WHAT’S MY LINE-Taped November 19, 1968
gamespeopleplayed 
Host: Wally Bruner:
Announcer: Johnny Olson:
Celebrity Panel:
- Soupy Sales
- Phyllis Newman
- Gawn Grainger
- Arlene Francis
We start with the blindfolds on.
FIRST GUEST: Gary Brower (New York City)
He deals with a product and is salaried.
Arlene: Is it a product those on the panel might use?
Yes
Used in the home?
No $5
Soupy: Are we blindfolded because we’d recognize your face?
No $10
Phyllis: Would I use it in contact or inside my body?
In Contact
Would it better or enhance me?
Not necessarily, but close enough.
If it did want it’s supposed to do, would I be better?
Nothing could improve her, but it’s a Yes?
Something you rub on your skin?
A Clear No $15
Gawn: If I didn’t have the blindfold, would I guess what it was?
Doesn’t help, doesn’t hinder, can’t take it off
Would it come in contact with the skin above my neck?
Yes
Anything to do with makeup?
No $20
Arlene: Something that is worn from the neck up?
Yes
Something worn on the face?
Yes
Worn in the area of the eyes?
Yes
(After a whisper from Gawn) Do you make blindfolds?
Yes, the very ones the panel is wearing right now.
Gary’s company, Eve’s Costume Company, has been making blindfolds for “What’s my Line?” for many years. These blindfolds are custom, made not to mess up the panelists’ hair and eyes. There’s a special wide plastic and velvet lining and pearls for the ladies. The price Gary is keeping for a secret. When not making blindfolds, he’s making hats for movies and Broadway, occasionally other costumers, too. Most of the business is in the theatre, but it keeps him busy. Gary started in fashion design in Europe, but hats were the easiest.
Now a question for Gawn, what do you call blindfolds in England? “Eye-peeper stoppers” Yeah, he’s serious, and there are also “you-peeper stoppers.”
You would have an you-peeper stopper and I would have a I-peeper stopper. But it you put it on me, it would be a I-peeper stopper and if I put it on you, it would be a you-peeper stopper on top of an I-peeper stopper.
Easy to follow
SECOND GUEST: Mr. X (New York City)
He’s self-employed and dealing with a service. There’s another hint, Mr. X deals with fire.
Soupy ponders it might be roasting marshmallows.
Is it connected with show business?
In the broadest sense, maybe, but let’s not lead Soupy down the “Primrose Path” as Wally says.
Do you give any demonstrations with fire?
Many
Do you got to schools or public functions talking about this?
No $5
Phyllis: Can I rule out eating or spiting fire?
Yes
You clearly don’t start fires or work for the fire dept.?
Indeed
Anything to do with cooking?
No $10
Gawn: People come to see you, do you instruct?
No $15
Arlene: Do people come to see you entertain?
No $20
Soupy (who can’t hold back laughter):
If you had signed your name, would we know you?
Yes
Is there a product related to this service?
No, which has already been established. Soupy’s safe, but Wally is really to flip
Is it Performed outside?
No $25
Mr. X, I come to where you are for some reason I can’t imagine to see you do something with or about fire?
Phyllis, getting down to basics
Despite her objection, No $30
Gawn: You don’t do anything with it, but you talk to me about it?
No
By this point, Wally recognizes the panel is completely lost. GAME OVER! Arlene guesses he rubs two boy scouts together to make fire.
Mr. X is Paul Molay, a proprietor of a well-known NYC barbershop who STYLES MEN’S HAIR WITH FIRE. He uses fire to “groove it, to fit it out, to blend hair”. As weird as this sound, this practice dates back to Ancient Egypt. Wally volunteers Gawn, the “Pride of Piccadilly” to demonstrate. Johnny Olson brings out the chair. Soupy acts like a manicurist “Have you been in town long?” Paul is using a long white pole and singeing just the end.
“A Singe in time saves Nine” After a few seconds, Gawn gets to like it.
MYSTERY GUEST
More “Eye-Peeper Stopper Fun”. Our guest gets a good long applause.
Phyllis: Is there more than one of you?
No (just someone who needs a lozenge)
Gawn: Primarily known as a singer?
Yes (almost old lady like now)
Arlene: Singer in Television?
Yes, well-known for television among other fields
Soupy: Biggest fame from records?
It’s an element of fame, that or many records produced for the public.
Phyllis: In the New York Theater?
No
Gawn: Do you have a record on the Hit Parade now?
Yes
Arlene: Are you a man performing in nightclubs?
Yes
Soupy: Are you in New York at the current time?
No
Phyllis: Does your new record include the song “Those were the Days”?
No (30 seconds)
Gawn: Is it single, not an LP, in the Hit Parade?
Needed a bit of silent thought and clarification.
Wally decides that our mystery guest has both right now.
Arlene: Are you known as a soul singer?
YES, right in the description
Soupy: JAMES BROWN!
OH, YES!
Great voice acting to hide his identity. Brown gives an “I Tried” that scratches the microphone. Going back to his time as a D.C. newsman, Wally shares the story of how James Brown ended a “Crisis” down there to a “happy conclusion”. Arlene mentions his time in Boston doing the same thing.
Honest Answers:
For Phyllis: Alice Graven of Atlanta, GA
“Aren’t you married to a songwriter and what did he write?”
Answer: Yes, her husband Adolph Green, along with Betty Comdon, Julia Stile and Leonard Bernstein. “Bells are Ringing”, “The Party’s Over” “Just in Time” “Make Someone Happy” and “Hallelujah, Baby”
For Arlene: Barbara Middleman of Boston, MA
“Where did you meat your husband Morton Gable and was it love at first sight?”
Answer: Definitely not, they met while he was the lead on a radio program. She used to be scared to death of him, now it’s vice versa.
What’s My Line? is owned by Fremantle