Masquerade Party

Masquerade Party ran for several seasons as a summer replacement show during the Fifties. There were two hosts of it that I can remember, Robert Q. Lewis and Eddie Bracken, both pretty funny guys in their own right.

This was a celebrity parlor game in the tradition of I've Got A Secret, To Tell The Truth, and What's My Line. But it was far more elaborate than those shows. You remember the blindfolds that the panelists had on those classic panel shows? This was different. Various other celebrities were put into elaborate disguises. But something in the disguise or the setting they were in or something the mystery guest was doing was a clue to the identity.

For example four guys came out in these hillbilly outfits with overalls, huge fake beards and rifles. They would periodically take aim at the panel to simulate squeezing off a round. The identity would be the Ames Brothers. Don't think that because all four were a group it was easy. Sometimes a group of people would come on for the setting, yet only one would be the celebrity.

Masquerade Party was a lot of fun. I'm really surprised no one has picked it up and revived it for today.