Stereo Theme of The $10,000/$20,000/$25,000 Bill Cullen Pyramids

[MuzikJunkyAES]

This joint is so hip-hop without even knowing it! Peace.

[AlabamaVid2]

Some of the best guitar riffs I have ever heard.

[intelcore2duo43]

This is my all time favorite game show theme song! Can someone tell me why Dick Clark at 1:01 is flipping off the board operator?

[doozydoozy]

This is a GREAT 70's theme...I always liked this original version much better than the later version/

[jmjfanss]

@wvoutlaw2009

CBS Television owns the right to Bill Cullen's $25,000 Pyramid.

[Garboho]

Classic game show music

[GSNSmashFan3]

0:37

That's a lotta cash!

[mrceleb2006]

The funkiest game show theme music ever made!

[darrinbaker00]

At 0:47, Clifton Davis was looking at Loretta Swit like, "You and me in my dressing room after we wrap, baby!"

[DorvellTStewart]

After listening to both versions of the theme of this clasic game show, I can't say which one I like more!

[AK47Music]

Describe to your partner these words or phrases associated with Sarah Palin..... words or phrases associated with Sarah Palin..... ready..... GO!

"Social Retard"

Redneck

Tea Party

John McCain

Loser

"The Down's"

Moron

[sugarbear522]

@AK47Music Another word to describe Sarah Palin.......

Racist

Klanswoman

[Jiltedin2007]

Dick Clark was more famous for this Game Show

[BigLupeRakimDee2]

One of the greatest game show themes of all time... heck, it might even be the best EVER. In my honest opinion, it supersedes its successor (the 1982 theme that everyone and their mother seems to associate with Pyramid) CONSIDERABLY. Bill Cullen did an INCREDIBLE job hosting (and, of course, Dick Clark was magnificent as well).

If a revival of Pyramid ever surfaces for REAL, I pray to God that they use this version of the theme instead of the more common one.

[chrismc410]

@BigLupeRakimDee2 Whats wrong with the $25,000/$100,000 theme? It's my understanding that the same man composed both.

[landrykkb]

@chrismc410 I liked both themes myself,as they were both variations of each other.

[wmbrown6]

@chrismc410 - No, this one was by Ken Aldin, the post-1982, "New $25,000 Pyramid"-on theme was by Bob Cobert.

[spxmet]

I'm suprised how much more toned-done it is in comparison to it's New $25,000/$100,000 Pyramid counterpart.

[Rlotpir1972]

You might be hearing this theme for "The $1,000,000 Pyramid" coming to CBS this fall when everything is ready.

[jgr2045]

Who else agrees that the section from 1:39 to 2:00 would've made a great ticket plug?

[raiders1967]

I agree with you.

[wmbrown6]

The other thing: Listening to this theme at the program's end while Bob Clayton listed all the consolation prize, trying to do 100 words a second but sometimes ending up tongue-tied; followed often, during closing credits, by promos for upcoming shows by (in the ABC years) such names as Gilbert Hodges, Carl Caruso, Fred Foy, John Causier, Bob Lloyd . . .

[wmbrown6]

. . . oh, and let's add Allan Jefferys to the list.

[mikeysaur65]

This music sounds like something outa an episode of Scooby Doo Where Are You?, where Fred, Velma, and Daphne are getting their groove on at a beach party and Shaggy and his dog are in the corner scarfing down a sub that's as tall as he is. Y'know, that first minute of the episode before party's over and it's back to mystery-solving business and the music switches to one of their trademark comical-but-creepy cues.

[secondchance1977]

This was originally a music cue used by CBS for most of their shows, so it could have been used on Scooby Doo!.

[wmbrown6]

@mikeysaur65 - I thought this piece sounded like the type (more particularly the end) that could've been used for one of the many "WCBS-TV Celebrates New York" promos that the CBS O&O in NYC produced and premiered in 1971. Those promos were top-heavy with British production-library music (chief among them Johnny Scott's "Roses Today" and Keith Mansfield's "Pop Package") that had more in common with Swingin' '60's London than Lindsay-era "Fun City."

[yandrsupreme]

I think the 80's theme would've been much better had it been done exactly as it was, but not so "staccato". This version is so much SMOOTHER, and has the great guitar work. I think this is the best theme ever done, BTW, the technique they used on the electric guitar to get that "playing a guitar into a fan" effect is called "Phase shifting".

[tnawcwvictoria]

hey there, well just so you know:

The New York City days of Pyramid gave us so many big names:

Sandy Duncan, Loretta Swit, Clifton Davis, the late Tony Randall, the late Bill Cullen, the late John Ritter, Geoff Edwards, Ed Asner, JoAnne Worley, Elaine Joyce, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Michele Lee, Anita Gillette, Soupy Sales, Kate Jackson, the late Robert Urich, Patty Duke, and of course, the late Nipsey Russell, Vicki Lawrence and of course Pyramid Phenom Adrienne Barbeau.

[secondchance1977]

He was. Please refrain from using sensitive words like that, as some people feel it offensive :).

