Marcia matches up

American actress and comedienne Marcia Wallace (sounds like Wikipedia-speak, and it is) may be best known for her 1970s role as the receptionist on The Bob Newhart Show and for voicing Edna Krabappel on The Simpsons. But my game-show-obsessed self will always remember her oddly edgy semi-regular role on Match Game.

Funny thing: I never thought Marcia was particularly good on the show. She tried really, really hard to be funny and once in a while got off a good line. But maybe she was just trying way too hard. Her Wikipedia article mentions a "nervous breakdown," and I can believe it. She always seemed needy on Match Game, almost begging the audience to laugh at her lines.

The producers must have thought she brought something to the show, though. She made over 200 appearances on Match Game, usually in the lower right seat. In fact, Marcia was a good game player and often appeared on the much more demanding Password and Pyramid. So I'm being far too snotty to her.

Marcia also did a few episodes of the 1983 Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour and the 1990 Match Game revival. She showed up on GSN's 2006 Behind the Blank documentary about the show. No matter what silly me thinks, her niche in the show's history is secure.