Mark's 1979 Crosswits Part 1

[TheMidknightryder13]

I was also a contestant on this show in 1979. We set three records that day -- most puzzles played in a single episode (5), highest number of total points scored between the two contestants -- and I set the third record -- most points scored by a LOSING contestant. The producers told me that had it been any other day, I would have won as they had NEVER had a losing contestant score over 1,000 points. (Sigh!). However, I never was able to obtain a copy of the episode & home VCRS were rare.

[lakebay972]

pretty snazzy set for 1979

[StukInBuf]

I like this version of the Cross Wits theme better.

[SimplyKevTV]

That is unusual, @MrLogoman007

[MrLogoman007]

0:21- isn't it strange how the credits are first?

[gameshowluvr86]

@MrLogoman007 VERY!

[wdm1219]

This was a really great show. I remember watching this in the 70's with my parents. Jack Clark was awesome both as a host and as an announcer, a really class act. Loved him on Dealer's Choice too, sadly no videos of that game show seem to exist. Both shows aired on WNEW-TV Channel 5 New York in my area where I grew up.

[StukInBuf]

@wdm1219 IIRC, "Cross-Wits" was the lead-in to the "Merv Griffin Show" on Channel 5.

[StukInBuf]

@wdm1219 If I can recall, "Cross-Wits" was the lead-in to the "Merv Griffin Show" on Channel 5.

[rksncu]

Are all the episodes of the 1970's version of "The Cross-Wits" available?

[Dougerz]

This has to be an odd thing for a show - rolling the credits at the beginning. Otherwise, love it :) Thanks

[MrLogoman007]

@Dougerz Well, the syndie version of "Deal or No Deal" lists the exec producer and the director at the beginning of the show.

[ddmck1972]

It's been forever and a day since I've seen this show. I remember when they changed the set appearance and the theme was jazzier than the original. I think it aired at 7pm during the week where I lived. Game Show Network really needs to buy up these episodes and show them again.

[rhd1974]

It was great to see a person whom we knew as an announcer host a show. I would agree with lots of folks that today Rich Fields should get a chance to host "The Price is Right"

[beentheredonetht]

Great quality clip. I'd never seen a game show with the closing credits at the beginning instead.

[midknightryder13]

I was always more partial to the ORIGINAL version of the theme. But, other than that...

[AarHan3]

Same here. :^)

[TonyDuMont]

I thought that Crosswits hadn't been destroyed. Thanks for posting this! I thought I had the answer on one word for this puzzle...I said Independence Day.

[secondchance1977]

Soem people think it IS destroyed, because the people at Ralph Edwards productions are too lazy to find the tapes.

[Hondo20132]

It should exist; it was syndicated, and thus with all that passing around throught the country, there'd be no time to erase!

[GandSAfan]

If that's the case, this needs to air on GSN.

[secondchance1977]

Too bad GSN wont pay the price to buy from the scrooges at Ralph Edward Productions. Imagine the price if these are avaliable....

[GandSAfan]

I'm more inclined to think that GSN would rather pay to air more cheesier reality-type stuff. This theory is based on seeing less and less classic games....and Cross Wits, is considered a classic.

[Rlotpir1972]

Host Jack Clark was also the announcer for "Wheel of Fortune" from 1977-1988.

[robdon33]

Jack announced from late-1980 to 1988. Charlie O'Donnell was the announcer prior to that.

[mtiller2006]

Seems pretty good. Gotta ask you Mark, do you think you could be interviewed for a game show site about your appearance on the Cross-wits?

[Up4AnythingScorp]

sure.. i'd be happy to... are you doing the interview ?? where will it be shown/printed/posted ??

[mtiller2006]

The site, the Game Show Temple, is embedded on my profile page here at YouTube...and yes, I'll be doing the interview.

[Up4AnythingScorp]

i'm completely up for it... let me know what you need, aside from any responses...

[mtiller2006]

I'll definitely do that. The questions are set and have been sent off to your Inbox here at YouTube

[glickmam]

For those of you who are interested, Jerry Bishop is also the man who always says in a deep voice: "Real cases, real people, Judge Judy."

[Noraa972]

i know that, but are you sure it's the same one? (it COULD be another Jerry Bishop.) i say that because he doesn't sound anything like the announcer for this show.

[glickmam]

I've checked it out on IMDb, and it's the same person.

[thewipsportsfan]

No This is the one and ONLY Jerry Bishop that IS his voice. The same Jerry Bishop from Judge Judy. he also subbed ironically for Jack Clark on the $25K Pyramid in 1983

[PJade]

Mark, judging by your YouTube profile I can't tell whether or not you're a die-hard game show fan, but do you have any idea how incredible of a find this is?

Heck, I give you kudos for owning a VCR in 1979... and recording this show so that we all have the chance to enjoy it. Thumbs up to you, sir!

[AarHan3]

Magnificent! ;-)

This was on in The Big Easy weeknights @ 6:30 on WWL-TV Channel 4, right after Eyewitness News.

Kind of a shame when they changed the main title music... :-P

[StukInBuf]

@AarHan3 When my folks and I moved to Louisiana in the late 70s, I remember that KATC, Channel 3 in Lafayette, aired it at the same time slot.

[tcidolfan]

How many announcers have double careers as gameshow hosts besides Jack Clark and Gene Wood?? This is a rare treat!!

[thejazzenigma]

Well Bob Clayton did Concentration, besides being an announcer. Jack Narz did Beat the Clock after he did Concentration.

[tcidolfan]

I didn't know Jack Narz was an announcer before Concentration!!

[TheKid965]

Don't forget Art James, who announced on Concentration...

Bob Hilton, a popular announcer in the early- to mid-'80s, briefly hosted Let's Make a Deal in 1990.

[megamanj2007]

and for a very short time in the early 2000s, Marc Summers (former Double Dare and History I.Q. host) was the announcer of a ver short-lived game show called "I Can't Believe You Said That!"

Also, Mark L. Walberg (host of Russian Roulette) was actually the announcer of Pat Finn's "Shop Til' You Drop" during the Lifetime-era episodes.

[tcidolfan]

WOW!!!!! AWSOME!!!! Thanks for that info!!!!

[megamanj2004X]

during the 1993-94 TV season, Mark L. Walberg was really busy w/ Stone-Stanley Productions as he was simultaneously the announcer of "Shop Til' You Drop" and the host of USA's short-lived GS "Free 4 All." Both of those shows were made by Stone-Stanley Productions.

[AlbieGray]

Wow, nice job! :) You did a splendid job, Mark. :)

[Up4AnythingScorp]

well... i'm happy to have made your day... i wanted to upload the entire show as one, but it was too large a file.. this is from the original VHS tape i made in 1979... enjoy..

[Up4AnythingScorp]

find ??? that's me in the video.. i had it taped when i was on the show.. thanx..

[guspolly]

We die-hard game show fans have always thought there weren't any episodes of the Cross-Wits from this era in existance anymore. One of the few 70s Cross-Wits that does exist is an edition from 74 or 75 that's made the rounds of the game show tape trading circuit, and that one is in pretty terrible quality after having been dubbed from tape to tape time and time again. It's certainly a find for *us*!

[TheKid965]

Where are all these rare clips coming from lately? And in near-broadcast quality to boot! Amazing find!