NBC cameraman Bob Batche took these photos in Studio 8H in December of 1968. Notice in three of these shots, taken during rehearsal (yes, there was a rehearsal with fake questions) the man behind the host’s lectern is not Gene Rayburn. It is our friend Dick DeBartelo, the man who wrote the questions and thousands of articles for “Mad Magazine”.
The show started on New Year’s Eve of 1962 in black and white. Planning for 8H’s colorization started in the spring of 1963. When the network’s 62-63 season had concluded, the physical work began and four RCA TK41 color cameras were moved from The Ziegfeld Theater to 8H. The studio went color on June 24, 1963, and “The Match Game” was among the first color productions from 8H. I think they taped five shows each Tuesday. The last episode to air on NBC was September 24, 1969.
In the summer of 1973, “The Match Game” came back to life on CBS at Television City’s Studio 33, and was a hit all over again. The 1,439th and final CBS episode aired on April 20, 1979.
The show is back on ABC now with Alec Baldwin as host and executive producer. I’m not sure if Dick DeBartolo is writing the questions for the new show, but even if he’s not, he gave us plenty to laugh our _____ off, on the NBC and CBS versions! -Bobby Ellerbee
I only liked it when it got dirty. Really dirty.
Thanks Bobby, Gene Rayburn was the best and we can’t forget the great Johnny Olsen!
I read Dick will have nothing to do with the current version. Too raunchy.
i was a youngster and went to several tapings back then was and still am facinated by the camers and equiptment
I’m, as usual, interested in the off stage microphones. A 77D and a BK1A. I assume for the announcer. The 77 definitely.
Who’s sitting in father and daughter MacRae’s seats?
Bobby, is studio 33 the same studio that Carol Burnett was shot in? It looks like the same stage that she took audience questions. I TiVo match game 77 on GSN and it looks like they were using Norelco cameras. Yesterday’s episode you could see the quad banding on the bright orange set.
I was a CBS page on the syndicated Match Game in 1979 & 1980 with tapings every other weekend. The most entertaining shows were shot Sunday evenings. By then the open bar in the green room was having its maximum effect!
Yup used to sneak in and watch at NBC
Rayburn’s Match Game was the best game show ever. Very interesting tidbit about DeBartolo (not DeBartelo), whose name I saw hundreds of times in Mad.
Dick DeBartolo tells me that he has nothing to do with the current version … but it has nothing to do with raunchiness. They just didn’t ask him!
Now Shot at ABC TV Studio 24 in New York City Seasons 1& 2 are done and cumming back for Season 3 this spring
I had the pleasure of attending a taping of two episodes of Match Game in the late 70’s.
R.I.P Gene Rayburn, Dennis Weaver, and Michael Landon on Match Game in 1964:)
My parents were on 2 episodes in May 1968. The celebrties were Diana sand, Alan king, David Canary and forgot the fourth. I have been told there is no saved video from theat time but my Dad recorded off the Tv onto an audio cassette recorder Which I still have
I was a fan of the original, and it seemed an eternity between that at MG’73 (well, I was 9 when it went off and 13 when it debuted on CBS) but it’s been so long, and I’ve always seen what little video in b & w that I completely forgot what the set looked like in color. Thanks for this!
I was in the audience in NY for one of the tapings in 1960s. Frank Gifford was on the show.
Another great group of pictures! I love this page. It’s the best place to learn about TV history.
Those cameras take up half of the studio