History Trivia / WhatsMyLine

** The April 18, 1965 show had its mystery guest segment with Marian Anderson featured in the 25th anniversary special (see below). The rushed editing of that special resulted in a portion of the master copy being cut up for the clips, then reassembled in the wrong order, rendering the mystery guest segment unwatchable. A corrected version is up on YouTube, but the TV reruns still use the mashed-up copy.
** Several shows exist in copies that include the commercials, network promos and idents that were in the original broadcast. While they are of no interest for reruns, they do hold some historical interest and can be seen on YouTube. Also, as of February 2018, Amazon has available 40 episodes of the show from 1955, complete with the original commercials.

** The April 29, 1951 show is available at The University of Wisconsin Center for Film and Research. Mystery Guest: Hedda Hopper (Gossip Columnist). It was made available on YouTube in August 2017, as shown here in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbpYEIcVJwA this video]].

* ScrewedByTheNetwork: CBS issued an order cancelling all their prime time game shows at the end of the 1966-67 season, claiming they were no longer profitable for those hours (not surprising, considering Fred Silverman was an executive at the time). No one on the staff was ever notified with Bennett Cerf reading about it in ''The New York Times''.

* ScrewedByTheNetwork: CBS issued an order cancelling all their prime time game shows at the end of the 1966-67 season, claiming they were no longer suitable for viewing at those hours (not surprising, considering Fred Silverman was an executive at the time). No one on the staff was ever notified with Bennett Cerf reading about it in ''The New York Times''.

* TheOtherDarrin: Almost every female brought in to replace Dorothy Kilgallen. Many fans feel that her death marked the show's JumpTheShark moment.[[note]]However, it made it possible for Music/FrankSinatra to appear as a mystery guest (which he did on November 27, 1966); he previously snubbed the show due to his feud with Kilgallen, which stemmed from an exposé she published on the singer in 1956 called "The Frank Sinatra Story".[[/note]]

The original American version fares far better than many international versions, however. Only a handful of complete editions of the British ''What's My Line?'' from 1951-63 are known to survive. For example, in the "cultural exchange" in 1953 which saw British ''Line'' regular Barbara Kelly appear on the American version while Arlene Francis appeared on the British version, the episodes with Kelly on the American panel have survived, but those with Francis on the British panel have not. Also, only one episode of the French-Canadian ''Chacun son métier'' is known to circulate.\\\

** An April 1967 episode featuring Creator/CandiceBergen as the Mystery Guest and a June 1967 episode featuring Betty Grable and F. Lee Bailey as the Mystery Guests were destroyed in their entirety in the editing process of the ''At 25'' special.

** A [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMz0xi3a42M pilot for a revival]] hosted by [[Series/NightCourt Harry Anderson]] (with [[Series/{{JAG}} Catherine Bell]], Creator/BryanCranston, Creator/BettyWhite and Creator/AlFranken on the panel) was taped in 2000. However, CBS passed it over in favor of ''Series/{{Survivor}}''. Imagine what TV would've been had they picked this up instead...

** Several shows exist in copies that include the commercials, network promos and idents that were in the original broadcast. While they are of no interest for reruns, they do hold some historical interest and can be seen on YouTube.

## Virtually all of the footage (except for a clip introducing then-sitting President GeraldFord) came from the original CBS run (and all in black-and-white kinescope--the Gerald Ford clip, which was available in color, was [[DeliberatelyMonochrome shown in monochrome]] to match the rest of the footage);

** The February 21, 1954 show featuring Creator/LucilleBall as mystery guest seems to be missing from Goodson-Todman's archives, since it was never rerun on GSN. It does survive, however, and was made available by Shokus Video years ago, as shown in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sye0qwQ0nbI this video]].

** An April 1967 episode featuring Creator/CandiceBergen as Mystery Guest and a June 1967 episode featuring Betty Grable and F. Lee Bailey as Mystery Guests were destroyed in their entirety in the editing process of the ''At 25'' special.

** When Creator/BobHope appeared as the Mystery Guest on the 12 December 1954 episode, Arlene asked several questions that showed she was closing in on the correct answer, then went for the laugh by guessing "[[Film/RoadTo Bing Crosby]]". It got a massive reaction, partly because, unbeknownst to the blindfolded panel, Hope had signed in using [[Music/BingCrosby Crosby's name]] instead of his own.

