"What's My Line?"
Show Run time: 26 minutesNetwork: CBSThe show's premise: The objective of the game is for the panel to identify the guest's occupation, achievement or identity via a series of questions to narrow down the possibilities to realize the answer.Joan Crawford appears as a "mystery guest" on each of her appearances. The purpose of the mystery guest is for the show's panelists to identify who the mystery guest is (which is usually a person of fame) without benefit of seeing the person or hearing their true voice through a series of questions posed to the guest to determine their identity. First AppearancePremiered: December 8th, 1957
Episode synopsis:
Joan's "phony voice" is very similar to her own. At the time of this appearance, Joan had semi-retired from the film industry, and when asked if she is still associated with the industry, she responds "Not anymore." Joan's identity is guessed by panelist Arlene Frances. Frances ask "If I were to say you were a Steele [pun intended], would I be right?" Following her reveal to the panel, host John Daly speaks of Joan's efforts for the International Adoption Agency (WAIF), and mentions a benefit showing of "Wild Is The Wind," which Joan is attending on December 11th for the organization.
The panelists for this episode are; Bennett Cerf, Arlene Frances, Peter Ustinov and Dorothy Kilgallen.
Also appearing on this episode as guest challengers are Edith Young and Phyllis Cerf (book authors) and a group of professional Santa Clauses.
Second Appearance
Premiered: January 8th, 1961
Episode synopsis:
For her phony voice, Joan imitates a soft southern accent. Panelist Bennett Cerf guesses Joan's identity, asking "Do you have any connection to a famous soft drink?" After being revealed, Joan mentions that she had returned from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania earlier in the day. Joan and her twin daughters had been in Philadelphia at the Albert Einstein Medical Center to assist in the unveiling of a plaque honoring Joan's late husband, Alfred Steele.
Host John Daly makes mention of Joan's upcoming television appearance on Zane Grey Theater, in the episode "One Must Die." Before leaving, Joan introduces her daughters, Cathy and Cindy, to the audience.
The panelists for this episode were; Bennett Cerf, Arlene Frances, Joey Bishop and Dorothy Kilgallen.
Also appearing on this episode as guest challengers are: Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain (A professional basket ball player); Emily V. McAvoy (a store detective) and Sasha Burland (A jingle writer who wrote the jingle theme for "What's My Line?")
Third Appearance
Premiered: October 14th, 1962
Episode synopsis:
For her phony voice, Joan provides a Spanish accent, and provides her responses by addressing the panelists with "señor" and "señora." While questioning Joan in determining her identity, panelist Tony Randall asks if the new film she stars in is about a prize fighter, and Joan replies "Could be, Señor" and laughs, in reference to Bette Davis. Randall later guesses Joan's identity when she cites "no runaway productions" when she is asked if the film was made in America. This is in reference to the issue of film productions taking place in other countries for financial reasons.
After her reveal, Host John Daly makes mention of Joan's film "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" with Bette Davis, which was being released later in the month.
The panelist for this episode were; Bennett Cerf, Arlene Frances, Tony Randall and Dorothy Kilgallen.
Also appearing on this episode as guest challengers is Ann Elliott (A race track announcer) and Henry Makow (An advice writer for a parent's newspaper column)
Forth Appearance
Premiered: December 13th, 1964
Episode synopsis:
For her phony voice to the panelist, Joan uses a southern accent. This is most likely due to her recent work on "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte" several months prior. Panelist Arlene Frances guesses Joan's identity following Bennett Cerf's question asking if the guest is a "directoress" of a company outside of the entertainment industry. Following her reveal to the panel, Joan mentions that she did not attend a party in honor of the production of "Lord Jim" earlier that evening due to several of the panelists attending the party, and she didn't want to make herself fresh in their minds as they attempted to guess her identity on the show.
The panelists for this episode were; Bennet Cerf, Arlene Frances, Victor Borge and Dorothy Kilgallen.
Also appearing on this episode as guest challengers is Phillippe de La Fayette (A champagne salesman), and Norman Yeend (Panelist Victor Borge's piano tuner).
Fifth Appearance
Premiered: July 3rd, 1966
Episode synopsis:
For her phony voice, she gives two voices; a high-pitched voice, and a very low-tone voice. This makes the panelists initially think there are two mystery guests. When panelist Tony Randell asks if the guest is a boy, Joan stands up to display her body, to which the audience laughs and cheers.
Joan's identity is guessed by panelist, Bennet Cerf, when he asks "Do you swizzle Pepsi-Cola?" After Joan reveal, she makes reference to Tony Randall, regarding him having guessed her identity on her previous appearance in 1962. The show's host, John Daly, makes mention of Joan's charitable work for the USO, and that she is the vice president of the organization's Manhattan chapter.
The panelist for this episode were; Bennett Cerf, Arlene Frances, Tony Randall and Aileen Mehle (aka Suzy Knickerbocker).
Also appearing on this episode as guest challengers is Bill Yerkes (A surfboard salesman), and Flossie Malott (A driver's license test examiner).