Didn't know who Fred Allen was. Turns out he died just over 3 months after this episode aired. So glad to be able to see these shows.

I love these shows. I wasn't even been born yet but these are clean shows and an era gone. Ladies dresses, the men in tuxes, standing for a lady. Such a good era

I was saddened when Gimbels closed. I was only a kid, but it helped define New York City for me along with Macys. It was replaced by a mall. It was slow going at first but soon was rich in shops and food service. The TV audience of The People's Court would film there. Then it fell apart. They closed the top floors, and now it's just a shell. It's not a destination place to shop.

I was born the day after this show aired (12-12-1955). I love watching these old programs.

I was born five days after this episode aired. I’d like to think that my mom watched this and that listening to the show inside her made me the erudite fellow I am today!! And may I also say that yesterday marked nine months of being isolated in my home due to COVID, and watching What’s My Line here from the start has gone a long way toward maintaining my sanity and sense of humor. Thank you so much for providing this halcyon show for our pleasure! Happy holidays to all!

I wish that this age of fun, respectful, family television entertainment had never ended .....

Martha Raye, thank you for your dedication and care for our service men and women!

MarthA Raye is buried in FT. Bragg NC As she was a Nurse during WW2 the only Civilian Buried in this Military Honor Place of Rest etc, She received the Rank Of LT Col. also.

Martha had such a beautiful and tender voice. ❤

Martha Raye was the fifth person to be awarded Honorary Green Beret. While in Vietnam she would assist those in combat hospitals instead of performing because she was a LPN...Registered Nurse

Arlene is wearing a stunning dress. Love it!

I've seen all the shows for the umpteenth time. I think this is the first time I've seen 2 guests not sharing the same chair.

Fred Allen and the tax commissioner was classic: "What are you doing here may I ask?" "Do you collect taxes from human beings?" "I haven't any money with me." "That's the longest conversation I ever had with a tax man."

Martha Raye was Mel Sharple's mom on "Alice"

Fred Allen's interaction with the IRS Commissioner was hilarious!

Oh my, they had TWO CHAIRS for the TWO GUESTS!

RIP Dorothy Killgallan ❤❤❤

I have very fond memories of watching the hysterical "Martha Raye Show" in the mid-50s, with Rocky Graziano as her TV husband. It was a show for adults, that was still funny for a 10-year-old kid.

Always a pleasure to watch this wonderful show.

The Fred Allen episodes are magic!

a funny side note: when I was in high school in 1995/6 I was sick at home for a week and watched these WML all day and developed a secret and major crush on Bennett Cerf 🤣🤣🤣

Martha Raye is a Hysterical Cyclone HOOT ! 😂😂😂 LOVE 'Er!.

I remember these shows and the fact they were black & white only enhances my viewing pleasure.

She has such a distinctive voice, I would know it from the word go. Darling of a woman.

Arleen Francis was a doll !!

First time I've ever seen a guest booed on this show. Granted that second guest's line would be prone to that, but the crowd pretty much gave that one away

The last contestant- the champion jai alai player reminded me of a young Ray Romano! Very handsome

If was wonderful as a child in the 50s and 60s to go into large department stores and see toys being demonstrated, especially leading up to Christmas. Sadly all gone now in the UK.

Martha Raye was very pretty when she was young. But she was more comfortable being funny than being a glamour girl.

In Memory of Manuel Guara (Valencia, Spain January 1, 1930 - Miami March 19, 2011). During his time in Havana, "Guarita" was considered not only one of the best Jai-Alai players of his generation, but of all times. He was crowned World's Champion in 1955, and played in several tournaments around the world and for heads of state including Francisco Franco of Spain.

$50.00 in 1955 had the same buying power as $452.12 in 2017

For those commenting on Martha Raye's hat:. First, it was a joke -- the price tag was still on it, hanging just over her right eye. More to the point, take look at women's hats over the years, there has always been a percentage that were beyond ridiculous. And do you ever see the "creations" worn at the Kentucky Derby EVERY year -- and some of them cost thousands if dollars.

Sad that the volume is so low, because Martha Raye was the only reason that I tuned in. 😞

How beautiful the girls look.

Other than Buster Keaton (not including Paulette Goddard as a guest panelist), I suspect that Martha Raye was the only MG who made a movie with Charlie Chaplin, "Monsieur Verdoux."

Classic. Macys and gimbels. Wow. Thats history

When some of the audience booed with the IRS man,that was a dead giveaway!

manners and decorum ... ahh ... the good old days

The audience gives too many clues.

Fred Allen's comment after hearing the last contestant introduced as Man-u-el: "a 'man you will' enjoy" lol.

I can remember when jai alai matches had a brief surge of popularity somewhere during the late 1950's/early 60's and were televised in the NYC area, perhaps nationally. But the popularity didn't last. It is known as the fastest sport on earth because the ball travels faster than in any other sport when played by the top players. The record is 204 mph (328 km/hr).

2 chairs for 2 guests!!!

... and many happy returns ... " Hahahaha!

The audience could’ve been instructed not to react initially so as to not give the game away, or could have done so without instruction.

