Line #81 Funny/WhatsMyLine


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4	* There were many occasions when one or more members of the panel had a specific but incorrect idea of a guest's line, but the questions they asked to pursue this were unintentionally suggestive.[[note]] Or possibly not so unintentionally; Bennett Cerf recalled that the panel would sometimes knowingly ask suggestive questions and simply pretend to be completely unaware of why the audience should find them so funny. It is also rumoured that the resident "comedians" - Hal Block, then Steve Allen, then Fred Allen - were given suggested incorrect lines of questioning to pursue that the producers felt would get laughs, rather like the zingers given to the stars in ''Series/TheHollywoodSquares''. (And as in the case of ''Squares'', they were never actually told the answers in advance, but the practice was nevertheless abandoned after the Quiz Show Scandals for fear that accusations would surface that ''Line'' was rigged.)[[/note]]
5	** On the April 26, 1953 episode, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caB0dZUGcq0&list=PLqsaqh5sqUxqkNGHbNWOy9fK82pcv1jw-&index=52 the second contestant was Norma Moyer]], who was a riveter for Army cots. Steve Allen, having established that the product she works with could be used for recreation around a lake or river, gets the idea that it's a boat of some kind, leading to increasing laughter from the audience as he asks things like "would it be unwise to overcrowd one of these?". Then he starts to ask "If a young man and a young lady happen to get into one of these, does the man have to..." at which point the audience starts laughing so hard and so long that he gives up and passes to Arlene Francis.
6	** On the 20 September 1953 episode, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh0_LfG41dQ the second guest contestant]] was Elfrida Fritz of Buffalo, New York, who repaired zippers. The first questions were asked by Steve Allen, who, after establishing that a product was involved and that it was a mechanical device, was clearly thinking it was a typewriter. This led to such unintentionally hilarious questions as "Might you possibly find one or more of these in a very well-equipped office?", "Would any efficient secretary know how to operate one?", and finally, "Would it be safe to say when you're using one of these and you get to the end of a line, a bell rings?", each one greeted by increasingly loud laughter from the audience.
7	** On the 3 March 1957 episode, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yBp5xuxxNg the second guest contestant]] was Arch Poole of Rocky River, Ohio, who ran a diaper service. Martin Gabel established that there was a product involved, and Dorothy Kilgallen established that it was a product that could be worn by human beings, but the audience completely lost it when she then asked if anyone on the panel could wear the product, and again when, after establishing that it was something that could be worn by both sexes, she asked if Bennett could wear the product (John Daly replied, "You mean ''now?''"). Dorothy eventually deduced what the product was, but immediately passed to Bennett, who said "So, this is something that protects the wee ones from, uh..." Which is as far as he got before the audience and the panel fell about laughing ''again'' - in John Daly's case, so much so that he got up from his chair for a few seconds to regain his composure.
8	** On the 13 November 1960 episode, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnSu4rO2eDs the first guest contestant]] was the newly-elected governor of Delaware, Elbert N. Carvel, whose previous job was running a fertilizer company. When asked of his product, "Can you sit on it?" he had to admit that you could, but that wasn't its use. Near the end of the round, guest panelist Joey Bishop clarified, "And if you're really pooped, you can sit on it?" The audience erupted in laughter.
9	* The 8 March 1953 episode featured Steve Allen's debut as a regular, and the second guest was Ruth Cooper of Mercerville, New Jersey, who drove a garbage truck, prompting non-stop laughter on the subject of the 'product' involved. Allen's very first question ("In the course of your work, do you come into contact with a product of any kind?") resulted in peals of laughter from the audience and a hilarious ThisIsGonnaSuck expression from Allen.
10	* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByfAMNmROek first guest]] on the 14 June 1953 episode was Yolande Reed of Parryville, Pennsylvania. Her line? Running a nudist camp, the revelation of which already had the audience laughing uproariously; further laughs came from Steve Allen's inevitable question of whether ''he'' could avail himself of her services, and - evidently thinking she might somehow be connected to optometry - if her clients came to her to improve their eyesight. The audience fell about laughing again when Dorothy Kilgallen asked if ''she'' might avail herself of Mrs. Reed's services, and when questioning reached Arlene Francis for the second time and she asked if the people using the service were dressed in a particular way, the gales of laughter finally caused the penny to drop for the panel.
