Pyramid Game Show - RARE Chuck Woolery Pilot

[@ulknavcom054809]

I have to admit; this pilot is the classic PYRAMID like I've never seen before. But once again, the WINKSTER delivers! Keep em coming!

[@hughrist6257]

I understand why it didn't work. Too many celebrities for no apparent reason. Chuck does a good job and the Pyramid is the Pyramid. But I just think why toy with a classic, iconic game that has a great play along factor. The only thing I like about this version is the contestant could choose the celebrity to play with and who wouldn't choose Kathy Najimy? I love all things Pyramid and would have liked this version to do well but I can see why it didn't.

[@brakosjacob8019]

Definitely feels like they were trying to recreate that Match Game panel from the 70s

[@gildersleevefan67]

It reminds me of one of the pilots for "The Joker's Wild," that had all of those celebrities for no good reason.

[@timothysilva2409]

I always get a kick out of these pilots. I think that was interesting take on the classic game. I can see the fun in it... However, I can also see why it didn't work. Lol!!! However Chuck Woolery is always a pleasure to watch. He has a really down-to-earth style when it comes to hosting and I enjoy it.

[@JZCRAZY]

Well I didn't hate it. Chuck Woolery is such a good host that it's always fun to watch him host anything! This show could have used a little fine tuning. I wasn't a fan of the talk show chairs in the Bonus segment. Plus I missed hearing a sound effect as the clock counted down. It was a bit too quiet. However overall it wasn't a bad attempt at trying to revive the show with a new twist. Unfortunately that twist wasn't good enough.

[@Chainsawslots]

Crazy concept

[@OhBear-j8l]

The Winner's Doctor's Office Chairs.

[@peaceandsolepodcasthost6922]

Yeah, lounge chairs that Chuck towered over because the set designer didn't think about that visual in pre-production lol

[@libertubey2199]

In the 2009 pilot, the problem was the host. In this one, it's the gameplay. It's a shame Sony severely edited this. But, thanks for bringing it to us anyway, Wink.

[@jjinnyc75]

EXACTLY. this had a great OG host

[@ryanstrnad8442]

This pilot came out in about 1999, it was an era where game shows were on the downswing and it was just starting to get revived. Thats my theory for these changes.

[@ShaunShaffer-i6w]

This was basically a cross between Pyramid and Match Game and the set was kind of like the set of Donny Osmond's version and the Winner's Circle,if you could call it that was nothing but two ottoman chairs. It's obvious that after 1991,we had to wait 25 long years before a version of Pyramid would come that would equal the 70's & 80's versions.

[@peaceandsolepodcasthost6922]

Thanks for the neat find, Wink and crew! This was fun, but the generic theme music, awkward podium and center stage setup, and no clock sound in the winners circle felt like jarring changes to those who loved Dick Clark's versions. Despite that, Chuck's version had potential, and he was a solid host as one would expect. It's ironic in that studio pitch after the pilot that SONY featured The Dating Game but probably couldn't mention their success with Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune due to international licensing restrictions.

[@PipesMaster]

I love the piece at the end, where you get to take a closer look into Game Show Production. Always wanted to be a Game Show host 🙂

[@kyoarthfael8083]

This was an absolute disaster. I know Sony did their own thing, but this was like watching John Moschitta talk about a car crash with the cars going in slow mode.

[@pem1974]

I actually want to see a few of these pilots shown at the end!

[@PrayingToTheAlien]

I love how the viewer gets to actually play along by not seeing the word. Chuck is great at hosting anything. But this would have cost a fortune to produce with so many "celebs". Terrible music - but it was a pilot... Overall - not a bad attempt and I like how its been reimagined in this format.

[@DDELE7]

It’s not bad. I never knew this existed. Thanks Wink for putting this out there. Chuck Woolery is an old pro at this genre. He has nothing left to prove. But thank goodness Sony revived Pyramid the right way with Michael Strahan and ABC.

[@JFD62780]

Well, there's the bad - Sony insisting this pilot be cut down. There's also the good - the platinum-quality footage, strictly for people in the Industry, that followed. We actually have more insight to how Game Shows were internationally made behind the scenes, so things sorta balanced out!

[@JoshWeber-j4q]

I love this pilot, what a great accompanying act to standard Pyramid, this was a fun watch minus the edits.

[@FrankTeddy2011]

Very interesting pilot! Seemed like it followed the late 90s/early 2000s trend of modernizing classic games with trendy sets and effects. 🤷 My favorite moments were the Wink disclaimer at :55 and the Columbia -Tristar promo at 8:19. ! Great stuff! Thank you! 🙏

[@FreeSamples1969]

It's so much like Dick Clark's show....only difference is the multiple celebrities. Thank you for showing this.

