Gene Rayburn had a hit radio show on WNBC in New York and was signed to a 20 year contract with NBC in 1952. They later assigned him to be Steve Allen's announcer/sidekick on the first version of The Tonight Show. When Steve left that show, Gene was assigned to host various NBC game shows that didn't last until Match Game clicked in 1962. He also was one of the hosts of NBC radio's Monitor weekend program. When Match Game was cancelled in 1969, Gene again was assigned to host more short-lived game shows for NBC until his contract expired in 1972. The next year he was hired to host the new version of Match Game on CBS.

This is so different from the '70s version! If it weren't for Gene Rayburn as host from the beginning, it probably wouldn't have lasted!

@bradcrawford1998

8 ай бұрын

I agree 100% Gene Rayburn was a GREAT host. So funny and entertaining 😊

@David-yw2lv

4 ай бұрын

As the show went on it became name something and surveys to fill in the blanks.

Nice to see this with the original commercials intact as they would be on a kinescope. Thanks for sharing this with us 👍

Wow. Johnny Olsen announced on the original version too. Thanks for sharing.

This was the demo for the show. This pilot was never aired until GSN ran it several years ago. A few cosmetic changes were made before the first NBC broadcast of “The Match Game”.

@travis7310

6 жыл бұрын

Gene Davis It was included as a bonus on The Best of "Match Game" DVD set.

Notice how Gene asks the men what they do for a living and asks the women where they live. Sign of the times.

@readytogo3186

10 ай бұрын

Yes!

@susanb2015

5 ай бұрын

I wish it was like that now. I wouldn't have been thrown out of my home waiting to hopefully die.

Great Show with Great Memories & Thanks for including the original VINTAGE 1962 Commercials!!

That's weird, I remember hearing that initial theme music, but never seen the show. I was busy being a kid. Thanks for the posting.

@Mollysky1

6 ай бұрын

Wasn't it the Dating Game musical intro?

@yvonnepeters1914

6 ай бұрын

@@Mollysky1 No.....

This is WNBC (-TV) COMCAST NBCUniversal 4 New York, NY! "From New York City, (NBC-TV Presents/It's Time to Play) 'The MATCH GamE' (This Portion of 'The MATCH GamE' is Brought to You By...) (and now Here's Your Host/With The Star of 'The MATCH GamE') (Mr.) GENE RAYBURN."

Bought to you in living color. Wow. We've come a long way.

@michaelwascom62

6 ай бұрын

I watched the original Match Game in living black and white! Color TV was too expensive for my folks' budget!

@Tazzman225

2 ай бұрын

LIVING COLOR! Not just any color. It had to be living! 😂

@brianarbenz1329

14 күн бұрын

@@Tazzman225 Today, the color still lives, while all else is dying. :(

It's interesting how Gene asked the male contestants what they did for a living, but asked the female contestants where they were from. Sign of the times. I'm glad the format changed, but that they kept Gene!

You look at an episode of match game in 1962, it’s such a stark contrast to an episode from say 1975, amazing how times change so quickly

@David-yw2lv

4 ай бұрын

Naming things became Family Feud material in 1976.Surveys became Card Sharks m.o. a few years after.

Brought to you in living tones of gray!

Back when we only had 3 channels to choose from.

@ronrondon9780

7 жыл бұрын

it is true but some more are independent station added

@ChadQuick270W

4 жыл бұрын

And something good on all three.

@tj.espygil4544

2 жыл бұрын

I was 7 years old. I watched it. I enjoyed it. The best celebrities they ever had were Orson Bean and Jane Mansfield.

@cindyrussell1581

4 ай бұрын

Right and kids complain today.

@brianarbenz7206

14 күн бұрын

And we had to walk over to the set to change the channel. Oh, the spartan existence we endured.

Peter Lind Hayes lived to 82 years old. Married to Mary Healy for 58 years. She was in show business for over 50 years. She lived to 92.

This was a favorite of mine back then.Several aspects of the original game were transferred to Family Feud and Card Sharks.I remember Ironized Yeast and Haley's MO.I always wondered what MO stood for

Man, Mary Pidgeon is one hott bird!!

@butterbean3676

5 ай бұрын

🤪🤪🤪

@ciabattatom521

3 ай бұрын

Right up there with the Coo-Coo Pigeon Sisters (or is that Cuckoo?)

I remember watching it when I was younger..my mom always watch it..