** In 2015, it was discovered that the March 26, 1967 show is available at The Paley Center for Media, and, apparently, was only recently donated to them. Guest panelists were Steve Allen & Jayne Meadows, Game 1 had Orson Bean as a Mystery Guest, Game 2 had a normal contestant in Frank Mills as the president of a shopping cart company, and Game 3 had Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca as Mystery Guest duo.

** When Creator/BobHope appeared as the Mystery Guest, Arlene asked several questions that showed she was closing in on the correct answer, then went for the laugh by guessing "[[Film/RoadTo Bing Crosby]]". It got a massive reaction, partly because, unbeknownst to the blindfolded panel, Hope had signed in using [[Music/BingCrosby Crosby's name]] instead of his own.

** When Bob Hope appeared as the Mystery Guest, Arlene asked several questions that showed she was closing in on the correct answer, then went for the laugh by guessing "[[Film/RoadTo Bing Crosby]]". It got a massive reaction, partly because, unbeknownst to the blindfolded panel, Hope had signed in using Crosby's name instead of his own.
** When Anne Bancroft appeared as the Mystery Guest on the 1 July 1962 episode, she gave her first "Yes" and "No" answers in American Sign Language before saying anything, a reference to her performance as Anne Sullivan in both the stage and screen versions of ''Theatre/TheMiracleWorker''.

** On the 10 May 1959 episode, at the end of the Mystery Guest segment featuring Milton Berle, a man rushed onstage, shook hands with Berle and disappeared as quickly as he came in. Berle ad-libbed that it was his agent, then asked the question everybody had on their minds: "Who was he?"
** During the Mystery Guest segment on the 7 October 1962 episode, an intruder managed to get into the soundstage while the panelists were blindfolded. He was quickly removed from the stage by Johnny Olson and Gil Fates, and after a brief explanation from John Daly, the round proceeded as normal, with guest panelist Creator/VictorBorge joking about the incident on his next question. According to [[WordofGod Gil Fates]], the intruder was supposedly trying to promote a personal dating service. [[https://youtu.be/LDAi8WI2PUw?t=19m Here's the video of the incident (starts at 19:00)]]

## Virtually all of the footage (except for a clip introducing then-sitting President GeraldFord) came from the original CBS run (and all in black-and-white kinescope -- the Gerald Ford clip, which was available in color, was [[DeliberatelyMonochrome shown in monochrome]] to match the rest of the footage);

** Additionally, everyone who appeared on the show -- celebrities and regular contestants alike -- had to sign a release giving Goodson-Todman permission to air clips featuring them (even Goodson-Todman themselves). Despite all these quirks, it was critically well received and seen as a very nice celebration of television's then-longest running game show.

The original American version fares far better than many international versions, however. Only a handful of complete editions of the British ''What's My Line?'' from 1951-63 are known to survive - so, for example, in the "cultural exchange" in 1953 which saw British ''Line'' regular Barbara Kelly appear on the American version while Arlene Francis appeared on the British version, the episodes with Kelly on the American panel have survived, but those with Francis on the British panel have not. Also, only one episode of the French-Canadian ''Chacun son métier'' is known to circulate.\\\

** The April 29, 1951 show is available at The University of Wisconsin Center for Film and Research. Mystery Guest: Hedda Hopper (Gossip Columnist). It was made available on YouTube in August 2017.

** Only a portion of the January 24, 1954 show is known to survive, which was best-known for having Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis as Mystery Guest duo. It was seen in ''What's My Line? At 25'', and it is believed that it got destroyed during the assembling of the special. The complete episode is rumored to exist in Jerry Lewis' collection, and people even claimed to have seen the ''full'' segment, with Dean & Jerry signing in, but nothing has been proven yet.
** The February 21, 1954 show featuring Lucille Ball as mystery guest seems to be missing from Goodson-Todman's archives, since it was never rerun on GSN. It does survive, however, and was made available by Shokus Video years ago.

** An April 1967 episode featuring Candice Bergen as Mystery Guest and a June 1967 episode featuring Betty Grable and F. Lee Bailey as Mystery Guests were destroyed in their entirety in the editing process of the ''At 25'' special.