[@benkizer9509]

Pyramid is such a perfect game as it is, so this is a good case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Chuck is a hosting legend, but I don't think celebrity focused game shows are his forte. Definitely gives off a late 90s-early 2000s vibe. I don't like the forced "risque" categories. They continued that with Donnymid and they still somewhat do it with Strahan's version, but on a serious game show like Pyramid, you don't need that. Overall, interesting, but nothing beats the OG rules of Pyramid. Some other facts: - Kathy Najimy was a contest on Dick Clark's Pyramid and would later be a celebrity on both the Donnymid version and the Strahan version. - John Cramer would be the announcer for the Donnymid version.

[@briangreenberg6021]

Kathy won Game Show Marathon in 2006.

[@ErikFlores-mo3fs]

Donny

[@thewhammy83]

It's the game of Pyramid you've seen and played all your life, but never quite like this.

[@Golbez1991]

This is not bad, actually. Love Chuck. And I guess they tried to do the Hollywood star studded treatment of adding more stars to the show.

[@bmhedgehog2]

Well this is a little bit better than Donnymid, but not that much. I would love to see Black Jack Bowling and Run for the Money. Please make it so, Wink.

[@VegasInsight]

Whatever year it was produced, you can tell which celebs needed screen time, or a paycheck. I know who most of them are. What has Dan Cortese been doing for the past 20+ years? Having 6 celebs on the show instead of 2 doesn't make the show more entertaining. It's not worse, it's an interesting idea. I don't mind that you can't see the answers on the screen before the contestant guesses them. It gives the show a play-along factor.

[@peaceandsolepodcasthost6922]

1997 according to Google.

[@urbanpreppie05]

Ok, five of the people on the panel were appearing on weekly, multiple season series. Including dan.

[@VegasInsight]

@@urbanpreppie05 I will take your word for it. My life didn't revolve around television in 1997, much like it does not now. If five of these people were busy raking in the dough, and just plain pyramid for the love of the game, then so be it. Pretty impressive that they landed five busy, thriving celebrities to film a pilot for a game show that never went to air.

[@KXPriestess]

The Pyramid pilot was interesting twist on the format. I liked it.

[@benkizer9509]

Weird to see Pat Sajak hosting a pilot at a time when Wheel of Fortune was the number one show on all of TV and was printing money. I wonder if he was just hosting the pilot and then once it was picked up, they would have gotten another host. I know he did at least two other game show pilots before he joined Wheel of Fortune: Puzzlers with Mark Goodson and Press Your Luck with Ralph Edwards (a different show and format from the better known Bill Carruthers version).

[@LogoMan7777]

7:14 - (bzzz) Illegal clue!

[@SweepingDeveloper]

Preposition, right?

[@ThandrieDavis]

I wonder if the "with" would be okay without the "on it"?

[@SybilKibble]

No cuckoo either

[@ErikFlores-mo3fs]

Ouch

[@shawnquinn9534]

Someone grab the smelling salts and wake up the judge

[@giovannia5685]

This pilot for Pyramid was definitely….. different, to say the least. I don’t know what the inital plan was had this made it past the development stage with the celebrities, but I’m assuming the 6 stars would stay on for the week. A lot of fans aren’t too keen on the Donny Osmond version, but this version would have probably gotten a more severe reception. I’ve read that a 1996 pilot with Mark L. Walberg was worse. At 7:13, shouldn’t Kathy have been buzzed for being too descriptive? (“A banana with chocolate on it”) It was also cool to see the various projects Columbia Tristar were working on; bringing formats around the world and also some new projects of their own. Pat Sajak was hosting a run through! (Run for the Money) Again, many thanks, Wink. We appreciate you so much. 💙💙

[@peaceandsolepodcasthost6922]

The Donny-mid version was actually quite good, I feel like that version doesn't get the appreciation it deserves.

[@LittleRockElevatorsandmore]

Yes Kathy would've been buzzed for that but since this is a pilot they probably didn't worry about it.

[@3mango]

This version of pyramid was like match game and Hollywood squares formats

[@spannmona]

Kathy Kinney Kathy Najimy Alfonso Ribeiro Bronson Pinchot Leila Kenzle Dan Cortese Those are the panelists for PYRAMID!

[@drewandjeffers5695]

There's also one where Mark L. Walberg hosted the pilot in 1996.

[@RichCale]

While I would have liked to have seen all the stars give clues, I could see a lot of promise in this.

[@coryhouser6201]

Thanks for the video! Would love to see the Sajak “Run for the Money” if it exists!!

