The peanut farmer was very dapper and handsome, and even his flowing handwriting is beautiful! He pulls off the "Colonel Sanders" tie very well, too.

I wasn't born until 63 but remember hearing about this show growing up. Came across these shows about 6 months ago and it truly relaxes, entertains and even makes me feel better! I love watching and am thankful for all the uploads!

When news anchors were actual news anchors who were trusted.

I love it when Dorothy gets all "school girlyish" and giggly! What a sweetheart!

So interesting seeing all the CBS news team members with dark hair.

The second contestant was a mix of Errol Flynn and Fernando Lamas. 12:05 His name was Merrill Connally from Texas and his brother was John B. Connally (governor of Texas from 1963-1969) who sat in the car with president Kennedy during the ride through Dallas in 1963.

The Democratic Convention opened the day after this episode. Daly and Kilgallen were in Chicago to cover the convention: Daly as the anchor and vice president of News at ABC, and Kilgallen was for the Hearst newspaper syndicate. In his book "At Random ," Bennett Cerf recalls this show. The show's sponsor, Helene Curtis agreed to pay the costs of moving the show to Chicago for that episode, so Francis and Cerf also made the trip. The producers had gotten former president Harry Truman (who was attending the convention) to agree to be the mystery guest. As a formality, they had to clear this with both main sponsors. While Helene Curtis readily agreed, the show's other sponsor, Remington Rand, didn't. At the time, the chairman of Remington Rand (actually of the parent company Sperry Rand) was retired general Douglass MacArthur, who Truman had relieved of his command during the Korean War in 1951. MacArthur flat-vetoed the idea. This left the show with no mystery guest. While there were many notable politicians at the convention, almost all were running for some office, and the equal-time rules required the show to present one from each party; obviously, there weren't many Republican dignitaries in town. After some scrambling, they finally came up with Perle Mesta, who had been the mystery guest only a few months earlier. Kilgallen's reference to Mesta as "The hostess with the mostest" was well-deserved, as Mesta was well-known to host lavish parties for various political figures and celebrities. While President Truman never did get a chance to appear as mystery guest, his daughter Margaret did twice: in 1953 and 1956 and was a panelist on four occasions. All can be found here on KZfaq, uploaded by the same fine person who's uploaded many other What's My Line videos, including this one.

The CBC newsmen were, if we can depend on anyone in the news media, honest in their reporting and were greatly respected.

RE: Puppet question. Cronkite did work with a lion puppet named Charlemagne on the CBS Morning News back in the early 1950s.

Very clever to have four of the five newsmen signed in ahead of time and in place behind John Daly so only Walter Cronkite signed in and walked over to John's desk when they were back on the air. It reduced the chances that the panel would immediately know that more than one challenger was present.

Arlene was a real sweetie in this episode.

That peanut farmer was very handsome

Mr Daly was the head man at ABC news during this time . However he did formerly worked for CBS so he probably worked together with most if not all of the CBS newsmen as teammates . Note no one from rival NBC. The team of Huntley / Brinkley debuted in this 1956 convention .

All those great newsmen in one place ! Mrs. Mesta was portrayed by Ethel Merman in the musical CALL ME MADAM . She was a favorite of the Truman administration and continued her reign in the Eisenhower years . Oddly this ended in the Kennedy years . despite her being a personal friend of Mrs. Rose Kennedy . I guess her time had passed her by .

love how pretty and elegant Dorothy looks in this episode...

President Carter became a peanut farmer (same profession as the second challenger) in 1953 upon leaving the U.S. Navy. But he didn't enter politics until the early 1960's and he won his first elective office in 1963 (Georgia State Senator).

Near the end of the first segment Walter started to use his real voice. But in 1956 he was not yet widely known, like DE.

Dorothy is my favorite and she was really sparking tonight!

Walter Cronkite was such a classy gentleman. He did a great job disguising his voice; funny guy! They were all the epitome of class.

interesting that Arlene gave her address to the last contestant! I can't imagine a celebrity nowadays doing that on TV!

Historic group!

