WHAT'S MY LINE?

ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 4/28/63 (Live)
NETWORK: CBS
RUNNING TIME: 30 Minutes

The Cast
John Daly (moderator)
Arlene Francis (panelist)
Shelley Berman (panelist)
Dorothy Kilgallen (panelist)
Bennett Cerf (panelist)
Judy Holliday (mystery guest)

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Game Show Overview

The four celebrity panelists are allowed to ask "yes" and "no" type questions of the contestant as they try to guess the person's occupation. For every "no" answer given, the contestant wins $5. Ten "no" answers and the game is over. Usually the first two segments of the show are comprised of non-celebrity contestants. The rules change slightly for the third segment. The panelists are blindfolded and a celebrity mystery guest is brought out on stage. Each panelist gets to ask just one question at a time, rotating clockwise, in an attempt to discover the mystery person's identity. The questioning continues until either 10 "no" answers have accumulated or the person's identity has been correctly guessed. The mystery guest will often disguise his or her voice to try to throw the panel off.

Episode Summary

Once the panelists were all blindfolded, Judy walked out onto the stage to strong applause and whistles. She signed her name on the chalkboard and then took her seat beside the show's moderator, John Daly. The questioning begins with Dorothy Kilgallen who asks "Are you in show business?" Judy hoarsely replies "Yes." Bennett Cerf notes that there are "A lot of singers in town this week," then asks "do you do singing professionally?" Judy says "Oh yes" in voice that is similar to her "Mom" character from Bells Are Ringing. Arlene Francis asks "Do you have many successful records?" Judy responds truthfully with a curt "No." Guest panelist Shelley Berman inquires "Do you work primarily in the night clubs?" A smiling Judy replies "No." Dorothy Kilgallen asks "Are you in a current Broadway musical?" Following Judy's response of "Yes," Dorothy grins like she knows who it is. Bennett Cerf confidently asks "Are you the star of this musical?" Judy answers "Yes." The look in her eyes indicates that she expects Cerf to reveal her identity at any moment, but he lets the opportunity pass. Arlene asks "Are you the star of Tovarich?" implying that the mystery guest was Vivien Leigh. Judy lets out a slow "No." Shelley Berman asks "Is this a brand new musical?" Judy replies "Yes." When the questioning gets back to Dorothy Kilgallen she wastes little time asking "Are you Judy Holliday?" John Daly answers "Yes" for her and the audience applauds while Judy laughs. John Daly notes "That was done with dispatch, Miss Judy." In her previous appearances she had used various accents and funny voices, she explains that this time "I let nature take its course...I'm hoarse." Daly gives Hot Spot a plug and comments "I'm in the ranks of those who will go very far to see you do anything." He then asks the panel if they got any hint that it was Judy Holliday from the voice she was using. Dorothy smiles and says "A little bit." Bennett says "I confidently expected it." Judy says "I can't speak in my natural voice because it's...distinguishable." After briefly discussing Born Yesterday, John Daly wishes her lots of success with Hot Spot. She thanks him and then leaves the moderator's desk. She walks across the stage, shakes hands with all four panelists and departs. Her appearance lasted less than 3 minutes. This was not only her final What's My Line? appearance, it was also one of the last times that she would appear on television period. She would die 2 years later, shortly before her 44th birthday.

Show Credits

Producers Mark Goodson and Bill Todman

Executive Producer Gil Fates

Director Franklin Heller

Associate Producers Bob Bach and Ann Kaminsky

Set Designer Willard Levitas

Program Supervisor Gil Herman

Associate Director Alvin R. Mifelow

Technical Director Ted Miller

Lighting Director Gene Ulrich