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In 1979, a friend of mine was a big winner on the $10,000 Pyramid, winning not only the money, but a color television, as well. He said I should do the show, and because he had been a winner, I got an audition. I can't remember where it was, but it was some second-story studio office in New York. There were a lot of people there, in a small space. The first thing we did was be interviewed by this nice, but also tough as nails middle-aged woman, whose name I cannot remember. I do recall that she kept referring to my friend as "Tony" (his name is Anthony and he never, ever went by Tony). After the interview, which also consisted of a brief round of the game with her, where I had to give clues to "what people stuck on a elevator might say", I moved to a mock set and played with an actual partner. When all was said and done, I was told I was on a short-list, and would "probably" be called to do the show. However, the show close-up, and even went off the air for a bit, then resurfaced in Hollywood! I did get notice to respond to if I wanted to remain on their short list, but would have to get myself to LA and so forth, and I just never answered the letter. As for What's My Line, I loved it. Stayed up every Sunday night to watch it. My mother always would state what a bunch of pretentious and smug individuals she found the panel to be, but I loved them. I still want to be one of them!
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I've adored game shows for as long as I could remember. In fact, I remember being fascinated by JEOPARDY! when I was six or seven years old, and marveling at the intelligence of its' contestants. "How does one remember so much?", I remember thinking. In fact, one of my early ambitions was to be a contestant on the show (win or lose, just so long as I got on the panel!), and to date, I've had three unsuccessful auditions for the show.
(I missed being a contestant on THE WEAKEST LINK by a very narrow margin, indeed. They went for someone more handsome than I. Like that's difficult, LOL. A friend of mine was on THE GONG SHOW, but Rex Reed gonged him. I think he takes perverse pleasure in that, even now.)
I totally love WHAT'S MY LINE?, and was crushed when GSN took it out of their late night block of programming.
But, it was the product of a different era, where people could hold an audience just by the power of their wit. And it was an era where Broadway stars routinely showed up on television, thanks to programs like WHAT'S MY LINE? and THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW, thus classing up the joint for millions of Americans. It's a pity something like that can't make it to the big time any longer.
And, I believe Martin Gabel to be one of the luckiest men on earth, because he was married to Arlene Francis, one of the most beautiful and intelligent women I've ever seen or heard of. (Other than my girlfriend, of course.)
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Yes! That was her name. Thanks.
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Always the emergency backup plan in case a mystery guest suddenly bailed out at the last minute but one they never had to utilize at all.
It was a great last episode (in contrast to the quiet whimper that greeted the last episode of "I've Got A Secret" earlier that same year) and a fitting closure to a TV classic.
John Daly afterwards was never seen on TV again except for his participation in the 1975 25th anniversary special of "What's My Line?". He died in 1991 and rated just a fifteen second mention on ABC's evening news that night, the program that he had been the first ever TV anchor of. In a sense John Daly was a victim of having lived a full long life past the point when there were enough left to appreciate his legacy in the field of broadcasting.
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Always the emergency backup plan in case a mystery guest suddenly bailed out at the last minute but one they never had to utilize at all.
It was a great last episode (in contrast to the quiet whimper that greeted the last episode of "I've Got A Secret" earlier that same year) and a fitting closure to a TV classic.
John Daly afterwards was never seen on TV again except for his participation in the 1975 25th anniversary special of "What's My Line?". He died in 1991 and rated just a fifteen second mention on ABC's evening news that night, the program that he had been the first ever TV anchor of. In a sense John Daly was a victim of having lived a full long life past the point when there were enough left to appreciate his legacy in the field of broadcasting.
He was a great host. I loved the way he said, "Will you come in, mystery challenger, and SIGN IN, PLEASE!"
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There was one hilarious moment in 1964 when John inadvertantly revealed the Mystery Guest's identity to the rest of the panel. Old WML panelist Steve Allen was the MG that night, having just taken over as the host of "I've Got A Secret" and after the second question when it was Bennett's turn on the panel, John accidentally said, "Mr. Allen" instead of "Mr. Cerf".
John also created a mischievous bit of hilarity one night when the final contestant was a lady barber, and he then said with just a faint twinkle, "We'll begin the questinioning with......Mr. Burrows."
This was playwright Abe Burrows, who was quite devoid of hair, and immediately the audience began to roar with raucous laughter (to the bewilderment of Arlene wondering what could be so funny) but the look on Burrows face immediately revealed he knew what it was all about.
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There was one hilarious moment in 1964 when John inadvertantly revealed the Mystery Guest's identity to the rest of the panel. Old WML panelist Steve Allen was the MG that night, having just taken over as the host of "I've Got A Secret" and after the second question when it was Bennett's turn on the panel, John accidentally said, "Mr. Allen" instead of "Mr. Cerf".
John also created a mischievous bit of hilarity one night when the final contestant was a lady barber, and he then said with just a faint twinkle, "We'll begin the questinioning with......Mr. Burrows."
This was playwright Abe Burrows, who was quite devoid of hair, and immediately the audience began to roar with raucous laughter (to the bewilderment of Arlene wondering what could be so funny) but the look on Burrows face immediately revealed he knew what it was all about.
That made the show so joyfully spontaneous, and often hilarious!
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Nothing ever dates Raquel! 
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