What's My Line? - Tom & Dick Smothers; PANEL: Steve Allen, Dina Merrill (Jan 29, 1967) 

God, I loved this show! It could get so hilarious! This was well before my time!

I met Tom Smothers at the Gerald Ford Golf Tournament, and told him (truthfully) that he had made me laugh as much as anybody ever. He seemed genuinely humbled and grateful. It made me feel terrific, so always tell those you admire that you do.

My family got to see the Smothers brothers in person, Dick was awesome enough to take a picture with us, I won't forget that kindness, it meant the world to my sons and it still does to me ☺️

It was a sad shame what happened to the Smothers Brothers Show just because the political elite couldn't handle the truth, which they were so great at displaying.

Daly's comeback to Cerf of "This will be one of the few Sunday nights when I don't look like two (of myself) to you," was a gentle rib of the fact that Cerf, while by no means an alcoholic or a drunkard, did put away a decent amount of liquor in social settings. The Ryba twins were also cheerleaders for the original Houston Oilers in the upstart American Football League and also did some work in Las Vegas.

In late '71 or early '72, Tommy Smothers toured through Tucson on the Duncan Yo-Yo circuit. He performed at my school and then later that weekend at the shopping center nearest my house. I still have the Butterfly he sold me for $2. That was a ridiculous amount for a toy back then but, wow.

I had the pleasure of meeting the Smothers Brothers. Two classy guys. And the same offstage as they are when they are performing.

I had a few beers with Tommy Smothers one evening when I was touring playing music. He was a hoot. He was also well respected for being the brains behind their business, despite the persona.

Smothers Brothers, how many modern comics make you laugh and HAPPY at the same time. There was something so funny and yet so sweet about their humor.

Man, o man: Pretty astounding that Arlene was almost 60 years old here, eh?! Wow. Go, Arlene ! ❤ PS : Gotta love Bennett Cerf’s fabulous biblical quotation for JC Daly, “He multiplieth words but understandeth them not.” Lol 🤣 Right up there w/ a lot of Shakespeare’s best insults… I guess “As U Like It” & “Coriolanus,” maybe, come quickest to mind? “You lisp and wear strange suits !!” - 🤣 🤣. “ - Wit, whither wilt?!”

So bitter sweet to see The Smothers Brothers in this episode after news of us losing Tommy just this past week. I adored them and never missed an episode of their show. ♥

They pointed out that the brothers were about to make their debut of their comedy hour on CBS, but I'm sure no one at the time realized how groundbreaking and controversial their show would be.

A week from tonight the much heralded and trendsetting "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour[" would premiere on CBS from 9-10pm, replacing the new version of Garry Moore's variety hour. It may seem tame today, but this show was groundbreaking, and I think helped make the landscape possible for urban, hip 70's shows like "All In The Family, Maude, Mary Tyler Moore, Laugh In and many more. For this alone (they were already very big on TV and records) Tom and Dick deserve to be in the TV Hall of Fame. It changed everything. CBS vice presidents looked on in horror. This was to television what The Beatles were to everything else.

I like the way Arlene watches the people she thinks are cute, handsome, or pretty all the way out as they greet the Panel.

i was newly 13 years old when this aired. i sure do remember the Smothers Brothers....and by the way...mom always liked you best!

Tom Smothers and his 'Yo-Yo Man' was such a fun part of the show to watch.

This seems like yesterday to me. When I watch these old clips I remember them so clearly like no time has passed. I graduated high school in early June that year.

Bennett: I just think it's a lucky thing there aren't two John Dalys up there. John: Well this be one of the few Sunday nights when I don't look two to you! (Good one John!!) 5:11

Tommy Smothers, we will miss you dearly. God bless and keep you.

The lovely Ryba twins were at least semi-celebrities already, having appeared on a few shows already. Former cheerleaders and Vegas showgirls, they were by this time convention models. To say they "sold barbells" wasn't exactly accurate; more precisely, they had made a couple of appearances at trade shows for the barbell company. They ended up going to dinner with the Smothers Brothers after the show. Jane unfortunately passed away in 2001. Joan is married and lives in Texas.

