While I enjoy my holiday, here's a post from last year.
WHAT'S MY LINE is
the greatest panel game show on TV
ever.
Sure the two other Goodson-Todman classics were TO TELL THE TRUTH - which had an
awesome theme song (and the great Kitty Carlisle) and I'VE GOT A SECRET, which had the future Mrs. Pamela Vorhees (Betsy Palmer) on its panel- but WML?, which ran on CBS in primetime from 1950 through 1967 and in syndication from 1968 to 1975 is the granddaddy of all guessing games. THE MATCH GAME, which I love, is in a different category altogether.
Oddly I only discovered WML? only about 7 years ago when it was airing as part of the Game Show Network's vintage Sunday night line-up. I do kinda recall seeing the syndicated version when I was a kid, but it didn't really leave a great impression on me. Reruns of the B&W classics still air weeknights at 3AM on GSN and have been a fixture on my dvr for the most of the Bush years. I have now seen each episode at least three or times each - and I still
cannot stop watching. It's "comfort TV" in a sea of loud, abrasive game shows that populate today's TV landscape.
The original version, for most of its run, aired LIVE weekly on Sunday nights from New York City with filmed playbacks airing a week later on the west coast. Hosted by honored ABC newsman John Charles Daly, the show was low on glitz, but big on smarts.
The game itself was simple - contestants came on and the four panel members tried to determine what they did for a living through a series of "yes" and "no" questions. The big prize of $50 was awarded to players who could stump the panel. A special feature, usually the third round of the evening, was a "mystery guest" who the panel would try to identify while blindfolded. These individuals were usually
showbiz folks who had a movie or show to promote, but sometimes were politicians, athletes or newsmakers of the day. Fun!
The panelists changed little over the years. The main players were:
Broadway gossip columnist Dorothy Kilgallen - an uptight old-school conservative with a
vicious determination to win the game. Miss Kilgallen was dubbed "the chinless wonder" by her nemesis Frank Sinatra and also co-hosted a radio chat show with her husband Dick Kollmar while carrying on a torrid affair with bisexual crooner Johnny Ray.
Dorothy died suddenly of a drug overdose in 1965 while investigating the JFK assassination. Hmmm...
An account of her life and death was published in 1979. A fictional account of her affair with
Johnny Ray followed in 2002 and
A film based on her story has recently been optioned. 
The lovely
Arlene Francis was a Broadway and film actress and a daytime talk-show hostess.
Her honest sweetness and delightful humor were a direct contrast to Dorothy's seemingly constant discomfort and stern, guarded personality.
Arlene was also quite a fashionista, often dressed to the nines, while at sixes and sevens was Dorothy. Miss Francis was sheer class - but not a prude. Some of the show's
sassiest double entendres came from her lips. Arlene appeared on the syndicated version into the 1970s.
Miss Francis' memoirs were published in 1978, she passed away in 2001 at the age of 93.
"Is it bigger than a bread box?" came from the tirelessly witty and
then uber-liberal Steve Allen, who was an early panelist, though he left to pursue other endeavors (like creating THE TONIGHT SHOW). His replacement was sourpuss comedian Fred Allen (no relation) who sat on the panel from 1953 until his death in 1956.
Steve returned on occasion after Fred's death, and rotating celebs filling this spot included the ever-spiffy Tony Randall, smart-guy Robert Q. Lewis and the likable Martin Gabel (Mr. Arlene Francis). Other memorable guest panelists include the brilliantly insane
Groucho Marx, the entertaining Ernie Kovas and the exasperating Victor Borge.
The final regular panelist was
Bennett Cerf, who's day job was running the Random House publishing empire. Bennett was always making corny jokes, awkward remarks and odd non-sequitors.
He was like having a charming, but embarrassing "grandpa" on the panel. He died in 1971. His collection of reminiscences,
AT RANDOM, was collected in 1977.
