User:Daniel Benfield/Pyramid New York Video Archive

The original home of Pyramid for its first eight years, and where the show grew. That said, it could be argued that it didn't really hit its stride until moving to Television City for its second (1982-91) era.

LEGAL STUFF SO I DON'T GET SUED: I'm only linking to these videos, none of which were uploaded by me, for the purposes of research and as a public record. Footage ©1973-81 Bob Stewart Productions and associated entities.

$10,000 (1973-76)
CBS Daytime: March 26, 1973 - March 29, 1974 (226 episodes, taped through at least January 3)

ABC Daytime: May 6, 1974 - January 16, 1976

The original version, with a pretty rough start and some oddities early on. The Big 7 debuted December 23, 1974, and was white-on-orange-on-black by June '75; the host's podium had no logo until sometime between August and December 30, 1974.

CBS (1973-74)
 * March 28, 1973 (#3: June Lockhart & Rob Reiner; begins with Bob Lyon {$250} at Winner's Circle; B/W video, first segment only)
 * March 30, 1973 (#5: June Lockhart & Rob Reiner; Bob vs. Hillary {who sounds really bored}, with Linda playing later and a really bad "Famous Last Words" category in Game 2; some bits of commercials, B/W video)

Rising wall removed from set, front-game word displays become black, some sound effects standardized
 * June 13, 1973 (Kaye Ballard & Richard Deacon; Katherine {Game 2 - $500} vs. Lyn, with Preston playing later and an epic struggle to guess "Ship")

$10,000 winners' montage added, original opening cue removed
 * November 6, 1973 (Barbara Feldon & John Schuck; Jim {$100} vs. Janice, with Gene and Linda playing later; taped from GSN)
 * [Second episode of the three-week period at Television City, taped 10/73.]
 * November 9, 1973 (Barbara Feldon & John Schuck; Ernie {$700} at Winner's Circle, with Claudia and Helene playing later; taped from GSN)


 * November 12, 1973 (Sandy Duncan & Ed Asner; Ernie vs. Helene, with Paul and Jack playing later; taped from GSN)
 * November 14, 1973 (Sandy Duncan & Ed Asner; Ron vs. Kay, with Marilyn and Gene playing later; taped from GSN)
 * November 15, 1973 (Sandy Duncan & Ed Asner; Gene vs. Kay, with Delores playing later; taped from GSN, begins at Game 2)
 * November 16, 1973 (Sandy Duncan & Ed Asner {Part 4}; Stan vs. Joan, with "Things In A TV Game Show" as a category in Game 1; taped from GSN)


 * November 19, 1973 (Loretta Swit & McLean Stevenson vs. Anita Gilette & David Spielberg; Joan vs. Jerry, using the "most money returns tomorrow" format that became the norm in '82; taped from GSN)
 * November 20, 1973 (Loretta & McLean vs. Anita & David; Joan vs. Wayne; taped from GSN)
 * November 21, 1973 (Loretta & McLean vs. Anita & David, Day 1; taped from GSN)
 * November 22, 1973 (Loretta & McLean vs. Anita & David, Day 2; Game 2 is a battle of the sexes; taped from GSN)
 * November 23, 1973 (Last show at Television City: Loretta & Anita at Winner's Circle, then standard setup with Anita & David vs. McLean & Loretta {last game has Anita & McLean vs. David & Loretta}; taped from GSN {alternate copy... thing})
 * [Front-game monitor text is still black. It became white by the first $25,000 taping (7/26/74).]

ABC (1974-76)
 * December 30, 1974-January 3, 1975 (Adrienne Barbeau & Tony Randall; uncensored clip of Tony flooring Dick!)
 * June 27, 1975 (Lee Meriwether & William Shatner; partial clip of Shatner {who never won a front game all week} tackling the Winner's Circle by himself!)

$20,000 (1976-80)
ABC Daytime: January 19, 1976 - June 27, 1980

Basically, inflation. (Note: I'm well aware that there's quite a few more episodes online, particularly from 1978-79 plus the first four shows of the final week. I still need to get the info from them first.)