HEAD OF MACY'S DEPARTMENT STORE, HEAD OF GIMBEL'S COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE WORLD'S CHAMPION JAI ALAI PLAYER

That hat!

One of the rare times that they provided two chairs for two "contestants". Normally they're forced to share one. These two look like men who would not take kindly to that and probably why they got separate chairs. Then again, maybe this is the start of separate chairs for multiple "contestants".

Can we call the first segment "Miracle on 47th Street"? (That's the location of the theater where this was recorded.)

Has anyone ever made a documentary on Fred Allen?

Tax man got booed which he laughed at the booing.

Mark Harris on Howard Stern brought me here xD

The settings were loud enough on my phone, with ear buds all the way turned up.

Martha was not well-educated and often had to have her scripts read to her in making movies. "I used to think that success in show business was the answer to everything. it isn't. I don't know what is" - Martha Raye.

This show was a great way for American citizens to mask the racial turmoil, huge amounts of organized crime, and love affairs and corruption in Hollywood that was going on at the time. It was a short 30 minutes every Sunday night for American society to forget the numerous problems & issues plaquing this nation.

Especially low volume sound on this one. Why are you reloading them?

"Are you married?" "Yes, but not to each other."

The Straus who died on "The Titanic" was an early president of R H Macy and Company.

First episode where the "What's My Line" is superimposed over the entrances shot.

Oh, Bennett, you name and destination dropper. Go back to the beach and keep swimming. LOL

Never thought I'd hear a resounding boo-ing from a live audience.

C'mon...we all boo IRS goons. But this once I wish the audience had kept quiet!

FredAllen is hysterical. He sounds like, and even looks a little like, Gilford Gottlieb. But Gottfried was annoying.

I can understand why the Audience boo'd the tax collector. But they still shouldn'tve done it

Great to see Martha Raye in this episode but that hat is very unflattering.

What's with the low volume too low .

Rip

Actually, the head of internal Revenue had a good sense of humor, despite the booing.

Mr. Guara played at the fronton in Miami. That building has since been converted to Casino Miami and it’s near Miami international Airport. No more jai alai in Miami. Just fools who like to throw their money away in the same building.

Where i come from he would not have that long to get that old

Does Macy's tell Gimbels?

Comments left on prior version of this video: Mandeley100 6 months ago Why is Martha Raye wearing a bucket on her head and what is that dangling from the brim? What's My Line? 6 months ago I don't know, and. . . I don't know. ;) doginstine 1 year ago I was born 6 months before this ep aired. Robert Anderson 4 months ago It is a shame that "The Martha Raye Show" was never recorded so that it could be put on DVD. Martha had so many great guests on her show just like Judy Garland, Dean Martin or Dinah Shore had on their show. I remember her TV show and I thought at the time that she was the funniest lady on TV And Martha had a great singing voice too. George Alexander 6 months ago Fred Allen was ahead of his time. Tova V 1 year ago When this aired I was almost 16 years old. I was a faithful viewer of all the WML episodes. Today I'm 75 and enjoy them all.very much again. It's full with enjoyable memories of times past and am glad to see them on KZfaq. The "mystery guests" are a treasured part of the program. I appreciate the opportunity to see them. What's My Line? 1 year ago +Tova V Glad you're enjoying the shows, Tova. Thanks for the comment! Johan Bengtsson 8 months ago Nice joke from the head of the IRS; before he left, he wished everybody "Many Happy Returns."!! 15:23 genesislover 7 months ago I think Macy's won the competition. Darius Shojaei 10 months ago I was born 33 years after this episode aired. joed596 5 months ago good episode mrpuniverse2 10 months ago Miracle on 34th Street a great movie great to see the two dept heads on the show a great thing to see the two on the show Gimbel and Macy Pygiana 10 months ago I was born just four days before it was aired. dodge96neon 8 months ago it would have been funny if someone who was a notorious tax cheat was on the panel dodge96neon 8 months ago I loved how the head of the irs received boos dodge96neon 8 months ago I have been watching these videos of this show [what's my line] and I've really enjoyed it. bennet, Dorothy, and Arlene are great they are to this show as Charles, brett, and Richard became to match game

I have no idea what jai alai is! (:

Serf’s last question to Harrington( spoken as a true capitalist) “Will we be getting a tax reduction next year?”

Does the same person have to complain about the sound on every episode?

Now why would they have known who the heads of department stores are? That isn’t something people would know.

Dorothy's introduction of Fred Allen seems a little confused.

GIMBEL DIDN'T MAKE IT.

Fred Allen came prancing out like a fruitcake.

wow this is way back,marilyn monroe was still warm

The only problem with this show is John Daly's explanations are too long winded and convoluted and of very little help .

What a hoot. She’s got her head inside a giant light bulb. That’s the ugliest hat I’ve ever seen. 🤣

Sound is so low it cannot be heard on this one on even my highest setting. Such a waste.

Notice how the greedy retailers didnt donate their money to charity. haha.

What the hell is the male "persuasion". They are whatever they are (well, until recently anyway). Dorothy and Bennett use this peculiar phraseology often. It's not grammatically, anatomically or logically correct.