History Series / WhatsMyLine

Creator/{{GSN}} regularly aired repeats in its ''Late Night Black & White'' block, but eventually dropped said block of programming due to low ratings, though they still air the program once a year around the Christmas holidays, apparently because they have to do this to keep the rights. A number of episodes have been released on low-budget DVD, but fans who want to see more would do well to KeepCirculatingTheTapes. It currently airs weekday afternoons on the diginet Buzzr. Additionally, two "seasons" of episodes from 1955 have been released to watch for those subscribed to Amazon Prime, or its video service, courtesy of Buzzr. These episodes, unlike the broadcasts on GSN, include the full-length adverts seen on the program for Stopette and Remington Rand. More than 750 episodes have also been posted to the Youtube channel aptly named [[https://www.youtube.com/user/WhatsMyLineCBS What's My Line?]]

* DeadpanSnarker: Steve Allen.

** During the syndicated era, "Who's Who" was occasionally played. Four members of the audience were invited onstage and (out of sight of the panel) told the producer their jobs. The panelists, one at a time, then had to match the career (written on a card) with the person. For each panelist that was incorrect, the four-member group won $20 (a maximum of $80 for a complete stumper).

** TheLeader: The esteemed moderator, John Francis Daly, who marshaled his panel into completing the game.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: One of the lost 1951 episodes featured controversial health and vitality guru Bernarr Macfadden, who, just hours before the telecast, had jumped thousands of feet out of a plane into the Hudson River as a publicity stunt. He was visibly uncomfortable during taping, but not from the jump -- the producers wouldn't allow him to go barefoot as he preferred.

** TheChick: Arlene Francis, the least intellectual member of the panel, the only "entertainer" (apart from the comedian) in the group, the most gracious and refined questioner, and generally the one whose fashion and appearance was the most heavily emphasized (although Dorothy wasn't too far behind).

!!This show provides examples of:

* HotScientist: One of the contestants was a gorgeous blond woman in evening dress, whose 'line' was that she was a rocket scientist at Cape Canaveral.

** Several with sister show ''Series/IveGotASecret''. The panel at the time (Creator/BillCullen, Faye Emerson, Jayne Meadows and Henry Morgan) appeared as Mystery Guests on April 1, 1956. Conversely, Arlene Francis made five appearances as a guest (October 19, 1960, May 21, 1962, October 5, 1964, June 21, 1965 and June 6, 1966) and John Daly made a couple of appearances (February 21, 1966 and February 6, 1967) where he had the panelists guess historical events from newspapers quotes and headlines.

* LetXBeTheUnknown: The standard way of introducing people whose names were well-known to the panel but whose faces were not necessarily familiar enough to require blindfolds would be to have them sign in as Mr./Mrs. X, which once led Cerf to refer to Daly and the guest as "[[{{Pun}} Ham and X]]". Guests who signed in this way included underwater explorer [[Creator/JacquesCousteau Jacques-Yves Cousteau]], golfer Arnold Palmer, TV ratings compiler Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr., [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] manager Brian Epstein, and 1960s fashion moguls Mary Quant and Vidal Sassoon (in separate episodes).
* ManInAKilt: A kilt maker from Scotland actually appeared on the show wearing one. The panel apparently thought this was too obvious as it took many questions before Dorothy decided to guess. Before the guest left, Bennett wanted to ask one more question only to get cut off by John since that question[[note]]The classic [[GoingCommando "Are you a true Scotsman?"]][[/note]] would get him in trouble.
** Additionally, during the syndicated run, the panelists were asked to blindfold themselves for a bagpipe player dressed in Scottish garb, including a kilt.

** During the syndicated run, regular panelist Creator/SoupySales proved such an unexpected expert at identifying voices that a new rule (known as "Fates' Law" after producer Gil Fates) was installed in which, if someone made a guess and was wrong, they removed their blindfold and could not participate for the rest of that game. The question order among the panelists was also changed so that Soupy would go last, preventing Soupy from guessing the mystery guest before another panelist had a chance.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: One of the lost 1951 episodes featured controversial health and vitality guru Bernarr [=MacFadden=], who, just hours before the telecast, had jumped thousands of feet out of a plane into the Hudson River as a publicity stunt. He was visibly uncomfortable during taping, but not from the jump -- the producers wouldn't allow him to go barefoot as he preferred.

** TheBigGuy: The panel's comedian. Generally the goofiest, most boisterous panelist who asks the silliest questions.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: The January 12, 1958 episode was filmed in Los Angeles with just John Daly as the only regular and an entire guest panel.

* LastNameBasis: Part of the show's overall emphasis on formality, decorum, and etiquette. Moderator John Daly would always address panelists by their title and surname when prompting them for a question, though he would usually switch to their first names if a discussion ensued. The panelists addressed each other (and usually John) by first name, though the contestant was always courteously addressed by title and surname by them as well. Note that, until the rise of second-wave feminism in TheSixties, all women who went by their maiden name, regardless of martial status or age, were addressed as "Miss", and so Dorothy and Arlene were always "Miss Kilgallen" and "Miss Francis".

-->'''Announcer''': Take a good look at this man. If you saw him at your corner newstand, would you be able to tell what he does for a living? Is he a world-famous painter? A clerk in a supermarket? An undertaker? What would you say if he turned to you and asked...