MISS +ARLENE+...... +DOROTHY+.... +BENNETT+ .... AND +JOHN+... Of COURSE, WHAT’S MY LINE?😢😢😢😢😢😢. GREAT SHOW MANY MANY MANY YEARS AGO...😢😢😢

five CBS news legends

At 15:12, Bennett asks if it's a grain and is turned down. Peanuts are actually legumes, which are a grain.

I can’t believe Cronkite, Trout, Severeid, Douglas Edwards, Charles Collingwood are here!!! Robert Trout lived to be I think 99!

the 2nd contestant was sooo handsome looking and reminded me a lil bit of Gregory Peck !!

This episode aired about a week before my dad was born.

Perle Mesta was obviously a household name in 1956, but would draw a blank for most people today. Thank goodness for Wikipedia.

At this time Douglas Edwards was still the anchor of the CBS Evening News. He should have been in the chair instead of Cronkite.

back when newscasters only told us the news. not whatever this social media, dramatic acting, propaganda, politically one-sided, opinion piece, tell us what to think, that we have now.

Douglas Edwards should have been the one sitting as he was the anchor of the CBS evening news.

Perle Mesta, messed around a lot with poiticos, however. Here's what Wikipedia had to say" She was active in the National Woman's Party and was an early supporter of an Equal Rights Amendment. She switched to the Democratic Party in 1940 and was an early supporter of Harry S. Truman, who rewarded her with the ambassadorship to Luxembourg. Former President Richard M. Nixon said in grand jury testimony after the fallout of Watergate and his resignation, in June 1975, that Mesta was appointed by Truman because: "Perle Mesta wasn't sent to Luxembourg because she had big bosoms. Perle Mesta went to Luxembourg because she made a good contribution."[3] But Mesta is most noted for her parties, which brought together senators, congressmen, cabinet secretaries and other luminaries in bipartisan soirées of high-class glamour." An additional note, Wiki says she switched back to the Republican Party in 1961.

Merrill Connally was a treat: John Connally's brother, a classic Texan,and charming.

Wow, Eric Sevareid is so young he's unrecognizable and Cronkite is only 40, but looks 60.

Douglas Edwards didn't really disguise his voice and he was the anchor of the evening news back then!

As I remember,Douglas Edwards from there,went on to anchor the network’s midday news for a long time before he retired some years ago...in answer to the last one-yes it’s from the WBBM-TV facilities,which was on N McClurg Court at that time.

Mr. Peanut, so dapper! Straight out of the cast of Giant!

Walter Cronkite responds to John Daly's question about the scoring system and the first question from the panel. When the second panel question is asked, Daly motions for Bob Trout to answer but Cronkite answers instead. In response, Daly makes a mock admonishing gesture towards Cronkite. (4:05)

Mr. Connaly is from Floresville, TX (pop. 8700). I had to Google it. the most promenant feature on the Google Map is the Connaly Mememorial Hospital.

the first road show of wml in Chicago

Seeing Cronkite out there with his boys is like watching a 50s version of “The Anchorman”

Mr. Connally is a dish, but not the sharpest if he thinks peanut plants aren’t alive!

Amazing! Arlene gave her a dress on TV!

24:29 It's hilarious how the whole panel leans back, ahahah

Gracious of Bennett to compliment Dr. Evans (on the other hand, his book WAS published by Random House :) )

I wonder whatever became of that Walter Crankcase guy. He was funny.

I must come to the comments to say peanuts are NOT vegetables, they are legumes! 🤣 (Members of the pea family)

Peanuts are a live product

John Daley almost gives it away at 7:30 when he refers to the guests as "they" before it has been established whether it is single person or a group.

I doubt that in 1956 the general audience (especially given the rather tepid, comparatively speaking, reception she got from the studio audience) would have recognized Perle Mesta. Here is a short clip of her some years later from "The Tonight Show" with Jack Paar, where she became somewhat of a semi-regular Original Tonight Show Clips Jack Paar

Does anyone know who was on the CBS Radio Network team in 1956. I'd bet it's makeup was almost entirely different (little sharing even in 1956) and that Ed Murrow was probably the anchor. John Daly's old crewmates still seemed to have much affection for him despite lowering himself to the depths of ABC News which was a tugboat then compared to the S.S. CBS.

