#5: What’s My Line? (1950)
What’s My Line? was another early game show on American television, broadcast in 1950. The suave John Charles Daly was the host, and it was a show about finding out what other people did for a living. Each week, a celebrity panel would ask only yes-or-no questions about the contestant’s occupation. A Mystery Guest – usually a famous celebrity – would show up each week, his or her face hidden behind a blindfold, while the panel tried to guess who it was.
What’s My Line? wasn’t a guessing game so much as it was a game of wit and charm with just the right amount of suspense. The show kept going for 17 years as audiences continued to tune in to watch the game play out. It was a class act.