Pyramid (game show)

Pyramid was an American television game show where contestants tried to guess a series of words or phrases, based on descriptions that were given to them, in the shortest amount of time. It has won nine Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Game Show, second only to Jeopardy!, which won its 10th in 2005.

1980s Editions

After a short-lived syndicated revival, known as The $50,000 Pyramid, failed in 1981, the show returned to CBS as The $25,000 Pyramid on September 20, 1982. That meant a permanent move to CBS Television City in Los Angeles. The show had been based in New York City, first at the Ed Sullivan Theater (CBS Studio 50) and then the Elysee Theatre (ABC TV-15), since its 1973 premiere, save for a few weeks at the start of the 1973-74 season, during which tapings were done at Television City.

Related Topics:
1981 - September 20 - 1982 - CBS Television City - New York City - Ed Sullivan Theater

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Within a few weeks of its CBS return, the show was retitled The New $25,000 Pyramid to avoid confusion with reruns of the syndicated 1974-79 Cullen version (the "New" was eventually dropped from the title on the January 28, 1985, episode ).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During the updated Pyramid run on CBS, a second five-day-a-week version also aired in late-afternoon or nighttime syndication as The $100,000 Pyramid from September 9, 1985, to September 2, 1988--this became the most famous incarnation of all the versions of Pyramid produced. The gameplay was identical to the daytime version, except the three players with the fastest winning time in the end game returned to play for an additional $100,000 jackpot.

Related Topics:
September 9 - 1985 - September 2 - 1988

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The updated Pyramid ran on CBS until the last episode on December 31, 1987, but viewer demand caused CBS to bring the show back to its daytime schedule on April 4, 1988, after the game show Blackout failed in Pyramid's time slot. The revival only lasted until July 1 of that year, as CBS premiered its new version of Family Feud the following week. GSN has aired this version.

Related Topics:
December 31 - 1987 - April 4 - 1988 - July 1 - Family Feud - GSN

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pyramid returned to syndication again from January 7 to December 6, 1991, as The $100,000 Pyramid.

Related Topics:
January 7 - December 6 - 1991

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~