CROSS-WITS 1975-80

 

 

 

HOST:   Jack Clark

ANNOUNCERS:  John Harlan, Jerry Bishop, Jay Stewart

ASSISTANT: Jeri Fiala, Kitty Hilton (Jeri's substitute)

CREATOR: Jerry Payne

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Ralph Edwards

PRODUCERS: Bruce Beland, Ed Bailey, Ray Horl

DIRECTOR: Richard Gottlieb, Jerry Payne

SET DESIGNERS: Anthony Sabatino, William H. Harris

MUSIC: Ron Kaye, Buddy Kaye, Phillip Springer

WRITERS: Jerry Payne, Mark Maxwell-Smith

RUN DATES: DECEMBER 15, 1975-SEPTEMBER 12, 1980 

PACKAGER: Ralph Edwards Productions

TAPED AT:   Metromedia Studios, Hollywood

PREMIERE CELEBRITIES:  Meredith MacRae, Conny Van Dyke, Ron Masek, Greg Morris

 

 

 

Listen To The Opening of the Third Episode

 

SYNOPSIS: 

Two teams of three (Two celebrities and one contestant) guess clues to a crossword puzzle, in which leads to a master solution to the puzzle.  A clue sample would be “seven letter word meaning “strength packaging” in result is “muscles”.  Every word had a different point value, depending on the word’s length.  10 points per letter, meaning a nine-letter clue was worth 90 points.  Each letter also added difficulty in the word.  Getting the word correctly, meant that the team who accomplished the feat got the points possible for that word.  But, if they incorrectly gave the wrong word, control shifted over to the opposing team.  Either way it appeared on a crossword puzzle and the team could guess the common theme to the puzzle.  (For example, if

VOWEL, CONSINANT, PRIZES, GLAMOROUS, STAFFORD, and WOOLERY were the clues they would combine to form the final solution to the puzzle “WHEEL OF FORTUNE”.) 

 

Contestants won the dollar equivalent of the points they earned (250 points = $250).  The team who scored more points then the opposing team played the Bonus Game “Cross-Fire”.

 

In the bonus game “Cross-Fire”, the host Jack Clark, reads clues to a crossword puzzle.  In a period of 60 seconds, one celebrity and a contestant had to guess 10 clues to the puzzle.  If they were successful in doing so, a bonus prize was earned. 

 

SHOW POPULARITY: During the almost five year period in which this show lasted in syndication, it garnered top 10 ratings during its run.  However, several shows like Hollywood Squares, Match Game, Tic-Tac-Dough, Concentration, Joker’s Wild, Price is Right, and To Tell The Truth were all more successful beating out Cross-Wits in ratings on several occasions.  In September 1980, the show was pulled and Ralph Edwards moved on to his next project, The People’s Court in 1981.

For years, people assumed that the above clip was the only existing show.  However, from sources other shows have appeared.  I would think that AOL Time Warner, who bought Ralph Edwards productions in the Mid-90s,  would consult the syndication company about these shows.  All epilsodes of this run , do exist, however only two-dozen are known at the present time.  I would assume also that since this run was revived, they should air the show on GSN?  Just an opinion.  A lot of celebrities did appear on this run, more than the second run.  Many game show hosts were on this run.  One week, Ann and Bill Cullen took on Allen Ludden and Betty White.  It ended the week with The Luddens 3 to The Cullens 2.  It was classic playing. 

 

 

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