Watch Pyramid

Pyramid is a popular American game show that aired on GSN from 1973 to 1991. The show was created by Bob Stewart and initially aired on CBS. Pyramid quickly became a household name and featured a range of famous celebrities and participants throughout its run. The show's impressive 18-year tenure and countless syndicated episodes meant that Pyramid became a classic of American TV game shows.

Pyramid was hosted by several prominent personalities throughout its duration. Betty White, John Davidson, Dick Clark, Dara Torres, Rod Roddy, Charlie O'Donnell, Bill Cullen, Johnny Gilbert, Henry Polic II, Bob Clayton, Jack Clark, Bob Hilton, and Charlie Tuna were a few of the many hosts that graced the stage. Each host brought their unique style and humor to the game show, further captivating its audiences.

The game show was based on a simple premise. Two contestants, each paired with one celebrity guest, faced each other in a word association-based competition. The contestants and the celebrity guests would (alternatingly) give and guess a series of words or phrases that are related to one another. The guest would give clues for the word, and the contestant would have to guess the word. This pattern would continue, and the teams would score points for each item guessed correctly. The contestant with the highest score at the end of the game would be declared the winner.

There were several rounds to Pyramid, and each round had a specific theme, which was made known to the contestants before it began. The first few rounds featured categories with general topics, and each round got progressively more difficult with the categories more specific. The winning contestant from the first round advanced to the second, culminating in the final rounds, where the winner of each category would try to get a celebrity guest to guess a word or phrase by making up to seven one-word hints. Interestingly, the contestant couldn't use the part of the word in the clue or make any gestures, which added to the fun and challenges of the game show.

The show was dubbed "The $10,000 Pyramid" when it aired in 1973, implying that contestants could win up to ten thousand dollars for successfully winning the game. This amount was increased in later years, as finance advances made the stakes more considerable. In the final rounds, the winning contestant could win up to $100,000.

Pyramid's appeal lay in its simple format, making it a game that anyone could play. Participants didn't require any special knowledge or skills to play the game, as the rounds' topics included anything from popular culture to literature, geography, history, and even seasonal topics such as holidays like Christmas or Easter. Contestants had to use their wits and intelligence to guess the most words correctly within the time limit.

Another attractive aspect of Pyramid was the range of celebrity guests that appeared on the show throughout its eighteen-year run. Big names like Tom Hanks, Whoopi Goldberg, and Billy Crystal were some of the many household names that graced the show's stage.

Overall, Pyramid is a game show that has garnered a lasting legacy and is still fondly remembered by many Americans. Its simple yet engaging format, coupled with the clever word association rounds, made it a favorite with viewers. The show was a treat to watch, with its celebrity guests giving the game just the right amount of glamour and excitement. Pyramid will always be regarded as one of the most iconic and well-loved game shows in American TV history.