Part of the fun of WHAT'S MY LINE? is watching these people interact. It's as if there was a weekly cocktail party where five friends played a parlor game and the viewer was invited to watch. While the occupations of contestants are sometimes un-PC ("
lady lawyer" ,"lady chiropractor", etc.) or downright offensive (
"bullfighter") it's very interesting from a historical perspective to see what REAL men and women were like during the 1950s and 60s. Producer Gil Fates wrote a wonderful account of his 25 years with WML? in 1978.
Some recurring popular "mystery guests" include Jack Lemmon (8 appearances),
Jerry Lewis (7), Lucille Ball (6), Joan Crawford (5) and Bette Davis (5).
Other memorable guests include Carol Channing,
Judy Garland, Jacqueline Susann, Ethel Merman,
Sal Mineo, Doris Day, Phyllis Diller,
Barbara Streisand and The Supremes.
The syndicated version was hosted by Wally Bruner and then by Larry Blyden. Just as this edition was coming to a close, a
25th Anniversary Special aired on ABC in 1975. Unfortunately most individuals involved with the show have now passed on, with panelist Martin Gabel passing in 1986. Host John Charles Daly and panelist Robert Q. Lewis both died in 1991. Steve Allen died in 2000, after sadly having become quite conservative in his old age and the ever-classy Tony Randall died in 2004. (Before he died, Tony forbid Bush and Cheney to attend his funeral - gotta love that!)
A live stage version of WML? hosted by
J. Keith Van Straaten ran in LA for a few years, and later in NYC. It was tons of fun, and I was in the audience almost every week. Some cool panelists and mystery guests were featured. I suspect that it will be back one day.
Rumors of a
new primetime revival on NBC surfaced earlier this year, with David Hasselhoff attached to host. I think I'd prefer to play a home game like this one:
or even this one:
That's all for now, but there's so much more to the WHAT'S MY LINE story to tell...maybe some day.
The storyline goes like this: Ziggy, along with his adorable pup Fuzz , takes a temp job as a street corner Santa Claus to raise money for the poor. Ziggy must navigate his way through the city, which is populated by cops and robbers. Along the way, Ziggy inspires others with selflessness and faith in Christmas.
The program won an Emmy Award and has been on my holiday "must watch" pile for the past dozen years or so. Unfortunately this is Ziggy's one and only cartoon appearance–maybe that's what makes it so special. Can can watch it on YouTube in three parts. Here's Part 1, which features the Nilsson song "Give, Love, Joy".
And I guess it 
But I really noticed it this time – The Grinch is not human, but yet he has a dog for a pet! Yes, even a mis-guided, small-hearted, Christmas-stealing, Who-hating Grinch is able to find room in his cold, soulless existence for a cute, loyal pooch.
In the third season of Fran Drescher's amusing class struggle sitcom, the series premiered an unusual animated episode created in the style of the show's groovy opening titles. 
This holiday fantasy told the tale of Jewish American Princess Fran and her dog Brighton–who are magically transported to the North Pole, where they must battle the evil ice princess known as 
Yes, from Marty Pasetta & company, the fine folks that brought us the weirdly magical all-star extravaganza 
Originally airing 32 years ago today Dec. 6) this odd gem tells the story of a grumpy grandpa (Carney) whose cute grandkids (Brad Savage, Terri Lynn Wood) drag him, against his will, to Disneyland for Christmas. Which 
There's been so much written about this award-winning classic already (both online and in the "real" world), that there's not much of anything I can say that hasn't already been said. I could go on about the characters, the sad little tree, the commercialism of Christmas or the wonderful Vince Guaraldi soundtrack. But I won't.
I could also comment on the religious aspect of the show - since it's one of the rare instances of Christian propaganda that seems to be accepted and tolerated by even the most ardent believers in separation of church and entertainment. But I won't go there either, even though I just did. ;)
This simple tale of friendship is about a young boy whose snowman comes to life. At first the snowman is hiding and playing in the boy's house, but then the two new friends explore the outdoors. Soon the boy and the snowman take flight... 
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