According to Franklin Heller, director of "What's My Line," the precise reason why regular panelist Hal Block disappeared from the series in 1953 is that he had cheated while playing the game in the segment on February 8 featuring female jazz drummer Mildred Landwehr. As Heller relates the incident, Gil Fates, one of the producers, who was standing very close to the soundstage and could see, not only the panelists, but also the studio audience members in the front row, had witnessed Block's sister, seated in the front row, pantomime playing the drums. Heller said that Block had obviously conspired with his sister and arranged for her to sit in the front row for deceitful purposes. A 1978 book by Gil Fates reveals that Mark Goodson and Bill Todman instructed him to fire Block. Although Fates makes no mention of the cheating itself or of Block's sister, his explanation of why Block disappeared does not contradict Heller's statement. Fates also avoids mentioning the fact that his company never booked Block on "I've Got A Secret" or interacted with him again.