I wish we would be as polite as they were back then.

What's my line was a great show. Miss it.

Twins with the 60's hair, WOW, and speak in unison. Cool.!!

Arlene looks *fabulous* in this episode! (imho)

An era of class, intelligence, sophistication and style. At least it is until the "wolf whistles." 😍😍😍

Dina Merrill was always a class act!

Was Tommy Smothers low-key throwing shade on Bennet's "habit" of correctly guessing celebrities too quickly? He looked at him dead in the eye and said "How did you- did you just come up with it out of the top of your head?" I wanted to run into the screen and high five him for that!

Tom is one of the great yo yo artists in the world !

This is the first time I’ve watched WML after Dorothy, and I have to say she’s missed! It’s still a good show but a void definitely exists!

12 year old Me was in the 7th grade when the Smothers Brothers’ Show first came on. I loved it!

Loved them and as others wrote, also had a ground breaking show, cancelled for calling up the ire of the CBS executives.

Wow! Tommy hasn't changed a bit!

So much fun seeing my cousins the Smothers Brothers on TV a week before their groundbreaking Comedy Show. 🙂 But also so much fun that the Contestants were all Pairs of Siblings (or Twins). 🙂

I like the twins theme they had. Those Ryba sisters looked like Mary Tyler Moore would look three years later, in the first season of her show, wearing a wig.

I met Dick Smothers at Green Valley Raceway in Smithfield, Tex. soon after this as Dick was very into racing formula cars. He was nice but his new second wife was SO stuck up in her leather mini- skirt and full length mink coat walking around in the pit area. He was shorter then I thought he was, very good looking but very thin. It was a fun time.

I loved watching the Smothers Brothers perform. They had a good sense of humor. I remember the "chocolate in the vat" routine that they did. Tom was the comedian and Dick was the straight one. Tom played the guitar 🎸 and Dick played the cello. I think that Tom is older than Dick.

At 22:54, Bennett asks, "Are there any more at home like you two girls?" He is referencing a famous song, "Tell me pretty maiden" from the 1900-1902 production "Florodora", which came to New York from the London Operetta and is said to be the first musical comedy to permeate world-wide popular culture. In the song, six male clerks sing to six Florodora Girls, "Tell me, pretty maiden, are there any more at home like you?" The show was popular with amateur theater groups, particularly in Britain, into the 1950's.

Tom and Dick Smothers had a half-hour sitcom on CBS, "The Smothers Brothers Show", that aired for one season, 1965-66, 32 episodes. They played brothers, one of whom, Tom, had died. He came back as a fledgling angel assigned to help specific people, always involving his living brother Dick in problematic ways. They sang the theme song which contained the line "There are miracles that start, but they always come apart". Then, in 1967 came their variety show on CBS, "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour". It ran until 1969 and was quite a hit, especially among younger people. High schoolers like me loved it -- they had great musical guests such as Simon & Garfunkel whom they'd use in comedy sketches. The show was abruptly canceled because some of the comedy in the show involved political satire, questioned authority and some of it even questioned our involvement in the Vietnam War. It became even more popular among a younger age group for all of that and had good ratings. Tom and Dick had hoped to move the show to the San Francisco Bay Area so they could be closer to home -- figuring if Jackie Gleason could do his show from Florida, they could do theirs from Northern California. They were in the Bay Area searching for a venue for taping the show when they got the news that the show was being abruptly canceled in violation of the contract CBS had with the Smothers Brothers. Sad--because the show was both entertaining and funny and it asked relevant questions via music and comedy. A very young Steve Martin (age 22 to 24) was one of the writers and used to appear as an extra in some of the comedy sketches -- his hair was still black then.

After the Sullivan brothers, siblings are not permitted to serve on the same ship.

