| Gene Rayburn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name: | Eugene Rubessa |
| Born: | December 22, 1917 |
| Birth Hometown: | Christopher, Illinois |
| Died: | November 29, 1999 (age 81) |
| Place of death: | Gloucester, Massachusetts |
| Occupation: | Host, Comedian, Actor |
| Years active: | 1953-1998 |
| Known for: | Hosting Match Game |
Gene Rayburn (born Eugene Rubessa December 22, 1917 – died November 29, 1999) was an American radio and television personality. Eugene Rubessa (pronounced /ruːˈbeɪʃə/) in Christopher, Illinois, was an only child of Croatian immigrants and graduated from Knox College.
Trivia[]
He chose his stage name by randomly pointing at a page in the telephone book, after being told Rubessa sounded "too Italian".
Death[]
Rayburn died of congestive heart failure at his daughter's home in Gloucester, Massachusetts on November 29, 1999.
Shows hosted[]
- Make the Connection (1955)
- Choose Up Sides (1956)
- Dough Re Mi (1958-60)
- Head of the Class (1960, unsold pilot)
- Play Your Hunch (1962 daytime, interim host)
- Match Game (1962-69, 1973-82)
- To Tell the Truth (1965, sub)
- The Amateur's Guide to Love (1972)
- TattleTales (1970s, sub)
- Password Plus (1980s)
- Party Line (1983, unsold pilot later reworked into Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak)
- The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour (1983-84)
- Break the Bank (1985; also hosted the 1984 pilot)
- The Movie Masters (1989-90)
Gallery[]
Gene & his Family
Early Photos[]
Match Game Craziness[]
Gene hosting MG
That's quite a long microphone!
This was during the "School" incident
"QUIET" Gene yells as he tries to restore order
Hide your kids, hide your wife, lock your doors and windows, it's GENE, the angry camera attacking man!
RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!
Man, that's some terrible spelling!
Rayburn on SNL in 1990[]
Video[]
Links[]
- Gene Rayburn's World @ gameshowutopia.net
- Gene Rayburn at Wikipedia
- Gene Rayburn at the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
