Gene Rayburn

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9.4 Superb
20 votes

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Biography

Recent Role:
Himself on Saturday Night Live
Gender:
Male
Born:
12-22-1917
Died:
11-29-1999 (congestive heart failure)
Birthplace:
Christopher, Illinois (Died in Gloucester, Massachusetts)
Birth Name:
Eugene Rubessa
Gene Rayburn was born on December 22nd, 1917 in Christopher, Illinois. His father died when he was an infant, and his mother re-married to Milan Rubessa, whose name Gene took, thus becoming Eugene Rubessa. Gene graduated from Lindbloom Highschool in Chicago and attended Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois before moving to New York City in hopes of becoming an opera singer. Upon ariving in New York, his first job was a page for NBC. On January 1st, 1940 Gene married Helen Ticknor, and they had their only child Lynn on October 5th, 1942.



… More After a few years in the Air Force during World War II, training other recruits, Gene found a job in radio hosting a new genre of "morning drive" radio with Jack Lescoulie and Dee Finch. In 1954, Gene became an announcer and sidekick to Steve Allan on the original The Tonight Show, which became a huge success and boosted Gene's career. From there Gene hosted a variety of gameshows, including Make the Connection and Tic-Tac-Dough.

On December 31st, 1962, Gene began hosting the show that ultimately made his mark in history, The Match Game, which aired on NBC. The original version lasted until 1969, and then in 1973 a new version began on CBS, the most popular version to date, which Gene hosted with his signature long thin microphone. Gene hosted this new, more creative version, until its end in 1979, along with a nightly version of the same show, Match Game PM, which lasted all the way until 1981. While hosting the various incarnations of Match Game Gene also made other various television appearances, which he continued to do until shortly before his death in 1999.

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  •  
    9.5 Superb
    Dumb Dora was so Dumb will be what I always remember about him. hide show

    He was a great emcee. He is listed as the number two game show host of all time by the Game Show Network. He was host of the tv show 'Match Game'. It was a show about 6 panelist and two players who tried to match there answer by filling in blanks. In one like this Dumb Dora was so dumb she was on Match Game and didn't even know how to match blank. He was also comic relief. He would always have fun with his guest stars. Some of which were Richard Dawson (Family Feud), Betty White (Mary Tyler Moore), Alan Ludden (Password), Brett Sommers, Charles Nelson Reilly and many others. He is very funny and could make anyone laugh.

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    daisyduke71 Added Jan 7, 2007 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    Great game show host of all time! hide show

    I loved Gene Rayburn and if it weren't for him
    And the Match Game, there wouldn't be a show or
    Someone like him. Still badly missed by game show freaks
    Like myself. But thank goodness for GSN airing the shows as it is now the highest rated show on their schedule.
    Love that microphone he used to have!

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    JPPT1974 Added Jun 14, 2006 All my reviews
 

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