Bill Rafferty Passes Away at Age 68
We regret to report that comedian and game show host Bill Rafferty has passed away at the age of 68. Bill Rafferty, started as a reporter on NBC’s early realty show Real People from 1979 to 1984. However, most people around here know him from his stint hosting the syndicated version of Card Sharks in 1986 and a revival of Blockbusters in 1987. Each lasted only one season. Bill also hosted the syndicated game show Every Second Counts in 1984. His most recent gig was hosting Retirement Living TV’s Retired and Wired.
I watched Bill’s editions of Card Sharks and Blockbusters on GSN in the past and always enjoyed him on both. Frankly I thought his versions were superior to the originals and a good deal of that was due to him. Bill was quick witted, a great host, and a pleasure to watch. We’re very sad to see him go. Our thoughts are with him and his family.
Here’s a look back at some of Bill’s game show highlights, plus an interview with Bill on GSN Live.
RIP to one of (IMO) the most underrated game show hosts ever. :(
I side with “shelly” on this one: underrated and under-appreciated, a gentle giant who, given the chance, could’ve been an equal to Pat Sajak (he was certainly in that mold)…
So sad. I, too, thought he was a good host. Had his first three shows not been “one and done”, he could have been one of the greats. RIP.
Agreed, Rafferty was pure class. I really wish he would have had more a chance at more shows. RIP
WE are going to miss Bill Rafferty of Card Sharks and Real People fame
So sad to hear that. He really going to the land of parting gifts. RIP Bill
Very sad to hear. He was a great host, and is highly underrated. R.I.P. Bill
RIP to a great host!
I never heard of Real People but he never did that many game shows when he was around.
He put his own comedy in those.
first time i ever watched Bill host was the finale of blockbusters and I loled towards the end after Rich jeffries did a contestant plug for concentration Bill’s response “and just to show them your heart’s in the right place why don’t you call them collect” RIP Bill thanks for the memories
Really sad. RIP Mr. Dual Implication (in Blockbusters) and Land of Parting Gifts. And for real, not only he’s going to The Land of Parting Gifts, he’s going to the Land of Heavens.
This is just a sad year for us Game Show lovers. Bill was my favorite person for Card Sharks. Liked him over Jim Perry. Anyways RIP Bill. Make heaven just as exciting as you made card sharks!
Honestly, I’d watch Rafferty’s “Card Sharks” over the Eubanks version any day. To me, Bill was the better host of that era because from what I recall, he never got annoyed with the contestants for giving… while long-winded at times… rather humorous reasons why they gave the number of (insert group of people) who answered a survey question in a particular way.
RIP, Bill!
And I’ll drink to that. Bob’s show was the Newlywed Game. Outside of it, he was completely out of his element and it showed. Bill was a perfect fit for Card Sharks for many reasons. The one you stated is one of the most important. Instead of hurrying contestants along to give an answer, he listened to everything they had to say and went with that for what he was going to say. It gave the show a much more relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere. Bill was relaxed and witty where he needed to be, then when it came time to turn the cards, he was great at making it exciting and dramatic. Bob, somehow, managed to do exactly the opposite. He was hurried with the questions, and wasn’t the best at creating tension at the cards. In a parallel universe somewhere, Bob Eubanks hosted a short-lived syndicated version, and Bill Rafferty made the daytime Card Sharks last until 1992. I’m sure he would have.
I said this on the blog’s facebook page, but what really gets me is because Bill was so underrated, I have this feeling that GSN won’t pay tribute to him like they did Dick Clark and Richard Dawson.
We’ll just have to wait and see, although I hope they do something to honor him!
BTW, the daytime version of that particular version of “Card Sharks” ran from 1986 to 1989, not 1992.
I’m pretty sure K.C. knew it ended in ’89.
Another thing about Rafferty’s “Sharks” was him giving his own thoughts on the questions after the players had given theirs.
That’s terrible! And he was only 68 (compared to other game show hosts we’ve lost over the last decade, that’s still quite young by comparison).
Sure, he may have had a (too) brief run as a game show host, but what a run it was!
I really liked his sense of humor (especially during the final episode of Blockbusters, when he told everyone [jokingly] to run for the exits after the time’s-up siren sounded).
I’ll miss you, Bill- you and your finely-honed humor. My condolences go out to your family.
Remember a few segments that I remembered with Bill on a couple game shows.
On a question on “Every Second Counts” it was which is an actual flavor of Jello and which is not. He did his hilarious impression of a person after having the fictional “Wild Turkey Jello”.
Another one on “Card Sharks” I forget the question but after the question he said “And the psychitrist said, WHAT ARE YOU NUTS?, LIES!”
He will be remembered for his humor and for his game show hosting.
RIP Bill.
I’ll remember on Card Sharks when Bill asked an educated guess question about the combined ages of the cute model card dealers, as the most unexpected moment forever on the show. ( R.I.P).
bill was an underratted game show host. if game shows didn’t fall out of favor with the networks in the late 1980′s he would have probably been one of the best game shows of the era. very sad for him to passed away
Bill Rafferty and Rich Jefferies are playing Blockbusters in heaven.
R.I.P. Bill and Rich
Wow! That’s 3 game show hosts that we lost this year. First Dick Clark, second Richard Dawson, now Bill Rafferty. 2012 is being a bad year for game shows for loss of 3 game show hosts and Pyramid creator Bob Stewart. I remember him on Every Second Counts and Blockbusters. Seeing do the syn. Card Sharks on GSN is okay. The 1987 revival of Blockbusters should’ve had more of a better run than replacing it with Classic Concentration with Alex Trebek which last 4 years. Rafferty should’ve been the host of the CBS version of Card Sharks when it first came out in Jan. 1986 and not Bob Eubanks. Eubanks is better doing the Newlywed Game and Dream House. Rafferty is one of those underrated game show hosts like Jim Peck and Art James. Known for saying ” Land of departing gifts…” and “Duel Implication” I wish he would’ve hosted some more game shows. He will be missed.
Alex, I would disagree with you about Bill Rafferty’s Blockbusters being better than Bill Cullen’s. Mr Rafferty did a great job, but getting rid of the “two against one” concept destroyed what I felt made Blockbusters unique. Blockbusters is definitely a show that GSN should consider bringing back someday. The British certainly seem to love it!
Bill will be missed by all that loved hm.
Bill Rafferty — a job well done on his gigs — but I’ll have to be the voice of sanity here and say that Blockbusters 87, while a fine and enjoyable half hour that deserved more than its brief run, is not superior to The Original.
This is very very unfortunate for us for all game show fans
Condolences to his family
This has been a very sad year for game shows and I feel that this figuratively has been ” the year that game shows died.”
Again condolences to family’s of
Dick Clark’s
Richard Dawson
And now Bill Rafferty
We just heard this sad news on the Brian Copeland radio show on KGO Radio Show in San Francisco. Bill was a frequent guest and he was a delightful person who loved life. He had a childlike personality and you knew he was always having fun in whatever he did. We’ll miss his voice on Brian’s show. He was one of a kind. Sincerely, Joyce & Brian Granville