Ep 31. What's My Line? - 1955 - Episode 31

What's My Line? is a classic American game show that first aired in 1950 and continued running for 17 seasons. The show's format consisted of a panel of four celebrities who would try to guess the occupation of a contestant through a series of questions that could only be answered with a "yes" or "no". This particular episode, episode 31 of season 1, was originally broadcast on June 5th, 1955.

The episode begins with the panel, consisting of journalist Dorothy Kilgallen, publisher Bennett Cerf, actress Arlene Francis, and radio and television personality Hal Block, taking their seats. The host, John Charles Daly, introduces the first contestant, a young woman from Indiana who makes and sells toy balloons. The panel quickly starts asking questions about her occupation, trying to narrow down what it could be. They ask if she works with her hands, if her job involves creating something, and if her balloons are a common item at festivals and fairs. Eventually, they correctly guess that she is a balloon artist.

The next contestant is a man from Kentucky who operates a drive-in movie theater. The panel works through a similar series of questions, trying to determine his occupation. They ask if he works outdoors, if his job involves technology, and if he deals with the public on a regular basis. Through their questioning, they are able to deduce that he owns a drive-in theater.

The third contestant is a man from New York who silk-screens designs onto fabric. The panel initially believes he may be a painter or an artist, but they quickly rule those options out. They eventually guess that he works with fabric, and then through more questioning determine that he uses a silk-screening process to add designs to fabric.

The final contestant is a young woman who works at a zoo in California. The panel grills her with questions about her job, asking if she works with animals, if her job involves public speaking, and if she works outdoors. Through their questioning, they are able to determine that she works at a zoo.

The show also features a mystery celebrity guest, who the panel must try to guess the identity of through a series of questions. The guest for this episode is actor and singer John Raitt. The panel is able to guess his identity fairly quickly, but they continue to ask questions about his career and personal life.

Throughout the episode, the panel demonstrates their impressive observational and deductive skills, using subtle details and clues to piece together what each contestant's occupation might be. The show also offers a glimpse into the culture and technology of the time period, with references to drive-in theaters, silk-screening, and zoos. Overall, What's My Line? is an entertaining and engaging game show that showcases the talents of its celebrity panelists and provides insight into the popular consciousness of the 1950s.