Pyramid Records, in case you wanna know.
Zach Horan
The record for cash winnings on $25K Pyramid(daytime 1980's) was
$60,050, set in the show's permanent final week Jun 27-July 1 1988. That
did not include Mystery 7 prizes/trips/cars. One player in April 1985
won $57,500, plus Mystery 7 prizes, for a total of over $68,000. BTW,
from 1982-1984, once a player passed the $25K threshold(like on PYL)
they were retired, but kept all winnings over $25K up to CBS limits,
which at the time was I think $50K(except Larsen on PYL, who got his
$110,237 I guess in full). From 1984-87 or so, the retired champ level
was $50,000. And from 1987-88 it was $75,000, but no one reached that
mark. And limits on contestant winnings must have been raised to $100K
by 1988.
The record for cash/prizes on the $100K syndie version was in 1987,
wherein Cheryl Reinwand won a trip to the Fiji Islands and $150,800,
after winning the $100K tournament.
bma...@mail.sgi.net
Zach Horan wrote:
>
> The record for cash winnings on $25K Pyramid(daytime 1980's) was
> $60,050, set in the show's permanent final week Jun 27-July 1 1988.
>That
> did not include Mystery 7 prizes/trips/cars.
Actually, this contestant, Kelly Grogan, did win a trip to the Virgin
Islands in the Mystery 7.
> From 1984-87 or so, the retired champ level
> was $50,000.
> And from 1987-88 it was $75,000, but no one reached that
> mark. And limits on contestant winnings must have been raised to $100K
> by 1988.
The $75,000 "retirement" limit and the 100K total winnings limit were
both started on the episode that aired 9/29/86.
> The record for cash/prizes on the $100K syndie version was in 1987,
> wherein Cheryl Reinwand won a trip to the Fiji Islands and $150,800,
> after winning the $100K tournament.
Actually, this happened in September of 1986.
In terms of actual money winning, Cheryl is the champ of the 100K.
However, on John Davidson's version, there was a contestant named Chris
McDermott who won the tournament, and her winnings totalled
$147,750. I bring this up because $20,000 of Cheryl's winnings came
from 21-21 ties. Chris broke one 21-21 tie, but since the 5K bonus
was not in effect for the 1991 version, she received nothing for
breaking this tie. If the 5K rule HAD been in effect, Chris would be
the champ of all time. If the 5K rule had not existed when Cheryl
played, her total would have been $130,800.
This is something that's bugged me about the "Pyramid" record. Keep in
mind, I'm not trying at all to diminish Cheryl's incredible record. She
was a fantastic player and deserved every dime she got from that show.
But by the same token, $13,300 of Kelly Grogan's winning total came from
bonus money. By contrast, Barbara Schnell, the previous record holder
($58,950, trip to Jamaica, computer, VCR), won no 7-11s but did win one
5K bonus. And she went to the Winners' Circle ALL TEN TIMES!!! She
didn't lose even one round. And Cathy O'Brian, the record holder before
Barbara ($56,950, car), won no bonus money at all. All of her money came
from the Winners' Circle. It would be interesting to factor out all of
the bonus money and total everything up and see who the "real" all-time
"Pyramid" champs are (Sorry, Cheryl and Kelly. I mean no harm).
Hey, Zach, this is fun! Maybe we should do a running segment of "Dueling
Pyramid Trivia".
The Beatmaster
Brian Rathjen
Beatmaster:
OR, we could even start our own alt.tv.newsgroup just for Pyramid. Talk
about my $1,000,000 Pyramid ideas, records, categories, how John sucked
and how Pat Finn would forever bescrimish the reputation of PyramidŠ
Yes, the ideas are sure endless! Whataya think of that???!!!???
bma...@mail.sgi.net
What the hell? It's gotta be a lot more fun than that horrible
bastardized "Pyramid" pilot that Randy Amasia describes. What a
nightmare.
