Am surprised Oscar Levant accepted the invitation to appear. A true genius. As kids our parents always let us stay up late if Mr Levant was on television.

Oscar Levant was a brilliant pianist, composer, comic actor in many movies. His later years were not happy ones, but we have all those movies and piano performances to remember him by.

Oscar Levant was a true genius! This is the best WML ever, thanks to Levant and the water guy!

it's wonderful to read how many people like Oscar Levant - i was a kid when this was on tv and i really loved him. he just had something about him. . .

I spent the weekend at my aunt & uncle's house in the early '60's. As a special treat they let me stay up to watch late night tv. Oscar Levant was a guest on a talk show (Jack Paar's Tonight Show, maybe?). I remember him blinking like he did here. Suddenly he blurted out, "Damn Eyes!" I remember it because we NEVER heard the word 'damn' on prime time tv back then. Sad that a comic genius like Oscar suffered from poor health in his later days. He had the quickest, sharpest wit.

I like how elegant they all look when they come out and it's just a game show!

Oscar Levant - i loved Oscar Levant. i wished i’d known him - i would’ve given him a big on the cheek. i saw him on Jack Paar when i was a kid - i remember him being so erudite and funny :). poor baby had quite a few tics by the time he was on this show. he was one of the George Gershwin group and they were best friends Oscar is the only pianist who can play Gershwin with heart besides Gershwin himself. Rhapsody in Blue was incredible. what a loss to us and to Oscar he was. just imagine the work he could have created. Ira, his brother, was an wonderful lyricist. Dorothy was so very heartfully authentic with him and so respectful from deep inside. Be happy, Oscar, wherever you are. we love you. 😼🎹 🎶🎭🌹

The water guy is playing it coy. Good to see someone not intimidated by the show!

I do not understand the comments about Cerf being rude to Levant. Oscar did indeed make fun all the time of his various illnesses. It was part of his act. So Cerf's question was apropos.

I'm loving the shows with the original commercials! Thanks!

. The water salesman may be one of the smartest contestants to ever appear on the show........LOVE how he gives the panel such 'misleading' answers......even though he doesn't! Had them chasing their tails almost from the get-go, the way he answered them ! Who would have thought something as simple as WATER could be SO entertaining? Brilliant !!! .

Greatest recording of George Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue...Oscar Levant 1950.Columbia CL-700...Fine record.

This is most likely the best episode I've seen yet! Not going through them in order, but Water could be the most entertaining contestant there ever was! 😆

One of my favorite one-liners of Oscar's was "I knew Doris Day before she was a virgin." Warped, and funny as hell! I think he was also the one who coined the phrase "There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I've managed to erase that line." How true! And what a brilliant pianist and composer. He composed one of my favorite songs, called "Blame It On My Youth." The title is almost a description of his life. He recorded what many (including me) consider the definitive expression of Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue." He and Gershwin were close friends for years. And he made light of his hypocondria in such an endearing way. Though his body was failing at the end, he never lost his youthful wit. His headstone reads "I told you I was sick." Lovable, brilliant, and as drednm mentioned, how wonderful to be able to watch him on video in musical performances, movies, and other contexts.

For those who are too young to know him, Oscar Levant was a brilliant wit, author and one of the greatest pianists of his day. However by the mid 1960s, he was in pretty bad shape but he made it part of his act.

Loved Oscar Levant in the movie Humoresque with Joan Crawford and John Garfield. He was not only a great pianist but Showed he had great wit in that film also off screen. ☺👏

Levant would live for 7 more years after this appearance. He died at home in Beverly Hills, California, of a heart attack in 1972 at age 65.

He was a brilliant pianist! Love his movie roles.

This was one of the last times Oscar Levant would appear on screen. Two days later he was a guest on "The Merv Griffin Show" (for the fourth and final time since September 15, 1965). On October 29, 1965, he appeared along with his wife on a short-lived ABC talk show (September to December 1965) hosted by Phyllis Kirk called "The Young Set" . His final appearance on November 16, 1965 was not live. It was a retrospective of radio highlights on NBC to celebrate the 101st anniversary of Chase and Sanborn coffee.

It seems like such a time of personal freedom Oscar Levant sits down, pulls out a cigarette, and lights up!

Three weeks to go, and the SUPPOSEDLY alcoholic, drugged-up and troubled Dorothy Kilgallen looks WONDERFUL. Great figure, great look, bright, together and attractive. Plus of course she was extremely active in her day job at this point. Motivated, hungry and making big plans. Last but not least she's deemed perfectly fit and alert enough by the producers Goodsen and Todman to be a significant player on their top rated panel show. I think it does Dorothy's memory a great disservice to claim otherwise.