[chax1971]

Hey, I am one, not offensive to me. But it is all good. Those that are sensitive need to get into the 21st century.

[emlsox4life]

Ya forgot Billy Crystal.

[c3section]

I somehow don't favor this theme. It started a great legacy, but I just don't like it. It's so baffling that I look at a great 70's groove song like this.

To me it kind of sounds vaugely like the Macerena.

[snuffereet]

This was always my favorite game show theme song along with Tic-Tac-Dough's. This is one of the very few that have a lead guitar in it!

[TVLubber]

You spelled Cullen wrong at the title.

[lancasterII]

80's > 70's Pyramid theme...not by far, but still...

[limanator77]

I like this theme song,it makes you want to tap ypur feet to the beat!!

[nycboy3489]

I like the 70's version a bit better then the 80's version, only because of that "70's grove" it has.

[andybowe]

I'd agree with you there the 70's was a groovy time

[GarfieldnPyramid]

So Second Chance how is the tape coming? (just wondering)

[secondchance1977]

This tape? Well I got it to VHS but the VHS to DVD thing broke already >:( Better return because this was going to be the

2nd conversion.

[GarfieldnPyramid]

I met the New York 10k tape, I throught you tried to post it already so would it be on DVD already?

[secondchance1977]

Tis on DVD, but it got ruined when i tried to play it on the dvd part of the conveter to see if the dvd part workd

[GarfieldnPyramid]

How did it get ruined? scrached or something?

[secondchance1977]

It snapped in half while the DVD was trying to read it. Crappy device....

[GarfieldnPyramid]

Where did you get the picture at 1:16 from?

[secondchance1977]

Thats the ABC $20,000 finale. Someone in my family must of taped it :)

[GarfieldnPyramid]

You are very luckey to have tapes recorded from the oringal broadcast date CBS and ABC (NBC didn't have any thing to do with this but I'm throwing them in anyway for other game shows) wiped pyramid and many episodes are now gone but thanks to you we know that one NY 10k extists and the ABC finale extists.

[funderburkeb74]

(C) 1976 Bob Stewart Productions

[tyrese3745]

@funderburkeb74 Actually, it's (C) 1972-80 Bob Stewart Productions (BASADA, Inc.)

[phatalbert73]

Thanks for posting. The 70's theme song totally owns the 80's theme song. I remember the first time I watched the 1982 version, and was dismayed that the theme song had been changed. It was similar, but not near as cool.

[professor0526]

I must respectfully disagree. I LOVE the 80s theme and now that I have the 70s theme to compare it too, I still say that the 80's theme ROCKS. But I sorta like the 70s version too. Sounds sorta "groovy".

[wvoutlaw2002]

The Cullen $25K series presumably exists, but it was syndicated by Paramount, so it's now owned by CBS/Viacon. The $50K series was syndicated by Colgate-Palmolive.

[wvoutlaw2002]

Oh no, I said Viacon. The Viacom V of Doom will come for my soul!!!!!! lol

[phatalbert73]

Better than than the Screen Gems S from Hell.

[Stratman78]

I know that the $25,000 Pyramid (Dick Clark, CBS) and the $100,000 Pyramid (Dick Clark, Syndication) episodes fully exist.

But what about the following episodes:

The $10,000/$20,000/$50,000 Pyramid (Dick Clark):

CBS $10k (March 26, 1973 - March 29, 1974)

ABC $10k (May 6, 1974 - January 16, 1976)

ABC $20k (January 19, 1976 - June 27, 1980)

Syndication $50k (January 26, 1981 - September 9, 1981)

The $50,000 Pyramid (Bill Cullin)

Syndication (September 9, 1974 - September 9, 1979)

[secondchance1977]

CBS 10k probably exists, CBS wasnt into wiping

ABC 10k is probably gone.

ABC 20k 76-78 is gone. 78-80 Exists

50k probably exists, only NBC wiped in 1981, who ever syndicated it has them.

Bill Cullen never hosted 50k, he hosted 25k, it depends who syndicated it.

[Hondo20132]

The $50000 Pyramid exists because it was syndicated.

[GarfieldnPyramid]

Who owns $50,000 Pyramid? And do all 95 episodes exist fully? NBC had it at one time I saw a old promo on the retro junk site.

[Hondo20132]

Yes, I think they do exist. Who has it, I do not know.

[secondchance1977]

If they exist, GSN owns the episodes.

[secondchance1977]

Currantly, if they even exist, GSN would own the episodes.

[GarfieldnPyramid]

So they don't exist? But on wiki they state reruns of $50,000 Pyramid aired on CBN cable network in 1982 before CBS $25,000 pyramid and nerver aired on GSN. It also states that a 1973 CBS episodes circulates among private collectors. Also 3 episodes of the oringal CBS run exist in the UCLA Film and Television Archive (including the third episode). I wish I was able to go get copies of them and put them on Youtube.

[secondchance1977]

And some of the pics here are from episodes someone in my family taped.