@phoch2331

Жыл бұрын

I'd come home from school and hear the music to Match Game, the show in the '70's. My mom would tell us to go upstairs and get changed; then, we could watch Match Game. We ran upstairs, got dressed in play clothes, and sat in front of the TV from 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. What an amazing, innocent time. So grateful.

The Late 50s thru the early 60s was FAB! And, with such truly WHOLESOME INNOCENT SIMPLE FUN, this fab show depicts that ever-missed Space Age Era!🇺🇸 Much Thanks for sharing this Rare Vintage Gem!🇺🇸

This version was a far cry from the one that became far more popular in the 70's.

@jeffschwartz4t.o.council-j132

Жыл бұрын

The name of the song is "A Swinging Safari" and it was in the Top 40 charts around 1962.

I totally remember this original theme music .

Damn, Bromo-Quinine. I am just old enough to remember that stuff. It also had phenolphthaline, so that stuff cleaned you out at both ends. 🤣

As Steve Harvey would say to Rick, "Is that your real voice?" 😂

Intro questions asked. Men: "What do you do for a living?" -- Women: "Where is your home?"

Ronni Smith tells us she lives in East Orange, N.J. Gene asks her, "And what brings you to New York today?" Oh, just doing a little shopping, and I thought I'd duck into this studio at random and see if perchance there's a game show going on.

Thats how defined roles were, gene asked the men what they did for a living and asked the women where they're from.

Arthur Trudeau appeared on Password in 1962

@harrykargenian110

Жыл бұрын

Yes he did, I remember that name.

IN LIVING COLOR MY EYES MUST BE GOING

@trekkiejunk

4 ай бұрын

It was broadcast in color, but was only recorded in kinescope, which is not only black and white, but a severely downgraded process of recording old television programs.

Watching this just shows how important Gene was as host. His impish personality was perfect for the show as it evolved into more of a freewheeling format and became just a framework that allowed the celebs to goof around and improvise with each other. The elements are there but bringing in a couple of contestants and having a panel of celebs definitely improved on things. A stodgier host and we might never have had the Match Game for all those years. The revival with Alec Baldwin actually wasn't bad but after his incident on that movie set it cancelled.

Brought to you in living...black and white. (too bad someone didn't use COLOR film or better yet, save the color videotape!)

@trekkiejunk

4 ай бұрын

They didn't actually record it on tape at all. This is was recorded in the studios by a process called kinescope. They would use another camera to record the telecast image off another camera. That's why the picture is so soft and blurry. Similar idea to you holding a camera up to your TV to record a show. If you look at old television that's in black in white, if the image is fairly sharp, it was recorded on either film or early video tape. If the picture is really soft, with very extreme blooms of black and white, and not much shading, then that was kinescope.

:Pilot aired Wed., Dec. 5, 1962

Gene’s microphone looks like a can opener!!

@xmttrman

11 ай бұрын

It appears a mic meant to be worn from a lanyard was attached to piece of plastic, quite awkward.

🤣 swingin safari

Unfortunately, it appears this only survives in in this kinescope capture, but i bet that set would have looked glorious in NBC's ''living color.''

I think the original "Match Game" didn't go color on NBC until 1965.

@robertpeters2741

7 жыл бұрын

This is the original "Match Game" and it was in "color"

@johnread7440

4 жыл бұрын

@@robertpeters2741 Steve is right. Maybe this pilot was in color, but the series originated in black and white.

@dwightpowell6673

3 жыл бұрын

Why no black contestants ?

@robertsprouse9282

Жыл бұрын

1963..

@robertsprouse9282

Жыл бұрын

@@stephenmitchell663, shortly after that, about three months or so, I SAW THE MATCH GAME IN COLOR on my parents first ever, COLOR TV..on day one of having one in our house. It was 1963..

This set was very colorful

Now I see why the 1970s version was a quantum leap ahead of this original; as Bob Eubanks said "New York people were really stern and there was a little more relaxation and filthy dirty questions allowed on the west coast."

People today couldn't name the three ships of Columbus. They're too busy disrespecting him.

The guy designed checkbook covers. Obviously, if he's still around, he'd be out of a job today.

The Match Game (Aug 5, 1962)

Wow, the Original MG !

Bromo Quinine actually worked!

Swinging safari . How cool

Funny, when Peggy Cass called Gene Lassie!

it was in color but who recorded it had a black and white set.

@trekkiejunk

4 ай бұрын

Ummmm....no. There was no home recording in 1962. This was recorded in the studios by a process called kinescope. They would use another camera to record the telecast image off another camera. That's why the picture is so soft and blurry. Similar idea to you holding a camera up to your TV to record a show.

