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Veteran Game Show Host Narz Dead at 85

Oct 15, 2008  •  Post A Comment

Television announcer and emcee Jack Narz, 85, who hosted the 1950s game “Dotto” on both CBS and NBC and in the 1970s a syndicated version of “Concentration,” died today at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills.
Mr. Narz, who died from complications of two recent strokes, was emcee of a string of eight game shows starting in the 1950s, among them CBS’ “Video Village,” ABC’s “Seven Keys,” NBC’s “I’ll Bet” and a syndicated revival of “Beat the Clock.” In the 1970s he hosted CBS’ “Now You See It.”
During the 1950s, he was a regular cast member on ABC’s “Space Patrol” and was an announcer for shows starring Betty White, Gisele MacKenzie, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Bob Crosby.
In 1951, he narrated the two-part opening episodes of the syndicated TV series “The Adventures of Superman.”
His brother is TV emcee Tom Kennedy (aka Jim Narz).

54 Comments

  1. I’ve enjoyed watching Now You See It on GSN…seemed like a genuine class act.
    RIP Jack
    1922-2008

  2. Just wanted to say that Jack Narz was a great
    game show host….as smooth as they come. Too bad
    they don’t air any of the old Concentration show
    on GSN. My thoughts and prayers go out to the
    Narz family. I never had to opportunity to meet
    the man, but I sat next to his son Mike Narz at
    William B. Ogden Radio school in the summer of 1969.
    If this e-mail could somehow find its way to Mike,
    that would be great!
    All my best,
    Mark Holste

  3. Thank you Jack Narz! You were a “GREAT” emcee!

  4. Now you see him…and now you don’t.
    Thoughts and prayers to his family…including brother Tom Kennedy (nee Jim Narz).
    To absent friends… Now you see him…and now you don’t.
    Thoughts and prayers to his family…including brother Tom Kennedy (nee Jim Narz).
    To absent friends…

  5. In an era where today’s game show hosts seem to be bigger than the game itself (i.e. Sajak, Trebek et al) people should take a monent & look at hosts that lacked ego like Bill Cullen, Wink, Tom Kennedy, Rayburn et al. I also put Jack Narz in that fraternity. The game show world lost a terrific host & person. Now You See It deserved a longer run instead of the 14 months it was on the air originally (April 74 thru June 75). But Jack did have a 5 year hit with Concentration though so not all that bad. Anyway, condolences to his widow Doe & family & of course Jimmy aka Tom Kennedy another great host & person just like his big brother. RIP Jack. Game show fans will never forget you.

  6. he was a great game show host he will be sorely missed

  7. Mark Holste, you found me. Wow, W.B. Ogdens, that was a while ago. I need a reminder, I just posted the W.B.Ogden class pic. on MySpace, myspace.com/mikenarz, Which one are you?
    Are you still doing Radio?
    And to everyone posting here, thank you for the nice comments about my Dad. He was a great man.

  8. Being born in the 70’s, I remember Jack Narz as the host of Concentration; with that smile and folksy charm. He even hosted a kid’s game show on local Orange County TV station KDOC 56. It was an honor to meet Jack several times at the Game Show Congress conventions along with his brother Tom Kennedy. What a wonderful people. All the members of the Narz family I talked to were some of the kindest people you could ever meet.
    I asked Jack about hosting and he took the time to give me some great advice. He said, “First of all, be yourself. Don’t try to be anybody else. Now, it’s okay to be inspired by others, but be yourself. Second of all, have a good time, because if you’re not enjoying yourself, nobody else will.” God Bless you Jack and again thanks.

  9. To Mike Narz, It was a pleasure watching your dad on TV during my childhood in the 70’s. Concentration & Now You See It were terrific & your dad made hosting look so easy & it’s anything but. I’ll always remember that Password Plus episode towards the end of the run when your dad played against Jerry Ford’s kid, soap star Steven. There was a point in the show where your dad & Uncle Jim (Tom) joked that it was easier to host than be a panelist. So your uncle becomes a panelist & your dad takes over for 1/2 the show. I must say, he didn’t lose any of that hosting ability. Your dad & uncle are 2 of the classiest hosts without an ego. Ditto for their brother in law Bill Cullen. Between those 3, they hosted a total of 46 game shows, with Bill doing 23, your uncle with 15 & your father with 8. Now your dad goes to the Pearly GAtes reuniting with Allen Ludden, Gene Rayburn, Dennis James, Bert Convy & other great game show legends. May he rest in peace. Say hi to your uncle for me. I’ve always liked him from his Name That Tune days. God Bless you & your family.

  10. Mike, you & your family have my deepest sympathy. I have been watching Now You See It all month so it was a shock to hear of your Dad’s passing. He was such a classy & wonderful host, just like your uncle.
    I lost my Dad suddenly in March, he was 82 & it is the hardest thing I have ever dealt with.
    My prayers are with you & your family.

  11. My deepest sympathy to the Narz family. Jack Narz, and brother Jim (Tom Kennedy) wre two of my favorite game show people. Much love to you all. Joy Williams Oct. 20, 2008

  12. Jack I love your game show of the early 70’s you’re the brother of Tom Kennedy and the late brother in iaw Bill Cullen I love your show on CBS it’s now on GSN.

  13. Best game show ever [never shown anywhwere,guess its on a lost tape] was mr.narz’s…7 keys…. 5 years on a b c counldnt wait to gat home from 7th grade to watch it…back in ’61…rip jack great host…..

  14. As a 9-year old I saw Jack Narz at a taping of “I’ll Bet” with guests Ed Begley Sr. and Mike Connors. He also kindly send me an autograph when I wrote him last year. He was smooth as they come and had a style that I think would still work today if they tried it. We will miss you, Jack.

  15. I just wanna say that i really enjoyed watching Jack doing Concentration, Now You See it and Beat the Clock, i will always love these shows when Jack did them cuz everytime i saw Jack come on stage to do these shows and when he was on TattleTales, Match Game, Password Plus, i always loved this guy and he did such a fantastic Job in the gameshow business, when i found out he died, oh my god, my heart just dropped and i cried the samenight cuz he was one of the best i’ve seen, plus Jack even sent me a picture with a little note on it of him, i liked his voice, that really inspired me, plus i have alot of love for gameshows and the people who host them and when they pass away after a while it just tears my heart apart, i really admired Jack alot when he was doing gameshows cuz he is one guy i will never forget in my heart, when i saw him on tv, he was a very peaceful guy like nothing was wrong and he was so nice with his contestants on the gameshows, then i thought to myself, i hope one day i will get to meet Jack Narz, but that chance never got to happen cuz he passed away too quickly. Jack was one of the best as well as the other gameshows were and even his Brother Tom Kennedy and for Bill Cullen.
    Jeff Jones
    #1 Gameshow fan ever here on Earth…

  16. As nice and congenial as a game-show host could be. Jack made the viewers feel as important as the contestants. He seemed to truly enjoy meeting people. Rest in God’s arms, my friend.

  17. one by one, our tv legends are passing. mr. narz’s career began in the era when game show hosts knew when to quip, and when to let the game progress. the host had the right balance of making his presence felt, but letting the format take precedence. it was obvious to mr. narz’s audience that he enjoyed hosting, and i hope his personal life was as happy as his work life. i wish his survivors an easy road ahead.

  18. happy first anniversary in heaven, you are missed.

  19. happy first anniversary in heaven, you are missed.

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