[Stratman78]

Your correct. That was a typo. Cullen hosted the $25k Pyramid, not the $50k pyramid.

[Hondo20132]

Really? THAT's how it went to the trading circuit? You said the same thing for Mindreaders. What other trading circuit material did your dad orignally record?

[secondchance1977]

Not my dad, probably my grandfather. He cant release into the trading circuit because these are from U-Matic tapes that cant be copied. He didnt record the 4th episode, though. He always had color VCR tapes and TV.

[Hondo20132]

Well, I meant about the $10K photos you see here.

But if we ever get to see the 4th episode, I sure hope it's a yes.

[GarfieldnPyramid]

I do know a place where you can get U-Matic tapes copied to DVD here are some thing you can do:

Google search U-Matic to DVD and find the site that you like and don't forget to check ebay.

If you are wondering what I am saying there are sites that you can send in your U-Matic, and others and get them back on DVDs I'm not sure if you get your original tape back on some my mom says most sites return them so make sure it is a good site. I am very sorry if anything happens.

Have ?'S ask me, GnP

[Stratman78]

Now if CBS stopped "wiping," then the last show to be destroyed was the Heatter-Quigley game show, "The Amature's Guide to Love" with Gene Rayburn (March 27,1972 to June 23, 1972). One episode was found last year. of that show.

[GarfieldnPyramid]

My guess is the tapes of NY $10,000 Pyramid are lost in the vaults somewhere waiting for someone to find them and I hope someone finds them soon. I happened with The Jokers Wild and Spin-off all of those were belived to be erased compleatly and then found all intact. I hope it will happen with CBS $10k soon.

[secondchance1977]

I sure do too :)

[Stratman78]

Which brings me to the next question. Although Wikipedia and Curt Alliaumes website says that all 60 episodes of "Give-N-Take" are destroyed, I wonder if all of the episodes exist since this show aired in late 1975.

And I could be wrong, but I think all 144 episodes of Celebrity Bowling might exist for I saw a few clips on VH1's I Love The 70's, Volume 2: "1973."

[GarfieldnPyramid]

I also wonder if really all the Second Chance episodes are destroyed expect the pilot it is rurmored that a episode exists of SC where someone does something similer to what mr. Larson did on PYL. Another was that stam0015 clamed to have a tapeing of his dad on the show but could not put it up and has not signed in for over 3 weeks. I wonder if any of this is true?

[secondchance1977]

Good News: Once my birthday comes (Feb, 21) I might be able to add to the money I saved to get another converter for VHS to DVD so I can upload the episode to youtube :)

[GarfieldnPyramid]

It is also said that out of the 1,099 episodes of ABCs Password the whole series is almost gone. 10 episodes exist in UCLA film and tv acrive and gameshowlur86 has the full pasword 1975 finale and has posted it. There is also a small clip of a episode from 1972 that is on youtube. The tapes are belived to be recorded over by Richard Dawsons Family Feud.

[secondchance1977]

Give-N-Take most probably is lost in a vault, the same with Tic Tac Dough 1978. Tic Tac dough lasted 8 weeks, like Spin-Off in 1975, and spin off exists.

[GarfieldnPyramid]

I'm sure it's the same with $10,000 Pyramid.

[GarfieldnPyramid]

I'm going to see if I can get the tape from the tradeing current this weekend. I'm hopeing I can.

[secondchance1977]

Oh yay :) Lets hope you maybe get mine.

[gamshwfan]

This music is amazing. For a game show that's all about fun and a very challenging game it's no wonder that this music has a lot of jazz that will give you goosebumps but still have you dancing to it until it stops. Since it was the 1970's it's fitting to have all those instruments incorporated into it. Bob Colbert really did a good job with it. The 1980's version was allright but sometimes the classics are always the best. It's a 5 star theme for a 5 star show.

[tyolll]

I'v been looking for this music for so long. thank you SO much for putting it up.

[Rlotpir1972]

Of all the pyramid themes in 35 years, this is the best version of all. Gotta thank Bob Colbert. Too bad I can't find the CD containing this theme.

[secondchance1977]

The Cd "The Best of TV Quiz & Game Show Themes" has this theme on it. Hope it helps you!

[chax1971]

this is a great theme.

[davemock]

You bet. It sounded and sounds rhythmic, like few other quiz show themes ever...and from what I have read, this and the "Now You See It" theme weren't specific creations for the shows. But they worked out, big-time. Very New York, like the initial 1973-81 era of the show.

[loutenore33]

absoulety the best game show ever im glad you have the full version of the theme song back up that and the 70s version of holloywood squares are the best

[UmedaRaton]

You forgot this was also the theme for the syndicated $25,000 Pyramid (1974-79) and the short lived 1981 $50,000 Pyramid.

[secondchance1977]

I Knew That, I Just Couldnt find enough pics of the 25k and the 50k to include them.

[tncookies]

Thank you for posting this outstanding theme song! It is one of my all-time faves.

[secondchance1977]

Your Welcome.:)

[vnisanian2001]

The original $10,000 win graphic looked so tacky.