If I heard correctly, the studio was used for Saturday Night Live

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen, but do you recall the most famous reindeer of all? Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!

That Bromo Quinine tasted like death

Who is the guy in the commercial for Haley's M-O??? I know he's an actor and I recognize that voice, but I cannot remember his name. It's killing me.

I was born in 1961.

@trekkiejunk

4 ай бұрын

Ok, and?

That's what Living Color looked like in 1962 ? That's the year I was born

@trekkiejunk

4 ай бұрын

The broadcast would have been in color. This was recorded in the studios by a process called kinescope. They would use one camera to record the telecast image off another camera. That's why the picture is so soft and blurry. Similar idea to you holding a camera up to your TV to record a show.

Whatever that theme music is, I remember hearing it occasionally back in the 60's. Anybody know what it's called?

@markmontieth8815

6 ай бұрын

Swingin Safari

@tomripsin730

6 ай бұрын

Wow. Thanks. I didn't expect anyone to actually know that.@@markmontieth8815

There's Johnny Jacobs in the Haley's M-O ad!

@williamdunphy352

6 жыл бұрын

Todd Wacha 24:22 Where Johnny Jacobs begins the commercial. Johnny did all those Chuck Barris game shows & the original "The Joker's Wild".

I came up with Lassie, Rin Tin Tin! Hahahaha

@ciabattatom521

3 ай бұрын

I immediately thought "Clifford the Big Red Dog." Then, when I tried to think of something more relevant to their time, I was stumped.

When did they switch from points-to- dollars, straight to dollars?

When did they switch from raising their hands, to a light bar lighting up, when they were done? What year?

The intro music was also the used as the intro music for Vi i femman (We are in 5th grade)!

@xmttrman

11 ай бұрын

Billy Vaughn's version of Bert Kaempfert's "A Swingin' Safari".

Does anyone know the name or composer of the intro music score?

8:30 - well, my answer was Fido >_>

Quinine: This medicine may cause very serious unwanted effects and should only be used for patients with malaria. (Did you notice at the very end of this pilot they didn’t have all the credited names listed.)

@gericummings6122

Жыл бұрын

I was wondering about the quinine...

I wonder...did bromo quinine aka hydrochloroquin help with colds??

You got pt 2?

No where as good as the 70's version

Looks like the NBC peacock 🦚 forgot to colorize this episode!

@trekkiejunk

4 ай бұрын

The broadcast would have been in color. This was recorded in the studios by a process called kinescope. They would use one camera to record the telecast image off another camera. That's why the picture is so soft and blurry. Similar idea to you holding a camera up to your TV to record a show.

Ok

If you can tell me a game show host better than Gene Rayburn I'd like to hear it.

@robertsprouse9282

Жыл бұрын

The late, great BILLY WOMBGANS..

@GeorgeMaster-xg7lg

10 ай бұрын

​@@robertsprouse9282I would have said either Peter Marshall or Bob Barker.

@Fireball409

6 ай бұрын

​@@robertsprouse9282 WHO IN THE WORLD IS THAT?!?

@robertsprouse9282

6 ай бұрын

@@Fireball409 , lol.. 1920’s baseballer..

@trekkiejunk

4 ай бұрын

Richard Dawson, no question. He was the #1 king.

Where do I buy that Bromo Quinine?

@nsnopper

Жыл бұрын

@@robertsprouse9282 😂😂😂😂

@robertsprouse9282

Жыл бұрын

@@nsnopper, where is my initial response, the one you are responding to..? Faceybook is censoring, again?

@nsnopper

Жыл бұрын

@@robertsprouse9282 It disappeared! How did that happen?

It’s not in living color

@trekkiejunk

4 ай бұрын

The broadcast would have been in color. This was recorded in the studios by a process called kinescope. They would use one camera to record the telecast image off another camera. That's why the picture is so soft and blurry. Similar idea to you holding a camera up to your TV to record a show.

The new game "Blank Slate" is a ripoff of classic Match Game

Not quite the most exciting game show...

The 70s version was way better 60s boring

What a horrible structure. I’m so bored. 70s version kills this.

5:14 "Fulton, the inventor of the steam engine." Sorry Gene, Robert Fulton didn't invent the steam engine. What he did - with help from Robert R. Livingston - was develop the first commercially successful steamBOAT: The "North River Steamboat" - later renamed the "Clermont". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Fulton#Career_in_the_United_States_(1806-1815)