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53 Episodes 1953 - 1954
Episode 0
Sun, Sep 27, 195330 mins
Episode 1
Sun, Sep 6, 195330 mins
Episode 2
Sun, Sep 13, 195330 mins
Ava Gardner takes her turn as the weeks Mystery Celebrity Guest while Steve Allen sits in as a guest panelist. The show was broadcast live just less than a month before the official release of John Ford's, "Mogambo" starring Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly and Clark Gable. Also, a Canadian man that worked as a African Guide and hunter, who was also employed as a movie consultant for 'Mogambo' was one of the early contestants.
Episode 3
Sun, Sep 20, 195330 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professional identity of a man from Boise, Idaho who makes wooden Indians, a young woman from Buffalo, NY who repairs zippers, a woman who's the justice of the peace in Ohio, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Wally Cox.
Episode 4
Sun, Sep 27, 195330 mins
this particular show is about how the usual panel tried to find out the profession of a lady judge, a mud bath professional and a chicken pluckerer
Episode 5
Sun, Oct 4, 195330 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professional identity of the second base umpire of the 53' World Series - Ed Hurley. It didn't turn out very well for the show because, Dorothy Kilgallen identified who the MR X was before the game even began. However, the four had a lot of difficulty figuring out the identity of a woman who smokes fish, followed by a difficult time identifying the celebrity mystery challenger Gene Autry. Finally, the four try to guess the identity of a female trapeze artists from California.
Episode 6
Sun, Oct 11, 195330 mins
The first of five appearances that Edward G. Robinson would eventually make on the show, which also included two very funny and entertaining segments with two senior ladies, one being Dog Catcher and the other sells Mens Underwear while the final male contestant makes Bread Boxes.
Episode 7
Sun, Oct 18, 195330 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professional identity of a man from North Carolina who makes chewing tobacco, a New Jersey man who sales bathtub, as well as, guess the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Eleanor Roosevelt. Finally, the four take their shot at identifying the occupation of a woman who writes television commercials.
Episode 8
Sun, Oct 25, 195330 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professional identity of a woman from Baltimore, MD who is a barber for men, a man looking like Al Capone from Newark, NJ who manages a burlesque theater, a man who makes Halloween masks, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger, Film actress Greer Garson.
Episode 9
Sun, Nov 1, 195330 mins
Episode 10
Sun, Nov 8, 195330 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professional identity of a woman from NY who makes false teeth, a man who manages a girls baseball team, a man who's a TV gag writer for Jackie Gleason, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Lauren Bacall.
Episode 11
Sun, Nov 15, 195330 mins
Episode 12
Sun, Nov 22, 195330 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professional identity of a rather frail elderly woman who packs sardines, a Brooklyn man who makes feed bags for horses, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Van Johnson.
Episode 13
Sun, Nov 29, 195330 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professional identity of a man from the Ozark's who owns and operates his own cave in Missouri, a Georgia woman who sells garbage cans, a as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger George Raft.
Episode 14
Sun, Dec 6, 195330 mins
Episode 15
Sun, Dec 13, 195330 mins
Episode 16
Sun, Dec 20, 195330 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Peter Lind Hayes, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professional identity of a man from Coldwater, Michigan who raises reindeer, a Texas woman who packs mistletoe, a NY city man who sells wedding rings, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Kirk Douglas.
Episode 17
Sun, Dec 27, 195330 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Peter Lind Hayes, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professional identity of a man from NY city who sells champagne, a man who makes ice bags, a New Jersey woman who's a complaint adjuster for Macy's department store, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Steve Allen.
Episode 18
Sun, Jan 3, 195430 mins
Steve Allen rejoins the cast of 'What's My Line?' as a regular panelists after a brief 2 week vacation, which also includes Dorothy Kilgallen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf who all try to guess the professional identity of a NY woman who's a dentists, a Chicago man who sales Marilyn Monroe calendars, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger, the newly elected Mayor of New York city, Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
Episode 19
Sun, Jan 10, 195430 mins
The first week that featured 2 mystery guests. Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professional identity of a man from Massachusetts who makes handcuffs. As well as, guess the identity of the first mystery challenger who was a regular panelist from the U.K. version of "What's My Line?", the second mystery challenge is child actor Brandon DeWilde of the movie "Shane".
Episode 20
Sun, Jan 17, 195430 mins
Episode 21
Sun, Jan 24, 195430 mins
Episode 22
Sun, Jan 31, 195430 mins
Victor Borge joins the panelists of Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen and Arlene Francis to try and guess the identity of a man who prints parking tickets, a woman for Houston, Texas who hunts gorillas, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Richard Widmark.