11	-->'''Arlene Francis:''' Well, do you have, uh... ''[turns to her fellow panellist]'' Dorothy, I don't think you'd go!\
12	'''Dorothy Kilgallen:''' I certainly '''wouldn't!''' ''[laughter from the audience and panel]''\
13	'''Bennett Cerf:''' I'd go ''with'' her, I'd tell you that!
14	* UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan's appearance as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW9S_C-tPm8 the mystery guest]] on the 19 July 1953 episode (long before his political career began). He changes his voice with every answer, prompting one of the panelists to ask "Do you have only one head?" Then, when Dorothy Kilgallen starts to ask about ''King's Row,'' he turns to Daly and mutters "I don't like her."
15	* During the Steve Allen era, after the question "Is it bigger than a breadbox?" had become almost standard during the interrogation of guests, the producers used up [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZbh7PqPoVU the last few minutes]] of the 11 October 1953 episode by sending out Fred Burg, who made... breadboxes. When Dorothy Kilgallen, having established that Burg dealt with a product that would be found on the ground floor of a two-story home, asked, "But it's not larger than... a breadbox?", the audience fell about laughing. As a breadbox is not technically larger than itself, questioning passed to Steve Allen, who put two and two together.
16	-->'''Steve Allen:''' I'm gonna take the- the first stab in the dark in a, in a year, is it a breadbox, by any chance? ''(laughter from audience, panel, and John Daly)''\
17	'''John Daly:''' ''(pointing at Steve Allen)'' What does Mr. Burg do with breadboxes?\
18	'''Steve Allen:''' He hides in them!
19	* When Ed Wynn was [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJRG3DOr7F4 the mystery guest]] on the 18 April 1954 episode, he answered via violin to avoid using his extremely distinctive voice. Then, when answering, he accidentally whacked himself in the cheek with it and made a goofy face, causing both John Daly and the audience to completely lose it.
20	** How Wynn gives himself away -- after a while, he relinquishes the violin and tries to disguise that extremely distinctive voice, but accidentally lets his even ''more'' distinctive giggle out on the penultimate question.
21	* When Creator/BobHope appeared as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl4VsFFUFu0 the mystery guest]] on the 12 December 1954 episode, he signed in as "Music/BingCrosby." Then during the questioning, Arlene Francis, having established that he was a comedian who often gets the girl but had thinning hair, guessed "Are you Bing Crosby?" The crowd completely lost it.[[note]] When Bennett Cerf put two and two together and correctly identified Hope, John Daly revealed that Hope had also signed in as Bing Crosby when appearing as a mystery guest on the British version of ''What's My Line?'' some weeks earlier.[[/note]]
22	* When Creator/EdgarBergen appeared as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR0Rh1RFxpg the mystery guest]] on the 26 December 1954 episode, accompanied by Charlie [=McCarthy=], Charlie took offense to Bennett Cerf's question that the guest's partner, established to be "related" to the guest but not by marriage, was an animal...and pretended to spit at Bennett in outrage, giving away the duo's identities. The crowd went nuts.
23	* When Creator/FredAstaire is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feLh7iKQ9bU the mystery guest]] on the 3 April 1955 broadcast, Dorothy Kilgallen asks, "When you walk down the street do men whistle at you?" This causes Fred to assume the funniest expression, and John Daly has to lean on him, he's trying so hard to contain his laughter. Fred and John consult on how to answer the question, but both break up at the first attempt to give an answer. They finally calm down, then the audience laughs, so Fred and John lose control again. John finally gives the answer as "no", but he still chuckles as he says it.
