I heard a rumor, long ago when I was in middle school (so I already am taking it with a grain of salt) that a lot of the panelists were high, including maybe even Gene.

Well, turns out they did drink Vodka on set that I know of, and Gene has occasionally forgot what he was going to say then cut to commercials. So I have to wonder, is it true? I tried to do some research on both Google and Bing but didn't really find much of an answer on this.

In the trivia section for Match Game '73 at IMDb it is stated:

"A week of Match Game was usually shot in one day. During breaks (between each day) panelists could change outfits and get something to eat. Food and beverage (including alcohol) was provided. This is why when you would get to the Thursday and Friday episodes both Gene Rayburn and the panelists seemed giddy (tipsy)."

The first DVD box set of the show, has an interview with Brett Somers who confirms this...

There is a book "Match Game 101: A Backstage History of Match Game" that talks a lot about the show. It mentioned them drinking alcohol in between shows.

I love this show, I watched it in first run and clearly remember how every year they updated the title.
I am currently watching it on Amazon Prime via Buzzr TV.

I've heard the Drunk stories too, I would say they are true based on how they behaved sometimes, but that's what made it fun.

Does anyone else find Gary Burghoff (Radar O'reilly) to be very off putting? He's always making jokes that just don't land, or are downright mean, (occasionally he would do a CNR impression that was pretty good). The last episode I watched he dumped the trash can on the stage and acted drunk or high. I guess he was good friends with Gene Rayburn so maybe he thought he could get away with stuff?

Rayburn was a great host, he was really funny and smooth.
I loved the interplay between Brett and CNR.

It's also fun to Google the Contestants and see what they look like now, of if they're even alive, this was 47 years ago for some of the eps. (gasp).

You're not the only one who's felt that way about CNR. It's almost like he's on edge all the time. Based on my own experience of things, it looks like most episodes he's on a bad trip or something (maybe that's not Tabaco in his pipe?)

Gene is, and will always be my favorite host. The show itself I love to death and it's something that has held up against the test of time, despite the changes in society, I can still answer a lot of the questions and land close to what the panelist comes up with, despite there being a huge generational gap for me since I'm 33.

My favorite (and I can't remember her name right now) is the one who sometimes sits in Betty's spot, who always has the raunchy answers, her answers are a lot of times honestly what I want to say 80% of the time, but I never go with them because it's supposedly a PG friendly show (haha right, this is why I love the show, it's PG but only just on the line).

Kirsty Alley. From IMDb.com:

"Has appeared on Match Game PM (1975) in 1979, where she won $6,000. Identified herself as an interior designer who was in Los Angeles, California from Wichita, Kansas, on a job assignment. Then, in 1980, she was a contestant on Password Plus (1979), but took home only $800."

Her 2 or 3 episodes that she did is included on the DVD box set...

Watching Match Game right now. Lol. We use Pluto TV since it's free.

https://imgur.com/a/RnlX3n2

I wasn't a big fan of Gary Burghoff either. He was ok when he was just there for the week, in the first seat. But when he was covering for Charles Nelson Reilly, is when he was more obnoxious.
Brett Sommers would get on my nerves too. When she would ask Gene to repeat the question sometimes 2 or 3 times. One time on the audience match, it was ______ Robinson. "Smokey" Robinson was one of the three. When it was said, Brett in a snarky voice said "Who's that"

Richard Dawson, Charles Nelson Reilly, Betty White and Fannie Flagg were my favorites. Marcia Wallace, Ethel Merman, and Mary Wickes I also enjoyed seeing on there.

I heard a rumor, long ago when I was in middle school (so I already am taking it with a grain of salt) that a lot of the panelists were high, including maybe even GeneHehe it wouldnt surprise me really....

An excellent show!!

Hehe it wouldnt surprise me really....

An excellent show!!

I don't know about drugs, but alcohol was available. It is said that it made the contestants a lot less inhibited. The Tonight Show, as well. :scratch2:

I love this game show ..Match Game Productions You Tube channel has most of the shows .I watch them daily...

https://www.youtube.com/user/MatchGameProductions/videos?disable_polymer=1

He adds shows daily.