The Beatmaster
richardh
In article <56spq6$p...@insosf1.netins.net>,
Brian Rathjen <bdra...@demian.sau.edu> wrote:
>Beatmaster:
>
>OR, we could even start our own alt.tv.newsgroup just for Pyramid. Talk
>about my $1,000,000 Pyramid ideas, records, categories, how John sucked
>and how Pat Finn would forever bescrimish the reputation of PyramidŠ
>
>Yes, the ideas are sure endless! Whataya think of that???!!!???
>
>
First it should have been the $250,000 pyramid with 10 subjcts instead of
six and the players trying for $25,000 if the get all 10 subjects in 60
seconds and $10000 if they get it in 90 seconds, and then $25000 or $50000
if the player goes to the Winner's Circle twice in one day. keep the
standard $100,000 Torunament and have the 6 tournament winners and the
six biggest money winners wh did'nt ae t int the tournament playing for
$250,000 at the end of the season.
Secondly Pat Finn would be a much better host than the talentless
cucklehead theat Sony and that brainless castofffrom S***eS*****y picked
to hst the $25.00 Pyramid
Richard Hudson
Jay Lewis
On 19 Nov 1996 17:12:38 GMT, Brian Rathjen <bdra...@demian.sau.edu> wrote:
>Beatmaster:
>
> Talk John sucked
Could someone please tell me what is wrong with John Davidson??
I liked him during HS and thought he did a good job on $100KP??
Maybe I'll never understand it. BTW, I also liked Dick Clark
at the P helm...
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Also, check out my *NEWLY UPDATED* hompage:
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Brian Rathjen
Mr. Hudson:
NEWS FLASH!!! Back when the original $10,000 Pyramid debuted on CBS
back in March 1973, Bob Stewart killed the idea for 10 categories in the
Winner's Circle just two days before the taping of the first show. Why?
Because the concept would not work. It would be impossible to climb the
Pyramid in 60 seconds using 10 categories (not to mention next to
impossible in 90). There was a reason Mr. Stewart decided on using six
categories in 60 seconds for the endgame, and suffice to say, such
should remain if the Pyramid's top prize is $1,000,000 (just make the
top category a little extra tough and bring along some good celebrity
players (i.e., "Šfrom 'Spin City,' Michael J. FoxŠand from the Tony
Awards, Billy Crystal") for the tourney games, that's all).
AND KILL THAT RIDICULOUS IDEA OF DECREASING THE PRIZE FOR GOING OVER 60
SECONDS!!! I know the concept was used on such shows as Headline
Chasers and Face the Music, but those were completely different concepts
and games, based on the premise that the sooner you won the untimed
endgame, the more you'd win (be it cash or a prize package). With
Pyramid, since no one would be able to get 10 categories in 60
seconds--by Mr. Stewart's own admission--no one would ever win the
$25,000 or $50,000 top prizes as you suggested.
Secondly, maybe Pat Finn would be better than the two names you
mentioned. But I feel the real deal (i.e., DICK CLARK), or even a GOOD
emcee (e.g., Chuck Wollery, Monty Hall) would be best suited to host any
revival of Pyramid, regardless of the top prize.
Thirldly, I feel that the concept should be just as before. Six
categories; seven words per category in 30 seconds; Winner's Circle with
six categories in 60 seconds; all rules for frontgame and Winner's
Circle as before. The only differences have been outlined in my
previous submissions, so I won't waste space for those who have
forgotten.
Fourth, the reason I suggested $1,000,000 is because I thought it would
draw some GOOD contestants, who are playing the game for sheer fun.
True, not all contestants who've played game shows with large top cash
prizes are sincere in their motives (i.e., Charles VanDornen of the quiz
show scandals). But there are still those out there who love to play
game shows and get very rich at the same time. And, when I first
thought the idea could fly, "Chance of a Lifetime" was just ending its
run; I thought to myself, "Šmake the Pyramid's top prize $1,000,000, and
you'd have an even more exciting show." Not $250,000; not $100,000.
