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- Harold "Hal" Block (August 2, 1913 – June 16, 1981) was an American comedy writer, comedian, producer, songwriter and television personality. Block is most often remembered as an original panelist of the TV game show What's My Line? who was fired from the show in only it's third season, reportedly for inappropriate on-air behavior. Block is a controversial figure in the history of television with denunciations being made by some, while others praise him as a comedy writer and credit him with contributing to the original success of What's My Line?. During the 1940s, Block was considered one of America's best comedy writers, having worked for many of the top comedians of the era, such as Bob Hope, Abbott and Costello, Martin and Lewis, Milton Berle and Burns and Allen and in all major mediums, including radio, Hollywood movies, Broadway and print. Block also made a significant contribution to the USO during World War II. In March of 1950, producers of the new game show What's My Line? hired Hal Block for its fourth episode to add humor to the show's format. With a panel previously consisting of journalists, a politician and a poet, reviewers had criticized the show as bland. After an early rocky start, What's My Line? became one of the top-rated shows on TV. Critics praised his work; the Chicago Sun Times called Block the "freshest new personality in TV. " However, while Block was popular with a large segment of the viewing public, he sometimes seemed to lack a sense of propriety. His humor could be risqué which antagonized conservative 1950s viewers and he would even risk the sponsor's wrath, once referring to their deodorant with the line "Make your armpit a charmpit. " These issues culminated in early 1953, when Block was suspended and then fired. Block left show business a few years later, while What's My Line? continued on as a staple of Sunday night television for another 14 years.
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- Harold "Hal" Block (August 2, 1913 – June 16, 1981) was an American comedy writer, comedian, producer, songwriter and television personality. Block is most often remembered as an original panelist of the TV game show What's My Line? who was fired from the show in only it's third season, reportedly for inappropriate on-air behavior.
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