I first saw Oscar Levant in Rhapsody in Blue. A new theatre production, "Goodnight, Oscar" starts this month at the Goodman in Chicago. Love him.

This commercial break is brought to you courtesy of Sterling Copper, Draper, Pryce.

One of the funniest What's My Line shows I have ever seen! Berle was Hilarious and Mr. Primo was A-One shooting those one liners right back at him! Great fun! 🦂🤣👍🥂

Oscar Levant was a GENIUS. Like all geniuses, filled with demons. Such a shame he was so miserable.

I just love Milton Berle. He is so witty and smart. I waited a long time to see him on this program.

I was 12 when this show was aired, and I loved WML. It's still my favorite game show ever.

The first contestants’ jobs provided the biggest “wow” of any contestant I’ve seen on WML and I’ve seen many episodes.

Thanks so much for posting. Was curious to see Oscar Levant. Enigmatic, witty and an excellent musician.

It's great that we get some close up shots of Dorothy at the beginning of the program when she and John discuss newspaper boy sellers. She looks so good that it breaks your heart.

I wonder how Uncle Millie felt when Dorothy said that Oscar had said the most funny lines that she ever heard.

loved Oscar in An American In Paris... fantastic!

So talented in so many ways. But sad to see him struggling like this.

To go back in time makes me so relaxed.

Oscar Levant was a genius. Of course, Oscar was also famous for his witty line, “There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.” If you can, I'd recommend taking out the DVD "The Barkleys of Broadway," starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and Oscar Levant, from your local library. Here's a clip: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gceGg7B4xN_Mj5s.html

My Gosh… Sean Hayes did a marvelous job portraying Mr. Levant

Milton Berle is hilarious and the water salesman matches him wit for wit without missing a beat or losing his composure.

The visual quality of this video is impressive.

Bennett's "That's what they did against Koufax, oh-oh-oh," refers to his pitching a shutout to win Game 7 of the 1965 World Series against the Twins.

Really enjoy the tv commercials included. Thank you!

Love Oscar Levant's books. So unique

This video sent me RUNNING to Google, so I could figure out Mr. Levant’s physical/mental health/substance/neurodivergent issues. I remembered him in Romance On The High Seas, and knew he played piano with big bands, but boy oh boy did he have a fascinating, full life. I had no idea what an amazing renaissance man he was - a true genius. Sidebar: We’re probably looking at pills and booze right here.

I remember fondly the title of one of Levant's brilliantly funny and insightful books; "A Smattering of Ignorance."

I adore Oscar Levant he is totally fabulous! Mr. Berle is an acquired taste which I've never had.

One of the commenters recounts the famous Oscar Levant quip regarding Milton Berle's conversion from Judaism to Christian Science, "Our loss is their loss." Since Levant made that comment on Jack Paar's show, it was years before this episode of WML. During the questioning of the MG, Berle asks if they have ever worked together. When Levant replies "no," Berle remarks, "Your loss." Levant at this time really was not capable of hiding his voice. Either it is an amazing coincidence that Berle told Levant that not working with Berle was "his loss," or Berle knew Levant was the MG and wanted to put a dig into Oscar for his using that very term to put down Berle.

Dorothy has three weeks left to live here. She died on Nov., 8th 1965.

Fast reply by Milton to the water man. -I watched you years ago, -Ah, *you* are the one! 15:15

I personally am going to switch to Kools based on an air traffic controller's recommendation.

The earliest mention of Oscar Levant that I can find by Dorothy Kilgallen, whose death is hurtling toward us (a mere three episodes away), in her Voice of Broadway column was at the end of August 1939; she relates a story involving Levant and Giants catcher Harry Danning, which she may indeed have gotten from an interview with Levant. In the second week of 1940, she opened her column by saying she wished that people would stop asking her what five books she would take to a desert island, what five men, etc. But then she added: "All right, I would choose [Ernest Hemingway's] 'A Farewell to Arms,' a complete Shakespeare, [Philip MacDonald's] 'Warrrant for X,' the collected poems of Rupert Brooke and [Louisa May Alcott's] 'Little Women.' For my five men, I would take George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Levant, Charles Boyer and two lads with shoulders and a few knives who could build fires, catch fish and cook. I would rather look like Vivien Leigh than any other motion picture actress."

Brilliant man. I wonder how he was talked into doing this.

When the couple appeared at the beginning, I swore it was sister and brother.

