Performer and The Advent of Television
By the 1950s, television had begun to supplant radio as the main form of entertainment in American homes. In her column of October 11, 1945, Hedda Hopper wrote that Block had "mastered" radio, would likely do the same with movies, and "he'll be in a perfect position for television." Although Block attempted performing as early as 1939, it was not until the early 1950s he began in earnest. In 1951, Block was disk jockey for his own twice-a-week radio program Around the Clock on WJZ in New York City, was moderator for the short-lived television game show, Tag the Gag and hosted a show, Four to Go on WGN in Chicago. However, it was as one of the original panelists on the television game show What's My Line? from 1950–1953 which gave Block national fame. What's My Line?, a guessing game in which the show's panel tried to uncover the unusual profession of guests, became one of the most popular shows on television in the 1950s and ran for 17 seasons, making it the longest-running game show in the history of prime-time American television.
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