air dates: 3/26/73-3/29/74 on CBS daytime & 5/6/74-1/16/76 on ABC daytime as The $10,000 Pyramid, 1/19/76-6/27/80 on ABC daytime as The $20,000 Pyramid, 9/20/82-12/31/87 & 4/4-7/1/88 on CBS daytime as The $25,000 Pyramid (known as The New $25,000 Pyramid from '82-'85), syndicated 9/9/74-9/79 as The $25,000 Pyramid by Viacom, 1/26/81-9/81 as The $50,000 Pyramid by CPM, 9/9/85-9/2/88 (by 20th Century Fox) & 1/7/91-3/6/92 (by Orbis Communications and later by Multimedia Entertainment) as The $100,000 Pyramid, and 9/16/02-9/04 by Sony Pictures Television
hosts: Dick Clark, Bill Cullen ('70s syndicated run), John Davidson ('91-'92), Donny Osmond ('02-'04)
announcers: Bob Clayton ('73-'79), Jack Clark (a few weeks in the fall of '73 and '82-'85), [Dick Heatherton, John Causier, Scott Vincent, Ed Jordan, Fred Foy, Alan Kalter] ('79-'80), Steve O'Brien ('80-'81), Rod Roddy ('84), Jerry Bishop ('84-'85), Bob Hilton ('85-'87), Johnny Gilbert ('85-'91), Charlie O'Donnell ('85-'88), Dean Goss (fill-in '88 and '91), Charlie Tuna (fill-in '84-'87)
HOW TO PLAY:
Two teams, each consisting of a contestant and a celebrity guest, were shown a pyramid-shaped board of six humorously named categories. Each team, in turn, picked a category, and one player had 30 seconds to convey 7 answers to his or her partner (8 on the first CBS run). Each answer said by the clue receiver within the time limit was worth 1 point. If the clue giver gave away at least part of the answer, that answer was thrown out and the team didn't score for that answer. If the team was stuck on an answer, they may pass. However, the guesser must go back and pick it up on his or her own w/out help from the giver. The celebs gave the clues in the first round and the contestants did so in the second round. In the third round, the lower-scoring team went next, and each team had the option of who gave the clues. But early in the original run, the celebs gave in the third round. After each team played three categories, the higher-scoring team went to the Winner's Circle to take on the Pyramid. In case of a tie, each team conveyed answers that began with one of two letters. The higher-scoring team took on the Pyramid. If they tied, another round was played. From '82-'04, the higher scoring team or the team who achieved a perfect score in the fastest time would face the big Pyramid.
The winning team took on the Pyramid in the Winner's Circle. The contestant decided who gave the clues and who would guess the categories. The player giving the clues sat facing the Pyramid while the other player sat facing the clue giver and away from the Pyramid. The clue giver was shown a category and could only name off things that go into that category. The giver had 60 seconds to convey 6 categories (3 on the bottom, 2 in the middle, and one on the top). A category, as well as any chance at winning the big money, was tossed out if the giver said part of the category, got too descriptive, mentioned a synonym of any of the key words, gave any prepositional clues, or used his or her hands. If the guesser named all 6 categories in one minute, the contestant won the big money! If not, (s)he still earned money for each correct answer. In '77, Billy Crystal set the record for fastest WC win by helping his partner win the big money in 26 SECONDS!
The $10,000 Pyramid (CBS '73-'74, ABC '74-'76): The winner of each game would play the WC for $10,000. Each of the 3 bottom categories paid $50, each of the 2 in the middle earned $100, and the one at the top earned $200. If the contestant won $10,000, (s)he retired from the show. If not, (s)he played another game against a new challenger. In '74, the game introduced a Big 7 card which would be hidden behind one of the categories in the main game. If the team who found it first scored 7 points in that category, that contestant won $500.
The $20,000 Pyramid (ABC '76-'80): A contestant's first crack at the Pyramid would be played for $10,000. If (s)he failed but won another game, (s)he played for $15,000. Each attempt at the Pyramid after that would be played for $20,000. The category values remained the same as before. In addition to the Big 7, which also remained the same, another front game bonus was added. Shortly into this format, each team who scored 21 points in the front game earned that contestant a $1,000 bonus. If time expired on the Friday show with a tiebreaker in progress, the celebs would team up in the WC and play for $5,000, with any money won split between the contestants.
