The Cross-Wits (early 1978)

[@bobdooggie]

We had tickets to see this show in 1977. It was Fun. The audience was small. Jay Stewart the announcer was very nice and talked to the small audience a lot before the show and talked about his occasional verbal slips like how on Let’s Make A Deal he accidentally said bugger instead of burger once. Haha. It was a good time. I’m sad to see that both him and Jay Clark have passed

[@steve760]

Jay's death was a tragedy. :(

[@georgemaster4225]

​@@steve760 Jack Clark was like Gene Wood-Host and Announcer!

[@meyerj75]

You know the story. Jack Clark went on to announce for Wheel Of Fortune starting around 1982 until the day he died of bone cancer. Pat Sajak would eventually announce his passing on the season premiere of WOF in 1988.

[@Sean-q2x]

I remember watching Fletch and there was mention of bone cancer,but does that really exist?Jack Clark was a great host,Shame he passed,as was a shame Jay Stewart passed too

[@michaelglickman1300]

Jack Clark, not Jay Clark.

[@akampfer]

I wouldn’t mind seeing BUZZR get this one.

[@illustriousrocket4476]

Given that this show apparently is intact in the Ralph Edwards vaults, it would be amazing if Buzzr managed to get the rights to it.

[@meyerj75]

It is rumored that Buzzr has an interest in reairing the show and renegotiations are still pending. After all, they managed to finally air the Jack Narz hosted episodes of Concentration. So why not this one?

[@VectraQS]

I have it on good authority that Fox trashed the masters while cleaning out the Metromedia Square vaults in the early '90s.

[@bobgeorge413]

Jerri Fiala eventually wound up as a TV news anchor at the then ABC (now CBS) affiliate in Bakersfield, Calif. She was there around 1983-84. When I first saw her on the evening news I couldn't believe it was the model from Cross Wits.

[@2005dave]

There is a writing credit here for the great Frank Buxton. He damn near did everything else in show business (look him up, you’ll be amazed), why not write for a game show? Jerri Fiala is here too; she was also on Name That Tune as model and disco dancer.

[@marcpower4167]

Same Frank Buxton who hosted Get the message in the 50s?

[@2005dave]

@@marcpower4167 yes! Frank was a prolific and versatile guy. He could write, produce, direct, create shows, host shows, there was no limit to his talents.

[@jehobden]

@@marcpower4167 Frank Buxton was the first to host GET THE MESSAGE in 1964. After 6 months Robert Q. Lewis replaced him as host for the last 3 months until ABC cancelled it on Christmas Day.

[@jeopardy60611]

I watched the Cross Wits back in 1977. I loved the music. I could play piano by ear at that age, and I replicated the "seven seconds" song.

[@rg8152]

I find it interesting that they went with that style of opening Ralph Edwards chose. In the 70s in Japan, a few of their quiz shows opened with a closeup of their game board (some of them big backlight jobs like Cross-Wits) and showing the show's credits over a funky theme... The best known of which was one called "Reikan Yamakan Dai-rokkan" which ran from 1974-84.

[@meyerj75]

There must have been too much fooling around back in the earlier seasons which explains why they BARELY got to the third puzzle.

[@Sean-q2x]

If i'm not mistaken,didn't Jack Clark hostbthe game show "Dealer's Choice"?

[@banjochris]

Yes, you’re not mistaken. Bob Hastings was the first host and Jack Clark took over after not too long. I only remember Clark hosting it but I was a very wee lad.

[@VectraQS]

WOAH, a new Cross-Wits! And Jay Stewart to boot! Thank you very much!

[@Quartzquiz333]

I assume after this season Jay would be signed exclusively with Barry-Enright Productions.

[@ericjonmagnuson2728]

​@Christopher Hagee Mr. Stewart also was one of the announcers for Knockout, which aired on NBC's daytime schedule in late '77 and early '78. That show--like The Cross-Wits--was from Ralph Edwards Productions.

[@megamanj2004X]

@Christopher Hagee and Jerry Bishop, who would go on to be the announcer on Judge Judy passed away in the 1st-2nd Quarter of last year.

[@matthewkeefe1377]

Some may think this is campy, but I have a soft spot for the Chevy Chevette. Also I had Tennessee right at Nashville

[@jamescombs8316]

I had TWO Chevettes!

[@RaineStudio]

Used to watch this after school with friends. We called it "Dim Wits."

[@mitchellries256]

They showed episodes of the New Crosswitts on GSN at one point but not this one. I wonder why as this one is much better.

