What's My Line? 75th Anniversary

[Eric Paddon]

Joan Murray-8/20/67 (The last "First time" guest panelist in the history of the CBS run.  She was a journalist with WCBS-TV at the time)

You wonder if the scheduled female panelist canceled on short notice. I was born and raised in the NYC area, and I had never heard of Joan Murray until reading this, although admittedly she left WCBS when I turned seven. (I just watched the intro of her episode on YouTube -- I wonder why her panel card said "Joan Murray" instead of "Miss Murray.")

This episode was pretaped on June 4, 1967.   On the live program that aired later that night, another female news reporter, Pia Lindstrom (daughter of Ingrid Bergman) was the guest panelist so Murray's appearance was clearly a case of splitting the difference with female journalist guest panelists.    This episode was also taped before the 7/9/67 program where Henry Morgan stepped on Bennett's intro of John with disdain to John's ire.

[Matt Ottinger]

Was 1963 the year CBS took over ownership of WML?

Several years earlier.  Sale was publicized in newspapers in early July of 1958.

[chris319]

Was 1963 the year CBS took over ownership of WML?

Several years earlier.  Sale was publicized in newspapers in early July of 1958.

When did Garry Moore (dba Telecast Enterprises) assume ownership of IGAS?

[Matt Ottinger]

When did Garry Moore (dba Telecast Enterprises) assume ownership of IGAS?

That I can tell you exactly.  The "Telecast Enterprises" title card was seen for the first time on the December 16, 1959 episode.  Newspaper articles (always brief) don't mention the switch until early 1960.

I don't know if we've talked about this, but there's also a newspaper interview with Garry from a couple years later which says that he purchased (for $1000) the rights to What's My Line?, but that the deal wouldn't take effect until 1970.

[Eric Paddon]

I don't know if we've talked about this, but there's also a newspaper interview with Garry from a couple years later which says that he purchased (for $1000) the rights to What's My Line?, but that the deal wouldn't take effect until 1970.

Is that the reason why Goodson could never do another revival of WML after the syndicated run ended in 1975?

[Matt Ottinger]

I don't know if we've talked about this, but there's also a newspaper interview with Garry from a couple years later which says that he purchased (for $1000) the rights to What's My Line?, but that the deal wouldn't take effect until 1970.

Is that the reason why Goodson could never do another revival of WML after the syndicated run ended in 1975?

I do not claim to understand the ins and outs of who owned what when.  If that date is right, and if nothing changed, Garry's deal would have taken effect during the third season of the syndicated show.  Gil Fates in his 1978 book says something about the rights finally ending up in the hands of a conglomerate.  Maybe Garry sold out, taking a big return on his $1000 gamble and stepping away.

[Adam Nedeff]

I do not claim to understand the ins and outs of who owned what when.  If that date is right, and if nothing changed, Garry's deal would have taken effect during the third season of the syndicated show.  Gil Fates in his 1978 book says something about the rights finally ending up in the hands of a conglomerate.  Maybe Garry sold out, taking a big return on his $1000 gamble and stepping away.

Garry's investment and acquisition of the show wasn't really a gamble on his part. Ira Skutch touches on this in his autobiography, and I just dug it out to refresh my memory...When G-T sold the rights to What's My Line? and I've Got a Secret to CBS, they did so because of some incentive in tax laws regarding capital gains. The IRS reviewed the business deal and made some sort of ruling that neither G/T nor CBS would be subject to the tax benefits unless there was a third party involved in the deal, so Garry Moore got lassoed in and was made the third party so that everybody would make a nice chunk of money from the transaction. That's as much detail as Ira offers, so no follow-up questions, please.

[calliaume]

How can one obtain a copy of Paul Alter's book proposal?

What was Paul's grievance against Barker?

Was 1963 the year CBS took over ownership of WML?

I was shown the proposal in 2003 or thereabouts, because people at the publishing house where I worked knew I was a game show fan. (It was not St. Martin's Press; it was a much smaller house out here in Chicagoland.) Had to give the proposal back after I read it, which is SOP. It wasn't much more than an outline -- I don't think there was even a sample chapter.