24	* The guest panellist on the 29 April 1956 episode was comedian and ventriloquist Creator/PaulWinchell, who appeared with his dummy, Jerry Mahoney. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBPnMHsB0vw The Mystery Guest]] for the episode was Winchell's fellow ventriloquist Creator/EdgarBergen, who appeared with one of ''his'' dummies, Mortimer Snerd (indeed, Bergen signed in using Snerd's name). When Winchell successfully identified Bergen, Mahoney inevitably tried to persuade Snerd that the two of them should leave Bergen and Winchell and form their own double act, suggesting "I could work your head, you could work mine!"
25	* Creator/BobHope appeared as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Nibm66yXIU the mystery guest again]] with his daughter Linda on the 24 June 1956 episode to promote the film ''That Certain Feeling''. Although Linda gave most of the answers, as her voice was less familiar to the panel than that of her father, it didn't take them long to deduce Bob's presence as the mystery guest. However, instead of identifying him, they decided to have some fun:
26	-->'''Arlene Francis:''' I have [[ActorAllusion a certain feeling]] we know who this is. ''(laughter from audience and panel)'' It's [[Radio/TheJackBennyProgram Jack Benny]]! ''(bigger laughter from audience and panel)''\
27	'''Bob Hope:''' ''(laughs)'' Yes!\
28	'''Arlene Francis:''' ''(through laughter)'' I'm wrong?\
29	'''John Daly:''' Yes, you're wrong, Miss Francis.\
30	'''Bennett Cerf:''' Is it Miss Saint and her accompany-ist?\
31	'''John Daly:''' No! ''(laughs and flips over four cards at once)'' Three down, forty-seven to go, Miss Kilgallen!\
32	'''Dorothy Kilgallen:''' Pinky Lee. ''(more audience laughter)''\
33	'''John Daly:''' Five down and five to go, Mr. Winchell.\
34	'''Creator/PaulWinchell:''' Creator/LaurelAndHardy.\
35	'''John Daly:''' Six down and four to go, Miss Francis!\
36	'''Arlene Francis:''' ''(laughs)'' B.S. Pully!\
37	'''John Daly:''' Seven down and three to go, Mr. Cerf!\
38	'''Bennett Cerf:''' Zeppo Marx!\
39	'''John Daly:''' Eight down and two to go, Miss Kilgallen!\
40	'''Dorothy Kilgallen:''' Creator/GregoryPeck.\
41	'''John Daly:''' Nine down and one to go, Mr. Winchell...\
42	'''Paul Winchell:''' Kukla, Fran, and Ollie!\
43	'''John Daly:''' ''(flips over last card)'' No, 'fraid not.\
44	'''Arlene Francis:''' He needs the money, that's why we wouldn't guess it.
45	* The 11 November 1956 episode with Creator/JerryLewis on [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FRpJZWhxso the panel]] (with Creator/WaltDisney as the mystery guest) featured a guest who was...a bit rotund. Lewis jokingly suggested that the lady made diet pills -- which turned out to be her occupation. [[note]]Incidentally, in the same episode, between segments, he turned serious to pitch for donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the organization for which he'd become synonymous. After his brief monologue, it was right back to the fun.[[/note]]
46	-->'''Jerry Lewis:''' But doesn't she take them at any time?
47	* Creator/VincentPrice's appearance as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn-C9UUJQqs the mystery guest]] on the 16 December 1956 episode. He ''sings'' his answers. ''In French''!
48	* Two words: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKLpo8f12TM Salvador Dalí]]. The appearance of one of the 20th century's great surrealists on the 27 January 1957 episode could only herald one of the series' most hilariously surreal rounds, as seemingly every question the panel asked was given a "Yes" answer (as technically, Dalí had been a performer in various media, written books, and been an athlete of some sort).
