That "Hello, There" gag of Gene's dates back to the original version of
Match Game that aired on NBC in the 1960s and may have been derived from the "Hello, Dere" greeting of Marty Allen, a popular comedian of that time who made a few game show appearances during that era, either alone or with his comedy partner, Steve Rossi. In any event, here's how Gene's version of the gag often went on the
Match Game of the '60s:
On this webpage from Chris Lambert's
Match Game website --
http://www.chris-lambert.com/MG/60.html -- there is one photo showing Gene behind the host podium they used on the '60s version. Next to where Gene is standing is a rectangular box that is open on one end -- that was from where he got the questions for each round of play (only one question per round in those days, which was asked to all of the game's players at once).
Inside of the box was a bulldog-type paper clip that was mounted on a motorized track. The clip would be pulled in behind the set, a stagehand would put the next question for that game in the clip, and then send it out back out to Gene, where it would "pop up" for him once it emerged from the box, ready to use.
Sometimes, though, the stagehand would be "caught napping," when Gene would ask, "Next question, please," and no question would come out right away -- in which he would bend down, look through the box, and say, "Hello, there," to try to move things along.
Too bad most of the episodes of that version of
MG are gone, but we can get a kick out of the occasional "question box malfunctions" that would happen on the '70s version that GSN continues to air today. (Which would typically have Gene pushing the button on the question-box podium and then having to deal with the fustration that results when the wrong panel goes down!)
Michael Brandenburg
(And a memo to Chris: Your weblink is wrong for
Match Game's latest incarnation -- the
Match Game video slot machine! Here's the correct link:)
http://www.wmsgaming.com/products/brands/m...game/index.php#
