It was originally sponsored by Bendix home appliances[3] (a division of Avco), then on alternate weeks for the next two years by Swanson canned and frozen poultry, and by Johnson Wax.

After a brief hiatus in late 1954, the series returned under the new sponsorship of Ralston Purina;[4] Clorets and Chicken of the Sea tuna also signed on as sponsors.

The only panelist to remain for the show's entire run was New York-based actress and socialite Joan Alexander in the second chair.

That fourth panelist was originally Sherlock Holmes portrayer Basil Rathbone, but he left on April 6, 1954 and was replaced by Texaco Star Theater regular Arnold Stang.

In January 1955, Rayburn and Myerson left the panel and were replaced by The Jackie Gleason Show's Audrey Meadows and New York Herald Tribune columnist and future To Tell the Truth regular Hy Gardner.

Gardner was replaced by actor Walter Slezak in March 1955, who in turn left in July due to a time slot switch.

Many celebrities of the era were guest panelists: Morey Amsterdam, Garry Moore, Hal Block, Cliff Norton, Jackie Cooper, Peter Donald, Dane Clark, Hans Conried, Russell Crouse, John Henry Faulk, John Forsythe, Laraine Day, Marc Connelly, Denise Lor, and Hildy Parks.

The show's legal experts would check birth certificates, hospital records and other forms of verification to affirm the names' authenticity.

A small curtain was opened to the audience, showing a placard with the contestant's name, along with a drawing depicting the namesake, famous people were often caricatured.

A few times near the end of the run, host Clifton Fadiman would welcome the panel, then reveal the episode's guest to the studio and home audience.

For most of the shows run, the theme for The Name's the Same was a busy string arrangement called "Shooting Star" by Sidney Torch.

[7] A one-off revival edition was produced for BBC Four in 2005 as part of a season of programs detailing the "lost decade."

Several episodes rerun by GSN are available in their original, uncut form (e.g., with commercials and uncrunched credits) in the collectors' trading circuit, as well as from "public-domain" dealers like Shokus Video.