49	-->'''Arlene Francis:''' Does he ever do any drawing, like comic strips?\
50	'''John Daly:''' Do you ever do any drawing, like comic strips?\
51	'''Salvador Dalí:''' Yes. ''(gales of laughter from the audience)''\
52	'''Arlene Francis:''' "Yes"?\
53	'''John Daly:''' ''(after pretending to wave goodnight to the audience and leave the stage, he returns to his seat)'' Our guest says "Yes", he does drawings like comic strips.\
54	'''Arlene Francis:''' Is there something quite unusual about our guest? ''(more laughter)''\
55	'''John Daly:''' I beg your pardon, Arlene? I missed that last one.\
56	'''Arlene Francis:''' I just asked if there was something unusual because every thing he does the audience laughs about. ''(sure enough, the audience laughs again)''\
57	'''John Daly:''' No, there's nothing unusual, actually, this sort of thing goes on all the time!\
58	'''Arlene Francis:''' Uh... I'm gonna pass to Bennett.\
59	'''John Daly:''' Mr. Cerf.\
60	'''Bennett Cerf:''' You are a human being? ''(still more audience laughter)''\
61	'''John Daly:''' Very much so, Bennett, very much so.\
62	'''Bennett Cerf:''' There's no animal or dummy out there with you.\
63	'''John Daly:''' That's right, there is no animal or dummy out there with him except, perhaps... ''(adjusts his bow tie)''\
64	'''Bennett Cerf:''' ''(taking the obvious bait)'' I'm not talking about the master of ceremonies.\
65	'''John Daly:''' ''(standing up in mock outrage)'' That'll be all, Bennett! That'll be all!
66	* The 1 September 1957 episode featured Creator/ErnieKovacs as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0mUPzGC8hw the guest panelist]]. His penchant for cigars was well-known; in fact, he can be seen holding one in his hands during the episode. One of the contestants was Mrs. Myrl Emma Deck, whose line was...making cigars. The panel was unable to guess her occupation, leading to a great "laugh out loud while {{facepalm}}ing" reaction from Kovacs upon being told that Mrs. Deck made cigars. Other great moments from that round:
67	** The annoyed expression Kovacs pulls upon being told he would begin the general questioning.
68	** This battle of semantics between Kovacs and John Daly:
69	--->'''Ernie Kovacs:''' Is it something you can fold?\
70	''[Mrs. Deck and John Daly look at each other, then Daly laughs]''\
71	'''John Daly:''' I will say this: I think if a brute strength were applied, you can fold most anything, but the product is not meant to be folded and therefore I will give you a no.\
72	'''Ernie Kovacs:''' I didn't ask if it was ''meant'' to be folded, Mr. Daly, I said ''can'' it be folded? Shall we stick to the facts?\
73	''[audience laughter, followed by applause]''\
74	'''John Daly:''' I must now take refuge in the fact that if you're going to be literal, we'll have to consider that anything that cannot be folded without breaking cannot be folded. Therefore, I'll give you a '''no!'''\
75	''[as Daly flips over the card, Kovacs jumps out of his seat and starts removing his jacket, as if he were ready to fight. He quickly calms down, however, puts his jacket back on and sits down]''
76	** Later on, Kovacs asks if the product is something that is plugged in, prompting great laughter from Daly and the audience, who seemingly caught an AccidentalInnuendo.
77	* When [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvEV8zGMNRo Ed Sullivan appeared as the mystery guest]] on the 14 September 1958 episode, he provided several moments of hilarity:
78	** After trolling the panel by giving wrong answers to several questions, he had the following exchange with John Daly:
79	--->'''Ed Sullivan:''' ''(disguised voice)'' Mr. Dah-ly?\
80	'''John Daly:''' ''Ja?''\
81	'''Ed Sullivan:''' Why they wear masks?\
82	'''John Daly:''' Why they wear masks? So they can't see what's going on.\
83	'''Ed Sullivan:''' Then I wear mask too.\
84	'''John Daly:''' What, you mean you don't like to see what's going on? ''[laughs]'' No, I would say this, I think it would be unfair to- ''[Ed Sullivan produces a caveman-like rubber mask and puts it over his head; John Daly trails off laughing]'' I didn't realise it was that hot in here![[note]] A similar mask appeared in several episodes of ''Series/TheDickVanDykeShow''.[[/note]]
85	** Later on:
86	--->'''Dorothy Kilgallen:''' Are you in any way connected with government or politics?\
87	'''Ed Sullivan:''' No.\
88	'''John Daly:''' Just looks like it, that's all.\
89	''[Ed stands up in mock outrage]''
90	* When Andy Griffith was [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-H4wTPZe7c the mystery guest]] on the 3 May 1959 episode, we got this:
91	-->'''Dorothy Kilgallen:''' Do you sing?\
92	'''Griffith:''' ''[putting on a VERY deep voice]'' [[LarynxDissonance BEAUTIFULLY]].
