I’ve Got a Secret — 1955

Episodes listed on this page:

All air dates are Wednesdays.

Cast

• Since most episodes are unavailable, most of the information in the table is from Kinescopes. However, that list shows only guests, not regulars. The table has been filled in on the assumption that regulars were present wherever Kinescopes does not say otherwise.
• Host: Usually Garry Moore, but Don McNeill guest-hosted for five weeks, the only known instance of anyone guest-hosting that many weeks in a row. Also, Ralph Bellamy guest-hosted the Armed Forces Week episode, his only known appearance on the show.
• Panel: The regulars were Bill Cullen, Jayne Meadows, Henry Morgan, and Faye Emerson, though future regular Betsy Palmer filled in for Faye several times, including five weeks in a row toward the end of the year.

Crew

Since most episodes are unavailable, all known crew credits are included in the details section after the table.

Bold = Name appears on no other page
Link = Name appears on other pages
Normal = Name appears earlier on this page

Week 138, 2/2/55

Sponsor: Cavalier cigarettes

This entire episode is viewable on YouTube in two parts. The opener and first secret are here, and the rest is here.

1. “Mrs. Robert Precht” (Betty Sullivan), DC: “I’m Ed Sullivan’s daughter.” Garry gives it away that the secret involves her father and not her mother.
2. William F. Lahner, Philadelphia: “My great-grandfather invented the hot dog (in 1805).”
3. Guest Ed Sullivan: “I was a caddy at Garry Moore’s golf club (before Garry was born).” The panelists have to make Sullivan laugh before they can ask a question.

Week 142, 3/2/55

Sponsor: Winston

1. Sarah Weiss, Brooklyn: “I graduated from high school last month.” Bill guesses, going last.
2. Guest Jackie Gleason: “I was an all-night disc jockey in 1939.” He takes over the segment completely, bringing out his own panel of four babes, seizing control of the buzzer, and phoning in the answer (literally).
3. Closing question from Eunice Reiberg, Minneapolis: What advice do you give to young people who want to get started in show business?

Week 153, 5/18/55

Sponsor: Winston
Guest Host: Ralph Bellamy
Director: Frank Satenstein
Associate Producer: Allan Sherman
Program Supervisor: Howard Merrill
Musical Director: Alexander T. DiFranzo
Set Designer: Robert Rowe Paddock

Salute to Armed Forces Week.

1. Cpl. Rene Gagnon: “I helped raise the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima.” Jayne guesses, going second. He is second from right in the famous photo. See also 5/14/58.
2. Lt. Richard Daly and Sgt. Carl Osgood lead Marine precision drill team from DC.
3. Capt. Edward Sperry, Lt. Henry Nielsen: “We parachuted from 8½ miles in the air (world record).”
4. Cmdr. Howell Forgy, Pluckamen, NJ: “I said ‘Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition’ (Dec. 7, 1941).” Bill knows, going second, but Henry says.
5. Fort Dix Soldiers Chorus sings.

Week 158, 6/22/55

Sponsor: Winston
Director: Frank Satenstein
Associate Producer: Allan Sherman
Program Supervisor: Howard Merrill

1. Previous week was the third anniversary. Temporary set made of orange crates.
2. Marilyn Mohr, Chicago: “I kissed 138 midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy graduation.” Bill is a complete jerk. Faye guesses, going last.
3. Jeff Pope, Excelsior, MN: “I paddled a canoe from New York City to Alaska.”
4. Guest Jack Lemmon: “I won a gas range from Bill Cullen on a quiz show (1948).” This segment is viewable on YouTube.
5. Closing question: What books are you reading?

Week 172, 9/28/55

Sponsor: Winston
Producer: Allan Sherman

1. Only the men are blindfolded for the baseball secrets.
   • “Mr. A” (Leon Kador, Brooklyn Dodgers): “I pitched the longest major league game in history (26 innings).”
   • “Mr. B” (Johnny Vandermeer, Cincinnati): “I pitched two no-hit games in a row (1938).”
   • “Mr. C” (Ty Cobb): “I have the highest lifetime batting average in baseball.”
2. Guest Silvana Pampanini: The panel are served spaghetti. After every question, the panelist asking the question has to take a bite. Her answers don’t have anything to do with the questions. Instead, she answers yes or no based on whether the panel are eating their spaghetti correctly. This segment is viewable on YouTube.

Week 173, 10/5/55

Sponsor: Winston
Producer: Allan Sherman
Director: Frank Satenstein
Program Supervisor: Howard Merrill
Technical Director: Vernon Gamble
Lighting: Ferdinand Manning

1. Joseph Pugliese, Dominguez, CA: “I’ve kissed every woman on my mail route (528 of them).”
2. Tony Malicia, Cleveland: “I’m translating the questions into Italian for my mother in Cleveland.”
3. Guest Ronald Reagan: Imitates the behavior on a movie set, where any time someone makes a mistake, everything has to start over from the beginning. Every time the panel “blow their lines” by stumbling or hesitating, he leaves the stage and reenters to start the segment all over again. Jayne finally guesses. This segment is viewable on YouTube.
4. Closing question (which doesn’t actually get answered) from Chris Lund: What is your ambition?