1982 Gene Rayburn/WBZ-TV Promos

[garison2]

I was the Promotion Director and did these promos with Gene at the station. I called him at his home and asked if he would come in and do them for us. It was raining that day and I can still remember him walking in with this oversized umbrella and everyone watching from the windows upstairs saying... "Oh my God, Gene Rayburn is here." It is too bad more of the outtakes were not available. Some of his comments were too racy to broadcast. Thanks for posting these.

[catholicpriest1]

Match Game ended in 1982. It looks like Gene hadn't received the news yet.

[unconventionalmeans]

@catholicpriest1

I can't say that I care very much for Gene's sports coat!

[charlie8575]

Priceless! Where did you find this? I remember 4 Today and People are Talking, but I was fairly young at the time (5-6-7 years old,) so I don't think I ever watched either of them.

[j4chri]

I didn't know that Gene lived on Cape Cod when he was around, does anybody know where in Chicago he was from?

[mlrobins2]

Christopher, ILL

[GEORGETOWN93]

Gene Rayburn was great, but towards the end of the Match Game series he seemed to have lost his flare and overall energy that gave a spark to the show

[Ilovelucyclassics]

still a great dresser 12 years after

[catholicpriest1]

Good thing he didn't turn into Bill O'Reilly!

[rlrshepherdstown]

You know there will never be another Gene Rayburn no matter good someone tries to match up to him . Gene had a good personality ,and knew how to make people laugh besides himself . Gene has been childhood Memory since the Original Match Game on NBC in the 60's

[DesiluTrek]

As usual, Gene was Gene-ious!!! ad-libbing something better and funnier with the houseplant bits at the end!

[rlrshepherdstown]

LOL!!Gene Rayburn was so funny there ,and I am not surprised that he didn't crack up laughing,because he was always laughing about everything or sneezed . Thanks for sharing that clip .

[Boston4Today]

These promos were filmed on the set of "4 Today" (WBZ-TV's early morning news and interview program from 1980-1982). The set (without the anchor desk and weather board...)was also used for "People Are Talking." Each show had it's own logo sign which was hung next to the window behind Gene Rayburn.

[catholicpriest1]

I was waiting for Gene to say" F@#k it, I'll do it live, I'll do it live.  I write it myself and do it live!"

[yaggy9]

haha! nice. yeah even when gene got flustered he stayed calm and worked through it.

[mainmedic]

@catholicpriest1 AWESOME!

[mrmatchgame]

Gene Rayburn was living on the cape for a long time which is the reason why he was able to come up and shoot some video. I wish I had a copy.