1976
 * March 1, 1976 (Anne Meara & Nipsey Russell; Bob {$350, going for $15,000} vs. Sue, with Ken and Carol playing later; has commercials)
 * [Intro shows two wins from $10,000, including one with Leonard Nimoy. Carpet is still orange, and Big 7 is still white-on-orange-on-black.]

Carpet becomes brown, Winner's Circle carpet becomes blue, Big 7 becomes blue-on-red-on-sky blue with white borders
 * July 6, 1976 (Loretta Swit & Clifton Davis {Part 4, Part 5}; Jenna {$1,500, going for $20,000} vs. Rich, with Barbara playing later)
 * [Intro shows two wins from $10,000: one with Loretta, the other with JoAnn Pflug.]
 * August 10-12, 1976 (#136-TWP-'76 {577}: JoAnne Worley & Tony Randall {taped 6/25/77, with slate}; Claudia at Winner's Circle, with Al, Pat, and Freah playing later and several illegal clues going right by the judges!)
 * [Intro shows two clips from $10,000.]


 * November 2, 1976 (Phyllis George & David Groh; Steve {$950, going for $20,000} vs. Debbie; taped from WABC with commercials, video goes to B/W with brief blips of color from end of second Winner's Circle onward)
 * [Dick mentions that this is David's second Pyramid episode ever. Big 7 still looks the same as it did on July 6.]
 * November 3, 1976 (Phyllis George & David Groh; Debbie vs. Rich; taped from WABC with commercials, B/W video. [YouTube]
 * [First intro clip is from 3/1/76!]

1977
 * February 9, 1977 (Adrienne Barbeau & Jack Carter; Jean {going for $15,000} vs. Mary, with Steve playing later; has commercials, begins just before tiebreaker of Game 1, B/W video and pretty low audio, ends during fee plugs)

"BIG" of Big 7 becomes blue (last Big 7 change for the rest of the run)
 * March 29, 1977 (Carole Ita White & Ron Glass; Vinny vs. Amy {Game 2 - $250}, with Rita playing later; has commercials, video problems at times, ends during credits)


 * September 14, 1977 (William Shatner & Leonard Nimoy; Shirley {$1,350, going for $20,000} vs. Sharon, with Debbie playing later and Shatner throwing a chair!; average video)
 * [Opening montage includes Shatner's solo Winner's Circle from June 27, 1975.]
 * September 16, 1977 (William Shatner & Leonard Nimoy; Shirley vs. Martha; average video)
 * [Contrary to long-held belief, this was not Shatner's last episode: he did another week at the end of '77, then two $25,000 episodes for Season 5 in mid-'78.]


 * October 28, 1977 (Rita Moreno & Tony Randall; Winner's Circle rounds only, B/W video)
 * December 2, 1977 (Lynn Redgrave & Billy Crystal; clip of Crystal's 26-second Winner's Circle run, a record that still stands today!)
 * [Winner's Circle backdrop is still orange.]

1978 Winner's Circle backdrop becomes blue (began by February 24)
 * February 24, 1978 (Anne Meara & Nipsey Russell; has commercials)
 * February 27, 1978 (Joyce Buifant & Ron Glass; Mark vs. Ellen; has commercials)
 * April 28, 1978 (Adrienne Barbeau & Soupy Sales {Part 4, Part 5}; Kathy vs. Myra)


 * September 4, 1978 (#156-TWP-'78 {1109}: Rita Moreno & Robert Walden {Part 5}; Jeff vs. Roni {taped 7/25/78, with slate}; has commercials)
 * [Slate has "Take 2".]
 * October 4, 1978 (#178-TWP-'78 {1131}: Nancy Lane & Michael McKean; Consuelo vs. Jerry {taped 9/11/78, with slate}; has commercials)
 * [Slate has "Take 2". Fred Foy announces.]

