When you pop in a rerun of Match Game from the '70s, you can almost tell which episodes aired on Thursdays or Fridays. Here's the scoop: The show taped a full week of episodes in just one day, and the last two were after a vodka-fueled dinner break. As fellow panelist Fannie Flagg exclusively revealed to Closer, "Charles Nelson Reilly and Brett Somers would have martinis and get a little loopidy-doopidy." Fannie added with a laugh, "Those are some of my favorite memories." Imagine that—pure comedy gold!

Back in the day, fans were just as buzzed as the panelists. The premise of the show was simple yet genius: contestants guessed how celebs filled in the blanks of cheeky, suggestive sentences. But here’s the twist—censors had their eagle eyes on certain words, so the team had to use safe synonyms like "tinkle" and "making whoopie." According to A. Ashley Hoff, author of Match Game 101: A Backstage History of Match Game, "The real wit came in the use of euphemisms. They provided deeper laughs than a one-note ha-ha." It was a comedy treasure trove.

Gene Rayburn: The Man Behind the Magic

At the helm of all this madness was Gene Rayburn, a former radio DJ and Broadway song-and-dance man who started hosting a tamer version of the show in New York back in 1962. The show was canceled in 1969, but it roared back to life in LA in 1973 with a freewheeling format. It didn’t take long to become the No. 1 show in daytime TV. Fannie fondly recalls, "Gene was just the sweetest, silliest man. An adorable, flirty guy—always in a good mood and thrilled to have his job." Hoff adds, "He had great reflexes and was able to go with anything, no matter how out of the blue." That’s the mark of a true showman.

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The Dynamic Duo: Brett Somers and Charles Nelson Reilly

Among the most beloved panelists were Brett Somers and Charles Nelson Reilly. Fannie gushes, "Besides being hilarious, they were two of the smartest people I have ever known. They got such a kick out of each other and razzed everybody else on the panel mercilessly." But here's the kicker—it was all in good fun. Fannie continues, "They were particularly relentless on the people they liked. It was never mean or hurtful, and they loved it when you razzed them back." It was a comedy camaraderie that was unmatched.

Then there was British actor Richard Dawson, who became so popular that he developed an oversize ego, which didn’t sit well with some of his costars. As panelist Betty White puts it, "He was the devil, but he was funny. His mind worked like a steel trap, but he wasn’t the happiest man in the world." Dawson's charisma was undeniable, but his personality could be a bit prickly.

The Rise of Family Feud

Producers Mark Goodson and Bill Todman tried to keep Richard happy by hiring him to host his own game show, Family Feud, which was inspired by Match Game’s “Super Match” round, in 1976. It didn’t take long for Family Feud to take over Match Game’s time slot and skyrocket to the top of the ratings. Richard did both shows for a while, but as Brett later recalled, "He left Match Game, and everybody was thrilled." It’s always bittersweet when a star moves on.

CBS shuffled Match Game around the schedule, which didn’t do the ratings any favors. Gene quipped sardonically, "Our ratings went down because we were on at 10 o’clock, then 1 o’clock, and finally when we got back to our regular time at 4 o’clock, our ratings never came back. Network vice presidents are brilliant men." It’s clear Gene had a sense of humor about the whole ordeal.

The Legacy Lives On

Despite its cancellation in 1979, Match Game left an indelible mark on TV history. Attempts to revive it have never quite captured the same magic. In 1999, Gene was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the TV Academy and passed away a month later. Brett and Charles both passed away in 2007, and Richard in 2012. But their legacy lives on. In his final interview, Gene said, "I had as much fun doing Match Game as people did watching it. It was a great trip." Fannie echoes that sentiment, "I am forever grateful to Match Game. I just treasured that time." It’s a testament to the joy the show brought to so many lives.

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