Match Game 73

The best celebrity game show, where contestants attempted to match six well-knowns in filling in the blank, usually on a mildly provocative question. Fair balance between humor and competition. Helped make Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly and Richard Dawson household names. Everybody seems to be having a great time (True Hollywood Story will probably blow the lid off that). Best moments were when the sometimes-too-caustic Rayburn chided a contestant for a stupid answer, and it turned out to be a winner.

This will always be one of the classic game shows. The late Gene Rayburn will always be the perfect host of this show. Rayburn really enjoyed his image as a lecherous host and his playful banter with both the contestants and the celebrity panel were what made this show great. Also, Bret Somers and Charles Nelson Reilley's playful arguing helped make this show the perfect game show for the 1970's.

I think what made the Match Game such a hit was that anybody who watches it can't help but play. Even though the game had a very weak structure, the comedy, the contestants, the celebrities, and most importantly the revolutionizing questions, make the greatest game show ever. This show didn't make you a millionaire, but for thirty minutes, it made you feel like you had seven friends who's only job was to make you laugh. God Bless You, Gene Rayburn, Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly, Richard Dawson, and Patti Deutsch. (Pardon my spelling)

Peace Be With You, DPF

Now that the Game Show Network is showing old episodes of the best incarnation of the Match Game, it allows a whole new generation to watch one of the most popular game shows of all time! The show was kind of silly: Fill in the blank of a story, poem, rhyme, etc and hope that you match famous people. But the way Gene Rayburn conducted the show with the celebrity panel, it made for excellent viewing. Many people felt like the "regulars" on the show were "has beens," but Charles Nelson Riley would never fail to make people laugh and have a good time on the show. This show is worth catching night after night! I give this program an A.

GET READY TO MATCH THE STARS.......................

"Match Game" was without a doubt a grand staple of the game shows that were produced in the 1970's. When the show made its premiere on CBS-TV in the summer of 1973,the show quickly became a surprised hit and it was very successful against another celebrity oriented game show as well,"The Hollywood Squares",which was on a rival network. But the show will always be one of the classic game shows from that decade. The late announcer Johnny Olson and the perfect show host,the late Gene Rayburn were simply marvelous. Each episode will have contestants attempting to match six-well knowns to fill in the "blank" that was based on a mildly provocative question often with hilarious results from the panel of celebrity guests.

The show made household names out of Brett Somers,Betty White,Charles Nelson-Reilly,Bill Daily,Fanny Flagg,Richard Dawson,and Bob Barker. The show also had contestants on the show as well who will make names for themselves as well including earlier segments which featured future talk-show host Jenny Jones and future actresses Marliu Henner,Joyce DeWitt, and Kristie Alley. The show also had some walk-ons to add a bit of spice to the show and help the contestants along as well including cast members from various CBS shows at the time appeared on Match Game when the show aired including the cast of "The Carol Burnett Show", "All In The Family" "MASH",and one that included the cast of "The Waltons",and "Good Times".

Recently,The Game Show Network did a day-long marathon of this series and it brought back some grand memories. It amazes me to this day,that they don't make great game shows that this anymore since the only daytime game show still on network television today is "The Price Is Right",which has been on CBS for over 30 years and still going strong with Bob Barker!!! Gone are the those great game shows of the past which included "Gambit", "The Jokers Wild","Press Your Luck","Tattletales","Tic,Tac Dough".

But still Match Game will always be a grand staple of which game shows were based from the golden age of the 1970's. Kudos to Gene Rayburn and Johnny Olson.