Search results
Oct 21, 2024 · Gene Rayburn, the jocular host who winked at double entendres during TV's popular "Match Game," has died. He was 81. Rayburn died Monday of congestive heart failure at his daughter's home in...
Today, over 20 years after his passing, the memory of Gene Rayburn and his years hosting Match Game live on, helped no doubt by the airing of reruns on the Game Show Network and numerous videos...
- Overview
- Early life
- Career
- Last years and death
Gene Rayburn (born Eugene Rubessa December 22, 1917 – November 29, 1999) was an American radio and television personality.
Born Eugene Rubessa (pronounced /ruːˈbeɪʃə/) in Christopher, Illinois, he was an only child of Croatian immigrants to the United States.
After he graduated from Knox College, he chose his stage name of Gene Rayburn by randomly pointing at a page in a telephone directory, after being told "Rubessa" sounded "too Italian."
After Eugene Rubessa became Gene Rayburn, he started out as a radio star in New York, having done a morning show with Jack Lescoulie and later Dee Finch. Later, he made the jump to television by becoming the announcer for Steve Allen's Tonight Show. It was in this media that Rayburn began his long association with Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. His first job with Goodson-Todman was being a panelist on The Name's The Same with Robert Q. Lewis. His very first hosting job for the company was Make the Connection, replacing previous host Jim McKay. In 1962, Rayburn was hired to host a new show called The Match Game; he hosted this for seven years on NBC. Rayburn would go on to host a new version of Match Game for CBS and later syndication; he would host it from 1973 to 1982. Around a year after cancellation of the 70s & early 80s Match Game, Rayburn would host The Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour alongside Jon "Bowzer" Bauman from 1983 to 1984, again on NBC. Rayburn was going to host another 80s version of Match Game, but the project was scrapped when he was somehow subject to age discrimination because of an Entertainment Tonight report.
was not the only program Rayburn hosted during his career. He hosted shows for other companies too, examples including Dough Re Mi and the '50s version of Tic Tac Dough for Jack Barry]] and Dan Enright; The Amateur's Guide to Love for Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley; the '80s Break the Bank for Kline & Friends; a pilot for Party Line (which ultimately became Hot Streak) for Reg Grundy; and finally The Movie Masters for AMC.
Rayburn continued to make appearances on TV in the '90s until his death, of heart failure, on November 29, 1999. His remains were cremated at his daughter's home.
Gene Rayburn (born Eugene Peter Jeljenic; [1] 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. Early life.
Dec 4, 1999 · Gene Rayburn, who amused TV audiences from the '60s to the '80s as host of the popular Match Game has died. He was 81. Rayburn died Monday of congestive heart failure at his daughter's home...
Feb 26, 2020 · What was Gene Rayburn cause of death? The cause of his death was not surprising. Due to the health challenges he had been experiencing, it was not shocking that he passed on from ailment related causes. He succumbed to congestive heart failure at his daughter's home in Gloucester, Massachusetts. He was 81 years old at the time of his death.
People also ask
When was Match Game canceled?
When did Rayburn host the Match Game?
Why did Rayburn cancel Match Game?
Was Match Game a good show?
Why did'match game' become a classic example of everything working?
When did 'Match Game' rerun?
Cause of Death: Congestive heart failure Occupation: Game Show Host, Announcer, TV and Radio Personality Spouse: Helen Ticknor Rayburn (1940–1996; her death)