The $25,000 Pyramid (syn. '74-'79): Each one-night-a-week show would feature two new contestants playing two games against each other. A player's first chance at the Pyramid would be played for $10,000. However, any player who won both games would play the Pyramid for a grand total of $25,000. Each of the 3 bottom categories paid $100, each of the 2 in the middle earned $200, and the one at the top earned $300. During the '75-'76 season, one main game category per show would hide the Big 7 card. If the first player to find it scored 7 points in that category, the contestant won $1,000. From '76-'78, each show would feature a Big Money card hidden behind a front-game category for a random amount between $1,000-$5,000 ($1,000-$4,000 from '77-'78). From '77-'78, each team who scored 21 points would win the contestant $2,100. From '78-'79, the Big 7 card would usually be played for a Chevy Chevette. (Thanks to Pyramid expert William Padron for that info.)
Junior Pyramid week (ABC 7/9-7/13/79) and Celebrity Junior Pyramid week (ABC 11/12-11/16/79): Each team consisted of a celeb partnered with a kid aged 10-12. A first-time champ played for $1,000, $2,500 for the second time, and $5,000 for each subsequent WC. The category payoffs for the Pyramid remained the same.
All-Star Junior Pyramid special (ABC 9/2/79): This one-time special featured Tony Danza and Susan Richardson teaming with young stars from ABC shows. Tony and Susan played for the entire show while each of the other stars played one game apiece. The winners of each game played for $10,000 for charity. Each of the bottom 3 categories earned $100, while the 2 in the middle each earned $250 and the one at the top earned $500.
Junior Partner Pyramid (ABC 10/1-11/9/79): Each team consisted of a kid and an adult family member. For each category, a team had 35 to score up to 7 points. Each team was allowed to pick any one category as their $500 bonus category. Both teams competed for the entire show. The team who won the most money, including $500 in the front game, returned on the next show, unless that team conquered the Pyramid. A team's first crack at the Pyramid would be played for $2,500. If that team returned to the WC, they would play for $5,000. Starting at the bottom, the category values for the Pyramid from bottom to top were $100, $125, $150, $175, $200, and $250. (Again, thanks to my Pyramid buddy Bill Padron!) It was during this period that announcer Bob Clayton passed away on 11/1.
The $50,000 Pyramid (syndicated '81): Each show would feature two new contestants competing for the entire show. Each player's first attempt at the Pyramid would be for $5,000. Any player who won both games would play for $10,000. The category payoffs remained the same as those on the previous daytime editions. Although the front game featured no bonus cards, the player who set the fastest front-game time for the week won a European vacation and a spot in the $50,000 tournament. After eight weeks of normal gameplay, the eight contestants who have each been named "player of the week" returned for the tourney.
The first week of the tournament featured an elimination process. During the quarterfinals which took place on Monday and Tuesday, four contestants played on each show. Two contestants played the first game, and two other contestants played the second. The winner of each game moved on to the semifinals, but not before playing for $5k in the WC.
On each of the semifinal shows (Wed.-Thurs.), two semifinalists competed. A player's first shot @ the Pyramid was for $5k. That same player's 2nd shot was worth $10k. The contestant who won the most money in the WC advanced to the finals.
The losers from each semifinal show returned on Friday's "wild card" show, played just like the semifinals. The following Monday, two finalists played one game against each other while the other sat off to the sidelines. The winner of each game went to the Winner's Circle. This time, no cash was awarded for each category guessed, which meant one illegal clue ended it right there. If the guesser named all six categories within 60 seconds, the contestant became $50,000 RICHER!!! Otherwise (s)he faced off against the player who sat out for that particular game. This process repeated until one of the three finalists won the $50k.
The (New) $25,000 Pyramid (CBS '82-'88): Each show would feature a two-game match between two contestants. The winner of the first half played for $10k. If that same player also won the second half, (s)he played for a daily WC total of $25k. Whoever won the most money in the Winner's Circle returned to play on the next show.
One of the categories in the second game was labeled "Mystery 7". The player who went for it would not be given the common bond, but if the contestant got all 7 answers in 30 seconds, (s)he won a bonus prize. Not long afterward, it was hidden behind one of the six categories.
