$100,000 Pyramid

[pyrfan]

No winnings limit was ever mentioned on the air for the 100K. I remember being surprised when Mel Harris cracked $50,000 on her fourth day and Dick said, "We'll see you tomorrow." The daytime limit at that time was $50,000, but you could take home up to $75,000.


Brendan

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'pyrfan\' date=\'Nov 2 2005, 11:19 PM\']No winnings limit was ever mentioned on the air for the 100K. I remember being surprised when Mel Harris cracked $50,000 on her fourth day and Dick said, "We'll see you tomorrow." The daytime limit at that time was $50,000, but you could take home up to $75,000.

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In 1985-86, yes. Starting in Fall 1986, right after PYL left the air, CBS changed their winnings limit to "retire at $75K, keep up to $100K". Dick mentioned it on the $25K Pyramid a few times around the time of the change.

[Ian Wallis]

In 1985-86, yes. Starting in Fall 1986, right after PYL left the air, CBS changed their winnings limit to "retire at $75K, keep up to $100K". Dick mentioned it on the $25K Pyramid a few times around the time of the change.

CBS seemingly introduced the $25,000 limit as of their Labor Day 1972 premieres (at least Jack Barry says on "Joker's" premiere that contestants can win up to $25,000).  After staying at that limit for more than a decade, increases occurred quite frequently in the '80s.  It jumped to $50,000 on Nov 1, 1984; and (as Zach has mentioned) jumped again to $75,000 in fall 1986.  Does anyone know if/when it jumped to "retire at $100,000"?

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Nov 3 2005, 08:57 AM\']Does anyone know if/when it jumped to "retire at $100,000"?

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It jumped around 1990. WHeel had moved its studios from NBC to CBS in mid-1989, and early in the 1989-90 syndie season, a champ hit $100K in just two shows, and at the time Charlie O said over the credits that all winnings over $100K would be donated to charity. By the end of that season, Charlie O had said that winnings over $125K would be donated to charity.

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Nov 3 2005, 08:57 AM\']

In 1985-86, yes. Starting in Fall 1986, right after PYL left the air, CBS changed their winnings limit to "retire at $75K, keep up to $100K". Dick mentioned it on the $25K Pyramid a few times around the time of the change.

CBS seemingly introduced the $25,000 limit as of their Labor Day 1972 premieres (at least Jack Barry says on "Joker's" premiere that contestants can win up to $25,000).  After staying at that limit for more than a decade, increases occurred quite frequently in the '80s.  It jumped to $50,000 on Nov 1, 1984; and (as Zach has mentioned) jumped again to $75,000 in fall 1986.  Does anyone know if/when it jumped to "retire at $100,000"?

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Until then, it was still $500 daytime/$1,000 prime time (and it seems to me that no one on "Amateur's Guide to Love" won more than $200).  Guess Grant and Silverman pleaded to Bill Paley that they had no choice but to put on higher stakes game shows and that the limit had to be increased.