John Carpenter (game show contestant)

Last updated

John Carpenter
Born (1967-12-24) December 24, 1967 (age 56)
Hamden, Connecticut, U.S.
Alma mater Rutgers University
Occupation Tax collector
Known forFirst top prize winner on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

John Carpenter (born December 24, 1967 [1] ) is an American game show contestant and Internal Revenue Service agent. He is the twelfth highest-earning American game show contestant of all time. Carpenter is best known for becoming the first top-prize winner on the American version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and the first ever top-prize winner in the entire Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? franchise. He held the record for the largest single win in United States game show history, until it was broken by Rahim Oberholtzer who won $1.12 million on another U.S. quiz show, Twenty One . [2]

Contents

On the November 19, 1999, episode of Millionaire, Carpenter proceeded to advance to the million-dollar question without using any lifelines. He then used his Phone-a-Friend to call his father, not for help, but rather to tell him he was going to win the game. Carpenter answered the question correctly and became the show's first millionaire. His win gave him national recognition and led to multiple talk show appearances, as well as subsequent appearances on Millionaire.

Career and family

Carpenter was born in Hamden, Connecticut. [1] His father, Tom, worked as a computer program analyst for the Department of Veterans Affairs, while his mother, Gail, served as an administrative assistant for the Massachusetts Audubon Society. [3] In 1986, he enrolled at Rutgers University and graduated in 1990 with a degree in economics. [4] In January 1991, he joined the Internal Revenue Service after completing government exams and tests. [3] In November 1996, Carpenter met his future wife, Deborah, who was studying for a master's degree at Southern Connecticut State University and worked as a manager of a Fleet Bank branch in New Haven. They married in August 1998. [3] At the time of his appearance on Millionaire, he was 31 years old. [5] When he revealed his profession as an IRS officer on Millionaire, Carpenter was playfully booed by the audience. [6] As of 2024, Carpenter continues to work for the IRS. [7]

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

$1 million (15 of 15) – no time limit
Which of these U.S. Presidents appeared on the television series "Laugh-In"?
⬥ A:Lyndon Johnson⬥ B:Richard Nixon
⬥ C:Jimmy Carter⬥ D:Gerald Ford

Carpenter was originally uninterested in Millionaire but eventually tuned in one night after dinner while having friends over at his house. When he found the show's higher-tier questions no more difficult than the lower-tier ones, he decided to call in to the show's hotline for a chance to become a contestant. [8] Carpenter answered all of the hotline questions correctly and was on the show within two days. [8]

The late host Regis Philbin described Carpenter as having "cruised right through those first fourteen questions," [8] as he had proceeded to reach the final question without using any of his lifelines. The $1 million question was, "Which of these U.S. Presidents appeared on the television series ' Laugh-In '?", with the choices being A) Lyndon Johnson, B) Richard Nixon, C) Jimmy Carter, and D) Gerald Ford. [9] Carpenter used his Phone-A-Friend lifeline to call his father not for help, but rather to inform him that he was going to win the million dollars. Carpenter later said, "I thought I'd look so cocky if I didn't use any lifelines, so I faked it." [9]

With his win, Carpenter became the first contestant in the worldwide Millionaire franchise to win the show's top prize. [10] He said that the only question that had flustered him was one which asked for the location of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Carpenter eventually remembered that the film Tombstone included the gunfight, and he replied correctly with the answer 'Tombstone, Arizona'. [4] While taking a vacation after his win, Carpenter considered quitting his job with the IRS, but eventually decided against it. He explained to Kiplinger's Personal Finance that "after the taxes, it's not change-your-life kind of money if you want to eat every day." [11] Carpenter also described the fame as having a bigger impact on his life than the money, later stating: "The money doesn't change your life. What happens afterwards might." [12]

Later work

Shortly after winning on Millionaire, Carpenter played himself in a Saturday Night Live skit. [12] Donald Trump, played by Darrell Hammond, announced that Carpenter would be his running-mate in the presidential election. Afterward, Carpenter pretended to call his father, then shouted, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" Carpenter also appeared on Good Morning America , Oprah Winfrey Show, and Live with Regis and Kathie Lee . [12] [13]

