletes of all time (so-called GOAT talk), they evaluate their TOTAL game - play and accomplishments at every level and on both sides of the ball. In the world of adult popular music and vocals, Nat King Cole stands head and shoulders as one of the only American performers who were paramount in influence as both a musician AND a vocalist. Crosby and Sinatra can exceed his vocal and Hollywood movie influence, but can't touch him as a player, arranger, or writer of music. In American music, only Louis Armstrong matches Nat's five-tool achievements where they are also BOTH a top-5 influence vocally, and a top-5 innovator and influence on a musical instrument - extraordinary.
To be honest, it wasn't all that groundbreaking for WML to have Cole as a mystery guest in 1961, considering he had his OWN SHOW on network television as early as 1954. There had already been many black guests on WML by this point, celebrities and otherwise. A better case for a "groundbreaking" appearance would be Cole's appearance on WML in 1953, which preceded his TV series. The 1953 appearance: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KQj3tvI5wDA.html
+What's My Line? Although they had already had Willie Mays and Roy Campanella on the show as Mystery Guest by then, hadn't they? (And perhaps Don Newcombe, too.) But you're right: He was the first black entertainer (musician or dancer) to appear as Mystery Guest.
@@WhatsMyLine This discussion makes me wonder: did they ever have a black panelist on WML? If not, that isn't a knock on the show. It existed in its era and did what it had to do. My point is only that a black panelist would have been truly groundbreaking.
@Wayne World most of that nonsense went on openly in the south, I came in contact with whites on a regular growing up, We shopped at the same markets and clothing stores, We shared the same public bathrooms, and water fountains, we didn't attend the same schools but there was a junior high school in our neighborhood that was for white kids, we didn't bother them and they didn't bother us, during the Summer of 1960 my parents took us to South Carolina to spend time with my mother's family, on several occasions we went to the store with our cousins as we went to the water fountain to get water there was a sign which read white only, then there were times when we were told that we could not use the bathroom because they didn't have a bathroom for colored folks. I was baffled, just couldn't understand what was the big deal about us sharing the same bathroom.
Nat King Cole stated that he had to wait in a dirty, closet sized room in the back of the studio until his appearance on the show. He stated that he came in through the back door of the studio and had to leave out of the same door which led into an alley. This was a time in America of extreme and morbid racism!
Oh, man, I could hear him singing when I read your comment! I had a recording of his Nelson Riddle-arranged ballads, played it constantly. "When Sunny Gets Blue", "That's All", "A Blossom Fell", "Stardust", "Smile". Good stuff.
Nat King Cole, so stunning, handsome, that voice! Oooh, that voice! Yeah, good luck disguising that. This was a really funny episode to watch. Funny and fun, both. Never seen the panel have so much fun. Thank you!
When I saw Joey Bishop for the first times, I did not like him at all. But once he was familiar to me, I started enjoying his subtle and ironic humor very much!
hopicard I still don't like him. This was better because he smiled. I'm a bit concerned though cos he seems to be HUGE and well-liked. It looks like he's going to be a regular. I'd never even heard of him but it seems like he's all over town at this time. I'd never seen him before though until this show. He means nothing to the UK, I'd say. Frankly Joey Bishop, Fred Allen and Martin Gabel all get the thumbs down from me. I'm still wishing Steve Allen would come back!!! :(
I was the same way, I didn't like him at first either, and wished they wouldn't had him back! I'm still not a big fan of his, but I can take his humor now. I can't believe I'm saying this, but he actually MADE this show "tonight"
@@davidsanderson5918 I hope you're JOKING! Fred Allen always did get a thumbs down from me, but Martin Gable is one if the best guest panelist (of male OR female) this show EVER had!!
@@kristabrewer9363 Joey Bishop was an underrated comic talent - brilliant wit, deadpan style, quite unique for spoken humor - like Buster Keaton was in his genre.
The horse lady was hilarious. I was really laughing out loud. They are always so smart with their questions. Nat King Cole. What can you say but unforgettable.
@@ronniemoon57 Yes, it's a testament to his popularity during the 1950's & '60's. He was my Mom's favorite male singer. She was always playing his records.
ridiculous fun!! the naughty giggles are the best with this panel. my crush on joey bishop grows, and my heart is happy for Dorothy, seeing her laugh and her eyes sparkle. oh and i'm still madly in love with arlene.
Arlene and Kitty were always on point! Joey Bishop was incredibly on his toes! Sir Bennet, was such a genius man, John James Daly was the kindest 💙 witty host! 💙 Excellent show to watch!
What else could I write about Nat King Cole that hasn’t already been written? He was simply the best of the best. His music carries on, recognized by people in every country around the world, and just as appreciated as it was during his short life as it is many more years later.
The segment with the horse massage therapist -- wow, that was such great fun to watch. i don't know that I ever laughed harder while watching WML -- priceless.
I've read a few biographies of NKC and people truly adored him, can't remember anyone saying anything bad about him (except Maria). He had his faults but we can see in the 5 minutes he's on screen here, how likable he was. And when will a NKC movie be made? Truly my favorite singer EVER... Derek Luke would be a good actor to play him
@@nelkatanelkaI agree with you. A documentary would be a great idea, but a dramatization biopic? Good luck with that. It would be like making one about Roy Orbison. What do you do? Get an actor who looks like him? And sings like him? Both artists are so unique, nothing would be satisfactory.