Cronkite DID use puppets on the CBS Morning Show which he hosted about 1954-55

Dorothy was very pretty here !

Looks like a Kinescope recording.

Dougas Edwards made no attempt to disguise his voice as he perhaps should have done, more than any of the others, since was on every week night as Anchor of CBS News (1947-62).

How does a peanut farmer not work with something that's alive? And peanuts certainly have an aroma, sorry.

Any idea which theater in Chicago this was filmed?

Love Cronkite's voice ❤

Since when are peanuts not alive?

They couldn’t recognize Walter Cronkite’s voice? Weird.

A peanut farmer as guest. Sort of anticipates the convention to come twenty years later.

32 East 64th Street - Nice address for Arlene!

That was a weird looking long shot of the panel just before they were introduced.

Ah, when Newscasters (Newsmen!) were trusted and impartial! Dose were the dayz!

5:14 Interesting that movies were still being called "moving pictures" in 1956. The first segment was a snooze.

DR. Bergen Evans! Is not CELERY a green vegetable?

Didn't these people know that plants are alive?

Bennett used some extra darkening Brycreem for this episode!

The panel didn't watch much television as they would have picked on some of the voices at least half way though the contest.

Anyone else think John Daly is about to pop a cough drop at 19:12?

Never thought of any kind of nut as a vegetable! I would imagine that of all the shows in which Dorothy appeared she had the greatest number of correct guesses.

24.30 They leaned at the same time!

I am looking for another episode where they had a big guy from Texas and Daly says "it had to be Texas" and shortly after the Texan says "you better believe it", which episode was that?

Anyone know how many road shows WML did? And where and when?

at age 44 i had to watch this show.. to find out that nuts are vegetables :)

Bennett Cerf would say years later that Perle Mesta was a last minute substitute for former President Truman as the Mystery Guest because sponsor Remington Rand vetoed Truman appearing (as Douglas MacArthur was at that point the honorary Chairman of Remington). The story has always frankly struck me as a little dubious.

Miss Arlene says her address in New York, near Central Park.

"Are the blindfolds all in place, panel?" He asked the same question on every damn show.

Does anyone know why Dorothy always looks to the upward right when she is introduced?

Did hoist the NY set to Chicago for this broadcast?

Did mr. Conolly know Jimmy Carter?

Was the peanut farmer related to Jimmy Carter?

11:25 pretty sure that’s the only time John got violent with a contestant

Now arent peanuts legumes and not a vegetable?

Severaid didn't want to join in. I suspect he wished hew as somewhere else. Does Daly have a new toupee?

Peanuts are not alive?

Dorothy has such a pronounced tendon in her neck & it's to the side.

Was Walter Cronkite the first contestant in WML history who DIDN'''T understand the scoring system? In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny, "What a maroon."

Out of curiosity: was this show aired from the WBBM-TV studios (CBS' Chicago TV station) on McClurg Court?

who were the 4 guys standing behind john daly?

17:36 Who is this?

This is the only episode, that I've seen, where the female panelists stand when the guest (Perle Mesta) exits the stage.

I am surprised that Walter Cronkite and company didn't go over to shake the panel's hands like the celebrities they were. They didn't before because the panel was blindfolded. In fact, I think most "contestants" wish they could shake the panel's hands afterwards since they no longer did so at the beginning of their segments. Oh well. Old habits endure. Though this "rule" was broken on occasion as what happened when Frank Lloyd Wright was the first mystery guest and then went over to shake the panel's hands.

Peanuts are legumes. Dorothy looks great here and WTF is Pearl Mesta? I collect buttons. I've never sat on one...😏

17:35 Who?

Peanuts are vegetables? Were they nuts? This show was sorely missing a comedian, except for convention politicians, don't forget Pres. Reagan once classified Ketchup a vegetable.

Daly acts weird when a man taller than him appears.

A peanut is more fruit than vegetable.

@6:31 "Ku Klux Klan" *everyone laughs*

Audial quality is poor, needs to be louder.