Updated 05-May-2020.
Mondo shtuff from around the internet, all about GENE RAYBURN!
My botty best at summarizing from Wikipedia: Gene Rayburn (December 22, 1917 – November 29, 1999) was an american radio and television personality . he is best known as the host of various editions of the american television game show Match Game for over two decades . after Gene chose the stage name “Rayburn” by randomly sticking his finger in the phone book . he had a morning drive time radio show in new york city . his pairings with Jack Lescoulie and Dee Finch when Rayburn left WNEW, Dee Finch continued the format with Gene Klavan . he later took the lead role in the Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie . at one point in his stage career, he hosted shows such as Choose Up Sides, Dough Re Mi, and the daytime version of Tic Tac Dough . Rayburn became one of the many hosts of the NBC program Monitor in 1961 . match game was canceled in 1969 to make room for the topical game show Letters to Laugh-In . goodson-todman revived match game in 1973 for CBS, this time as a California-based game match game became the highest-rated show on daytime television . from 1973 to 1977, it was number one among all daytime network game shows . match game ran until 1979 on CBS and another three years in first-run syndic Rayburn nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Host or Hostess in a Game or Audience Participation Show . he commuted to California every two weeks to tape 12 shows over the Rayburn hosted the short-lived Heatter-Quigley Productions show The Amateur’s Guide to Love . in 1983, he hosted a pilot for Reg Grundy Productions titled Party Line . Rayburn appeared on Fantasy Island as a game show host . he was a co-host of match game-hollywood squares hour . his last game show hosting duties were on 1985’s Break the Bank . Rayburn’s daughter blamed the lack of work he received for sending him into a downward spiral . he portrayed himself on a Saturday night live sketch in 1990, which featured Susan Lucci . one of his last television appearances was a 1998 interview with Access Hollywood intended to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Match Game ’73 . he died of congestive heart failure at his daughter’s home in Gloucester, Rayburn’s final television appearance was an interview for the A&E Biography episode profiling the life of his longtime boss Mark Goodson . the episode did not air until June 4, 2000, several months after Rayburn had died