93	* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARmzMXQ93Bo The mystery guest]] on the 21 June 1959 episode was [[Radio/TheJackBennyProgram Jack Benny]], who signed in as "Heifetz" (meaning violinist Jascha Heifetz, who made several appearances on stage, radio, and television as a straight man during Benny's own violin performances). He was in fine comic form:
94	-->''[Bennett Cerf has established from the initial audience applause/laughter that the guest is a comedian, and Arlene Francis has established that he has made motion pictures]''\
95	'''Steve Allen:''' I was as interested, uh, as Bennett in the audience reaction, there was a lot of whistling and screaming and punching of ushers and that sort of thing... ''[audience laughter]'' Are you a, uh, would you call yourself a g- well, not you, maybe, but would anyone call you a glamorous figure? ''[huge audience laughter and applause; Jack Benny confers with John Daly, then looks thoughtful before shrugging and gesturing to Daly; finally shakes his head]''\
96	'''John Daly:''' Uh... ''[clears his throat]'' Would you like to re- ''[more audience laughter]'' We have a little problem here, our guest is certainly glamorous in the connotation of, of great reputation... ''[Jack Benny pulls John Daly toward him and whispers in his ear]'' But, uh, can I have a small conference, please?\
97	''[Jack Benny gets up from his seat, walks over to the panel, and kisses Jayne Meadows on the cheek, to her surprise and the huge amusement of the audience; he then returns to his seat]''\
98	'''John Daly:''' I would say, then, in terms of great reputation, but not glamorous, necessarily, in the more modern application of that word. ''[Jack Benny looks offended and swats John Daly on the arm, to more audience laughter]''\
99	'''Steve Allen:''' John?\
100	'''John Daly:''' By which I meant to say he wasn't a pretty boy, and I'll defend that statement in any open court! ''[Jack Benny doubles over laughing]''\
101	'''Steve Allen:''' Never mind... never mind all that, who just did what to who here?\
102	'''John Daly:''' Well, we're not sure here, yet! Miss Meadows.\
103	'''Jayne Meadows:''' I just got a kiss, darling,[[note]] Steve Allen and Jayne Meadows were married from 1954 to his death in 2000.[[/note]] from this unglamorous comedian. Would this, uh, comedian be a romantic figure? ''[more audience laughter and cheering; Jack Benny stands up and points accusingly at John Daly, then sits down again and whispers in his ear]'' Or was that kiss misleading?\
104	'''John Daly:''' Um... we've had, uh, several committee meetings... we didn't need 'em. '''No.''' ''[flips over a card]'' That's, uh... oh, two down and eight to go, ''[flips over a second card]'' Mr. Cerf. I must have missed one.\
105	'''Bennett Cerf:''' I'd like to ask a, a rather personal question. Uh... do Mischa Elman and Jascha Heifetz [[DreadfulMusician scream with horror at mere mention of your name?]]\
106	'''Jack Benny:''' ''[{{Beat}}; in his normal voice]'' Oh, shut up!
107	* British ''Line'' chairman Eamonn Andrews [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_nMysvNzXc filled in for John Daly]] on the 28 June 1959 episode, and as the panel were quizzing final guest contestant Becky Swanzy (a salesgirl of false teeth) of Charlotte, North Carolina, he invoked ExactWords to hilarious effect:
108	-->'''Arlene Francis:''' Did we say that, uh, Miss, uh, ''(in a Southern accent)'' Miss Charlotte, North Carolina, ''(in her normal voice)'' uh, that she was salaried?\
109	'''Eamonn Andrews:''' Ah, we did, yes.\
110	'''Arlene Francis:''' We did say that. Did we say that she does work for a profit-making organisation?\
111	'''Eamonn Andrews:''' No, we didn't say that, that's six down and four to go. ''(flips over card; laughter from audience and panel)''\
112	'''Arlene Francis:''' ''(mock outrage)'' It's murder! It's murder!\
113	'''Eamonn Andrews:''' ''(pointing over his shoulder to the opposite side of the stage to the panel)'' I'm leaving ''that'' way!
