Unknown contestant: "I blew up the balloons for Sally Rand’s
bubble dance”
Sally Rand gained fame as a burlesque dancer of the 1920s and 1930s. She was known for her erotic 'fan dance,' which lots of dancers performed, and her 'bubble dance', which she pretty much owned. The bubble dance consisted of a single large balloon behind which Rand would gyrate suggestively, sometimes scantily clothed and sometimes wearing even less. Contemporary reports say she originally retained a man (unnamed) whose sole job was to blow up the balloon, but that she later relied on mechanical means of inflation. At this point, Rand is a touring fixture at state fairs and smaller venues around the country. She would continue to perform her fan dance into the seventies, at which point she was, herself, into her seventies.
Special guest Sam Levenson: “I’m going to give the panel a
6th-grade exam”
Because his approach was so quiet and gentle, Levenson was often referred to as a 'humorist' more than as a 'comedian'. He was originally a full-time high school Spanish teacher who honed his routines part-time at the New York Catskills retreats. As a past educator, this secret made perfect sense for him. So much so that, years later, the show would have him back do to the exact same thing again (
E531
). That second appearance launched a regular feature where he would return each season to quiz the panel on easier and easier material.
This episode has not been reviewed. Information comes from alternate sources, including Gil Fates' handwritten notes. Quoted secrets are based on those notes and are believed to be accurate.
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