But $1,000,000 cold cash!!!!
bma...@mail.sgi.net
Jay Lewis wrote:
>
> On 19 Nov 1996 17:12:38 GMT, Brian Rathjen <bdra...@demian.sau.edu> wrote:
>
> >Beatmaster:
> >
> > Talk John sucked
>
> Could someone please tell me what is wrong with John Davidson??
>
> I liked him during HS and thought he did a good job on $100KP??
>
> Maybe I'll never understand it. BTW, I also liked Dick Clark
> at the P helm...
>
Here's what was wrong with John Davidson hosting "Pyramid", in no
particular order:
1. He never took his eyes off those cue cards. Every single day, he gave
the same exact intro and the same exact Winners' Circle rules.
2. He never gave the contestants' accurate totals.
3. He frequently mocked the contestants.
4. On one episode, they gave away a trip to Korea for the Mystery 7.
John thought this was the funniest thing he had ever heard. Granted, in
some minds, Korea is associated with war, but a lot of people
who watched the Olympics remember it being a great place. Even so, I'm
sure whoever provided the show with the trip wasn't very happy with the
host making fun of their gift.
5. On another episode, for "THINGS IN A HOTEL ROOM," Lois Nettleton
said, "the bed, the rate list" and the contestant said, "THINGS IN A
WHOREHOUSE." After the commercials, John commented on how he didn't
think there would be a rate list at such an establishment, saying "Well
... I'll have one of these and one of those ..." Granted, it was funny,
but it was in poor taste. Dick Clark would have acknowledged that her
response was funny, then moved on.
6. When doing the post mortem in the Circle, he would give a few clues
for one category, then without revealing what that answer was, start
naming items for another category. The poor contestants got so confused.
7. His "Ready ... Go ..." was strung out too long. Dick's was more
succinct and sharp. (This is REALLY picky, but sometimes John would
still be saying the word "go" after the giver started talking.)
8. For someone who once hosted a t*** s***, he had almost no
interviewing skills and very little rapport with the celebs.
9. He ALWAYS rushed the people into introductions of their families
after they won. The last category had barely turned when he started
shouting, "Here, sit down and tell us who all these people are!" And
sometimes he would say that (all these people) when there was only one
person running on stage.
10. He would act like the players' deliberations about which category to
pick was stupid and pointless. There actually was a strategy to picking
the tie-breaker letters, but he knew so little about the game that he
didn't realize this.
I'm sure there are more complaints I have about his hosting stint, but
I'll refrain ... until later. However, I suspect a lot of other people
on the newsgroup would agree with me that John's hosting of the show was
not the only thing wrong with the '91 version. Those STUPID Double
Troubles, the lousy Mystery 7 prizes, the Gamble cards, the lack of a
bonus for breaking a 21-21 tie, the narrow (and in my opinion, more
difficult to read) font on the category boxes, the monitors for the
little pyramid and the lack of any pattern of progressing difficulty in
the Circle in Season 2 all were flaws with this incarnation.
However, as much as this version made me cringe sometimes, I would still
prefer it to the version described in Randy Amasia's review of the
pilot. If this is the version that makes it to the air, I will NEVER
watch it.
I say we start the petition NOW. If as many people from the biz read the
newsgroup as we think do, we could help get the show back on the right
track before too much time goes by.
I've waited too long for the "Pyramid" to come back for them to destroy
it like this. Who's with me?
The Beatmaster
T. Jay
Here's an idle thought (I'm neutral on this idea)...
WHAT IF -- Each 2 player team would start with 1:30 on each of their clocks.
They pick a category, the clock runs down untill all 7 answers are said and/or
"cuckooed". Then the clock will start again with their next 7-item category onn
their next turn, etc...
At the end of the three rounds in the front game, high score wins. If a perfect
21-21 tie, the team that used the least amount of time to obtain the 21 pts wins.
If there is a tie of less than 21, then you do a tie breaking round