Once upon a time, The $100,000 Pyramid was The $25,000 Pyramid. And instead of Sherri Shepherd and Robin Roberts, it attracted the likes of David Letterman and William Shatner.
Nipsey Russell
Often called “the poet laureate of television,” comedian Nipsey Russell was a regular presence on both The $20,000 Pyramid and The $25,000 Pyramid.
William Shatner
An early player on The $10,000 Pyramid, William Shatner was nothing short of hilarious as a game show contestant. Once, he tried the winner’s circle all by himself!
Vicki Lawrence
Vicki Lawrence was a regular presence on several game shows during the 1970s and 1980s, including Family Feud, Match Game, Jeopardy! and, of course, Pyramid.
Florence Henderson
Brilliant as Carol Brady, Florence Henderson was even more entertaining on The $25,000 Pyramid. She also frequently appeared on The Hollywood Squares.
Levar Burton
’90s kids all remember LeVar Burton as the Reading Rainbow guy, but there’s more to him than picture books. He was also a powerhouse on The $25,000 Pyramid.
Michael J. Fox
The ability to travel through time could prove quite useful on The $100,000 Pyramid. Sadly, Michael J. Fox can only do this in the movies, but being stuck in the present didn’t prevent him from doing an excellent job on The $25,000 Pyramid.
Markie Post
Markie Post was heavily involved in game shows before she made it big as an actress. In addition to appearing on Pyramid, she worked on the production crews for Split Second and Double Dare.
David Letterman
It’s hard to imagine David Letterman as anything other than a host, but he shed that role on The $20,000 Pyramid.
Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal appeared regularly on The $20,000 Pyramid and The $25,000 Pyramid between 1977 and 1984. During one remarkable winner’s circle, he managed to get his contestant to the top of the pyramid in just 26 seconds!
Lynn Redgrave
Lynn Redgrave was nominated for all of the Big Four awards (Tony, Oscar, Emmy and Grammy), but she never received the game show recognition she deserved. She was great on Pyramid!
Jamie Farr
He’s most frequently associated with M*A*S*H, but Jamie Farr was quite the game show guy back in the day. He appeared on multiple Pyramid shows and on Super Password.
Loretta Swit
Jamie Farr was not the only M*A*S*H star to appear on Pyramid. Loretta Swit was also on the show several times. Additionally, she appeared on Match Game and The Hollywood Squares.
Betty White
Betty White was just as hilarious and lovable on The $25,000 Pyramid as she was on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Golden Girls.
Dick Clark
OK, technically, he didn’t compete on The $20,000 Pyramid. But he still deserves to be included on this list because he was a great host. America’s oldest teenager, Dick Clark provided endless wit and charm during his tenure on various editions of Pyramid.
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