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What's My Line? was one of network television's most popular
prime time game shows, which ran nationwide Sunday night on CBS from
1950 to 1967.
The show was hosted by the urbane radio/television journalist John
Daly, who was joined by a panel consisting of stage actress Arlene
Francis, publisher Bennett Cerf, gossip columnist Dorothy Kilgallen,
and a guest panelist that would vary from week to week.
A guest contestant would enter, sign his or her name on a chalkboard,
and sit down.
The four panelists would try to guess the unusual profession of the
contestant, by asking a series of "yes or no" questions in turn. Each
"no" answer would reward the guest contestant $5, and ten "no" answers
would result in a win for the contestant.
The high point of the show was the Mystery Guest segment, when the
panelists would don blindfolds, and try to guess the name of a famous
celebrity.
Most episodes of What's My Line? were broadcast live, and the
show was beloved for the cosmopolitan wit and easy rapport of the
regulars, and for the many popular Mystery Guests that appeared over
the years.
On 4 December 1960, several weeks after the premiere of The World
of Suzie Wong at Radio City Music Hall, Nancy Kwan was Mystery
Guest on What's My Line?. Betrayed by her distinctive
Cantonese-Oxbridge accent, or perhaps by the audience reaction to her
appearance on stage, it didn't take very long for the panel to deduce
her identity.
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Credits
