The Match Game

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The Match Game ranks 4,117 out of the 18,228 shows on TV.com.

The 37 users who count themselves as The Match Game fans have written a total of 2 reviews.

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Premiered

Ended

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Theme

You mean there was a Match Game back in the 1960s?

Yes sure was. But this original incarnation of what became one of the most popular wild game shows ever was a quite different creature to say the least. Y'see, this version of The MATCH GamE employed a staid but reliable format that earned the show... more »

You mean there was a Match Game back in the 1960s?

Yes sure was. But this original incarnation of what became one of the most popular wild game shows ever was a quite different creature to say the least. Y'see, this version of The MATCH GamE employed a staid but reliable format that earned the show a 7-season run and guaranteed host of The MATCH GamE Gene Rayburn a permanent place in game show history.

Debuting Monday December 31, 1962 on NBC-TV "In Living Color", The MATCH GamE pitted 2 teams of 3 players each (2 contestants each paired with a star team captain for a total of 6 contestants). Rayburn posed a simple question (e.g., "Name a green vegetable" or "To a rich man, ($)_______ dollars is nothing.").

Each team member without consulting the others writes his/her response on an index card with a crayon. Rayburn then calls for each player's answer, one at a time. The teams earn points for each correct answer as thus:

* Two players match: (10 points from December 31, 1962 to April 12, 1963) 25 points (April 15, 1963-September 26, 1969).
* All three players match: (20 points) 50 points.

Play alternates between the 2 teams until 1 scores 100 points. The winning contestants split $100 (or $125 if they earned 125 points or $150 when they win 150 points) and advance to the Audience Match.

In the Audience Match, the team tried to predict the Secret No. 1 answer of a 100-member polling group (usually, a previous studio audience, but it could also other groups such as women or college students). The questions are like before and each player tried to guess the top response. Rewards were paid thusly:

* One correct: $50.
* Two correct: $100.
* All three right: $150.

The highest possible payout was $450 making the game's theorhetical maximum winnings $550, $575 or $600. The team then switches celebrity partners and play the game again with the opposing team also changing partners.

Starting on March 27-31, 1967, The Telephone Match was added, where a home viewer was called and asked to match his answer to a question with the response from a pre-selected audience member by a number up to 100-plus audience members. The two players split a growing cash jackpot for matching answers – $500 plus(+) $100 per day until claimed.

The MATCH GamE ended its long 7-Season run on Friday September 26, 1969 on NBC-TV, but don't expect to see very many episodes on GSN (the old Game Show Network). Thanks to NBC's practice of reusing videotapes to record shows (and since The MATCH GamE was aired live in the beginning) only 11 episodes - all but a couple black and white kinescopes from 1963-1965 - are known to exist. A color video studio master from 1969 also is rumored to be around but has not been rerun.

As we all know, The MATCH GamE returned nearly 4 years later in 1973 on CBS-TV in what would become a much funnier contest called Match Game 73. That's not to say there were plenty of funny, classic moments on this 1st Edition.

A note on the episode guide: since the show ran Monday-Friday of each week, and the guests were the same for all 5 days, each episode listed is actually a week's worth of episodes (1760 in all).

The MATCH GamE is "A Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Production" in association with the NBC-TV Network.

The Broadcast Report of The MATCH GamE:
December 31, 1962-September 26, 1969, NBC-TV Monday-Friday at 4:00-4:25 p.m. in Living Color.

*The 1st theme song was "A Swingin' Safari" written by Bert Kaempfert from December 31, 1962 to September 1, 1967.

*The 2nd theme song called "The MATCH GamE" (along with the same beat of "Everybody's Talking" A 1967 ABC-TV Game Show starring (The Late) Lloyd Thaxton) performed by The Score Production Band from September 4, 1967 to September 26, 1969.

In the later version of The MATCH GamE they also had a portion of the show were if they had time left they would play a game with the audience. The question was read and the panelist one panelist would write an answer and the person in the audience would guess and if they got it write they would get $50.less «

• The MATCH GamE precursor reject "The MATH GamE" (1961-1970).

  "The MATH GamE" (1961-1970) Episode Guide in Living Color on NBC-TV. SEASON 1 (COLOR): 1. 12/18-22/1961: Cindy B...more »