1979
 * January 24, 1979 (Debralee Scott & Robert Mandan; Bob vs. Barbara {going for $20,000}; begins just after opening montage, although you really can't tell there was supposed to be one there)


 * April 30, 1979 (#66-TWP-'79 {1279}/"Challenge Match", Day 1: Billy Crystal & Sal Viscuso {taped 4/16/79, with slate}; Terase {playing for $20,000} vs. Maggie; has commercials)
 * May 4, 1979 ("Challenge Match", Finale: Billy Crystal & Sal Viscuso; Kim vs. Cindy; taped from GSN)
 * June 6, 1979 (Debralee Scott & Peter Lawford; has commercials)


 * September 12, 1979 (#163-TWP-'79 {1376}: Terry Davis & Daryl Anderson {taped 8/22/79, with slate})
 * October 5, 1979 (Junior Partner: Marla & Maureen vs. Doug & Diane {Day 2 - $925}; taped from WABC with commercials {including a Name That Tune promo}, begins with the last 2:40 of that day's Family Feud)
 * [Still has the old set (pull cards in front game, carpeted floor, old podium) and Bob Clayton announcing.]

1980 Trilons in front game, smooth floor, winged fiberglass podium (debuted by April 22)
 * April 24, 1980 (Candice Earley & Grant Goodeve; Don {$700, going for $20,000} vs. Vicki; taped from WRTV with commercials {including a Face the Music promo}, ends after first Winner's Circle)


 * June 27, 1980 (#TWP-119-'80 {1580}/Finale: Lois Nettleton & Bill Cullen; Janice vs. Mary Lee {taped 5/15/80}, with an amusing final segment)

$50,000 (1981)
Syndicated, Daily: January 26 - June 5 [September 4], 1981 (95 episodes, taped January 11 - April 8)

The weird potboiler, with an upward-ticking clock in the front game and a Tournament-entry format that emphasized the front game perhaps a bit too much...

The only change made during this run was the announcer: originally Steve O'Brien, carrying over from the last few months of $20,000, who was replaced on April 20 by Alan Kalter.

Repeats aired on CBN from July 19-October 1, 1982. Airdates per Kris Lane's site.

First $50,000 Tournament
 * January 26, 1981 (Premiere: JoAnne Worley & Sal Viscuso; Patti vs. Marge {alternate copy})


 * February 9-12, 1981 (Anita Gillette & Soupy Sales; clip of Robert Neal Marshall in the Winner's Circle {taped 1/81})
 * February 13, 1981 (Anita Gillette & Soupy Sales; Art vs. Cathy)
 * February 16, 1981 (First taped: Didi Conn & Brian Patrick-Clarke; Susan vs. Kate {taped 1/11/81})
 * February 20, 1981 (Didi Conn & Brian Patrick-Clarke; Cheryl vs. Myra; begins at Game 2)
 * [Dick notes that Bob Russo has the current record at 19 seconds, and indicates that today's the last day to beat him.]


 * March 16, 1981 (Elaine Joyce & Tony Randall; Florence vs. Lucy, with Dick remarking that Tony can be difficult; taped from WKBS, with commercials)
 * March 17, 1981 (Elaine Joyce & Tony Randall; Ellen vs. Allen, with a struggle to guess "Bjorn Borg"; "struggle" clip only)


 * April 3, 1981 ($50,000 Tournament I: JoAnne Worley & Soupy Sales; BOB VERINI vs. Bob Russo, with Colleen Messina waiting in the wings; taped from WKBS, with commercials {alternate copy, same source but no commercials and brighter video})

Second $50,000 Tournament
 * April 17, 1981 (Susan Richardson & Ross Martin; Elaine vs. Harriet; has some commercials {alternate copy})

Alan Kalter becomes announcer (began April 20)
 * April 20-24, 1981 (Didi Conn & Robert Mandan; intro only)


 * May 7, 1981 (Constance McCashin & Greg Morris; Arlene vs. Marla; taped from WKBS)
 * May 14, 1981 (Lois Nettleton & LeVar Burton; Fred vs. Marcia)


 * June 4, 1981 (Tournament Week: Anita Gillette & Grant Goodeve; Tony vs. Valerie {aired 5/21/81}; taped from WKBS, with commercials)
 * [According to Jay Temple, they ran the second Tournament during May sweeps and put the final two weeks afterward.]