Episode 23
Sun, Feb 7, 195430 mins
Guest 1: snake charmer; Guest 2: bullet proof vest maker; Celebrity Guest: John Hodiak; Guest 3: jelly bean polisher
Episode 24
Sun, Feb 14, 195430 mins
Episode 25
Sun, Feb 21, 195430 mins
Deborah Kerr, of "From Here to Eternity" fame, to temporarily join Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen and Arlene Francis as a panelist for one week to try and guess the identity of a older who who sits on the movie censor board in Kansas, a man from North Carolina who's a sales maternity clothes, a man from Brooklyn who's a World Champion checkers player, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Lucille Ball.
Episode 26
Sun, Feb 28, 195430 mins
Panelists question a door-to-door brushes saleslady, a veterinary dentist, and blindfolded, try to identify the week's celebrity "mystery guest", a dramatic soprano and concert singer.
Episode 27
Sun, Mar 7, 195430 mins
Episode 28
Sun, Mar 14, 195430 mins
Episode 29
Sun, Mar 21, 195430 mins
Episode 30
Sun, Mar 28, 195430 mins
Episode 31
Sun, Apr 4, 195430 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the identity of a female girdle tester, a sword swallowing elderly woman, a woman who manages a factory that makes boilers, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Janet Leigh.
Episode 32
Sun, Apr 11, 195430 mins
Episode 33
Sun, Apr 18, 195430 mins
Episode 34
Sun, Apr 25, 195430 mins
Episode 35
Sun, May 2, 195430 mins
Episode 36
Sun, May 9, 195430 mins
Episode 37
Sun, May 16, 195430 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professions of a young attractive blonde Italian woman from Pennsylvania who works as a traffic cop, a balding middle-aged man from Newark, NJ who makes, and distributes, hair growing lotion. A Philadelphia man who manages a pizza pie factory, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Art Carney.
Episode 38
Sun, May 23, 195430 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the profession of a man who's the head of the Army's uniformed guards, along with guessing the identities of a senior woman from Cranbury, NJ who washes cows at a diary farm, a young female exterminator from Massachusetts, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Ted Williams.
Episode 39
Sun, May 30, 195430 mins
Episode 40
Sun, Jun 6, 195430 mins
While Dorothy Kilgallen was away on an extended European trip, the daughter of the 33rd ex-president, Margaret Truman, joined Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf for awhile as one of the panelists who tries to guess the professions of a man who designs sewer manhole, a female war corespondent in Indo-China, a NY city man who's the house detective for the Astor Hotel, as well as, the identities of celebrity mystery challengers George Burns and Gracie Allen.
Episode 41
Sun, Jun 13, 195430 mins
Episode 42
Sun, Jun 20, 195430 mins
Dorothy Kilgallen returns to rejoin her fellow panelists Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf who all try to guess the professional identity of a woman from San Diego who's a bricklayer, a Philadelphia man who manufactures dog muzzles, as well as, the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Doris Day, who makes her first TV appearance.
Episode 43
Sun, Jun 27, 195430 mins
Episode 44
Sun, Jul 4, 195430 mins
Episode 45
Sun, Jul 11, 195430 mins
This edition of What's My Line had as panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Jack Paar, Arleen Francis, and Bennett Cerf. The contestants included an underwater ballerina, a race track bookie, and a very short segment at the end with a moth ball maker. The mystery guest was Willie Mays. Mr. Mays' appearance was what enabled me to date the show. During his segment, Arleen mentions that he hit his 31st home run that Sunday, and Mr. Daly mentions that the Baseball All Star Game will be played in Cleveland in 2 days.
Episode 46
Sun, Jul 18, 195430 mins
Episode 47
Sun, Jul 25, 195430 mins
Episode 48
Sun, Aug 1, 195430 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf try to guess the professional identity of a man from Long Island who's the manager of Ulysses S. Grant's tomb, a man from South Carolina who runs beauty contests, an elderly Connecticut man who's a dog psychologist, as well as the identity of celebrity mystery challenger Jayne Meadows, who married panelist Steve Allen one day prior to the live broadcast of that night's show.
Episode 49
Sun, Aug 8, 195430 mins
Panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the identities of a man who's a professional wrestler, a woman from South Carolina who's also a professional wrestler, a female pretzel bender, as well as, the identity of mystery challenger Eva Gabor.
Episode 50
Sun, Aug 15, 195430 mins
Fred Allen debuts as the new permanent member of the show, replacing panelists Steve Allen, and alongside Dorothy Kilgallen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf tries to guess the professional identity of a African-American Air Force pilot, a man who runs a carnival skirt blower, a woman bill collector, as well as, the identity of mystery challengers Buffalo Bob Smith and Howdy Doody. While Steve Allen would still make random periodic appearances as a panelist on 'What's My Line?' from 1954-67, Fred Allen would remain a regular panelist on the show until his death 2 years later on March 17th, 1956.
Episode 51
Sun, Aug 22, 195430 mins
Episode 52
Sun, Aug 29, 195430 mins