Thank you for posting another pilot gem, Wink and crew! I am a fan of Wolpert and admire his peculiar, zany, out-of-the-box creative thinking-even if it’s peculiar, zany and out-of-the-box. :) This was a fun pilot to watch, and Edwards held his own at the helm with good pacing and necessary wit. I really dug the Bounce Round as it had that “Double Dare” mechanism that worked with multiple contestants; I can see a whole game show with just that concept. I also saw the heartbeat of “Whew” with the bonus round, albeit it was not a climactic against-the-clock or risk-taking quizzer, which would have brought the game’s dramatic level up significantly. I don’t think the camera tricks were necessary for a game like this, but, hey, it’s 1979. Again, a fun watch, and I’m looking forward to more pilots and gems!

On the use of John Williams' "Superman" theme, many game show pilots used fill-in music. Barry and Enright's "Bullseye" hosted by Jim Lange used Santa Esmeralda's Latin disco version of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" in its 1979 pilot. Hal Hidey composed the "Bullseye" theme used in the series that mirrored the disco Latin rhythm and style of Santa Esmeralda. "Press Your Luck" used a sports show theme in its pilot before Lee Ringuette composed theme theme before its premiere.

This seems to be a reworked version of a show called Everybody's Equal basically like this show, they started off with a full audience, knocked it down to 10 people, send those 10 got knocked down to one, and that one placeable is game for The Big Money. Chris Tarrant hosted the show in the the UK. I actually went to a couple of trial runs of a proposed US version: one host was Larry Anderson, who hosted Truth or Consequences back in the eighties, and the other was the legendary Peter Tomarken of Press Your Luck fame.

Thank you Winkster for uploading another of your rare game show pilots that I've never seen before!

Steve hosted many a pilot but (not to my knowledge) his own game show. He's been a mainstay of LA TV for many years, and really did a great job on the pilots in which he hosted. Very funny and likeable guy.

This theme song is the theme song to Speedwalker and Capable Woman on KING-TV's Almost Live in Seattle, WA

Rod Roddy's "booming" voice would somehow return by the time of The Price is Right's 1987-88 season.

thanks for sharing these classic game shows

Thanks for the upload. This is definitely over the top.

I like how nobody at the beginning fought each other for the money.

Steve Edwards was a "go to" buy for game show and talk show pilots

I liked this show. I could see this in modern day.

There was a 1982 cartoon titled "Pandamonium".

Thanks for posting this Wink, I enjoyed watching it. Too bad this didn't get picked up, woulda been a fun show. Looks like all the same people behind "Whew!" were behind this pilot.

Wolpert sure did think WAY outside the box. Preferably WHEW and Hit Man are more fun and challenging than this. And...THE SUPERMAN MARCH as a theme?! GREAT KRYPTON! Oh, and since Steve Edwards still does Good Day LA...you just gave his co-hosts some ammo to rib him with. Thank goodness this was a pilot.

Some of this has elements of the modern game show 1 VS 100

Sometimes Jay Wolpert makes some real unusual game shows

The bidding part reminds me of Three on a Match. The envelope part reminds me of the current Price is Right's Pocket Change pricing game.

Close Calls! Crazy Bounces! And over $20,000! A combination guaranteed to make you say... PANDEMONIUM! ...well, we have a Gauntlet of "People" anyway. Close enough.

Did I just see the mannequin head guy from Jim Lange's 21 pilot in the audience?

I know everyone else already said it but here goes.. "SUPERMAN MOVIE THEME?! WHAT!? On an unsold pilot!? Just no.. no... noooooooo!"

Rod Roddy announcing pre-TPIR days.

I guess because this was a pilot they weren't too worried about accurate. The announcer said that was a 1980 Corvette when it was probably a 1979 model. The 1980 model changed the front bumper from that one.

Batman: how come Superman's theme is a gameshow intro?

The lady's shirt at 5:30 blends in with the green screen.

