The telecast was live from New York and sponsored by Stopette spray deodorant, with promotional consideration for American Airlines.
Guest panelist Mary Healy sat in for Dorothy Kilgallen, who was vacationing in Paris.
This was Van Johnson's second appearance as Mystery Guest, but the first one in which the panelists actually got to guess his identity. Prior to his November 22, 1953 appearance, the fact that he was going to appear on ''What's My Line?'' was mistakenly published. On that occasion, moderator John Daly merely told the panel to say hello to Van Johnson. After his identity was successfully guessed during this second appearance, Johnson admitted he had skipped a party the night before thrown by Bennett Cerf for fear he'd let his Mystery Guest status slip. Johnson was in New York City for the filming of ''Miracle in the Rain'' with Jane Wyman and Eileen Heckart.
This was the first show on which Arlene Francis was introduced as "the delightful star of stage and television".