[@rlochel]

"A banana with a stick on it...." BUZZZZZZ

[@xSmootx]

Not crazy about the pick-a-celebrity format for the front game and hate that everybody has to stand in the middle for the round to be played when it could've been in those comfy chairs in the Winner's Circle instead. Wonder if we'll see those pilots for Blackjack Bowling (with a young Frank Nicotero 11:32 ) and Run for the Money in the future on the channel.

[@ydnar0723]

The climb up the pyramid was interesting during the winners circle

[@allankelly2500]

This could have been a reworking of another Bob Stewart game show like Double Talk

[@drewconway7135]

How nobody’s clothes fit in that early 90s way

[@kenmmcnatt]

I have at least six reasons as to why Sony weirdly edited this one... When you unnecessarily complicate a simple and classic format it is bound to fail and fail hard.

[@kenmmcnatt]

Also, if they wanted to go all in on the celebrity aspect they could have just had each celebrity present one category in the winner's circle and have the contestant navigate it that way...but I'm just further complicating the format. 🤣

[@ClapHurts]

looks like match game at first

[@mabus42]

Aside from the always amazing and talented Chuck Woolery at the helm, I verily declare this to be an abomination. The music? Gah.. that is some of the worst jazzy upbeat crap I’ve ever heard! The set? Um.. feels like something more akin to a day time talk show. Sally Jesse Raphael would have been right at home there. And this is not a knock on her, we love her! The celebrities? Six of them? Who was drunk at the production meeting that thought that was a good idea? Don’t get me wrong, the panel was outstanding and big names at the time, but why six? This ain’t Match Game, amigos! But wait there’s more! Why are the clues for the main game not revealed on screen for the home viewers during the description? Where did the clock ticker sounds disappear to? The winners circle is more like a psychotherapist’s office. No studio exec in their right and sober mind would ever greenlight this! However, I for one am eternally grateful to Wink and his team for EVERY upload.. even the stinkers like this one. Y’all are doing God’s work for geeking out us true game show fans!

[@Lupton2000]

Announcer John Kramer got to announce the show five years later:)

[@kingporter67]

Very rare Pyramid game show!!

[@allankelly2500]

Next one for the vault Pat Sajak 's run for the money

[@jeprice08]

I love Chuck and I love Wink but there's an old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." They should've left the classic format alone and keep Chuck. It might've worked.

[@urbanpreppie05]

I’m going to say it first….this isn’t that bad.

[@matthewbaduria]

This is an interesting pilot, it's Pyramid meets Hollywood Squares with a bit of a Match Game.

[@DLCOrganization]

So. . . "Pyramatch"?

[@cevancarr]

I thought this was going to be bad but it wasn't. Better than Match Game 98, though not quite as good as Hollywood Squares. Wish it would have sold! Or that they would have kept it where you could guess the "Pyramid Passwords" in the main round instead of always having them on-screen.

[@jamesqualls8125]

Holy Smokes! This is a (chopped and diced) version of the game. 100% wrong, should have used a unusual pilot for Match Game. "Bad luck " Chuck Woolery .

[@TheMillionaireArchive]

The problem with this format is how radically different it is compared to previous formats. Having six celebrities with two contestants in a standalone podium didn’t make sense and it would not have lasted long had it aired. I would even say that the Donny Osmond version was better than this one. The current ABC format does it just right in my opinion.

[@martinjkrumm8764]

I only have one question, it's been on my mind for years, I wish I had asked sooner, and it has only to do with this channel: What is the music used at the start of each video?

[@WolfpackEntertainmentYT]

is this Hollywood Squares or Pyramid? This would not have worked, Woolery or not

[@JoeCoughlin3]

Sajak tried for a long time to make Blackjack Bowling happen. I think he licensed it to Taiwan and then in 2006 as a mobile game. Is this 1985 game show from the New York area the basis for the Sajak version? www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DTxZtX5xbXPU&ved=2ahUKEwjc9PyvwJmJAxX-ElkFHVJIArAQtwJ6BAgKEAI&usg=AOvVaw2Ruz3ROAH8E--01K8mlyXA

[@davidlewis1815]

Did this lead to the Donny Osmond version (2002-2004)?

[@mrnmrsifl]

Interesting seeing Sajak pilot another show with Wheel in its 90s heyday. Guessing he was trying his hand at production. Wonder if it was anywhere close to Rafferty's "Run For The Money" pilot.

[@LittleRockElevatorsandmore]

He also hosted another pilot before he hosted wheel of fortune called puzzlers.

[@wisp2007]

I doubt it. Rafferty’s RftM didn’t have teams

[@davidcolumbia5792]

No wonder this game never made it!

[@dougmilesmedia]

Added a celebrity element to the original "Pyramid" show. Might have been interesting. They needed a better set of celebrities though :)

[@peaceandsolepodcasthost6922]

I mean over at Goodson-Pearson-Fremantle a year after this, Match Game 98 suffered from the same level of celebrity guest, no disrespect to them.....talent coordinators needed a bugger budget and rolodex to attract heavy hitters. But hey, Alfonso was there and Dan seemed like he came to win!

