Tony Randall appeared on WML three times, and Bennett Cerf guessed his identity each time. Cerf did it each time with few clues, suggesting that he identified his voice patterns. Cerf appears to have been very good at identifying mystery guests based on their speech patterns.
@@sagarsaxena6318 His work, as an executive of the publisher Random House, did not necessarily give him first-hand knowledge of who was in town. He knew who was in town because he read or scanned Variety, Motion Picture Daily, and the Hollywood Reporter, and because he got the bulldog edition of the New York Daily News, which allowed him to read about what had happened as late as Sunday morning. Nevertheless, it was Cerf who complained when he couldn't hear a guest answer a question, so we have to assume that hearing the guests was important to him.
Bennett’s comment was the best. “what do you mean you know her, you didn’t even recognize her.” lol (the comment could’ve been directed to Allen as well) 😂
His first appearance on WHAT'S MY LINE? was as a guest panelist on 9 September 1956, during which time he was playing E.K. Hornbeck in the original Broadway production of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee's INHERIT THE WIND. He was one year removed from the end of MR. PEEPERS (in which he played Harvey Weskit) on TV. He had been one of the stars of the musical OH, MEN! OH, WOMEN! a couple of years before, and he would star in OH, CAPTAIN! a year and a half after this initial appearance (and made his next two guest panelist appearances during that show's 5 1/2 month run on Broadway).
What’s funny is that Daly was only in his early 50s here and already looks as old as Cerf. Meanwhile, Miss Francis who was also older than Daly remains looking quite young. JCD aged so quickly by the time he had hit his mid 30s.
You can listen to Tony sing "Winchester Cathedral" on youtube where he finishes with "vo oh de oh do." The song was a novelty item as orignally released anyway and was covered by others. Tony's version is not bad, not great. Must not have sold too well because he didn't make too many other recordings.
I didn't know Tony Randall was that much of a singer, although he did appear briefly doing that on a special primetime episode of "The Gong Show" in 1977.
After hearing that Phyllis Newman was only playing two matinees a week in The Apple Tree, I had to go to ibdb.com to find out who played her role in the evenings. It was Barbara Harris.
In 1980, Chris Noel starred with O.J. Simpson in a TV film produced by his production company, Orenthal Productions, called "Detour to Terror", which his wife, Nicole Brown, was an uncredited extra. I really wish I was making all of this up. But I'm not.
While Adrian Cronauer was a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force who was stationed in South Vietnam when he was on the air there for Armed Forces Radio, Chris Noel was a civilian who mostly recorded her one hour show in Los Angeles. But that makes her willingness to go to Vietnam and expose herself directly to danger that much more brave. Perhaps the most famous DJ to have a show on Armed Forces Radio in Vietnam was Pat Sajak.
Yes, mm, hmm, yes I have. Tony Randall is so different from those who come on the show and give the same boring squeak answer every single time. Tony, you were so funny and a cutie besides.
I first became aware of Tony Randall when he played Felix Unger on The Odd Couple. Apparently it wasn't that big a stretch for him to play the role, as he was a lot like Felix in real life.
Tony Randall's first claim to fame was in radio, most notably on the beloved series "I Love a Mystery". He mentioned something about he and Arlene being on radio together and I wonder if was ILAM?
Unfortunately, he dissed radio as a medium - and his experiences on radio - in his interview with Chuck Schaden years ago. (I think that the interview appears in Chuck's book SPEAKING OF RADIO. His interview was the only one in the book that took that tone or perspective.)
I know Gary said that the show was repeating lines more often in this last year, but haven't we had a number of female DJ's and at least one other armed forces broadcaster?
c. 2:25 > > Bennett's timing of that joke is horrible. It is chilling to hear Bennett talking about John keeping his job on WML when within a few weeks CBS dropped the ax on the enterprise.
Most people Bennett's age are a few years behind. Even more so in those days. Meanwhile I'm 54 and in today's superficial, gadget-obsessed, phone-gazing, "holes-in-the-knee" jeans wearing, junk-filled young person's world I feel like an utter dinosaur.
I think Alan Ludden looked somewhat embarrassed when Bennett told national television regarding Chris Noel - "Know her? You didn't even recognize her!". Everyone laughed if course, but I don't think Alan found it that funny
Actually, I think Allen has the look of someone who is about to explain but was cut off by a combination of Bennett and John. A few weeks ago I watched a few episodes of "Password" that aired in the last week of March 1967. It was a salute to the Armed Forces week and all of the non-celebrity contestants were active military personnel. Their celebrity partners were Roger Smith and Chris Noel. Considering that "Password" episodes were pre-recorded, the taping of those episodes had to be forthcoming very soon. In fact that may be why Miss Noel was in NYC because she normally recorded her shows in Los Angeles. Most likely Allen was cut off from explaining that he had heard about Miss Noel because of the upcoming episodes of "Password" that she would grace with her presence but hadn't actually met her yet. It was a shame because if Allen hadn't been interrupted, it would have provided the opportunity for a nice plug of another Goodson-Todman show, for Miss Noel and for a number of U.S. servicemen and servicewomen. PS - A big deal was also made about Miss Noel's miniskirts on "Password".
