332 April 22, 1959
Bill, Janis Paige, Henry, Betsy
[Jill Forrest] from Trenton, New Jersey: “I’m going to lift the
entire panel on my back”
More like “budge” the panel for a
brief moment, while they stand on a wooden platform. Still, at an estimated combined weight of
over 600 pounds, an impressive display of strength.
Special Guest Jeanne Crain takes
dozens of audience members who couldn’t get a seat and seats them on stage,
where they stay for the remainder of the episode. Garry provides unusual prop
chairs from backstage, including one gigantic one that holds eleven men. Crain will appear in a star-studded TV
adaptation of Meet Me in St. Louis on
April 26th (See
E329
).
Mr. X: “I’m talking to the TV cameramen on this phone…I’m
directing this show tonight”
Ira Skutch is filling in as the show’s
director while Franklin Heller is on vacation, and no one on the panel has met
him. Garry explains the basics of
television direction to the audience. Skutch
worked for Goodson-Todman from 1957 until 1983 in many capacities. His most lasting role would be as the producer
(and judge) of the fondly-remembered 70s version of Match Game. He also directed
the Bill Cullen game show Child’s Play. Skutch would later write several books about
the early years of live television.