The Oscar Levant here was a wrecked shell of the man he'd been. He's clearly suffering from tardive dyskinesia from long use of psychotropic drugs to deal with his mental problems; the halting speech, and facial tics in a man who had been so dynamic and vibrant are heartbreaking.

NPR, 2006: "Given the number of self-destructing celebrities in the news this year, we thought we'd take a moment to remember the man some have called America's first publicly dysfunctional celebrity... He was a gifted concert pianist, a film and stage actor, a best-selling author, a radio and television personality, and one of the country's most acerbic wits... But Oscar Levant considered himself a failure. He was an insecure, tortured soul who battled a 10-year addiction to painkillers and was shuttled in and out of mental institutions... in 1958, Jack Parr brought him onto "The Tonight Show." Levant talked openly and hilariously about his depression... Mr. JACK PARR (Host): You're going to be all right. Listen, you're going to be swell. We just keep moving around. What do you do for exercise? Mr. OSCAR LEVANT: I stumble and then I fall into a coma. (Soundbite of laughter and applause) Mr. LEVANT: I really am suffering from amnesia, because I took shock treatments, and it reminds me I was - I came back from the hospital, and I was watching a television - an old picture with Ralph Richardson in where he's suffering from amnesia. And my wife came in, my wonderful wife, she really is, and said what are you watching? I said there's a movie with Ralph Richardson in it about amnesia. He's suffering from amnesia. I want to see how it turns out. She said but you saw it last week. (Soundbite of laughter) Mr. LEVANT: So consequently, I've been devoting my time to writing a book called "Memoirs of a Man Suffering from Amnesia," and I don't have a page filled. (Soundbite of laughter) Mr. LEVANT: There was one patient who was euphoric, and we were having lunch at an awful place, and he said what do you want, lemon juice or orange juice? He said what's the difference? (Soundbite of laughter) Mr. LEVANT: You know, when you're suffering from deep depression, you cannot make a decision. I first had deep apathy, then relapsed into deep depression. Gee, how I long for those deep apathy days. (Soundbite of laughter)

Arlene Francis, ever so elegant and charming at any age. I love her.

The bottled water salesman really plays a head game with the celebrity panelists. He enters their New York City parlor game and messes with their sophisticated personas. Then there's that bottled water 50 plus years ago was an unusual concept in and of itself. Not like in the 21st century world where individuals drinking bottled water is common practice.

I agree that the commercials should be left in. They are just as entertaining and educational of the period as the shows themselves. And it helps to create the time machine effect of taking you back to the era. It recreates the experience of the past w/o interruption.

Such a fun exchange with the water salesman. And I really enjoyed Milton Berle. I don't think he was nearly as crazy as Groucho, but humor is subjective. I always get a kick out of him though.

ABSOLUTELY wonderful W.M.L.

I love Bennett’s remark about what the Twins did against Sandy Koufax in the 1965 World Series “0,0,0” 😂

"My health is the concern of the nation.."

Has anyone ever noticed that when a comic or a so-called comic is on the panel, they always are loud, rude, or take over the show trying to show how funny they think they are? Milton Berle was another example of this. You would think they would want to show a different side of themselves. Thanks for the video.

I love how Kilgallen (sort of) whispers to Cerf after his questioning comes to an end, "Is something burning?" (Levant had just lit his cigarette.) You can see Cerf calming her, for a split second, before the camera moves to Francis. It's a lovely gesture on Cerf's part.

I can't believe that he was put on display like this. Clearly struggling.

Mendel Berlinger's amusement ride spanned 9 decades traveling across most of the entertainment media. Uncle Miltie was the first major American TV star. His appearance on WML was like plugging a 220 volt talent into a 110 volt show. Whether the line was begged, stolen or borrowed, Berle once quipped, "A committee is a group of men that keeps minutes and looses hours." Exactly why I left the corporate sector.

Bennett was very quiet (no surprise as Milton stole all attention and made all funny remarks!). I wonder if he enjoyed Milton's appearance or not.

I recall the 1960's had a several newspaper strikes in NYC. They are frequently mentioned on WML as in this episode.

Milton Berle is channeling a little of Hal Block and Jack E. Leonard tonight.

I like that guy taking a drink of water. (He sells water)

I remember Levant on The Tonight Show starring Jack Parr. I'll never forget that he was always smoking a cigarette.

Oscar was a underappreciated genius.

Those unfamiliar with the brilliant piantist Oscar Levant should look at movies "Rhapsody in Blue" "An American in Paris" and "The Bandwagon." Funny as heck in the last movie. "Tell Mrs. Martin I have gone to Tahiti . . to paint!"

