Hal Block - Performer and The Advent of Television - What's My Line?

On February 2, 1950, What's My Line? premiered on CBS with a panel consisting of columnist Dorothy Kilgallen, author, poet and editor Louis Untermeyer, politician Harold G. Hoffman with journalist John Daly as host. Some reviews of the first show criticized it as bland and colorless. Even Mark Goodson, one of the show's producers, said the early shows were "as dull as dishwater" and, years later, confessed to feeling at the time that the show wouldn't last more than six weeks. The producers quickly realized the problems lay with the casting and that the show needed some lighter elements. Actress Arlene Francis was first brought onto the panel and then on March 16, 1950, the fourth show, Block replaced Hoffman. Block continued as a regular panelist for the next three years.

Block brought humor to What's My Line?. On one show, upon a contestant being revealed to be a skunk breeder, Blocked was surprised they hadn’t be able to guess his occupation because, "After all, the fellow had a certain air about him." Block was able to bring levity to what may otherwise have been serious, dry topics, such as with the appearance of Estes Kefauver, a U.S. Senator who was leading an investigation into organized crime. Much of the investigation was televised and Block suggested to Kefauver he change the name of his broadcast to "What's My Crime?". Block also created what became a tradition of the show's opening. At the beginning of the show each panelist would introduce the panelist sitting beside them, except for the last who would introduce Host John Daly. It was Block's idea, as the last panelist, to break from the simple, straightforward introduction and instead introduce Daly with a joke. This was later taken up by Bennett Cerf after Block's departure. It also fell to Block as the comedian, then later Steve Allen and Fred Allen, to participate in what Gil Fates called his "Gambits". Prior to the broadcast, Fates would hint to Block a line of questioning for one of the guests which he felt would generate the most laughs. Fates has said it required a comedian to sense from his clues what would generate laughter. For example, with a guest who manufactured girdles, Block was advised to ask questions about kitchen items. On the show Block asked, "Will it make ice-cubes?" To a professional sword swallower he asked, "Do you work outdoors–or is yours considered an inside job?." While technically not cheating, as the panelist was not told the guest's profession, the practice was eventually discontinued in light of the quiz show scandals.