Great to see you at your vault again!

Steve did a better job of of hosting here than he did on Get Rich Quick, another unsold GS pilot taped 2 years earlier.

One of my favorite shows all had a great time

Superman theme song to start the show! Also, this was taped the day before the hostage crises in Iran began.

Steve Edwards actually did a WAY better job here, then what he did in 1977's "Get Rich Quick!" #Props

this pilot lives up to the title. ranks up there with the temptation pilot with jed allen from 83,

Steve Edwards of KTTV/Los Angeles! He may have just retired. He's not on Good Day LA anymore.

The overhead shots look like fisheye camera view.

This was long before Rod Roddy announced the Price is Right

It's FUN...It's PRIZES...It's MONEY...It's MADNESS...It's a game guaranteed to drive you...BONKERS! With the host of Bonkers,Anthony Anderson!

I am sure that none of the money or prizes were ever awarded because I've heard on many occasions that if a game show never aired a episode or was not picked up by a network that the prizes, money or both are not awarded to the contestants. This happened to a aunt of mine who since has passed away, was a winner on Press Your Luck in 1986 and was not given anything because CBS cancelled the show and it never aired and never will. From what I heard, all those episodes were destroyed. About 8 or 9 in all.

This pilot was produced in the latter half of the 1970s decade, as evidenced by the "Vice-President Mondale" question.

Great to see these posts. 😀

Okay, these questions are fantastic! Maybe a few too many special effects and using the Superman theme instead of something original (because this is a pilot? The sets look like leftovers from an ELO video. But it's surprisingly good. Thanks for putting this up!

Yup, That's Steve Edwards All Right, For Good Day, LA and The Voice Of Rod Roddy, Gone But Not Forgotten.

Reg Grundy and Endemol would improve on the concept of the first two rounds as "Everybody's Equal," and later, "1 vs. 100." The bonus game seems like a mashup between the "Whew!" (also created by Jay Wolpert) bonus round and "Let's Make A Deal."

Game shows like these I have never seen, nor heard of before. But ALL GOOOOOOOOD!!!!!! Keep em comin' Winkster!!!!

Kooky game, but I liked it! I even like the Superman theme music.

Arguably the most bizarre concept for a game show ever.

AS I was Growing Up I certainly thought Outside the Box~~~ My Parents can attest to that lol Love this Show! Thank you Winkster!!!

Host Steve Edwards...longtime L.A. talk show personality.

Any chance of getting maybe:......SPIN-OFF (Jim Lange as host), or The Hot Seat (Jim Peck as host)?

The bonus game reminds me of the Gauntlet Of Villains on Whew! (another game show announced by Rod Roddy)

The theme to Superman? Ok.

I wanna see more game Show pilots

The same Steve Edwards that was a meteorologist turned news anchor?

Honestly, this wasn't all that bad for one of Wolpert's more... unique offerings, compared to later-on stuff like "Duel in the Daytime". This could have done without costumed people, though; a board with pictures would probably have sufficed.

Excellent Pandemonium Pilot game show treasured classic!!

Since Jay Wolpert Productions produced Pandemonium & I'm just curious, does Warner Bros. Discovery now own the rights to Pandemonium Pilot?

Rod Roddy and Superman the Movie theme.

I believe the exact quote is "Play it, Sam" and not "Play it again, Sam" as quoted here.

What a trainwreck.

It seems like it would take *forever* to tape a week's worth of shows for this. Given all of the editing, costume changes, stage changes, etc (for the time)... it couldn't have been a quick show to tape an episode of. Can't imagine you could have done a week's worth of shows in one or two days!

I think this didnt get picked up over the theme song. They'd have been sued by John Williams (the composer) and DC Comics too

Opening round reminiscent of the later 1 vs 100 ... or make it 1 vs 118

Never heard of this one before, but I don't know why they put the "Superman" theme in there. Kinda weird.