114	* [[Creator/MarxBrothers Groucho Marx]], who for most of ''Line''[='s=] run was hosting ''Series/YouBetYourLife'', made four appearances on the show from 1959 to 1967--twice as a guest panelist and twice as the mystery guest.
115	** His [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6wxrLjJobM first appearance]] as a guest panelist was on the 20 September 1959 episode. As you might have guessed, HilarityEnsues. The fact that the guests include a jail warden who looks uncannily like Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev (who, the day before the episode was recorded, was denied permission to visit Disneyland because his security could not be guaranteed) and female professional wrestler Judy "Barefoot Contessa" Grable just helps things along.
116	--->'''Groucho Marx:''' ''[seeing [=McFarland=], the warden, for the first time]'' Y'know, he looks ''exactly'' [[ShapedLikeItself like McFarland?]]
117	*** Groucho inevitably doesn't bother paying attention to the questions asked by Arlene Francis, Dorothy Kilgallen, and Bennett Cerf, or the answers they receive, when asking his own questions - which, though not unusual ''What's My Line?'' questions (if a guest makes a household product: "Is your product used in the kitchen?"; if the guest provides a service that involves touching clients: "Do you touch them above the waist?"), are thus complete non sequiturs in context.
118	---->''(so far, the panel have established only that the first guest contestant, Henry [=McFarland=], is salaried and does not work for a profit-making organisation)''\
119	'''Groucho Marx:''' Is this product found in your kitchen?\
120	'''John Daly:''' ''(laughs)'' We haven't arrived at a product yet! If you want to take a shot at it...\
121	'''Groucho Marx:''' Well, he must have a kitchen!\
122	'''John Daly:''' He's got a kitchen, I'm sure. Is that the product?\
123	'''Groucho Marx:''' Do you make candy?\
124	'''John Daly:''' ''(through laughter)'' No, that's two down-\
125	'''Groucho Marx:''' Well, what do you do for a living?\
126	'''John Daly:''' Two down and-\
127	'''Groucho Marx:''' You must have some occupation!\
128	'''Henry [=McFarland=]:''' Well, I have a kitchen!\
129	'''Groucho Marx:''' You have a kitchen. Well, stand up and let's see it!\
130	'''John Daly:''' ''(referring to the guest's rather large size)'' That's really a bay window.
131	*** Groucho's questions remain so surreal that some of his fellow panellists become a bit rattled:
132	---->''(the panel have so far established only that the second guest contestant, Judy Grable, is not connected with tourism or instruction, but works indoors)''\
133	'''Groucho Marx:''' Is this product found in your kitchen? ''(laughter)'' Is this product that you manufacture... ''(more laughter; Groucho has brief, inaudible conversations with both Dorothy Kilgallen and Arlene Francis)''\
134	'''John Daly:''' Just a moment, Groucho, Miss Grable has just told me she didn't get the question, I told her she was lucky! Now let's start all over again!\
135	'''Groucho Marx:''' Well, she could be even luckier, she's not going to get the answer. Now this product you manufacture, is it sold... would you be apt to find this in the living room, or the dining room, or the kitchen?\
136	'''John Daly:''' Well, she can't answer that question "yes" or "no"...\
137	'''Groucho Marx:''' Well, she must make something, a woman can't make a living just being a blonde... although I've heard of a few who have! ''(gales of laughter from audience and panel)''\
138	'''John Daly:''' To every statement or question that you- every statement you've made, every question you've asked, except that last one, the answer is "No". ''(flips over card)'' That's three down, seven to go, Miss Kilgallen.\
139	'''Groucho Marx:''' I certainly get through quickly on this show! Up to you, Mrs. Kilgallen- uh, ''Miss'' Kilgallen.\
140	'''Dorothy Kilgallen:''' ''(trying to regain her composure)'' Miss Grable... are the men and women that you come in contact with more or less infrequently or frequently, as the case may be, are they grown-up human beings?\
141	'''Judy Grable:''' Yes.\
142	'''Dorothy Kilgallen:''' Now, would you say that you deal with more sex- more with ''one'' sex- ''(too late; the audience and the rest of the panel have heard her FreudianSlip and fallen about laughing, and she quickly joins in, embarrassed, as Groucho nods at the camera and shakes her hand proudly)'' He ''made'' me do it! ''(points at Groucho)''\
143	'''Groucho Marx:''' You think I'm the only one that's obsessed with that subject, hm? Boy, what a Freudian panel this is up here! People would only talk!\
144	'''John Daly:''' Dorothy, before we pursue this subject any further...\
145	'''Dorothy Kilgallen:''' I don't want to pursue it any further!\
146	'''Groucho Marx:''' Then get her up here and I'll pursue it!