5:23 Jon Daly had a perfect comeback. Lol 😂😂😂

Tommy was almost 3 years older than Dickie....("Tom" - born February 2, 1937) and Richard ("Dick" - born November 20, 1939),

The naval twins were almost taller than Steve! And thats saying somethi g.

So neat to see new acts while they are so young before they knew if they would be successful or not.

I love John's comeback around 5:00. Also, Steve underestimates how many branches the military has. I assume he was forgetting the Air Force and the Coast Guard.

The Smothers Brothers are among my very favorites. They are comedy legends .

I love how the first two sisters speak in unison. So sweet!

Wow, less than 5 months away from Tommy hosting "Monterey Pop Festival."

Clever, clever John Charles Daly. That publisher was always jealous.

If you notice, in these later episodes, John Daly started to say "would you ENTER and sign in, please?" This is what I remembered hearing when I watched it in the '60's as a kid. I like this invitation by J.D. better than the earlier "would you COME IN, and sign in, please?" I feel that it's somewhat redundant with the word "in" being said twice in the earlier shows. I think the word "enter" instead of "come in" flowed more smoothly. I am glad that he changed it, but whichever way that he said it... John Dailey was a fantastic moderator!

Absolute class these two gentlemen were brilliant and superb!

Bennett: "Do you ever get 'smothered' by the fans around you?" Bad pun, Bennett!!

Jif, the hotel that I work at still has Jiff. Can't say the same for "Stoppette"

The last time it was Twins' night was July 3, 1960. I still think the best gimmick they did was all the contestants as famous Mystery Guests (October 24, 1965).

When the second twins enter you can hear Bennett say "Oh no!". :) 9:54

I love the smothers brothers and warched their show every week.

Fill my eyes with that double vision No disguise for that double vision Ooh, when it gets through to me, it's always new to me My double vision gets the best of me Foreigner

Ms Merril is now 92, and lives within walking distance of me. And just as lovely and gracious as ever!

The Smother's Brothers being hip while the panel tells "Dad" jokes.

"The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" wasn't expected to be a success. It replaced Garry Moore's comeback show and was opposite top-rated "Bonanza." But younger viewers were attracted to the humor and social satire, and the show became a hit until CBS had had enough of the controversy surrounding the show.

Joan and Jane Ryba were cheerleaders at Rice University in the mid 1950s

John Daly gave it away when he said "mystery guests" before the Smothers Brothers came on.

I think this was the most ingenious and delightful of the WML post-Kilgallen episodes: to have siblings--and with the exception of the Smothers Brothers---twins as contestants! I was especially taken with the the Ryba sisters: Not only were they gorgeous, but, as someone especially interested in the origin of surnames, I will add here that "Ryba," or some variation thereof, means "fish" in most slavic languages. (By the way, the Smothers Brothers spent part of their boyhood in my hometown of Tujunga, California; and even made mention of that suburb of Los Angeles in one of their skits on their own show.)

Pat Paulson for president

Tommy Smothers is perhaps better-known to 80's kids as the "Yo-Yo Man". m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7VrQw6hR11k.html

best john daily clap back EVER!

Well, he did it yet again. Just after the Smothers Brothers left and before the third set of twins' spot, John tells the panel "you've done rather well tonight." NO THEY HAD NOT ! They were stumped on both the barbell salesladies and the Navy teachers. He says something similar quite often when it clearly isn't the case.

Arline’s dress is gorgeous!!!

Daly is a quick wit

Next Sunday "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" would premiere on CBS at 9PM.

At 4:24... the twins both blinked at the same time ! ;-)

Dina Merill was popular with G-T through the years. She appears in the fifties, and in the sixties, and in syndication.

While I'm a big (British) fan of WML...it's intriguing going through the episodes, looking at the air dates and knowing some of the news events that were going on at the same time. For instance, this aired just a couple of days after the Apollo 1 fire on January 27.

A fun episode!!!