My late fathers favourite singer and had every album. As a kid growing up in the 80s i thought wtf! However now i can simply say without question the best singer ever and not surprised he received a huge ovation
He was my late father's favorite also. When my father passed away, I got his collection of record albums and was thrilled to find several by Nat King Cole.
Thank you, again, for all of these uploads. This is my favorite thing to do when I want to just relax. The shows, especially this one, are delightful and I treasure them and you.
I am very addicted now to these What’s My Line?! I especially love Joey Bishop! Also love how people dressed up for a game show! John Daly adds real high caliber to the show with his most careful articulation to the rules, and yet a real fun side!
I quite like Joey Bishop, too. But my personal favorite 4th panelist is, by far, Steve Allen. Such a wonderful and humorous man, and his chemistry with the other panelists is unmatched.
The Q & A between Arlene and Joey Bishop with the Horse Trainer was hilarious; it seemed like it could have gone on indefinitely. Ovation for Nat was insane.
Nat King Cole stated that he had to wait in a dirty, closet sized dressing room in the back of the studio until his appearance on the show. Nat stated that he had to enter the studio of the show in the back door right from the alley. Nat lived in a mansion at the time and was wealthier and more talented than anyone on the panel, yet he was still treated like a 3rd class citizen because of his skin color.
I love it when celebrities breaking all of the racial barriers especially during a time when racism was at an all time high in the US. NKC was one of those celebrities! I had never heard him speak so this is a delight for me. I love his songs and I wasn’t born until 1970 but grew up hearing his music.
Dorothy Kilgallen was cheating on her husband during this time and abusing alcohol and drugs. Dorothy's husband was having public sexual flings with women 'publicly' and it was well known by the audience and the rest of the panel. This was a time in America where *proper TV etiquette* was paramount if you wanted sponsors! However, outside of TV and when out of the view of the camera people & celebrities behaved as we do today..cursing, drinking, having sexual flings, and slandering minorities....etc.
I loved it when Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, etc. were Mystery Guests on WML and tried in vain to disguise their distinctive voices. Even us home audience members who know who these people were would have no trouble getting them. When guest panelists like Joey Bishop can guess who you are before Dorothy, Bennett and, especially Arlene can blurt it out, you're in trouble.
It’s not true that Nat King Cole “transcended” racism. People certainly did act disgustingly toward him because of his race, as they did other people of color. It’s something we simply don’t talk about now.
I’m addicted to this show now, they knew how to have a good time, it was so entertaining, just the banter back and forth, Joey Bishop was a quick wit, very funny, Nat King Cole had one of the smoothest voices I have ever heard…very few received an applause like that, and an amazing pianist, check him out here on You Tube.
I couldn't agree with you more, Nat was a fantastic pianist, my great Uncles Bill Samuels and Ernest Ashley worked with him frequently on some of his recordings back in the 40s and 50s!
It could be said that Nat King Cole was The Beatles for the over 30 set. What an ovation when he came out! I'd be hard pressed to think of one greater that that.
They cheered Nat King Cole on the show, but Cole stated that he had to wait in a dirty, closet sized dressing room at the rear of the studio. Nat stated that he was required to enter the studio from the back door right off of the alley. Nat was wealthier and more famous than anyone on the panel, but he was still treated like a 3rd class citizen because of his skin color. This was a sad time in our country where the entire country was entrenched in morbid racism....and that racism was supported by federal law.
I love this one especially. Nat King Cole grew up very close to where I live in Montgomery, AL. The section he was in was known as Bellaire. My area is Cloverdale. They abutted one another. Bellaire has now become a part of the grounds for historic Alabama State University.
Arlene and her heart pendant.😎 Bishop is genuinely hilarious! And to think this was pre-Civil Rights Act. The genuine love and admiration everyone in that studio clearly had for Cole is amazing.
I love Mr. Cerf's nod to Gilbert and Sullivan!! i also like the way the staff of the show dress many of the contestants in a manner diametrically opposed to their profession.
One of the drawbacks of watching these episodes alone is that there is no way that I can prove that Arlene's eyelashes immediately stood out when she was facing the camera and introducing Joey Bishop. Lo and behold, the first challenger has a line related to that very thing. And if I understood her correctly at the end of the segment, she is wearing his product.
John Daly's rather detailed explanations are often my favorite part of WML.And then the panelists reactions to those explanations are often equally funny Fred Allen was a master of those,as was Arlene.
Can you imagine what a panel today would ask once it was established that Mrs. Alexandra didn't deal with the horse's head? At least the panel, as giggly as they were, knew better and had manners enough not to ask the - shall we say, obviously scatological questions.
Look-Sex wasn't invented in the sixties. People since way back when have had sex on the brain,and interpreted "Serving the Horses" the same way then as now Why this period is portrayed as so much more sweet and wholesome, I don't understand.
@@postatility9703 I don't think it's that they didn't think about it or interpret things the same way but there was a line that generally wasn't crossed as far as what was discussed out loud, or in the presence of ladies. People had more of a sense of decorum and propriety and tried to keep it classy rather than talking about things that others would find offensive. John once wrote an article about how vulgar television had become and he referred to them talking about "the most intimate relations between the sexes" or words to that effect - in that day even a twice married father of six didn't use the word "sex" in polite society and certainly not in "mixed company".
![What's My Line? - Nat King Cole; Joey Bishop [panel] (Mar 19, 1961)](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
