Match Game - Prop Bertha Up! (Dec. 13, 1977)

[@SP84Fanatic]

Gene and the celebrities handled the situation perfectly. They said she was among friends, and they encouraged her to believe in herself to win. It was not only a funny moment, but a very touching one, too.

[@jmiller297]

SP84Fanatic Is it okay to say that I teared up for her??

[@mixon270]

J Miller i did too just from watching it

[@wschmrdr]

Hey, once you get to the audience match, you're playing against the house. Of course they should all root for her!

[@jenniferhansen3622]

You're right. It certainly was both funny and touching. I laughed and then I teared up!!

[@act4666]

@@jmiller297 I did too!!!!

[@MatchGameProductions]

This is why Match Game 77 is so underrated. They had some awesome moments on the show during this year. Richard and crew were hilarious!

[@rtususian]

There are tons of instances where The Match Game makes me laugh, but this is one of the few instances that makes me CRY. Heartwarming!!

[@daisycassidy2448]

Everyone so supportive of Bertha. Lots of love and respect going around. I'm so glad she won the big bucks. She was such a good player!

[@billa107]

"I love her." -Richard Dawson He might have had an "ego", but he always had a great connection with contestants. And treated them kindly.

[@whewfan]

Richard's ego had nothing to do with the contestants... in fact there were numerous occasions on both MG and Feud where he stood up for contestants that he felt got cheated because of an answer that should've matched but didn't, or in the case of Feud, an answer that was not credited when it should've been. So, really, he tried to use his "power" to make everything fair for the contestants... it was not so much about money or feeling he didn't get enough exposure with Match Game. On the contrary, once he got more disillusioned with MG, he made his answers brief with no joke or comment otherwise later in '78. There were rare occasions where he would snap out of his funk but otherwise he was never the same Dawson he was before '78.

[@billa107]

@@whewfan Oh believe me, I don't think Richard had an ego. I know the stories and how he just got tired and was exhausted from doing Match Game and Family Feud. Some say he had an ego about Feud because he wanted specific things and demands and for his attitude. I never saw that personally. Especially with his interactions with fans.

[@karenbougher1219]

NO EGO

[@kt9166]

Of course Richard had a bit of an ego. That's how he secured the job on Family Feud, by standing up to Goodson-Todman and letting them know he deserved to host that show. Other than that, he was always all about the contestants and helped them win any way he could. And his affection for the contestants was genuine. You can't fake that. 🥰🥰🥰

[@xaviernajar2579]

That whole episode was classic Match Game. Haven't laughed that much in a while.

[@daviddriver2692]

This show has been SO UNDERRATED & UNAPPRECIATED when it aired,missed so much,THANK you for posting!

[@johnalang]

I LOVE it when the contestant guesses on their own..and it's the $500 answer.

[@mehboobkm3728]

And none of the panelists' options was on the board!!

[@Lava1964]

@@mehboobkm3728 Yes, that's amazing!

[@mike856ms]

Bertha was such a sweet lady. You can tell she lived a clean loving life.

[@Cydonia2020]

Probably the sweetest and most charming episode of that great show ever! I get tears in my eyes every time I see this. What I wouldn’t give to have this show back with all the original members. It wasn’t a show about being perfect - you saw around the edges of it. It was about having a good time, a lot of laughs and making a little bit of money.

[@tjm3774]

A very wonderful scene... and a very wonderful win!

[@b_uppy]

Their treatment of her is fabulous. So much to love with thi

[@RaginRonic]

Love seeing good people like Bertha bag the big bucks! =)

[@tj921able]

Me too

[@jmiller297]

Bertha reminds me so much of my Mema! I'm crying, right now... 😢😢

[@markrunk9171]

Best Gameshow ever

[@anndroid2421]

Aww, how sweet that everyone rallied around her. Glad she won.

[@mrwright7414]

I just love the way Bertha turns slowly to her left to look at Richard.

[@NocyMusic]

The best funniest game show ever created never get tired watching

[@kenyattasimpson8468]

The most awesome moment of match game ever

[@erikdraven1731]

I saw this episode many years ago... thanks for reposting this clip.

[@michellepost5232]

December 13, 1977 I would have turned 17. I was a Junior in high school, and it'd soon be 1978.I watched that game during summers and Xmas vacation.It was funny.

[@honeyspoonbeewrangler4550]

I was 8 years old.

[@samrs03]

I was -26 years old

[@miss_midge_]

EVERYBODY loves Bertha.

[@mehboobkm3728]

And Bertha went on to act in 2 and 1/2 men sitcom!