[@illustriousrocket4476]

As I recall, that was a one-off special airing that was meant to highlight those two episodes' early appearances of notable celebrity guests (Rosie O'Donnell on one and Arsenio Hall on the other.) I don't think any version of Cross-Wits has been on GSN regularly.

[@deric8]

Yea a big reason why this 1975-80 version is better is because 1) Jack Clark was an underrated and witty host and 2) the great writing of the clues to the word clues and crosswords.

[@kenrozmislowicz7788]

Is Jerri Fiala still alive and in good health ?

[@Jiltedin2007]

I remembered Pat McCormick quite well as a genius on the game show Celebrity Sweepstakes.

[@Owlzindabarn]

My kindergarten teacher was a contestant somewhere around this time. I'd love to come across that episode.

[@RaymondTyler2018]

Prizes were dinky tho

[@setheriah]

Anyone have the conference music or the theme in the clear? Even the commercial music is great

[@lobstertexas]

Incidentally, I had my pals do this little jam to the tune of the Seven Second Conference ;) .. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKu0cqWknMmSiZI

[@poppopw5305]

That conference music! 👍🏾

[@lesliebell4189]

Bass line 0:00-0:03

[@Mrtv1017]

I miss this show a lot

[@Quartzquiz333]

I would have won the car in that first puzzle. I thought it was easy!

[@davidrivera9743]

In my market this was a 9:30 in the evening show.

[@100aceswid]

Me too

[@binahentz]

Love it, thanks!

[@paullarue2010]

Peter Isackson is huge.

[@ericsamuelson5656]

Same height as Michael Jordan

[@georgemaster689]

Gene Wood and Jack Clark were good as hosts and announcers.

[@pem1974]

Kinda feel bad for Pam. Pat McCormick doesn't seem to be taking the game very seriously.

[@zachhoran]

But the contestant can try to answer the clues the celebrity can't. Makes this one of the better celebrity-contestant game shows :)

[@seanmontgomery801]

Yes he is.Have you ever seen the Match Game or Hollywood Squares before?Well,guess what,there is a show with both those in one hour,Match Game-Hollywood Squares hour.I love this show except the stars are so goofy and take so long ,they almost NEVER even care about helping to match the contestants so they can win and fool around in the HS part,that it affects the person's chance to win the game whether they are the champion or the Challenger.Worst of all ,in the bonus round,sometimes the super match can cheat people.I saw an episode where the response was blank lover,the responses were Latin,good and hot.The contestant said hot.The $250 answer was LATIN,the $500 one was LOUSY and the $1000 one,was RED HOT,the person was cheated,but was staked to $100 and won the head-to-head match for $1,000.

[@donwilliams4645]

I don't know why this show that shows A Ralph Edwards Production when it opens the show.

[@georgemaster4225]

This would be on before The Merv Griffin Show At 8pm on WNEW-TV now WNYW (FOX 5 New York/The CW).

[@banjochris]

On KTTV 11 in LA at the same time too.

[@rendragmedia]

I remember this show more so for the credits displayed before Jack Clark's introduction.

[@donwilliams4645]

It shouldn't have the a writing and A Ralph Edwards Production when opens any game shows that produce by A Ralph Edward's Production when opens the show.

[@michaelglickman1300]

Why not?

[@paullarue2010]

Peter Isackson is a tall guy.

[@dakotareeves3939]

This is a February '78 episode of the '70s American game show "The Cross-Wits". On this episode, the two main players are Fred & Pam, while the four celebrity panelists are Peter, Dorothy, Elaine & Pat. 🇺🇲 🇺🇲

[@x60hz]

AM Radio!!! 😂

[@gsnman]

KLAS channel 8 in Las Vegas aired this show.

[@brockreynolds870]

Cross wits was a great and entertaining show, they just were REALLY cheap with the prizes. They should have at leasy played for dollars and not points.

[@edwincancelii2917]

I was in my final year of preschool.

[@ericsamuelson5656]

Pam Fisher looks so HOT!! Before the category in Round 2 was revealed, I thought it was White Christmas.

[@MrRemark21]

On this episode of "The Cross-Wits", in the CrossFire game, Fred Geiger selected Dorothy Lamour and won the CrossFire game with 19 seconds remaining.

[@Jack21Spades]

Fred set that Board on🔥 FIRE🔥!

[@timglende8869]

@@Jack21Spades That is called flawless. With those pants he has on, why not.

[@johnpjohnson8112]

Have More Cross-Wits?

[@theguywiththegames1594]

None that isn't elsewhere on KZbin.

[@damienchance2622]

Why the flashing lights on the intro remind me of Scrabble