# Patti Deutsch
**Patti Deutsch** (born Elaine Patricia Deutsch; 1943 – July 26, 2017) was an American comedian and voice actress known as a recurring panelist on the 1970s game shows *Match Game* and *Tattletales* and for a later career in film and television voiceover.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/43150/patti-deutsch) Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she first rose to fame in the late 1960s with the improvisational comedy troupe Ace Trucking Company, became a familiar television face on *Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In* and *Match Game*, and from the 1980s onward worked nearly continuously as a voice performer.[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/patti-deutsch)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1943, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (birth name Patricia Deutsch)[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patti-deutsch/) |
| Died | July 26, 2017, Los Angeles, of cancer, at age 73[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/patti-deutsch) • [4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/patti-deutsch) |
| Improv troupe | Ace Trucking Company, alongside Fred Willard, Bill Saluga, Michael Mislove, and George Memmoli[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/patti-deutsch) |
| *Match Game* | Panelist on the CBS version 1973–79, 205 episodes; matched contestants 217 times out of 871 main-game answers (25%)[5](https://matchgame.info/panelists/41) |
| Voice roles | *The Smurfs*, *Capitol Critters*, *The Wild Thornberrys*, *The Angry Beavers*, *The Emperor's New School*, *Jetsons: The Movie*, *Tarzan*, *The Emperor's New Groove*, *Monsters, Inc.*[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/patti-deutsch) |
| Commercials | Heard or seen in some 500 local and national radio and TV commercials over a half-century career[6](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/patti-ross-obituary?id=8370531) |
| Family | Husband, comedy writer Donald Ross; sons Max Ross and Lee Sachnoff; daughter Alexis Hill[4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/patti-deutsch) |
## Early life and education
Deutsch was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and after high school attended four colleges in four years: [Bennington College](https://www.edgepedia.org/bennington-college), Carnegie Mellon, the [University of Texas at Austin](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-texas-at-austin), and the [University of Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-southern-california).[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patti-deutsch/) Her family's obituary in the *Los Angeles Times* described her as "a believer in higher education" for this four-school record, and noted that she appeared on stage in *California Suite* at La Mirada and Long Beach.[6](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/patti-ross-obituary?id=8370531)
After some time on the stage, and an engagement working with [Sid Caesar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sid-caesar) at the Rainbow Grill in New York, she joined the improv group Ace Trucking Company and performed a number of times on *The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson*.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patti-deutsch/) The Rainbow Grill engagement was, by her family's account, a personal highlight: Sid Caesar chose her as his new "Imogene Coca" for the run.[6](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/patti-ross-obituary?id=8370531)
## Ace Trucking Company and Laugh-In
**Improv beginnings.** Deutsch first found fame in the late 1960s as a member of Ace Trucking Company, an improvisational comedy team whose other members included [Fred Willard](https://www.edgepedia.org/fred-willard), as well as Bill Saluga, Michael Mislove, and George Memmoli.[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/patti-deutsch) • [7](https://www.buzzerblog.com/2017/07/28/match-game-panelist-and-voice-actress-patti-deutsch-dies-at-73/) The troupe's sketches reached television first on *This Is Tom Jones*, the musical variety series hosted by its namesake, which ran from 1969 to 1971 on the UK network ATV.[7](https://www.buzzerblog.com/2017/07/28/match-game-panelist-and-voice-actress-patti-deutsch-dies-at-73/) The group also appeared on *Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In*, *[The Midnight Special](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-midnight-special-tv-series)*, and other programs, and it was around this time that Deutsch met the comedy writer Donald Ross, whom she later married.[8](https://thecomicscomic.com/2017/08/01/r-i-p-patti-deutsch-1943-2017/)
Her big break came in 1972, when she debuted as part of the ensemble on the final season of *Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In* (NBC, 1968–1972) as a regular performer on the 1972–73 season.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patti-deutsch/) • [4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/patti-deutsch)
## Game shows
**Match Game.** Beginning in 1973, Deutsch was tapped for the panel of CBS's re-imagined *Match Game*, the daytime staple on which contestants filled in blanks hoping to match answers given by six celebrities.[7](https://www.buzzerblog.com/2017/07/28/match-game-panelist-and-voice-actress-patti-deutsch-dies-at-73/) She appeared on the series from 1973 to 1979 and was one of its most memorable occupants of the "daffy girl" seat; with her dark auburn hair, notably gravelly voice, and deadpan sense of timing, she became a viewer favorite during the show's run.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patti-deutsch/) She usually occupied the sixth and last chair, a spot often regarded as the toughest for a celebrity because the five panelists before her had likely already given the good answers.[5](https://matchgame.info/panelists/41) • [7](https://www.buzzerblog.com/2017/07/28/match-game-panelist-and-voice-actress-patti-deutsch-dies-at-73/)
Her style on the show was to offer absurd, surrealist answers that cracked up host [Gene Rayburn](https://www.edgepedia.org/gene-rayburn), the other panelists, and the audience, while rarely matching the contestants' responses; over the run of the series she matched on 217 of 871 main-game answers, a rate of 25 percent.[4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/patti-deutsch) • [5](https://matchgame.info/panelists/41) She appeared in 205 episodes, from *Match Game 73* Episode 81 to *Match Game 79* Episode 1440, and her recorded signature answers included "upper frontals," "little woman," "chestal area," "whizzed," and "clam marinara."[5](https://matchgame.info/panelists/41)