Arlene should have been hoisted to the post of head of "Keep America Beautify", a Johnson program that he kicked back to Lady Bird during his term. Sadly, Lady Bird was forced to flee the country to make the program work.
After the demise of "What's My Line?" where he became one of the significant guest panelists, Tony Randall became significant on "The Hollywood Square" where I remember him dressing very well and sometimes wearing sunglasses because each square had an intense light for television camera purposes. Hollywood Square did admit to providing panelists with joke answers. One time when Paul Lynde and Tony Randall appeared on the same episode, Peter Marshall asked Paul Lynde: "Tony Randall knows 7 of these completely. What are they?" Lynde replied without missing a beat: "Commandments." The real answer was indeed -- operas. And I do remember him on the Metropolitan Opera broadcast intermission panels.
But Mr Randall wouldnt be on HS for two years (69-80, 42 appearances). He starred in the Odd Couple for 5 years starting in 1970. He was perfect for the Felix role.
druidbros I doubt that the imdb listings on a show like Hollywood Squares are complete. It's user-created information, and most of the series is lost-- that makes gathering this sort of information impossible unless the person doing it has access to production records.
LOA1955 Yes, Esso, maybe also Humble or Enco and others. Due to a snarl of territorial trademarks, Standard Oil of New Jersey (S-O, get it?) had to use different brands in different areas. By 1972 they rolled it all up (including the tiger) under "Exxon," a made-up brand name designed to have no meaning or reference to anything else. (Thanks, Wiki.)
Good observation, loopshackr. Kind of sad that they didn't mention that -- especially considering that it turned out to be their last season. I'm not sure that they mentioned it *every* other year, but I certainly remember several anniversary episodes in which they made a bit of a fuss over the fact, or at least mentioned it.
Had they perhaps already been given the word, privately, by CBS that the show was going to be cancelled? Perhaps that's why they didn't mention the anniversary on the air.
I remember when there was no football on, CBS programmed much of the day on Sunday (or at least mornings and late afternoons). Wikipedia does not have Sunday network scheds, but does anyone else know what would have been on CBS Sundays before primetime at about this time?
loopshackr I would like to see a Sunday network schedule for all three networks. It would be interesting what they did between seasons, and those that had less sports programming. I recall all of those programs, which if they were on at the same time (including Password) would have edged into mid afternoon.
loopshackr I remember at some point "The 20th Century" became "The 21st Century". Also between 1961 and 1966, "Mr. Ed" was usually seen at 6:30 ET. I wonder why he was never shoved into primetime somewhere?
What's My Line? The first year was in syndication (which was rare for either first run or rerun sitcoms) it ran wherever the station wanted to run it. When CBS picked it up in 1961, it is my memory (willing to be corrected by you marvelous TV mavens) that it ran until 1966 in the 6:30 to 7:00 PM slot on Sundays. And then there was Lassie. I remember being upset with my brother in the 60's for watching Bonanza at 9 on Sunday Night (thus exiling me to my 12 inch in my room when I finally got it for my Bar Mitzvah). My thinking was that Sunday Night was CBS night EVEN after the demise of our beloved WML.
Yeah I saw that Arlene belongs there not her, and Bennett that joke, what the hell was he talking about 🤔. The show was never the same without Dorothy. RIP
I don't think it was anything personal. I suspect she didn't know she was in the shot and was just having a look at the audience. At this point of the introductions they usually have a closer shot of the "introducer" and then the "introducee" but occasionally they go to that wide shot. I've seen Arlene and Dorothy do it in previous episodes when they've come out first.
The way the men on the panel talk to Miss X almost makes me embarrassed to be male. "Did you, um, did you start training for this, uh... when you were, uh... a very young girl?" Creepy as hell.
Can't say I blame the panel for not knowing who Chris Noel is. She was best-known for starring in two low-budget "Beach Party" movies, that not very many people have heard of (well, maybe the latter): "Get Yourself a College Girl", and "Girl Happy"; the latter was an Elvis Presley movie.
Funny that Tony "smoked" the chalk. he had a reputation in Hollywood and NYC as one of the most rabid anti-smoking naz...persons. I think he made Felix Unger look like second hand smoke!
Tony Randall was right to speak out against cigarettes. I smoked for seven years but quit years ago. My father died because of cigarette smoking. Good for Tony. I remember his campaign against cigarettes and Tony Curtis' campaign against cigarettes and I remember he was busted for smoking pot. Once in Glendale, CA, he was in the lane next to us in a convertible, I was in the Navy at the time. There were four of us in this VW bug and when we caught up with him we all pretended to inhale deeply like we had just taken a hit off a joint and yelled, "I Quit!" which was his slogan. He passed out pin backs with that slogan. Tony Curtis thought it was quite funny and so did the blonde who was driving, a very beautiful woman. Tony Randal was hilarious as a mystery guest.