There was no bonus card in the first game until 4/83 when we first saw the 7-11 card, which would be hidden behind one of the six categories. If the team who found it nailed all 7 answers in 30 seconds, the contestant won $1,100. At first, the contestant who found it could go for "$1,100 or nothing" or $50/point. This option was axed shortly thereafter.
Starting in 1/84, a 21-21 tiebreaker would award the winner a new car. Nine months later, the prize changed to $5,000.
Until '84, contestants retired after winning $25,000+, $50,000+ from '84-'86, and $75,000+ for the rest of the run. Throughout the run, champions retired after 5 days.
The $100,000 Pyramid (syndicated '85-'88 & '91-'92): Same as the daytime show, with the three players w/the fastest times in the Winner's Circle over the past 6-8 weeks returning for the $100k tourney, which was played like the $50k tourney, but w/out the elimination process. During the tourney, the player who won the most money each day returned to face the player who sat out. If the $100k was won in the first half of any show, the other two contestants would play one game against each other for a chance at $10k. For the tournaments, no bonus cards were used, but the $5,000 bonus for a 21-21 tiebreaker remained.
During the '91 run, two new main game bonuses were introduced. One of them was Gamble for a Grand (or Gamble for a Trip), used in the first game of each show. The player who found it could choose to try to score 7 points in 25 seconds and win $1,000 (or a trip) if successful. The other involved two Double Trouble categories included among the six categories shown. Each team was allowed to play one of them. The giver was required to convey seven two-word phrases in 45 seconds. The contestant won $500 if successful.
Champions on both editions were limited to a 5-day reign.
2002-04 version: The category names were funnier and each one contained 6 answers to convey in 20 seconds. Each show featured two new contestants competing for the entire half-hour. In each game, behind one of the categories was the Super Six in which all 6 points in 20 seconds won a bonus prize (a gift from Sony or a trip). However, they offered bigger prizes in the tournaments. The winner played for $10k. However, if $10k was won in the first half and that same contestant won the second game, (s)he played for $15k, for a total of $25k and a spot in the tournament.
Each tournament lasted for 3 days. In a six-player tourney, each show would pit two players against each other. The first shot at the Winner's Circle was worth $25k. If the winner of the first game also won the $25k, then if that player made it back to the Winner's Circle, (s)he would play for an additional $75k and the tournament crown. If no player was able to accomplish that feat, then whoever won the most money, or $25k in the fastest time, would have their tournament winnings upped to $100k!
In a four-player tournament, each of the first two shows pitted two semi-finalists against each other. Each Winner's Circle was played for $25k. Whoever won the most money in the Winner's Circle advanced to the finals. On the finals show, the two finalists played two games against each other. Both Winner's Circles would each be played for $50,000!
The category payoffs on that version were as follows:
regular play: $200 $200 $200 -- $300 $300 -- $500
6-player tourney/4-player semifinals: $500 $500 $500 -- $1,000 $1,000 -- $2,500
4-player finals: $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 -- $2,500 $2,500 -- $5,000
OTHER TIDBITS:
Dick Clark, "America's oldest teenager", also hosted American Bandstand, TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes (which later became Super Bloopers & New Practical Jokes and finally Bloopers), The Challengers ('91-'92), and Scattergories ('93). The type-2 diabetic also hosted New Year's Rockin Eve on ABC since '72. Regis Philbin hosted the '04/'05 show while Dick spent time recovering from a stroke. Dick once appeared as a guest player on Donny's version of Pyramid.
Donny Osmond, my mom's favorite teen idol (She had wall-to-wall Donny in her room!), and his sister Marie hosted their own variety show during the late '70s, and their own talk show from '99-2000.
The $25,000 Pyramid was cancelled on New Year's Eve '88, and temporarily replaced by Blackout the following Monday. Upon the cancellation of Blackout, Pyramid returned, but was replaced on 7/4/88 by Family Feud.
Philly-born singer-actor John Davidson also hosted Time Machine and The New Hollywood Squares during the late '80s.
Bill Cullen, another Penn native, hosted more game shows than any one else. He came down with polio when he was 18 months old, so each show on which he appeared would be fixed so that he wouldn't be seen limping on camera. Bill also became best friends with Pyramid creator Bob Stewart. Ironically, his made his last TV appearance on The $25k Pyramid in '87. A heavy smoker, Bill died in 1990 from lung cancer at age 70.