Hey guys, just so you know:

August 25, 2013 mark 55 years of the debut of Concentration

and so, in honor of 55 years of Concentration, I would like to know:

Your thoughts on the 5 hosts of Concentration

Hugh Downs (The Today Show and abc's 20/20)
The late Bob Clayton (Announcer for Bob Stewart Game Shows)
The late Ed McMahon (Johnny Carson's Sidekick, Jerry Lewis' Friend and Dick Clark's Pal)
The late Jack Narz (Now You See It and Tom Kennedy's Brother)
Alex Trebek (High Rollers, Battlestars and of course JEOPARDY!)

Please share your thoughts on all of them

Only saw youtube clips with Downs & Clayton, they seemed good. Never saw Ed McMahon hosting it.

I remember fondly Jack Narz hosting. I always liked his style & demeanor.

Trebek was alright, but sometimes he'd get a bit too chatty in between turns. I seem to recall at least one incident where a contestant kind of reprimanded him for being a bit too chatty.

Alex Trebek amazed me on Classic Concentration!

I loved Jack Narz on Concentration all the way however! Narz was always superb! :)

Also Art James could be counted as the host of Concentration as he had done fill ins as host, especially on the 1961 Nighttime version from the Ziegfeld Theater.

- Chris

I only remember seeing Jack Narz as host. They really need to release a best of dvd with each host.

I only remember Alex Trebek...

I wish this show would be revived...with John O'Hurley as the host.

Alex Trebek and Jack Narz (Tied) : 10
Downs : 8
Bob Clayton : 5
Ed McMahon : 3

Alex Trebek version rocks. Jack Narz version was really boring. I haven't seen the others. Ed McMahon as a game show host would probably be fun.

I say Hugh Downs,wasnt he the original host?

I say Hugh Downs,wasnt he the original host?

Yes, he was my favorite also.

As someone born in 1959 and practically raised on Concentration—the original—Downs and Clayton were the ones I knew best as a kid.

Bob Clayton got his start in Miami television, where I live. I wanna say he commuted back and forth for a few years to NYC.

Bob hosted the game show “Make a Face” in 1961-62. He was also Downs’ announcer for years.

I may be the only vote for Clayton. He had more of a “game show host” personality than Downs. Watch on YouTube the ending of Concentration’s 1969 Challenge of Champions, and you will see what I mean. Downs was okay but way too low-key and serious.

Narz was good at what was given him; as was Trebek, although the dumbed-down 25-square screen made the games much too quick. As to Ed McMahon, I was in school during the short time he hosted.

If only, if only, there was more surviving video of the 1958-73 version. Hmmph!

cd

I vote for Hugh Downs. First host I saw on Concentration and IMO the definitive one