Dr. Norman Vincent Peale on “What’s My Line?”

Let’s meet our first contestant. The blindfolds are all in place, panel? 

Yes, sir. 

Yes. 

Good. Will you come in and sign in, please? 

[APPLAUSE] 

I would like to ask you, first of all, if you’re familiar with our scoring system. Are you? 

I am. 

Good. In that event, let’s let everybody at home and those who are here with us in the theater, except my friends on the panel, know exactly what your line is. 

[APPLAUSE] 

All right, panel. Needless to say, you are blindfolded because there is an area of identification involving either appearance, dress, handwriting, location– all sorts of things that we normally use as sort of little helps and aids to you. We’re not going to give you this trip. But we will let you have one bit of help. Our guest is salaried. And let’s begin the general questioning with Bennett, sir. 

Uh– does your job as a salaried job come from a non-profit-making organization? 

Yes. 

Is the non-profit-making organization something to do with government? 

No. 

One down and nine to go, Ms. Francis. 

Uh, is the non-profit-making organization anything to do with the church? 

Yes, ma’am. 

Uh– are you an important member of any particular religion? 

Not so much. 

Well, now, I must now, I think, correct that answer and say that our guest is indeed an important member of one faith. 

Well, I’m going to take your word for the truth, John. 

Yes. 

[LAUGHTER] 

Um– have you written any books? 

Yes, ma’am. 

Have you a column in any newspaper? 

Yes, ma’am. 

Uh– does one call you doctor? 

If they want to be real respectful. 

[LAUGHTER] 

Well, that’s what I want to be. 

And they would want to be, Ms. Arlene. 

Um– are you by any chance– oh, dear, there are two I’d like to ask about. 

Go ahead. 

Are you Dr. Norman Vincent Peale? 

Yes! 

Are you? 

[APPLAUSE] 

I must say, congratulations, Arlene. That was magnificently done. Bennett, you unlocked the door, of course, with that question about– 

I was expecting the mayor of Dublin tonight. 

[LAUGHTER] 

I tried to talk with a brogue, but I gave it up. 

[LAUGHTER] 

Oh my. And of course– actually, I suppose the question about the books was a critical one too, because we all know that Dr. Peale has written– 

A bestseller. And you didn’t publish it, Bennett. 

No, this is the remarkable thing about Dr. Peale’s book. If memory serves me right, I’ve read recently you have another book– 

That is right, John. 

–coming out very soon. 

That is right. 

“Stay Alive All Your Life.” 

It’s “Stay Alive All Your Life,” yes, sir. 

It’s about to be published? 

Yes, tomorrow, as a matter of fact. 

Tomorrow’s publication day? Well, wonderful, sir. Well, I, with a great many others, have had great benefit from your earlier books and look forward to this new one. Yes, Arlene? 

Well, that’s a real compliment. 

I was just going to say that the last time I saw Dr. Peale, we were on a heavenly mountaintop in Switzerland. And he looks as though he’s been there all the time. 

[LAUGHTER] 

We had a good time, didn’t we? 

Wonderful, yes. 

Dr. Peale, you should give your publisher a little publicity. Who is the publisher of your new book? 

Now, that I call real generous. 

[LAUGHTER] 

Prentice Hall, Incorporated. 

There we are. And Bennett has done his good deed for the next 300 years– 

That’s really a Christian spirit. 

[LAUGHTER] 

He really turned the other cheek, didn’t he, Doctor? 

He surely did. 

Well, Dr. Peale, thank you very much for being our guest. I’m sorry we didn’t give them more trouble. We’d hoped you’d be out here with me much longer than this. 

Well, I wish I had, then. 

Nice to have had you with us, Doctor. 

Thank you, John. 

[APPLAUSE] 

Dr. Peale’s Question and Answer Department appears in each issue of “Look Magazine.”