[@marcpower4167]

It's still better than the crowd of D-list celebrities that brought in for the Mark L Walberg hosted pilot from the year before

[@nextbarker2702]

@11:40, I didn't know Pat Sajak hosted another game show, excluding, of course, the one we all know

[@amywilson3593]

gerry wilson like finding this as i'm a big cw fan

[@daybird2]

Boy, that was a short one!

[@ColdSnapVA]

What needless complication. Not even Chuck could save this one. I recall Randy Amasia reviewing this pilot in the last months of his life...

[@SigmaRho2922]

This was not picked up until a modified version was made in 2002

[@Benwah]

Why did they change the format.

[@justin271995]

I believe leasa was also on Louie Anderson Family Feud.

[@VahanNisanian]

Kathy Najimy and Bronson Pinchot played in the 80's; the former as a contestant.

[@Rewindium]

Looks like 1998 for this pilot when Chuck was hosting the late 90’s Dating Game based on that Columbia Tristar sizzle reel at the end with a clip of When Did That Happen?

[@ABCEasyas--]

The latter starring in Perfect Strangers

[@LogoMan7777]

@@VahanNisanian When was Bronson a celebrity in the 80s?

[@watson956]

Bill Hader ("Stephon") would be happy to see Dan Cortese in this pilot!

[@marcomacias3960]

i don't remember Card Sharks being part of Columbia Tristar.

[@OhBear-j8l]

Dan Cortese or Jon Bauman?

[@wschmrdr]

Sometimes you just don't mess with a format. This is one of those cases where you shouldn't.

[@marcomacias3960]

so that's what Mimi looked like without makeup

[@supergameshowmajster]

This version was better than original format. It's so fresh.

[@mctm1981]

Kinda has good bones, but not a great pilot to sell it.

[@thewhammy83]

10:23 How and why?

[@MitchellHang]

Interesting concept. Looks like classic Pyramid meets Match Game.

[@chris.twentyeightt]

7:14 That was supposed to be a buzz. But it’s a pilot…

[@thomasdinsmore5866]

No 7-11 or mystery 7

[@peaceandsolepodcasthost6922]

At least they gave contestants 500 bucks for getting an entire category right (7 out of 7)

[@ulknavcom054809]

in what year did this pilot air?

[@giovannia5685]

This was from November 1997; Chuck was also hosting The Dating Game around this time.

[@peaceandsolepodcasthost6922]

1997. Never actually aired anywhere, it was a pilot SONY likely wanted to shop to local stations in the US.

[@Rewindium]

Appears to be 1998 for this one, a year after GSN added the Clark Pyramid reruns

[@JoeCoughlin3]

It never aired. It's a failed pilot. But given the talent and the projects mentioned here, I'd say it's circa 1998?

[@TomHutton-t3q]

I HAVE BEEN A DIEHARD FAN OF PYRAMID SINCE ITS PREMIERE IN 1973 [OVER 50 YEARS!]. THO I ENJOYED THIS PILOT, IT IS SAD THAT THE DISTRIBUTOR CHOPPED IT DOWN TO ONLY 9 MINUTES!!!!!!!

[@ABCEasyas--]

Did you watch The $10,000 Pyramid hosted by John Davidson? I remember seeing it!

[@andyk6796]

The winners circle round lacked drama. The sound of the clock clicking each second would have added some.

[@DBradshaw25]

This was.....not good.

[@kennnethtreistman1973]

Only thing left now is Jim Perry hosting Casino!! I wonder if that exists anywhere.

[@rodney1279TheFlip]

I hate this pilot. There only need to be two celebrities for Pyramid. I do not like the set either.

[@illustriousrocket4476]

It's not *terrible*, per se, but it really suffers from the "needlessly reinventing the wheel" syndrome that a lot of concepts suffered around this time. Pyramid is not the kind of game that really benefits from more celebrities the way something like Match Game did. All it does is add more awkward walking back and forth that doesn't come off smoothly on air, especially compared to how well all previous incarnations of Pyramid worked. Awkward is really a good word for this entire thing; the totally quiet bonus round was really very awkward too.

[@terryleemangrumii8566]

Hopefully, in the next batch of pilots you upload, we will see the unsold pilot of Run For The Money with host Pat Sajak!

[@AdamJ617]

Actually, what about Duel in the Daytime.

[@andyrose5616]

The pitch at the end is voiced by Beau Weaver.

[@MountainHawkPYL]

7:14 Illegal clue not buzzed.

[@drewandjeffers5695]

What year was that?