‘Match Game’ premieres on NBC 50 years ago today (1962)


Video: '1962 TV GAME SHOW: "THE MATCH GAME" (PILOT EPISODE)'

(Monday, December 31, 1962)Match Game, a television game show in which contestants attempt to match celebrities’ answers to fill-in-the-blank questions, debuted today on NBC. It was hosted by Gene Rayburn with announcer Johnny Olson.

The first show was taped Dec. 5, 1962, in Studio 8G at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City with Peggy Cass and Peter Lind Hayes each heading a team of two non-celebrities who attempted to match answers to simple questions.