Carpenter appeared as himself in the second half of the fourth season of Oz . [12] He plays a contestant in a fictional TV game show called Up Your Ante that the prisoners in Em City are watching. The show within the show is hosted by Gordon Elliott, with Eartha Kitt and Didi Conn as celebrity participants. [14]

With Rod L. Evans, Carpenter co-authored a trivia book titled Matching Wits With the Million-Dollar Mind: The World's Hardest Trivia Quizzes From America's First Quiz Show Millionaire. The book was published by Berkley Books in 2002. [15]

Other game show appearances

In 2000, Carpenter appeared in the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Champions Edition, in which previous contestants who won $250,000–$1,000,000 played again, with half of their additional winnings from the Champions Edition going to a charity of their choice. [16] Carpenter won $250,000, [17] bringing his total Millionaire winnings to $1,250,000. In 2004, Carpenter participated in Super Millionaire , as one of the "Three Wise Men" on the episode during which Robert "Bob-O" Essig won $1,000,000. [18] He later participated as part of the Mob on NBC's 1 vs. 100 on October 27, 2006, [19] and as a contestant on the Game Show Network game show Grand Slam . [20]

Carpenter appeared on the August 16, 2009, episode of Millionaire in prime time for its tenth anniversary. [21] In the audience with him were his father, his wife, and his son. [22] He was also the first expert in the "Ask the Expert" lifeline for the eighth season of the syndicated series in September 2009. [23] Carpenter again appeared in the audience on the Jimmy Kimmel version of Millionaire on the July 10, 2024, episode to commemorate the show's 25th anniversary. [7]

Related Research Articles

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is an international television game show franchise of British origin, created by David Briggs, Mike Whitehill and Steven Knight. In its format, currently owned and licensed by Sony Pictures Television, contestants tackle a series of multiple-choice questions to win large cash prizes in a format that twists on many game show genre conventions – only one contestant plays at a time, similar to radio quizzes; contestants are given the question before deciding whether to answer, and have no time limit to answer questions; and the amount offered increases as they tackle questions that become increasingly difficult. The maximum cash prize offered in most versions of the format is an aspirational value in local currency, such as £1 million in the UK or ₹75 million in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Ingram</span> English fraudster (born 1963)

Charles William Ingram is an English fraudster, novelist and former British Army major who gained fame for his appearance on the ITV television game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? In episodes recorded in September 2001, Ingram correctly answered fifteen questions to win the show's maximum prize of £1 million, becoming the third recorded contestant to ever do so. However, he was denied the winnings due to suspicion of cheating.

<i>Greed</i> (game show) American television game show

Greed is an American television game show that aired on Fox for one season. Chuck Woolery was the show's host while Mark Thompson was its announcer. The series format consisted of a team of contestants who answered a set of up to eight multiple-choice questions for a potential prize of up to $2,000,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It!</span> American theme park attraction

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It! was a game show taping mock-up at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, and Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The attraction was a modified version of the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire television game show.

Eddie Timanus is a USA Today sportswriter and game show contestant who grew up in Reston, Virginia, then graduated from Wake Forest University. Timanus has been blind since he was a toddler due to retinoblastoma. He is best known for his five-game winning streak on the game show Jeopardy! and for being the first blind contestant to appear on the show.

Jerome Vered is a Studio City, California writer, publicly known for his record-setting success as a contestant on the U.S. television game show Jeopardy!

Bradford Gates Rutter is an American game show contestant, TV host, producer, and actor. With over $5.1 million in winnings, he is currently the second-highest-earning American game show contestant of all time, behind Ken Jennings, and still the highest-earning contestant on the U.S. syndicated game show Jeopardy!.

Martin Flood is an Australian quiz show contestant who competed and won on the show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, and participated in the short-lived program The Master. Flood was an I.T. analyst for Westpac bank at the time of winning Millionaire. He lives in New South Wales and retired from working altogether six months after the big win.

<i>Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?</i> (British game show) British television quiz show

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a British television quiz show, created by David Briggs, Steven Knight and Mike Whitehill for the ITV network. The programme's format has contestants taking on multiple-choice questions based upon general knowledge, winning a cash prize for each question they answer correctly, with the amount offered increasing as they take on more difficult questions. If an incorrect answer is given, the contestant will leave with whatever cash prize is guaranteed by the last safety net they have passed, unless they opt to walk away before answering the next question with the money they had managed to reach. To assist in the quiz, contestants are given a series of "lifelines" to help answer questions.

