What's My Line? (1950–1967)

Contestants with unusual occupations were interviewed by the panelists. Only questions that could be answered with a "yes" or "no" were allowed. At the conclusion of the questioning, the ... See full summary »

Stars:

John Daly, Arlene Francis, Bennett Cerf

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
John Daly	...	Himself - Moderator (831 episodes, 1950-1967)
Arlene Francis	...	Herself - Panelist (782 episodes, 1950-1967)
Bennett Cerf	...	Himself - Panelist (705 episodes, 1950-1967)
Dorothy Kilgallen	...	Herself - Panelist (686 episodes, 1950-1965)

Storyline

Contestants with unusual occupations were interviewed by the panelists. Only questions that could be answered with a "yes" or "no" were allowed. At the conclusion of the questioning, the panelists attempted to guess the contestants occupation. There was also a "mystery guest", usually a famous person; the panelists had to wear masks when questioning this person and the guest usually disguised his/her voice.

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Plot Keywords:

question | panel | host | celebrity | mask | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Game-Show

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 February 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Occupation Unknown

Filming Locations:

CBS Broadcast Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (876 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (1950-1966) Color (1966-1967)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A weekly American CBS radio version of this show was produced from May 1952 until July 1953. The regular panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf, Arlene Francis and Hal Block, along with host John Daly, premiered the radio version of their show on Tuesday, May 20, 1952, while still performing the Sunday telecast. The debut mystery guest, in her only appearance on the show, was Marlene Dietrich. Marlon Brando made his only appearance on the radio program that aired on December 3, 1952. The radio show continued through the "Hal Block era" into the "Steve Allen era" while once moving its broadcast to Wednesday. The finale was broadcast on July 1, 1953.

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Quotes

Steve Allen: Is it bigger than a bread box?

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theatre 3000: Rocket Attack U.S.A. (1990)

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Soundtracks

"Roller Coaster"
(End Credits Theme/Main Theme)
Composed by Louis F. Busch (aka: Joe "Fingers" Carr) (ASCAP) and Milton Delugg (ASCAP)
Original Publishers: Burning Bush Music (ASCAP) and Amy Dee Music (ASCAP)
Current Publishers: Burning Bush Music (ASCAP) and Amy Dee Music (ASCAP)

User Reviews

This is my favorite game show...enjoyed as a child and more so as an adult!

I watched "What's My Line" as a child and am grateful for the chance to see the series again as part of the Game Show Network's current lineup (as of January 2003). This particular show is wonderful in all it's incarnations, though I really enjoy the "early years" from 1951 thru 1967. Besides the fun of guessing the contestants' occupations, it's a joy to listen to the humorous banter of the 4 panelists and the host John Charles Daily. The special guests add an entertaining and historical aspect to the show, as so many of the guests have long since passed away. Though I like many game shows, "What's My Line" will long remain my favorite...and one of the reasons I enjoy the late night hours lately! Check it out before the Game Show Networks revamps their lineup!