* TheOtherDarrin: Almost every female brought in to replace Dorothy Kilgallen. Many fans feel that her death marked the show's JumpTheShark moment. [[note]]However, it made it possible for Music/FrankSinatra to appear as a mystery guest (which he did on November 27, 1966); he previously snubbed the show due to his feud with Kilgallen, which stemmed from an exposé she published on the singer in 1956 called "The Frank Sinatra Story".[[/note]]

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: After Fred Allen's death in 1956, Goodson-Todman were ready to sign Ernie Kovacs up as a regular panelist, but he eventually decided he wasn't interested. Therefore, the second male seat became a rotating seat. A few years later, Johnny Carson was considered to permanently fill that seat, but he was already busy with his own game show, ''Who Do You Trust?''
** Apparently, a similar situation happened upon Dorothy Kilgallen's death in 1965; TV Guide reported there was a search to replace her as a regular panelist. Some of the contenders for her position were Phyllis Newman, Sue Oakland, Suzy Knickerbocker, Betty White and Jayne Meadows. As with Mr. Allen, her seat ultimately became a rotating one.

** A [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMz0xi3a42M pilot for a revival]] hosted by [[Series/NightCourt Harry Anderson]] (with [[Series/{{JAG}} Catherine Bell]], Creator/BryanCranston, Creator/BettyWhite and Creator/AlFranken on the panel) was taped in 2000; CBS passed it over in favor of ''Series/{{Survivor}}''. Imagine what TV would've been had they picked this up instead....

** Creator/DavidHasselhoff said in 2008 that he was going to work with Creator/FremantleMedia to revive the show -- nothing happened there.
** Another pilot was taped in the fall of 2014 for a potential syndicated revival; nothing's been heard of it since then.

** A revival was planned as early as 1981, pending the success of a ''Series/ToTellTheTruth'' revival from 1980. Details are sketchy and the revival never went past the talking stage.

** CBS had earlier tried to pick up a different version, co-produced by [[Creator/MiramaxFilms Miramax Television]]) for fall of 1999, but it didn't happen due to CBS thinking the show was "too costly and ambitious".
** Creator/DavidHasselhoff said in 2008 he was going to work with Creator/FremantleMedia to revive the show- nothing happened there.
** Another pilot was taped in fall of 2014 for a potential syndicated revival; nothing's been heard of it since then.

* TheOtherDarrin: Almost every female brought in to replace Dorothy Kilgallen. Many fans feel that her death marked the show's JumpTheShark moment.

** The April 29, 1951 show is available at The University of Wisconsin Center for Film and Research. Mystery Guest: Hedda Hopper (Gossip Columnist)

** Hal "Dimples" Block was the panel's original "comic relief", the most likely to ask silly or suggestive questions. However, he was also the most likely to be warned by the network for inappropriate behavior on air, and after ignoring one warning too many, he was fired in 1953 and replaced by Steve Allen.[[note]] As Steve Allen had already been sitting in for an absent Bennett Cerf on Block's final show, the latter's dismissal had the interesting side effect of shifting Cerf from the seat between Dorothy Kilgallen and Arlene Francis to the far right seat, where he remained for the next fourteen years.[[/note]]

** A [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMz0xi3a42M pilot for a revival]] hosted by [[Series/NightCourt Harry Anderson]] (with [[Series/{{JAG}} Catherine Bell]], Creator/BryanCranston, Creator/BettyWhite and Creator/AlFranken on the panel]] was taped in 2000; CBS passed it over in favor of ''Series/{{Survivor}}''. Imagine what TV would've been had they picked this up instead....

** CBS had earlier tried to pick up a different version, co-produced by [[Creator/{{Miramax}} Miramax Television]]) for fall of 1999, but it didn't happen due to CBS thinking the show was "too costly and ambitious".

** Hal "Dimples" Block was the panel's original "comic relief", the most likely to ask silly or suggestive questions. However, he was also the most likely to be warned by the network for inappropriate behaviour on air, and after ignoring one warning too many, he was fired in 1953 and replaced by Steve Allen.[[note]] As Steve Allen had already been sitting in for an absent Bennett Cerf on Block's final show, the latter's dismissal had the interesting side effect of shifting Cerf from the seat between Dorothy Kilgallen and Arlene Francis to the far right seat, where he remained for the next fourteen years.[[/note]]

The original American version fares far better than many international versions, however. Only a handful of complete editions of the British ''What's My Line?'' from 1951-63 are known to survive - so, for example, in the "cultural exchange" in 1953 which saw British ''Line'' regular Barbara Kelly appear on the American version while Arlene Francis appeared on the British version, the episodes with Kelly on the American panel have survived, but those with Francis on the British panel have not.\\\