[@XXthekingofyouXX]

This was actually quite touching. Gene and the gang genuinely went out of their way to comfort her and give her a memory she would cherish. Even that frump Patti was rooting her on!

[@davidburke7112]

Thanks for posting -- I flipped to this the other day just as she had won and was wondering why she was seated.

[@bluray2012ify]

I just love Bertha!!

[@Yellow-Rose]

This show was straight fire; they are all totally unhinged! 🔥🤣

[@dparks3784]

I didn't watch this when i was young. I was in high school and college so I missed this show. I am really enjoying this show now in my mid 60'S.

[@richardmccoy9276]

How sweet ....it must have been so much fun working on the show😍

[@alextownsend4706]

I'm so happy she won $5,000. Such a lovely lady.

[@goosewhisperer6275]

Just think how much $5,000.00 was in 1977!!! Wow! I looked it up! $5,000 in 1977 = $23,003.47 in 2022!!!

[@donaldhsmiley5723]

I've laughed, cried, and laughed again with this video! 🤗

[@TheVerbalVolley]

Priceless!

[@bsquared4604]

45 years later. this was so sweet.

[@patbrennan6572]

Gene Rayburn was the greatest gameshow host ever, don't you think?

[@vinnieviddivicci5459]

100%

[@nickhill8612]

That's great, everyone running up to help her.

[@crazycappy01]

Second behind Bob Barker.

[@jonelfilipek7848]

ITA! He was perfect for The Match Game. He always looked like he was having fun.

[@alvinsuemnicht788]

Absolutely. No question about it.

[@johnalang]

"I was hoping Richard would say it."....Bertha

[@robertcarswell7274]

I was a kid when this show was on. Always the greatest

[@agalgonzalez]

Gene's outfit screams mid-1970s. This was a great show and the panels were funny. 10/10!

[@patbrennan6572]

This was my favorite game show of all time by a country mile. My only complaint was that it wasn't an hour long.

[@davidmitchell6873]

Brett was insufferable.

[@The_A_Cast]

This is how game shows should still be! Fun and giving no cares!

[@phaedrabacker2004]

CNR fans. The Life of Reilly, on KZbin. A play about his life. A must watch.

[@mehboobkm3728]

Thanks! 'll check!

[@iwantthe80sback59]

I’ve never heard the audience be soooo loud. It was touching to see how everyone rallied around her.

[@mrwright7414]

Bertha, what a great show!

[@princeharming8963]

THIS .. used to be TV! How it devolved into what we have now, is beyond me.. but I'm grateful I threw mine out 20 years ago, and haven't had one in my house since. (It's a much richer life without tv.)

[@davidmitchell6873]

Get off of my lawn!!!

[@kenbell9094]

This was back when (most) people had compassion for others; nowadays (most) people are shallow and selfish.

[@willmilton2922]

Today people love to humiliate

[@DreamDancer82]

Godfather came to my mind first, actually. I'm surprised nobody said it. I think this is the first time I have seen that none of the celebrities matched in the audience match.

[@Strickalator]

"you can't wipe your eyes through your glasses"... 😁😁😁

[@BillyAlabama]

I love Bertha! ❤️❤️❤️

[@robertmarsh6609]

JUST AS GENE SAID WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT TO PLAY WITH....SHE SAYS RICHARD.....ALL LAUGH

[@kenyattasimpson7649]

But in every show I've seen majority of the players asked for Richard dawson and they won with him

[@BleedBNG]

There was a lot of fun with this show

[@samuelgriffin4167]

Match Game 1977 still hanging around daytime on CBS

[@debbieflaherty1975]

🙆🏻‍♀️ I am lovin’ me some Miss. Bertha! All dolled~up, she’s an absolute vision in blue. 🧓🏼💰💰💰💕💕💕

[@carmelopappalardo8477]

Amazing woman.

[@kt9166]

I love how Richard encouraged Bertha to come up with her own answer, because I'll bet he thought of "God" Father right after he said "Our" Father. Richard was always more interested in the contestants winning rather than his own wit. That was one humble man, who knew what his priorities should be. We miss you, Richard!🥰🥰🥰

[@DDRUTOU]

Awww.....that was sweet

[@colinwilliams553]

MATCH GAME..... greatest game show EVER, BEATHA..... greatest game show contestant EVER!!!

[@conservative3130]

Couldn’t imagine how much fun they had making these shows. Don’t see this anymore.

[@kenadams3951]

you don't see this kinda love today love you all.

