"What in the World:" A Famous TV Show on Archaeology

Download Six Episodes

"What in the World?" was a CBS presentation originating in the 1950's that featured Dr. Froelich G. Rainey (1907 - 1992) and a group of three experts. Dr. Rainey was the director of the Director of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. The three experts would be shown an archaeological specimen that was described to the viewer, but not to the panel, as to what it was, how it was used, and the object's place and time of origin. The panel had one guest and two who were considered regulars. The two regulars often included Dr. Carleton Samuel Coon (1904-1981) along with either Dr. Schuyler V. Cammann (1912-1991) or Dr. Alfred V. Kidder II (1911-1984).

"What in the World?" was, of course, black-and-white, and would open up in a dark room with what looked like a dry-ice-swirling of moisture fumes with the object gradually appearing and the off-screen commentator's description. Then the lights would brighten and the experts would be invited to examine and discuss the object. In fact, they would pick the object up, finger it, and think aloud. One or two of the threesome usually tended to "hog" the conversation a bit, but Dr. Rainey would try to involve all the experts. If one of them hit upon something and the others didn't, Dr. Rainey would propose questions to draw the one expert out to see if he could go further with what he had deduced, to see if he could come up with the total answer.

"What in the World?" was atmospheric, educational, taught logical reasoning, and was entertaining - all in one package, and with a minimal budget! In short, this show was a great show, and was, and even is, popular to this day. The website at UPenn describes what the show was about and who the experts were. Unfortunately, some of the site's links are broken, or it would be a most interesting visit to this day.