Art James
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Art James (October 15, 1929 – March 27, 2004) was an American game show host, best known for shows such as The Who, What, Or Where Game and Pay Cards!. He was also the announcer on the game show Concentration.
He was born Artur Simeonvich Elimchik in Dearborn, Michigan to Russian immigrants (fluent in Russian, he taught English to Russian immigrants). He attended Wayne State University in nearby Detroit, where he studied engineering. He worked as an announcer for the Armed Forces Network while stationed in Germany after World War II.
An old Army friend, who was an executive with NBC, asked James to audition for a new game show, Concentration, hosted by Hugh Downs, which needed an announcer. Concentration ran from 1958 to 1973 and was NBC's longest-running game show. He went on to either announce or host over a dozen game shows, including Say When!!, Fractured Phrases, It's Academic, The Who, What, Or Where Game, Pay Cards!, Temptation, The Joker's Wild, Blank Check, The Magnificent Marble Machine, Classic Concentration, Family Feud, Catchphrase,Tic Tac Dough and appeared in the Kevin Smith movie Mallrats. He started Art James Productions in the 1990s, which taught public speaking and staged game shows specially designed to teach job skills.
One episode of Say When! included a classic blooper by James which has made the rounds on blooper specials. While James was doing an in-show plug for Peter Pan peanut butter, the bottom of the jar fell off after he put a knife in it. James continued with the plug, although he was struggling to keep from laughing. As the show was recorded live, there was no room for retakes.
He was living in Chaska, Minnesota at the end of his life, and died during a visit to his brother in Palm Springs, California.
James is survived by two daughters, Jennifer Christie and Joy DeStefano; a son, Jeff James; and 3 grandchildren.
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| Preceded by Bill McCord |
Voice, Concentration 1958-61 |
Succeeded by Jim Lucas (1961-65) |