The Smothers on the eve of their first Comedy Hour

It's fascinating how the twins speak in unison most of the time. Also it was kinda scary to me when I was about 6 years when my grandpa died and his identical twin brother was at the funeral, it really scared the living daylights out of me because, I never noticed that they were identical. My mom calmed me down and reminded me that was Grandpa's identical twin. Fascinating phenomena and the science behind it. Thanks for the video.

My God, what a great come-back by John - Almost over the top for these times, But Bennett had it coming! Dina Merrill, daughter of Marjorie Merriwhether Post and E.F. Hutton, turning 92 in December, 2015 - still alive and well on Palm Beach.

Dina Merrill was gorgeous woman!

5:11 John doesnt often return fire on Bennett....... but boy when he does!!! *BULLSEYE*

Publisher of Random House: *Is there more than one mystery guest?

Dina Merrill's Parents are Marjorie Merriweather Post of Post Cereal and owner of General Foods and Edward Francis Hutton Founder of EF Hutton Stock Brokerage Firm I'd say she was swimming in Money.

It's a shame that there are no surviving video tapes of these color episodes. Somebody colorize!

I didn't know Dick Smothers was lefthanded

Why did I at first keep thinking of and have a craving for Doublemint gum? This show really should be resurrected....... its entertaining as hell.

John has been working with three of these panelists between 13 and 16 or so years, and HE KNOWS that their little wheels are always spinning. So when he says "Thinking we'll have you seeing double before we're through" I can hear the clickity clack of the panel's minds turning this over. Of course John is giving a giant clue that the MG will be a duo. How many are there, and how many questions will it take before they narrow it down (particularly since they are CBS' new darlings)? Gee wiz, John!

The twins who sold barbells were delightful.

I was in 8th grade in PHX when I saw this. Ten years later I was in Denver working for EF Hutton. The father of Dina Merrill.

An excellent, memorable programme but Steve Allen and John Daly looked much older than the 1950s episodes while the others looked much the same. Steve Allen did a variation on his famous 'Is it bigger than a breadbox?' question by asking 'Is it smaller than a breadbox?'

Well, I join so many commenters who have seen the Smothers Brothers in person. I was 9 or 10 and went for a family trip to the Ohio State Fair, a fantastic event and tradition for the native Ohioans, as I was then. There was an enclosed outdoor stage for entertainment acts, but if I remember correctly, you had to buy an admission ticket even though you were already in the Fair. Our whole family were already Smothers Brothers on TV fans, and what luck! They were appearing at the Fair (among other known celebrities, but I'll leave them out here). We bought tickets, viewed the rather short act, and laughed uproariously, all ages. Then, my brother and I discovered it was super easy to sit behind the gaps in the very makeshift wooden partition right up behind the stage they were on, and we stuck around to sneak-view the next at least 3 rounds of their acts. Though each one was essentially the same, none were verbatim, and full of original ad libs. Fun and laughs over and over!

John Daly had such a command of the English language and what a comeback against Bennet😅😅😅

I love the Twin’s flip style hairdo. They were so pretty.

Well, there was Tom and Dick - where's Harry?

Isn't Dina Merrill one of the richest women on the planet? She's seriously worth $ billions. She's the heiress to the Post Cereal fortune (among other things). Too bad she's in poor health now.

I love the top of Arlene's Dess!

I use to wear the flip hair do in high school in 68 .

Those girl twins were adorable - and what fun to have a twins theme!

The answer to whether a barbell could give pleasure made me laugh because in the case of an ex-girlfriend of mine it gave her great deal of pleasure. I don't want to be overly graphic so I'll just say she enjoyed resting the weight while engaging in external manipulation. I have no idea how common a practice that is among women. I never asked any other girlfriend if they had a favorite barbell so to speak, but I am guessing barbells are less popular for that purpose than back massagers.

I was 11 years old when this episode came out. My gosh, time as flown by.

I love the dress of Arlene Francis. She is so elegant

SA DOES seem to be on during his wings to the east to host "Secret", every other week for a live show and a taping on Monday night.

DICK SMOTHERS was the best.