[@rtususian]

Believe it or not, I think one of the reasons you don't see much of this type of caring on TV anymore is because of TIME CONSTRAINTS. I have always been a heavy TV watcher since the 1960s and noticed in the 1980s how the pace of TV programs got speeded up due to the inspiration of MTV Music Videos. Talk shows used to usually be 90 minutes (Merv, Mike Douglas, Johnny Carson, etc.) but in the 80s were reduced to 60 minutes, and the pace picked up a lot which doesn't allow for slower introspection.

[@dmd5645]

Just saw this episode today. 7/'23!. Didn't finish it, cuz I changed the channel!! Bertha reminds me of my Grandma! I was 7 when this aired. And she always watched this show! So happy to see the outcome! People were so much nicer back then!. ❣️

[@mixon270]

Dont this make you wanna cry guysssssssssss???

[@wh4193]

I DID cry 😂😂

[@lynnjames6629]

I never seen this one. Nice! 👍🙂

[@pamhi7633]

she would maybe passed out she was so excited. It was a very tender moment

[@dparks3784]

They all look like they enjoyed each others company. They took wonderful care of the contestants.

[@garyv2196]

great

[@georgemaster689]

I always liked when Johnny Olson lent a hand.

[@janetriggione6637]

Rip berta

[@georgemaster689]

I think that CBS pretty much shot themselves in the foot when MG77 was moved from the afternoon to the morning.Sometimes changes,even small ones aren't good.I think also that Family Feud was taking the Match Game's audience,along with the departure of Richard Dawson and the introduction of the star wheel.The daytime syndicated version didn't do the show justice, either.

[@giovannisanseviero5726]

Great!

[@TheDesmo54]

Everyone in pants. To the rescue

[@willmack5909]

This was one of only two times that I can remember getting teary eyed with a head to head win, the other was another older woman who won $10,000 with WISE OLD _______ and she said "Owl" and what made that extra special was the lady had in her hand as a good luck charm a pair of owls. Even more appropriate, she landed on a DOUBLE on the Star Wheel.

[@leonarddousa7796]

Bertha is still alive

[@kenvr2287]

Ummmm no she died in 2009

[@presto709]

This is what put Match Game on a level by itself compared to other game shows. They could be as wild and crazy as they wanted. There was no hurry to finish the game.

[@Mad7K]

Rip Richard Dawson

[@craigw1911]

That date was a Tuesday, I thought it would have been a Thursday or Friday show, those were recorded after the dinner break where everyone got liquored up and were really crazy!

[@christophercotton9048]

You ‘re halfway to Mountain View Cemetery in NW Pasadena already Bertha. LOL 😂!!

[@tj921able]

Bertha was so precious

[@GpD79]

Back in the day when celebrities seemed like normal people. Just a bunch of folks having a good time.

[@christopherangel6690]

What a great memory for that contestant

[@robinstewart6422]

I was a baby in 1977 when this show started

[@ilttpvvm]

This was neat.

[@aaaagggghhhh6370]

the good old days ! i was in my teens .......

[@firecriss1392]

It wasn't just a game show.....it was therapy.

[@kenadams3951]

I'm CRYING

[@willmilton2922]

I thought she was Gene's mother who resembled her.

[@georgeOswald-j6o]

gave granny a heartache lol

[@jonelfilipek7848]

In 1977, $5000 was worth nearly $25,000 today. Good for Bertha!

[@brentruth5447]

Is funny thank you

[@djjo7757]

Wise lady one of those younger people would've gotten it wrong

[@carmenilardi2929]

As I recall hearing a few years ago, they taped a week's worth of shows in one day, and they were pretty good social drinkers for their time. By the third or fourth episode they really let their hair down and had more fun than the contestants.

[@presto709]

That's the story but I think it was the format that gave them room to be spontaneous. They didn't care if they finished the game. They would just stop and start in the middle of the game on the next show. I'm not sure if any other game show did that.

[@dmd5645]

When being NICE .....WAS a thing!!.

[@Lava1964]

I don't think I've ever seen the three chosen panelists do so poorly with their Super-Match selections. (I would have said grandfather, godfather and stepfather in that order.)

[@perry92964]

so i saw a little hollywood ego trip, did anyone else notice the tissue box said Richards on it? those are richards tissues so nobody better touch them

[@KeltoiMagus]

Godfather

[@garywalters3007]

iwould have given fivethousaund dollars f my own money to see the same reaction

[@dannydougin3925]

*Never* liked Richard Dawson!

[@TKeffeler]

3:25 Brett Somers looks like Helge Schneider, a German cat enthusiast.