<i>Who Wants to Be a Millionaire</i> (American game show) American television game show

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is an American television game show based on the format of the same-titled British program created by David Briggs, Steven Knight and Mike Whitehill and developed in the United States by Michael Davies. The show features a quiz competition with contestants attempting to win a top prize of $1,000,000 by answering a series of multiple-choice questions, usually of increasing difficulty. The program has endured as one of the longest-running and most successful international variants in the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? franchise.

A game show is a type of radio, television, or internet program in which contestants, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering trivia questions or solving puzzles, usually for prizes. Game shows are usually distinguishable from reality television competition shows, in which the competition consumes an entire season of episodes; in a game show, prizes can typically be won in a single match. Beginning with the first five-figure and six-figure game show jackpots in the mid-1950s, a succession of contestants on various quiz shows of the era each set records. Teddy Nadler of The $64,000 Challenge, the highest-scoring contestant of the 1950s era, was not surpassed until 1980, when Thom McKee won $312,700 on Tic-Tac-Dough. Between 1999 and 2001, during a brief boom in high-stakes game shows, the record was broken six times. Both the 1955–1958 and 1999–2001 eras of rapidly set and broken records were driven primarily by one-upmanship between the networks each trying to secure bragging rights and ratings by inflating their prize offerings, rather than the merits of the contestants themselves. American daytime television has historically had smaller prize budgets for game shows that air in that daypart.

<i>Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?</i> (Australian game show) Australian game show

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is an Australian television game show which would offer a maximum cash prize of $1,000,000 for answering 15 successive multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty. The show was based on and follows the same general format of the original version of the show from the United Kingdom, and is part of the international Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? franchise.

<i>Wer wird Millionär?</i> German TV series or program

Wer wird Millionär? is a German game show based on the original British format of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. It is hosted by Günther Jauch. The show has been broadcast from 3 September 1999 until today. It is shown on the German TV station RTL on Mondays and Fridays at 20:15 (CET/CEST).

<i>Tko želi biti milijunaš?</i> Croatian TV series or program

Tko želi biti milijunaš? is a Croatian game show based on the original British format of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. The show is hosted by Tarik Filipović. The main goal of the game is to win the top prize by answering 15 multiple-choice questions correctly. There are 4 "lifelines", which are ways for a player to get help during the game. They are 50:50 (pola-pola) (2002–present), phone a friend (zovi) (2002–present), ask the audience and an additional lifeline three wise men (2020–2022). The game show was broadcast from 2002 to 2008 and from September 2009 to June 2010. It was shown on the Croatian TV station HRT1. From 2002 to 2022, when a contestant got the fifth question correct, he left with at least 1,000 kn. When a contestant got the tenth question correct, he left with at least 32,000 kn. As of January 5, 2023, When a contestant got the fifth question correct, he left with at least €150. When a contestant got the tenth question correct, he left with at least €5,000.

<i>Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? New Zealand</i> New Zealand game show

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? New Zealand was a New Zealand game show based on the original British format of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. The show was hosted by Mike Hosking. The main goal of the game was to win one million New Zealand dollars by answering 15 multiple-choice questions correctly. There were four "lifelines". It was broadcast on the TVNZ station TV ONE. The show was taped in Melbourne, Australia on the set of the Australian version of the show.

<i>Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?</i> (Nigerian game show) Nigerian TV series or program

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a Nigerian game show based on the original British format of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. It first aired on 8 October 2004 and stopped temporarily on 25 June 2017. On 29 August 2017, a deal was secured with Airoplaycare behind the new sponsor after MTN Nigeria pulled out from the game show.

<i>Quiz $ Millionaire</i>

Quiz $ Millionaire, sometimes referred to as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, is a Japanese quiz show based on the original program of the latter title. It premiered on Fuji Television on April 20, 2000, and aired its final episode on January 2, 2013. The show was hosted by television personality Monta Mino throughout its entire run.