Awesome

This is so 70s it hurts

Steve Edwards has been an anchor, reporter and television host in Los Angeles for many years and Rod Roddy (RIP) had the greatest voice of game show pilots before he later went on to announce “TPIR”.

It Featured The Classic Theme Song of "Superman."

All that bouncing was to the beat of "Into The Fire" - Harry Nilson...right?

Holy Fever Dream, Batman.

0:15 - "More FUN than a speeding bullet... more PRIZES-and-MONEY-full than a locomotive... able to leap tall MADNESS in a single bound! Look-down on the set! It's a crowd! It's a game! It's PANDEMONIUM! Yes, it's _Pandemonium-_ strange concept for a newer game show that came to your TV (for one time only) with fun and excitement far beyond those of mortal game shows. _Pandemonium,_ which can change the course of many folks' futures, land loot in their bare hands-and, which, devised by Jay Wolpert, mild-mannered producer for a great metropolitan TV production house-fights a never-ending battle for thrills, surprises and the game show way!"

Having watched several of these unsold pilots, what sunk them is they tend to be overly busy and awkward. That, in turn, hurts the flow of the show and takes away from the game.

I feel that this had potential.

I'm surprised John Williams didn't sue for using his music.

This show looks like fun LOL I found myself yelling PANDEMONIUM LOL

That's not the same Steve Edwards who hosted the 1977 pilot Shoot the Works is it?

On June 2nd of 1980, they should get a game show replaced by Whew!.

Yes!!! Rod Roddy!!!!

I think the game play itself for the bonus round was too simple - basically a 50/50 shot each time. I will say that pilot was definitely Pandemonium. LOL

Isn't that the theme to Superman

Was the announcer Rod Roddy?

When you do a Pilot, you can pretty much use whatever music you want, since this episode would only be shown to TV Executives, and not broadcast to the general public. Now, if it was to go to Series, THEN they would either have to pay to use the music, or, ditch the Superman theme for a different music package that they have paid for.

There's one pilot missing: Rodeo Drive 1980.

15:28 the part of the music reminds me of ABC golf Majors

i see some chroma key issue. despite the yellow dress i could see the part of the keying on it.

Sometimes I wonder what was Jay Wolpert smoking? Definitely some unique formats he came up with (some worked some didn't). I remember reading a review of this by the late Randy Amasia (sp?) apparently he was a contestant on this pilot. According to him, the way the people disappeared in the first round: they simply stopped tape, and everyone who got it wrong got up and left the stage.

I wish pilots like these got their chance in the limelight.

the theme sounds more star wars ish

Are there anymore game show pilots for unlocking by games, Yet?

Wink Martindale how do you have this many pilot episodes of game shows

Seems like a lot of yelling & clapping for such a small crowd.

Why the Superman theme?

If this show was for CBS, I would guess it wouldn't last very long. They had a $25,000 winnings limit, so we certainly couldn't have any returning champions.

With the involvement of Bud Austin, Burt Sugarman, Jay Wolpert, and Bill Carruthers, and it didn’t sell????

i wonder if this made it to air, would this work on cable like on buzzer or GSN or this be an network game show.

When I saw the people going like crazy during the opening credits before Steve Edwards came out and when I heard that "Superman" theme, I joked, "Let me guess: Christopher Reeve was the host of this show!"

Is this the same Steve Edwards that's on Good Day LA?

The Superman theme is the LAST song I'd expect to be used as a game show theme. But this game.... wow, so much excitement! :D Amazing to see that Bill Carruthers directed this pilot. Is that the Supertrain theme @ 8:17?

Pilots often used previously made music. I'm sure they had the rights to it.

I thought that was a train wreck…

How did they get away with using the Superman them song? Lol 🤔

For some reason I can only imagine Alex Trebek hosting this game. I liked Steve hosing. But, why do I imagine Alex hosting it.

Curious was this show ever sued I was 9yrs old