| birth_place = Christopher, Illinois | death_date = | death_place = Gloucester, Massachusetts }} Gene Rayburn (December 22, 1917 – November 29, 1999) was an American radio and television personality. Born Eugene Rubessa () and an only child of Croatian immigrants, he graduated from Knox College. Rayburn was married to Helen Ticknor from 1940 until her death in October 1996. They had one child, a daughter, Lynn. After the birth of their child, Rayburn was drafted into the U.S. Air Force. He chose his stage name by randomly pointing at a page in the telephone book, after being told Rubessa sounded "too Italian". Television career Before appearing in television, Rayburn was a very successful actor and radio performer. He had a popular morning-drive New York radio show, first with Jack Lescoulie (Anything Goes) and later with Dee Finch (Rayburn & Finch) on WNEW-A