Match Game (1979)

Match Game (1979)
Premiere	September 10, 1979
Finale	September 10, 1982
Creator	Ira Skutch
Host	Gene Rayburn
Network/Provider	First-run syndication
Style	30-minute game show
Company	Goodson-Todman Productions, (Celebrity Productions, The Match Game Company)
Distributor	Jim Victory Television (original) Fremantle North America (current)
Seasons	3
Episodes	525
Origin	USA

Match Game is a daily game show that aired in first-run syndication. It was the fourth version of Match Game and succeeded the second version as a daytime version upon moving from CBS, as the third version still ran weekly during early prime time access.

This was virtually identical to the CBS show except that two players played two games, and there was no $100 payoff to the winner of the game (which meant that a player could win both games, strike out completely in both Super-Matches and go home with nothing--save for the parting gifts announced at the end). When time permitted, Gene Rayburn would give audience members a chance to win $50 a piece by having them guess the answer to a fill-in-the-blank written by a celebrity.

There was talk about reviving Match Game for syndication in 1985, but when stations and then-syndicator Jim Victory Television found out that Gene Rayburn was at the time pushing 70 years old, the revival plans were scuttled. As a result, repeats of this edition were syndicated starting early 1985.

Panelists

Person		Duration
Main Cast
Brett Somers
Charles Nelson Reilly
McLean Stevenson		1981-82

Seasons

Season	Premiere	Finale				#
First-run syndication
Season One	September 10, 1979	1980				175
Season Two	1980	1981				175
Season Three	1981	September 10, 1982				175

In-Depth

• At a Glance: Additional information about the series

DVD Releases

There are no DVD releases for this show.