This is one of the first TV shows I remember watching and, like millions of other folks, my parents loved it, too. In fact, it was them watching it first and I just started looking in after awhile, too. To be honest with you, I can't recall why or how my parents allowed me to stay up later to watch this, as, if I recall correctly, this was on fairly late night. But I sure remember the show and the people on it each week.
Even though years later, I can't honestly say I know a lot about the regulars in this show, I can never forget them, beginning with the affable host John Daly.
What young kid would know about Bennett Cerf? Probably nothing, if it weren't for TV show, when I discovered he was a famous publisher of Random House and a fairly funny guy. Other regulars - at least in the earlier days when I watched this - were Arlene Francis, Dorothy Kilgallen and Martin Gabel. Later, the panelists became bigger names, people like Tony Randall, Steve Allen, Buddy Hackett and Joey Bishop.
However, it was Daly, Cerf, Kilgallen (a New York City gossip-type columnist) and Francis (actress) who combined to make this show a big hit. In the mid-50s, Francis' husband Martin Gabel became a regular on the show. As you can tell, this had a very New York-big city-cosmopolitan flavor to it. The panelists were all nice people and witty without being obvious comedians. Yet, it didn't come off snobbish, either. A kid could enjoy this, too.
The show was fun, too, because they had people on with unusual occupations. The idea was to guess what those occupation were and the guest could only answer "yes" or "no."
Daly made it fun by being a good host, never hogging the spotlight and being content with letting his partners get the laughs and attention. He knew how to run a show.. That's another lost art in show business, it seems, where everybody wants the limelight.
It would fun to look back at some of these shows today. I haven't seen them in over 50 years. I have fond memories of this.
Even though years later, I can't honestly say I know a lot about the regulars in this show, I can never forget them, beginning with the affable host John Daly.
What young kid would know about Bennett Cerf? Probably nothing, if it weren't for TV show, when I discovered he was a famous publisher of Random House and a fairly funny guy. Other regulars - at least in the earlier days when I watched this - were Arlene Francis, Dorothy Kilgallen and Martin Gabel. Later, the panelists became bigger names, people like Tony Randall, Steve Allen, Buddy Hackett and Joey Bishop.
However, it was Daly, Cerf, Kilgallen (a New York City gossip-type columnist) and Francis (actress) who combined to make this show a big hit. In the mid-50s, Francis' husband Martin Gabel became a regular on the show. As you can tell, this had a very New York-big city-cosmopolitan flavor to it. The panelists were all nice people and witty without being obvious comedians. Yet, it didn't come off snobbish, either. A kid could enjoy this, too.
The show was fun, too, because they had people on with unusual occupations. The idea was to guess what those occupation were and the guest could only answer "yes" or "no."
Daly made it fun by being a good host, never hogging the spotlight and being content with letting his partners get the laughs and attention. He knew how to run a show.. That's another lost art in show business, it seems, where everybody wants the limelight.
It would fun to look back at some of these shows today. I haven't seen them in over 50 years. I have fond memories of this.