Turn About Is Fair Play-1966 Style!

[+ WilliamM]

The first is from What's My Line

 

Excellent choice, Gman. I do not want to give away anything by commenting more.

[+ WilliamM]

Same case here, unless the show was fixed. Arlene Francis would have had to take Mark Goodson's word for what happened backstage with Judy.

 

There would be no reason for Goodson to make up the story. And the story fit with Garland's life in 1967. She had no money for clothes or anything else. She was often late and homeless, reduced to sleeping on the floor in apartments of her daughter's friends. Judy had to borrow money to buy Liza Minnelli a wedding present.

 

She badly needed that $500 in cash just to get through the next day.

[+ Gar1eth]

There would be no reason for Goodson to make up the story. And the story fit with Garland's life in 1967. She had no money for clothes or anything else. She was often late and homeless, reduced to sleeping on the floor in apartments of her daughter's friends. Judy had to borrow money to buy Liza Minnelli a wedding present.

 

She badly needed that $500 in cash just to get through the next day.

I wasn't saying I was doubting Goodson's report. Only that for Cerf and Francis to verify it they would have had to have known beforehand who the mystery guest was.

 

Gman

[+ WilliamM]

I wasn't saying I was doubting Goodson's report. Only that for Cerf and Francis to verify it they would have had to have known beforehand who the mystery guest was.

 

Gman, I watched "What's My Line" almost every week for the ten years before the show went off the air in Sept. 1967. Sometimes, a panel member did know (by acccident) who the mystery guest was that night. If so, the panelist would disqualify herself or himself in the first round of questioning.

 

Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf were on the show almost from the beginning in 1950.

It would not be just Goodson who would be discussing what happened, but everyone backstage. In 1967, Judy Garland was still one of best known entertainers in the country.

 

Arlene and Bennett were writing about what they were told happened backstage from people whom they had known for many years.

 

"What's My Line" was broadcast live with a studio audience. If the arguing backstage was loud enough to hear, the studio audience would have known as well.

 

Note: I saw Judy Garland perform the following Christmas in a new thearter (part of Madison Square Garden). She was in relatively good voice, but complained constantly because the theater opened before it was completed finished. Luckily, she eventually became Judy Garland and forgot about the venue.