What.27s My Line.3F Jules Montenier

1 s line?

1.1 sponsorship of show
1.2 mystery guest appearance
1.3 impact on time slot , broadcast markets

what s line?

in opening segment featured stopette, jules montenier, inc. advertised poof! deodorant body powder , finesse, flowing cream shampoo in same segment. in mid-1953, dr. montenier himself pictured in opening segment after products mentioned.

sponsorship of show

during first 2 episodes of s line?, production value atrocious. while have gone wrong did go wrong on first show, second show arguably bad. if anything, camera work worse. cbs liked many elements of show, production value had improved. cbs knew potential sponsor watching third show, issued ultimatum: either sponsor pick show, or show history.

franklin m. heller, 1 of television s pioneering directors, saved show. felt biggest problems show camera movement , lens changing. heller said, figured once cameramen , flowered shirts controlled , immobile, might able let show emerge.

to fix problem, heller changed format of set cameras remain stationary. placed moderator john daly , panel in different places entrances , exits not awkward. in addition, before third show, heller requested hour rehearsal camera crew mock panelists , contestants. rehearsal gave camera operators better feel how show should go.

at end of third show, dr. montenier called cbs and, according heller, said, don t know did it, ll buy it. next 8 years, either sole or alternating sponsor, stopette advertising face of s line?

bennett cerf explained of montenier s line? ruined poor man. cerf said when s line? first started, none of big companies wanted sponsor program. said thought program last few months , die out, program caught fire in ratings. cerf noted program spread city city, advertising costs continued rise accordingly. montenier proud of program, refused have co-sponsor. according cerf, montenier stuck s line? until program ruined him. @ peak, s line? running in every city across country. cerf said advertising costs became enormous montenier unable sell enough stopette make it. eventually, dr. montenier forced sell out, , this, according cerf, broke heart. when died, according cerf, cartoons appeared caption, poof! there goes dr. montenier!

mystery guest appearance

interestingly, montenier himself appeared on february 12, 1956 episode of s line? mystery guest. signed in, identified on screen dr. jules montenier, creator & manufacturer of stopette ; line our sponsor (for past 6 years). prior guesses, panel given hint dr. montenier self-employed. panel failed guess montenier s line correctly; stumped panel , won game, mr. daly s successor moderator, wally bruner, preferred phrase it. turned out purpose dr. montenier s visit give belated congratulations show 6 years on television. mr. daly said dr. montenier sponsor because refused interfere production of show. dr. montenier, in return, said loved show , watched each sunday.

montenier remained seated during entire appearance, after program went directly commercial; guests on program customarily walked in , sat next host , walked greet panelists after appearance. audience not given explanation change, viewers have read in newspapers montenier had had left leg amputated result of car crash @ end of may 1954. wife helen had been killed in same accident.

impact on time slot , broadcast markets

what s line? did not begin life on sunday nights. after dr. montenier s stopette deodorant became show s primary sponsor in march 1950, cbs moved show thursdays @ 8 alternating week basis on wednesdays @ 9. eventually, due largely pressure higher caliber guests on show, show moved 10:30 p.m. on sunday nights. since broadway plays closed @ 10:00 p.m. @ time, gave actors plenty of time there. dr. montenier , ad agency agreed move, , cbs agreed reimburse sponsor viewers lost due move.

jules montenier, inc s sponsorship of s line? caused third of united states not see show until 1956. reasoning company s ad agency controlled time slot , not buy slot in markets jules montenier s products not sold. notable markets missing show until late 1950s included columbus, georgia; tallahassee, florida; savannah, georgia; spartanburg, south carolina; jackson, mississippi; memphis, tennessee; lancaster, pennsylvania; meridian, mississippi; , lexington, kentucky. in 1956, jules montenier, inc. sold helene curtis industries, inc., thereby giving products national market , enabling s line? shown nationwide.