78 years ago today, the London International Surrealist Exhibition opened to a startled public, marking according to many the apex of the movement's success.
The career of today's special What's My Wednesday? guest of course long survived that high-water mark, and by the time of his appearance in January of 1957, Salvador Dali was for better or worse the public face of surrealism.
He certainly indulges in a little here, although to me the most surreal touch is the unnerving hair color that Dorothy is a giving a whirl - heaven only knows what it looked like in color.* Guest panelist Peter Lawford doesn't add all that much to the proceedings, but Arlene (who finally figures it all out) is as always a joy.
Technically, Dali wasn't the official Mystery Challenge of the week; that honor went to fallen star Lillian Roth, who was then making a comeback of sorts in nightclubs (three years earlier, she'd been the guest on This is Your Life and revealed the saga of her alcoholism). The full episode also includes a rarity for the time, an African-American guest; John Daly more or less accidentally throws that round, but the proceedings are the usual good fun.
* Her eye makeup doesn't quite match, either, but that might just be a case of tee many martoonies. Speaking of hair, am I the only one who noticed ol' Salvador's little bald spot there as he made his precipitous exit?
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