In '50 Hollywood made a movie that combine some of the short stories of Sir O'Henry ( O'Henry Full House, 1950) and Mr. Oscar Levant acted in a story with Fred Allen. I knew him as a charming comedian.

The first thing the water man did was lift a class of water to his lips. FUNNY.

Who knew that water is so funny? In 1965, WML had a number of strange water incidents. There is Milton and his water. There was in the Jack Jones sequence the electronic fire doused by Daly's water. There was Allen Sherman's water problem.

Voice over on the Supp-Hose commercial is the great Ken Nordine.

An entire book can be written about Oscar Levant's quips, but the one which comes to mind involves Milton Berle - seen on the "What's My Line" panel here. When told (by Jack Paar) that Milton Berle had converted to Christian Science (from Judaism) Oscar replied, "Our loss is their loss." The incredibly talented musician had the biting wit of any of the best stand-up comics of his day - or perhaps ever!

It’s notable how some in the crowd are outraged at Bennett’s question at 24:06.

John's beautiful wording: in the same locus.

Ah, those were the days, when panelists were chosen for their ability to think.

Arlene Francis acts like she can't stand Milton Berle. I wonder why.

I love Milton Berle. Grimaces, corny jokes and all.

Aw, poor Dorothy. She looked lovely (and was her usual mentally bright self) on this night. Her Life's candle was fast burning down and she had but a few weeks more to live. After Dorothy Kilgallen's death WML would limp along for (less than) another two years and would never be the same.

25:43 - "We had SQUAB together! STUFFED SQUAB!"...Of course Dorothy doesn't remember, however if 'ol Oscar can memorize an entire concerto or symphony, you sure has hell know he remembers the squab and that there's not much meat on a squab. Never had squab.

Mr. Primo seems channeling the gold-miner lady from a few weeks ago. The fun of the show is to obfuscate, confuse, and indulge in innuendo. Arlene and John get it; others don't.

Mr. Primo the water man -- one of the funniest!

Would love to see Sean Hayes play this wreck I hope someone streams it at some point

I just watched Milton Berle Rowan and Martin’ Laugh In!. It was the 25th show of its third season, in 1970. He was hilarious, as he was in his own show.

The loss of the newspaper Boys is the beginning of the corporate toxicity. Oscar Levant genius. Sean Hayes did incredible performance.

Mickey Mouse answers - good for you Dorothy!

Well if the water guy wasn't a fan of Milton Berle....... He'd be a whole dang air conditioner 😂

At 7:19, Bennett clarifies that the profession of the first challengers was for a non-profit organization. Dorothy got it but Arlene and Milton Berle were confused. When Arlene understands and says "oh, oh", Berle mocks her by repeating "oh" four times. Bennett quickly covers it over by mentioning "That's what they did against Koufax, oh, oh, oh, oh." "They" refers to the Minnesota Twins who had been shut out by Koufax three days earlier for the second time in three games in the seventh and deciding game of the World Series. Bennett's remark gets a chuckle from Berle, a Dodger fan.

Milton is very affectionate with Dorothy

Oscar - great wit and flawed genius.

Before watching this show I was sure I was going to hate Milton Berle but after seeing it, I must admit that I haven't had so much fun in a long time. He was really funny and witty. A little bit to much perhaps. If he had been a regular panelist he would have ruined the show but for a single performance he was a fresh sight and between his outbursts he did ask several good questions. I sure am gonna watch this several times. :)

Talking about the shortage of water half a century ago. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Many of the comments about Berle are negative. Those who are unkindly disposed to Berle should please bear in mind that according to the Guinness Book of World Records, Milton Berle appeared in more benefit performances than anyone else -- including Bob Hope. Whether people think he is camera hogging egomaniac, this was a man who used his celebrity repeatedly to help other people and worthy causes, and for that he deserves great praise. It seems that more celebrities of that era, the Sinatras and Sammy Davises, did more of that benefit work then than now, a great loss. Apart from someone like Angelina Jolie, it is hard to think of too many celebrities today who choose humanitarian work.

I am surprised that I do not see a comment about the spot at 16:00 where Milton tries to pass his turn to Dorothy and says 'It will be good when you Kill Gallen....Kilgallen, good'. And this episode coming so soon before her death.

I met Milton Berle illegitimate son in the 80s. He was clone of Milton. I felt so bad that he was not acknowledged.

When Berle said he was a copy boy I expected him to quip that he copied all his school homework

Ya know, I don't know if I'm just being influenced by that gosh darn snappy jingle, but maybe if Oscar Levant had switched to Kool Filter Kings, he may have felt a bit better. I love Oscar Levant's wit as well as the general witty tone of the show! They really don't make 'em like they use to.