<i>Millionaire Hot Seat</i> Australian television quiz show

Millionaire Hot Seat, also known as Hot Seat, was an Australian television quiz show. The show was a spin-off of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and began airing on the Nine Network on 20 April 2009. As with the original Australian version of the show, it was hosted by Eddie McGuire and followed a similar format.

¿Quién Quiere ser Millonario? was a Venezuelan game show based on the British format of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. The show offered large cash prizes for correctly answering a series of randomized multiple-choice questions of varying difficulties. It was hosted by Eladio Lárez, and broadcast from the Teatro La Campina.

<i>Ko Banchha Crorepati</i> Nepali television game show

Ko Banchha Crorepati is a Nepali television game show based on the British program Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.

References

  1. 1 2 "Người lập kỉ lục "Ai là triệu phú" với 22 tỉ đồng bây giờ ra sao?"". Your Adventure Now (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 8 December 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  2. ↑ Petrozello, Donna (February 3, 2000). "Million-plu$ reply an educated guess". New York Daily News. p. 101.
  3. 1 2 3 Jerome, Jim (December 6, 1999). "Many Happy Returns". People. Vol. 52, no. 22. Time Inc. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Rosenthal, Phil (November 20, 1999). "Contestant wins $1 million". Chicago Sun Times . p. 30.
  5. ↑ Taylor, Frances Grandy (November 20, 1999). "Final answer? Quiz show: a million to 1 taxman". Hartford Courant . p. A1.
  6. ↑ Bianculli, David (November 22, 1999). "Cool million makes red-hot TV". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on September 11, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  7. 1 2 Schneider, Michael (2024-07-10). "Jimmy Kimmel on Finally Getting to Host 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' With a Studio Audience, and the Two Celebrities Who Made the Crowd Cry". Variety. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  8. 1 2 3 "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire". Gameshow Hall of Fame. January 21, 2007. GSN.
  9. 1 2 Vigoda, Arlene (November 22, 1999). "Million-dollar winner untaxed by celebrity". USA Today . Gannett Company. p. 1D.
  10. ↑ "Taxman scoops a million". BBC News. November 21, 1999. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  11. ↑ Davis, Kristin (November 2000). "I'm Rich! (Now what?)". Kiplinger's Personal Finance . pp. 93–94.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Duca, Lauren (August 15, 2014). "The Final Answer On Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, 15 Years After It Premiered". Huffington Post . Archived from the original on August 22, 2015. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  13. ↑ de Moraes, Lisa (November 23, 1999). "Drab 'Millionaire' Winner Emerges as a Media Animal". The Washington Post . p. C07.
  14. ↑ Moore, Frazier (January 6, 2001). "Wizard of 'Oz' lives with permanent reminder of gritty show". The San Diego Union Tribune . p. E6.
  15. ↑ "Matching Wits with the Million-Dollar Mind : The World;s Hardest Trivia Quizzes from America's First Quiz Show Millionaire". The Book Depository. Archived from the original on October 25, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  16. ↑ Deggans, Eric (May 12, 2000). "Miami 'Millionaire' gets 2nd shot at final answer". St. Petersburg Times . Archived from the original on April 5, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  17. ↑ Bracht, Mel (May 26, 2000). "Money isn't the root of happiness: Tulsan has more fun in 2nd Millionaire gig". NewsOK . Oklahoma Publishing Company. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  18. ↑ Super Millionaire. Season 1. Episode 2. February 23, 2004. ABC.
  19. ↑ 1 vs. 100 . Season 1. Episode 3. October 27, 2006. NBC.
  20. ↑ Owen, Rob (August 2, 2007). "Dennis Miller rallies around game show all-stars". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. WE-33.
  21. ↑ Grosvenor, Carrie (July 27, 2009). "Millionaire Experts, Former Contestants Announced". About.com . About Entertainment. Archived from the original on August 2, 2009. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  22. ↑ Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: 10th Anniversary Celebration. Episode 6. August 16, 2009. ABC.
  23. ↑ Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Season 8. Episode 1. September 7, 2009. Syndicated.
Honorary titles
Preceded by
First Millionaire
 Top prize winner on
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (U.S.)
November 19, 1999		Succeeded by
Dan Blonsky
Preceded by
Michael Shutterly
 All-time American game show winnings leader
1999–2000		Succeeded by
Rahim Oberholtzer
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.