|
       
|
   
The original version of Match Game, hosted by Gene Rayburn, aired on NBC from December 1962 to September 1969. There were two teams composed of a celebrity guest and two studio contestants, and they would try to match answers to a question to earn points. If two players matched, the team would earn twenty-five points. If all three players matched, they would earn fifty points. The first team to reach one hundred points won the game and earned $100. The contestants would go on to an audience match, and each correct response would earn the contestants $50. A home player game was introduced in 1967 where a person at home called in and would have a chance at winning a jackpot. The caller would have a chance to match a member of a studio audience. If they matched, they would win the jackpot and split it. If they didn't, the jackpot would increase $100 each day up to $500.After a four year absence, a pilot for a revamped version of Match Game was taped on May 19, 1973. CBS picked up the show and the classic 1970s version made its debut as Match Game 73 on July 2, 1973. Two contestants would try to match answers to a fill-in with the six celebrities on the panel. 
After two rounds were played, the contestant with the most matches won the game and played the Super Match. During the Super Match, three celebrities chosen by the contestant would give their best response to the audience match. The best answer was worth $500, the second best response was worth $250, and the third $100. Whatever the contestant won during the Super Match would be multiplied by ten giving a contestant a chance to win up to $5,000 in a head-to-head match with one of the six celebrities. If they matched, the contestant would win the jackpot. In 1978, the star wheel was added that featured the names of the celebrities. Contestants would spin the wheel to determine who they would play with in the head-to-head match. Additionally, if the wheel landed on a star square above the celebrity's name, the jackpot would double for a potential winning of $10,000! A weekly syndicated version of Match Game made its debut On September 8, 1975 as Match Game PM. Just like the daytime version, contestants would match a panel of six celebrities. On Match Game PM, three rounds were played along with two Super Match Rounds, which gave a contestant a chance to win a jackpot of $10,000! When the star wheel was added, the potential winnings increased to $20,000! After a series of timeslot changes, the show fell in the ratings and CBS canceled Match Game 79 on April 20, 1979, but returned in syndication in September as Match Game. The series lasted three seasons and both Match Game and Match Game PM were gone by 1982. 
In 1983, NBC brought back Match Game in a unique way by combining two classic game shows into one. The Match Game Hollywood Squares Hour premiered on October 31, 1983 with hosts Gene Rayburn and Jon Bauman. Match Game was played in the first half with Jon Bauman as one of the six celebrities on the panel. After three rounds were played, the winner played Hollywood Squares against the champion. Three more celebrities joined the panel as Jon Bauman hosted the Hollywood Squares half. Unlike the original Hollywood Squares, most of the questions used were multiple choice, thus resulting in a lack of zingers. The winner of the Hollywood Squares part would go on to play the Super Match for a chance to win up to $30,000. After the audience match, the contestant picked one of the nine celebrities holding a sealed card that read 10, 20, or 30. That number would then be multiplied with what the contestant won during the audience match. The contestant would then play the head-to-head match. NBC canceled the show on July 27, 1984. It would be the last time Gene Rayburn would host any version of Match Game.
ABC decided to revive Match Game in 1990, this time selecting former Super Password host and Match Game panelist Bert Convy as the new host. Convy hosted the pilot shows, but was diagnosed with brain cancer a short time later, which sadly resulted in his death in 1991. Gene Rayburn expressed an interest in hosting, but was not considered because of his age. Ross Shafer became the host of Match Game (commonly known as Match Game 90). This version reunited 70's panel regulars Charles Nelson Reilly and Brett Somers. Match Game 90 added a new feature called Match-Up. A contestant and a celebrity would have 30 seconds to play a speed version of head-to-head match. The chosen celebrity would guess which of the two choices the contestant selected. Because ABC scheduled Match Game at noon, many major markets dropped the show to carry the local news. As a result, Match Game disappeared again on July 12, 1991. On the final episode, Shafer hinted that the show would be back again very soon. It would be seven years until the next revival.On September 21, 1998, Match Game (98) returned to syndication. The final version was hosted by Michael Burger with regular panelists Vicki Lawrence, Judy Trunda, Nell Carter, and George Hamilton. The game was played just like the 70's version, but instead of choosing questions from slot A or B, the contestant chose between two categories. There were also five celebrities instead of six on the panel. The Super Match was played just like Match Game 73-78, which gave a contestant a chance to win up to $5,000. However, because many major markets slotted the show during overnights, Match Game left the air in 1999 and has not been revived since.
|
Hosts Gene Rayburn Ross Shafer Michael Burger Announcers Johnny Olson Gene Wood Paul Boland Airdates Match Game 73-79 Premiere: July 2, 1973 Finale : April 20, 1979 (1,445 Episodes) Match Game PM Premiere: Sept 8, 1975 Finale: Sept 1981 (230 Episodes) Match Game (SYN) Premiere: Sept 1979 Finale: Sept 1982 (525 Episodes) Match Game Hollywood Squares Hour Premiere: October 31, 1983 Finale: July 27, 1984 Match Game (90) Premiere: July 16, 1990 Finale: July 12, 1991 Match Game (98) Premiere: Sept. 21, 1998 Finale: December 1999 |