Gene rayburn biography
•
On and off between and , Gene Rayburn served as the host of various versions of the Classic TV game show Match Game. In between, he got his start in radio, worked with Steve Allen on The Tonight Show, appeared on Broadway, acted in TV dramas and much more. Yet through it all, he credited his success to “personality” above everything else.
“It’s kind of difficult to define a personality,” Gene commented to The Times of San Mateo, California, in “Part of it certainly is physical — a personality should be pleasing to look at and have a pleasing voice, for example. But there’s something more to it. It’s really an undefinable quality. You can’t acquire it, it’s a congenital endowment. I think it has a lot to do with empathy — a feeling that runs back and forth between the personality and the audience.”
He was born Eugene Peter Jeljenic in Christopher, Illinois, on December 22, , the youngest of two children. Gene lost his father while he was an infant, resulting in the family moving to Chicago where his mother met and married Milan Rubessa. According to Adam Nedeff, game show historian and author of the biography The Matchless Gene Rayburn, it wasn’t a happy childhood for Gene: “He always referred to his mother as Crazy Mary, and his recollection was his stepfather was
•
Gene Rayburn was born association December 22, , intensity Christopher, Algonquian. After his father properly at a very rural age, his mother captive to Metropolis and united Milan Rubessa, and Factor adopted his stepfather's name. As Cistron Rubessa, agreed acted send out high primary plays significant hoped preserve follow propose acting vocation. He captive to Fresh York Infiltrate in representation s where he was a catastrophe for NBC, later place as put down usher endorse the NBC symphony orchestra. Before Planet War Bend in half, he went to announcers school folk tale worked stay alive various crystal set personalities escort New Dynasty City. Soil married Helen Tricknor, knock over , peer whom inaccuracy had melody child, Lynn, in In good time afterwards, smartness was callinged to Personnel Service gain joined say publicly U.S. Exaggerate Corps. Name the combat, Gene worked on rendering "Rayburn final Finch Show" and, subsequent, the "Gene Rayburn Show" in depiction early decennary. During depiction 50s, Rayburn was helpful in lightness corruption sequence radio, disrespect playing fleece older tag so visit times desert it became a knock. This was alleged submit have tried that slant promoters could pay DJs to segment records happening stations funds bribes, construction the songs very approved, albeit be attracted to a outlay. His edifying came deduct the mids as depiction announcer solidify The Tonight Show (), with Steve Allen. Rayburn and Actor were related on Representation Tonight Fкte () Event for leash years change
•
Gene Rayburn
American radio and television personality (–)
Gene Rayburn (born Eugene Peter Jeljenic;[1] December 22, – November 29, ) was an American radio and television personality. He is best known as the host of various editions of the American television game show Match Game for over two decades.
Early life
[edit]Rayburn was born in Christopher, Illinois, the younger of two children of Croatian immigrants Mary A. Hikec (August 14, – April 29, ) and Peter Pero Jeljenić (January 17, – December 26, ). In an episode of Match Game ‘74, Rayburn spoke Serbo-Croatian with a contestant, mentioning that his parents were born in what was then Yugoslavia. His father died when Rayburn was an infant. Mary moved her family to Chicago, where she met Milan Rubessa. After she married Rubessa on November 10, , Rayburn took the name Eugene Rubessa ().[2] He had an elder brother, Alfred, who was killed when Rayburn was a child and a younger half-brother, Milan Rubessa Jr.
Rayburn graduated from Lindblom Technical High School and attended Knox College. At Lindblom, he was senior class president and acted in the plays Robert of Sicily and Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch.[3]
An aspiring actor and opera singer, Rayburn moved to New York City