  "The MATH GamE" (1961-1970) Episode Guide in Living Color on NBC-TV. SEASON 1 (COLOR): 1. 12/18-22/1961: Cindy Bear (Julie Bennett) & Snagglepuss (Daws Butler) 2. 12/25-29/1961: Daisy Mae Bell (June Foray) & Popeye The Sailor (Jack Mercer) 3. 1/1-6/1962: Wilma Flintstone (Jean Vanderpyl) & Gabby Gator (Daws Butler) 4. 1/8-13/1962: Natasha Fatale (June Foray) & Gandy Goose (Arthur Kay) 5. 1/15-20/1962: Shari Lewis & Mr. Leader (Lucien Kaminsky) 6. 1/22-27/1962: Daisy Duck (Clarence Nash) & Quickdraw McGraw (Daws Butler) 7. 1/29-2/3/1962: Daisy Duck (Clarence Nash) & Rocky The Flying Squirrel (June Foray) 8. 2/5-10/1962: Pearl Pureheart (Carol Lawrence) & Itchy Brother (Allen Swift) 9. 2/12-17/1962: Petunia Pig (Bernice Hansen) & Gandy Goose (Arthur Kay) 10. 2/19-24/1962: Natasha Fatale (June Foray) & Mr. Green Jeans (Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum) 11. 2/26-3/3/1962: Olive Oyl (Mae Questel) & Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan) 12. 3/5-10/1962: Shari Lewis & Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan) 13. 3/12-17/1962: Betty & Barney Rubble (Bea Benaderet & Mel Blanc) 14. 3/19-24/1962: Mary Hartline & Soupy Sales 15. 3/26-31/1962: Fred Flintstone (Alan Reed) & Barney Rubble (Mel Blanc) 16. 4/2-7/1962: Shari Lewis & Mark Wilson 17. 4/9-14/1962: Wilma Flintstone (Jean Vanderpyl) & Clyde Crashup (Shepard Menken) 18. 4/16-21/1962: Natasha Fatale (June Foray) & Boris Badenov (Paul Frees) 19. 4/23-28/1962: Beany Boy (Jim McGeorge) & Dishonest John (Irv Shoemaker) 20. 4/30-5/5/1962: Fran Allison & Gus Allegretti 21. 5/7-12/1962: Nini Darnell & Bobby Rydell 22. 5/14-19/1962: Betty Boop (Mae Questel) & Mr. Green Jeans (Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum) 23. 5/21-26/1962: Hayley Mills & Jay North 24. 5/28-6/2/1962: Popeye The Sailor (Jack Mercer) & Brutus The Brut (Jackson Beck) 25. 6/4-9/1962: Granny Goode (June Foray) & Mr. Moose (Gus Allegretti) 26. 6/11-16/1962: Harriet & Rick Nelson 27. 6/18-23/1962: Linda Williams (Angela Cartwright) & Chip Douglas (Stanley Livingston) 28. 6/25-30/1962: Daisy Duck (Clarence Nash) & Mighty Mouse (Tom Morrison) 29. 7/2-7/1962: Gandy Goose & Sourpuss (Arthur Kay) 30. 7/9-14/1962: Shari Lewis & Mark Wilson 31. 7/16-21/1962: Princess Betty Anderson (Elinor Donahue) & Rusty Williams (Rusty Hamer) 32. 7/23-28/1962: Wally & Theodore "The Beaver" Cleaver (Tony Dow & Jerry Mathers) 33. 7/30-8/4/1962: Wilma Flintstone (Jean Vanderpyl) & Barney Bear (Paul Frees) 34. 8/6-11/1962: Rusty Williams (Rusty Hamer) & Chip Douglas (Stanley Livingston) 35. 8/13-18/1962: Shari Lewis & Sonny Fox 36. 8/20-25/1962: Daisy Duck (Clarence Nash) & Beany Boy (Jim McGeorge) less «

  Benhallums1 Last online 4 days ago
  10 comments, last one Jan 11, 2009 + Add Comment

• "The MATCH GamE" on NBC-TV.

  "The MATCH GamE" airs "In Living Color" Monday December 31, 1962-Friday September 26, 1969 at 4:00-4:25pm (followed by NBC...more »

  "The MATCH GamE" airs "In Living Color" Monday December 31, 1962-Friday September 26, 1969 at 4:00-4:25pm (followed by NBC NEWS CAPSULE.) Theme Songs: 1. "A Swingin' Safari" written & performed by Bert Kaempfert from 1962 to 1967. 2. "The MATCH GamE" composed & performed by The Score Production Band from 1967 to 1969. less «

  Benhallums1 Last online 4 days ago
  1 comments, last one Feb 18, 2007 + Add Comment

• The MATCH GamE's Lost & Found Weekday Shows.

  Since I First saw "The MATCH GamE" on NBC-TV that aired twice on GAME SHOW Network aka GSn in October 1998. GSn aired 2 Show from the 2nd Season (1963-1964) and never aired the entire 7-Season Period from NBC-TV.

  Since I First saw "The MATCH GamE" on NBC-TV that aired twice on GAME SHOW Network aka GSn in October 1998. GSn aired 2 Show from the 2nd Season (1963-1964) and never aired the entire 7-Season Period from NBC-TV.less «

  Benhallums1 Last online 4 days ago
  3 comments, last one Feb 17, 2007 + Add Comment

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  9 Superb

  A classic game show that started seriously. hide « show »

  Not like the 70's version, there were no raunchy answers allowed. The game was played seriously & the questions were Family Feud type (which spawned the idea 14 years later). The series was also sponsored by Proctor & Gamble.
  
  The very first television theme song that I ever remembered was "A Swingin Safari", written & performed by Bert Kaempfert (Billy Vaughn & Bill Justis also had good versions of that tune).
  
  Being that I was a kid, I still remember that the Telephone Game's all time biggest payoff was $2,600! What else did I like? The famous SHIP'S BELL!!!, when somebody won the game or the Telephone Game. That sound effect was also used for The Daily Double (on the original Jeopardy!), Snap Judgment & Shoot For The Stars.
  
  

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  TriviaDude Added Jun 4, 2006 All my reviews
•  

  9.8 Superb

  What is there not to love??? hide « show »

  This is an all time classic game show. It has humor and comedy. You get to see many different stars outside of their element as character in shows, It shows us just how many others think and have fun all at the same time. It is a show that could still be running today with a whole new set of stars and contestents. It brings fun to those who play from home. It is a gameshow that withstands time.

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  angelsxo Added Feb 4, 2006 All my reviews