147	*** Finally, at the beginning of the Mystery Guest round, John Daly is already nearly paralysed by laughter as Groucho has his blindfold in seemingly every position on his face except over his eyes; when Creator/ClaudetteColbert is brought out as the guest, Groucho's blindfold is over his nose instead of his eyes ("My eyes are prettier," he explains), and John Daly disqualifies him from questioning. Not that this stops the episode's RunningGag from appearing again:
148	---->'''Dorothy Kilgallen:''' Are you in the motion picture business?\
149	'''Claudette Colbert:''' ''(deep, throaty voice)'' Да.\
150	'''John Daly:''' Mr. Cerf.\
151	'''Bennett Cerf:''' Are you related to Groucho Marx?\
152	'''Claudette Colbert:''' ''(pressing one nostril closed)'' Нет!\
153	'''John Daly:''' ''(laughs)'' One down, nine to go, Miss Francis.\
154	'''Arlene Francis:''' ''(through laughter)'' Groucho wants to know if your product is found in the kitchen. ''(massive laughter from the audience and John Daly)'' No, I had- I had the blindfold half off looking at Groucho so I know it's a lady but I promise you I didn't see any-\
155	'''Groucho Marx:''' How do you know it's a lady?\
156	'''Arlene Francis:''' I saw her skirt. Isn't that a sign?\
157	'''Groucho Marx:''' ''(shakes head)'' No, that's no indication at all. Is it a woman? ''(Claudette Colbert is struggling to keep from laughing and giving herself away to the other panellists)'' Is it up to me?\
158	'''John Daly:''' ''No.'' You've had it.\
159	'''Groucho Marx:''' What do you mean, don't I get a chance at this?\
160	'''John Daly:''' No! The blindfold was inadequate to its purpose...\
161	'''Groucho Marx:''' ''(removes his [upside-down] blindfold [from below his nose])'' Well I know who it is, so I'll drop out. It's Creator/MaeWest.
162	** During the Mystery Guest segment on Groucho's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYSrDfn7z1Q return to the panel]] on the 15 November 1964 episode (featuring Creator/AnneBancroft as the Mystery Guest), the panel had already racked up nine "No" answers, and a stumped Dorothy Kilgallen passed to Groucho, reasoning that at least he would have something funny to say. She was right:
163	--->'''Groucho''' (''wearing his glasses over his blindfold''): Are you an old Buick?
164	** He also appeared at least twice as a Mystery Guest ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_NzXFs3Rqg October 13, 1963]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-tjOOxcUyU April 23, 1967]]), signing in as "Mr. + Mrs. John Smith" (1963) and "Take The Lead Out" (1967). In typical Groucho form, he seldom answered the panel's questions truthfully, requiring frequent corrections by John Daly.
