Gene Rayburn

He died on November 29, 1999 due to congestive heart failure, while he was at his daughter's home in Gloucester, Massachusetts. He was cremated, and his ashes were spread in the garden of his daughter's home.

The book ‘The Matchless Gene Rayburn’by Adam Nedeff highlighted many aspects of Rayburn's life, starting from before his classic shows. It also drew attention to his life away from the cameras, including his relationships with Match Game panelist Richard Dawson and game show kingpin Mark Goodson, as well as his struggles in finding a job after ‘Match Game’ was finally concluded.

Born as Eugene Jelyevich on December 22, 1917, in Christopher, Illinois, he was the only child of his parents, who were from Croatia. His father died when he was an infant. Later on, his mother moved to Chicago, where she married Milan Rubessa. After her marriage, Rayburn was given his stepfather’s name, and was called Eugene Rubessa. Years later, he chose his stage name ‘Rayburn’ by randomly searching the phone book.

Rayburn graduated from Lindblom Technical High School, where he was the senior class president. He acted in school plays like ‘Robert of Sicily’ and ‘Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch’, and hoped to follow an acting career. Later he attended Knox College.

During the World War II, he was called for military service, and he joined the US Air Corps.

In the 1930s, Gene Rayburn moved to New York City and joined the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) as a page. Later he served as an usher for the NBC symphony orchestra.

He was also a well-known radio performer, and hosted popular morning drive time radio shows in New York City. He hosted ‘Anything Goes’ with Jack Lescoulie, and ‘Rayburn & Finch’ with Dee Finch on WNEW radio station, now called WBBR. Rayburn’s pairings with Lescoulie and Finch became very famous, and the format was still followed when Rayburn left WNEW, and Dee Finch continued with Gene Klavan.

Passionate about acting, Rayburn started off by acting in films and theater. He landed the lead role in the Broadway musical ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ when Dick Van Dyke left the show. He also appeared in the plays ‘Charles Nelson Reilly,’ ‘Kraft Theatre’ and ‘Robert Montgomery Presents.’

His breakthrough came in 1953, when he joined as an announcer on the television talk show ‘Tonight’ with Steve Allen. Rayburn was associated with ‘Tonight’ for the next three years and he became a household name. With ‘Tonight’, he began a long association with game show producers Mark Goodson and Bill Todman.

Next, he appeared on Robert Q. Lewis's show ‘The Name's the Same’, an American game show produced by Goodson-Todman for the ABC television network. In 1955, he replaced the original host Jim McKay on the NBC game show ‘Make the Connection’. Later, he hosted popular shows like ‘Choose Up Sides’, ‘Dough Re Mi’, and the daytime version of the show ‘Tic Tac Dough’.

Gene Rayburn was nominated for five Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Host/Hostess in a Game or Audience Participation Show.

Despite his poor health, he appeared in person to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 1999.