I've seen some odd dresses worn by the female panel members but Arlene's toothpaste design on this episode is bizarre. It reflects the studio lights as if it is made from a vinyl or plastic material and the horizontal stripes are surprising. On a positive note, it's good to see a more respectful, democratic treatment of the non-famous contestants who exit after shaking hands with the panel just like the mystery guests do. In earlier shows they went off to the right behind John Daly without a goodbye to the panel. People say game shows are trivial kitsch but if you compare What's My Line in the 1950s to WML in the 1960s - this episode for example - you may agree that earlier shows were a little patronising to the contestants who had to do 'the walk of shame' and suffer with good grace free guesses which were often meant to be funny but were rather clumsy. Perhaps John Daly's formal use of language was outdated by 1967, so the show was ended for that reason. Bennett Cerf's excitement when he saw the mini-skirt was certainly from an earlier time and a bit creepy. The mention of Vietnam cements this episode to its time, and better to leave that time in the past.
Lovely Chris, who is now an octogenarian (born 1941). starred as eye candy in 1960's beach movies (Beach Ball) and other teen-oriented flicks (Wild, Wild Winter, Get Yourself a College Girl, Honeymoon Hotel) before focusing on her heroic radio duties.
interesting applause for the armed forces d.j.. john gave her a long complimentary lead up but the applause seemed to be somewhat forced and subdued, no cheering and it ended quickly. and her use of the word "communism" must have seemed surreal to a lot of people. by the end of 1965 pres. johnson had committed to full scale combat in vietnam, 189,000 or more combat troops were in vietnam while this aired, the soldier body count was starting to mount, 8.694 had already came home in body bags by the end of 1966, and it would escalate, 11,363 in 1967, to 16,899 in 1968. by the end of 1967 there were a half million combat troops in vietnam and america was in full scale meltdown.
@@stevekru6518 nixon was behind the massive bombing of vietnam and laos, and getting involved in cambodia. and you're right, vietnam, roughly the size of great britain and ireland was bombed more by the united states, than all the bombs dropped during world war II. and the variety of bombs dropped was sadistic.
@@tomitstube yes. Sadistic, a crime against humanity and counter-productive. The effects are felt even today with increased cancer and birth defects. More LBJ than RMN, but enough blame to share and not enough lessons learned. When 15 of 19 September 11 hijackers, their bosses and the planners, and the the funding were Saudi, we invade Iraq. Not a fan of Saddam, but Iraqis were better off with him and Iran was held in check. Speaking of “check,” when Iran, the biggest sponsor of world terrorism whose motto is “Death to America,” wouldn’t take our check, Obama administration sends jumbo jets crammed floor to ceiling with high value Euros and Swiss Francs.
@Joe Ambrose - Bennett's wife was the first cousin (reared much as sisters) to Ginger Rogers, so often she and her then husband would stay with the Cerfs, though perhaps at their Upper East Side townhouse, rather than at Mt. Kisco farther from the airport et al. But far and away, other than visiting for a dinner party on the weekend, the mystery guests already lived in the area or were there on business, even if show biz, and their producers were paying for them to stay at the best hotels in Manhattan with no other obligations involved, like smiling over breakfast coffee with a host one knew. The Cerfs were quite social, but they valued their family life so, due to necessary weekend trips to Deerfield Academy to visit their sons during the school term, they kept their weekend socializing to Sunday suppers at usually their Manhattan home or dinners out after the WML show. In the summertime, when not away on vacation with their sons, they often had weekends in Bucks County, PA, where some of Bennett's writers and friends lived, like Moss Hart, so they got back to NYC just in time for the WML broadcast.
@@davidsanderson5918 You gave me such a laugh. I read all their books decades ago when they came out and I had a friend, who just recently died, who had worked for Random House and knew the Cerfs a bit from work.
Agghh, Phyllis constantly saying "when you do what you do" is so redundant and excessive. She's so shrill, like a dentist's drill. Notice how soothing Arlene's voice is and how well regulated. She thinks she's hilarious and she really isn't.
Arlene is Arlene. Phyllis is Phyllis. She is NOT some ditz either but a very bright gal, married to Adolph Green the famed lyricist and playwright an older man, not terribly good looking but she was crazy about him and they were married till he died in 2002.
poetcomic1 Well I've watched about twenty episodes with her appearing now and I concluded, after a half a dozen or so of them, that she's thick as shit. She puts a blindfold on and shouts to be heard more clearly. She has no filter, no control over that big mouth. Laughs like a goose honking in mid-flight. And behaves like a little girl. I can only see utter vacancy of thought in that face. Can't stand her!
@@davidsanderson5918 you describe her well but I can stand her. I guess I’m thankful not everyone is as smart as Arlene and Bennett because if they were, where would you and I rank?
Phyllis saying “ I’m going to kill myself”, seems in poor taste given she was the fill in for Dorothy.. I get she was tongue tied and blurted it out and that Dorothy was most likely murdered, but wasn’t the best choice of words given the situation..
Oh please. Dorothy died of an ethanol and barbiturate overdose in her home. Everything else is speculative. "Most likely" not murdered but the rumor has been fueled by tabloid papers and writers out to make a buck.