165	* John Daly was noted for, if the panel asked a question that could be answered "yes" or "no" depending on interpretation, first conferring with the guest and then giving a convoluted speech which almost invariably raised more questions than it answered. However, when the famously verbally dextrous actor and singer Creator/DannyKaye appeared as a guest on the 5 November 1961 episode, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIV47SaWNdo he turned the tables on Daly]] by asking a ridiculously convoluted (and deliberately content-free) question:
166	-->''(the panel have established that self-employed guest Harry Ellswood Jr. makes a product that can be "used up" but is not eaten, drunk, or held in the mouth without being swallowed)''[[note]] The product in question: balloons.[[/note]]\
167	'''Danny Kaye:''' In this product, does the chemical content insofar as the letter of the instance of the product, can you, in turn, with a degree of honesty, feel that there has been, not- not concerning those people who generally don't use it, but would there be - would there be insofar as, knowing a group of people as seated here, could you?\
168	''(laughter from audience, panel, Daly, and Ellswood)''\
169	'''Harry Ellswood Jr.:''' Could you please repeat the question? ''(more laughter)''\
170	'''Danny Kaye:''' I'd be happy to. Conference! ''(puts his arms around Dorothy Kilgallen and Arlene Francis and kisses each of them on the cheek)'' I don't really want a conference, I want smooches!
171	* After stepping down as a regular, Steve Allen made a number of return appearances as both a guest on the panel and a mystery guest. On the 4 October 1964 episode with Creator/BuddyHackett as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf0Ufd2mSNY a guest panellist]], Allen was the episode's mystery guest, but things didn't quite go according to plan thanks to a verbal slip from John Daly:
172	-->'''Dorothy Kilgallen:''' Are you a performer in show business?\
173	'''Steve Allen:''' ''(loud whisper)'' Yeeeessss.\
174	'''John Daly:''' Mr. Allen- I- ''(laughter from panel as Daly looks embarrassed)'' Mr. Cerf.\
175	'''Bennett Cerf:''' I'll make believe I didn't hear that.\
176	'''John Daly:''' You can't. I'm not kidding...\
177	'''Bennett Cerf:''' Are you a comedian?\
178	'''Steve Allen:''' ''(in his normal voice)'' I'm not as funny as John is right now!\
179	''(laughter and applause; Dorothy Kilgallen and Bennett Cerf remove their blindfolds, but Arlene Francis and Buddy Hackett leave theirs on)''\
180	'''Steve Allen:''' All right, Buddy, three guesses, who is it? ''(Buddy Hackett starts to remove his blindfold)'' Your time's up, Buddy!
181	* Creator/EliWallach's ''impressive'' falsetto when he, Anne Jackson and Creator/AlanArkin were [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqPXZ5QaNmc the mystery guests]] on the 14 March 1965 episode (in their capacity as the entire cast of the Broadway play ''Theatre/{{Luv}}''). There's also this:
182	-->'''Bennett Cerf:''' Are the male and the female appearing in the same picture?\
183	'''Eli Wallach:''' ''(heavy, breathy voice)'' ''No!''
184	** On that same episode, during the good-nights, guest panelist Creator/WilliamShatner gets DistractedByTheSexy of Dorothy Kilgallen, which does not go unnoticed by Arlene Francis: "Our romance is over!"
185	* The final installment featured John Daly as the mystery guest, swapping positions between host and guest spot and using a high-pitched voice. It was something that was always a planned backup if for some reason they couldn't fill an actual mystery guest, so when this never happened, they decided to use it for the final show.
186	** In a display of [[SelfDeprecation self-deprecating]] humor, the only new contestant to appear that night (the others were those who appeared on the premiere 17 years ago) was a clerk from the New York State unemployment office.
187	[[/folder]]
188
189	[[folder:Syndicated (1968-1975)]]
190	* Early in the syndicated run, panelist Anita Gillette accidentally introduced Allen Ludden as "Allen Funt" (host of ''Series/CandidCamera''). Moments later, after Wally Bruner was introduced and took his seat, he welcomed the home audience, "Welcome to ''Candid What's My Line?''"
191	* During the Larry Blyden era, a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv3klUkwp5s 1973 episode]] saw, following a segment about a pizza maker, guest panelists Gene Rayburn and Creator/AlanAlda toss pizza dough rounds in the air ...only for one to be tossed ''so'' high it landed in the overhead lights and didn't come down. The audience was uproarious in their laughter as the cameras focused on the round being stuck high above the stage.
192	[[/folder]]

Context Funny / WhatsMyLine