**Tattletales.** From the mid-1970s into the 1980s, Deutsch and her husband Donald Ross appeared regularly on *Tattletales*, a celebrity-couples game show that ran from its 1974 premiere to the cancellation of its final syndicated edition ten years later; she typically played it more straight than *Match Game*.[7](https://www.buzzerblog.com/2017/07/28/match-game-panelist-and-voice-actress-patti-deutsch-dies-at-73/) • [4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/patti-deutsch) Her wit also made her a frequent guest on talk shows hosted by [Johnny Carson](https://www.edgepedia.org/johnny-carson), Dick Cavett, and [Merv Griffin](https://www.edgepedia.org/merv-griffin), and she appeared on [Steve Allen](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-allen)'s program as well.[4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/patti-deutsch) • [6](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/patti-ross-obituary?id=8370531) In 2009 she joined former panelists Joyce Bulifant and Nancy Dussault in accepting an award on behalf of *Match Game*'s late host Gene Rayburn at GSN's Game Show Awards.[7](https://www.buzzerblog.com/2017/07/28/match-game-panelist-and-voice-actress-patti-deutsch-dies-at-73/)
## Voice acting and later screen work
Deutsch was a series regular on *Grandpa Goes to Washington* (NBC, 1978–79) and made a guest appearance on *Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23* in 2012.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patti-deutsch/) • [1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/43150/patti-deutsch) From the 1980s through the 2000s she built a lengthy voiceover career.[8](https://thecomicscomic.com/2017/08/01/r-i-p-patti-deutsch-1943-2017/) Her first voice work was on *The Smurfs* (NBC, 1981–89), and that led to nearly continuous work for the rest of her career.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patti-deutsch/) She voiced roles on animated series including *Capitol Critters* (ABC, 1992), *The Wild Thornberrys* ([Nickelodeon](https://www.edgepedia.org/nickelodeon), 1998–2004), *[The Angry Beavers](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-angry-beavers)*, *Life with Louie*, *The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper*, and *The Emperor's New School* ([Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel), 2006–08).[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/patti-deutsch) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patti-deutsch/)
Her feature-film voice credits included *Jetsons: The Movie* (1990, as Lucy 2), *Tarzan* (1999), *The Emperor's New Groove* (2000, as Mata), and *Monsters, Inc.* (2001).[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/patti-deutsch) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patti-deutsch/) The girlish but raspy voice that carried this work was also heard in some 500 local and national radio and television commercials over a career spanning a half century, ranging from "squeezing the Charmin" with Mr. Whipple to sharing a cup with Mrs. Olson, the Folgers coffee lady.[6](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/patti-ross-obituary?id=8370531) • [4](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/patti-deutsch)
## Death and family
Deutsch died of cancer at her home in Los Angeles on July 26, 2017, at the age of 73, after a long battle with the disease.[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/patti-deutsch) • [6](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/patti-ross-obituary?id=8370531) She is survived by her husband Donald Ross, sons Max Ross and Lee Sachnoff, daughter Alexis Hill, daughters-in-law Daphne King Ross, Jennifer Fedin, and Linda Yale, grandchildren Violet Ross, Xander Fedin-Hill, and Sam Sachnoff, and Basset Hounds Frank and Beans.[6](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/patti-ross-obituary?id=8370531) Her son Max was born in 1975, during her run as a *Match Game* panelist.[7](https://www.buzzerblog.com/2017/07/28/match-game-panelist-and-voice-actress-patti-deutsch-dies-at-73/)
## References
1. [Patti Deutsch, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/43150/patti-deutsch)
2. [Patti Deutsch, Emmy Awards and Nominations, Television Academy (obituary from The Hollywood Reporter)](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/patti-deutsch)
3. [Patti Deutsch, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patti-deutsch/)
4. [Patti Deutsch's Obituary, Legacy.com](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/patti-deutsch)
5. [Panelist: Patti Deutsch, matchgame.info](https://matchgame.info/panelists/41)
6. [Patti Ross Obituary (1943–2017), Los Angeles Times via Legacy.com](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/patti-ross-obituary?id=8370531)
7. [Patti Deutsch, Match Game Panelist, Dies at 73, BuzzerBlog (Christian Carrion, July 28, 2017)](https://www.buzzerblog.com/2017/07/28/match-game-panelist-and-voice-actress-patti-deutsch-dies-at-73/)
8. [R.I.P. Patti Deutsch (1943–2017), The Comic's Comic (Sean L. McCarthy, August 1, 2017)](https://thecomicscomic.com/2017/08/01/r-i-p-patti-deutsch-1943-2017/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames D to Di*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license