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Jeopardy redirects here. For other uses, see Jeopardy (disambiguation)

Jeopardy! is a very popular international television game show, originally devised by Merv Griffin, who also created Wheel of Fortune. The show originated in the United States, where it first ran on NBC from 1964 to 1975 and again from 1978 to 1979. Its most successful incarnation is the current Alex Trebek-hosted syndicated version, which has aired continuously since September 1984.

Jeopardy! is a game of trivia, covering topics such as history, literature, and pop culture. During the game, three competing contestants are given a clue in the form of an answer, to which they must give a response in the form of a question.

Broadcast history

The Jeopardy concept was originally created by Merv Griffin, who wanted to take the format of a television quiz show and make it more enticing by speeding up the game and putting a twist on the format. The original twist, giving clues in the form of answers and expecting replies in the form of questions, was originally the central concept of the show, which was pitched under the title What's the Question?. The name "Jeopardy" was coined when, according to Griffin, a skeptical producer rejected the show claiming "it doesn't have enough jeopardies" (a reasonable complaint, since a winning player in Jeopardy can maintain his lead relatively easily by avoiding risk). Griffin thought the "Jeopardy" name sounded perfect and immediately used it to generate puns like naming the second round of the game Double Jeopardy.

Art Fleming hosted (and Don Pardo was the announcer on) the original version, which aired during the day from March 30 1964 to January 3 1975 on NBC for 2,753 shows. Fleming also hosted a short-lived syndicated version in 1974-75, and another short-lived NBC revival, The All-New Jeopardy!, from October 2 1978 to March 2 1979 for 105 shows. (John Harlan was that edition's principal announcer.)

The original NBC version largely gained its popularity from college students and businesspeople who would watch the show during their lunch breaks, as the program aired for most of its network run at 12 Noon Eastern/11 Central. Many of those people who fondly remembered the game would constitute a ready-made audience for the 1984 premiere of the syndicated version. In fact, the show's 1975 cancellation was largely due to the network's relocating the show to two different time slots during the previous year, first at 10:30/9:30 a.m., opposite CBS' "$10,000 Pyramid" and "Gambit", and then finally at 1:30/12:30 p.m., against the high-rated "As the World Turns" on CBS and another game, "Let's Make a Deal" on ABC. With those moves (which some have said were deliberate on the network's part due to tensions between daytime programmers and Griffin), the show lost most of its traditional followers, and NBC, in exchange to Griffin for the last remaining year on Jeopardy's contract, permitted him to create a new show in its place, Wheel of Fortune, which debuted January 6, 1975.

The 1970s syndicated version was mainly an attempt by Griffin to keep the show going in the face of its imminent doom on NBC. It was noteworthy mainly for two things: at the program's end after "Final Jeopardy!", the winning contestant got a chance to select a prize hidden behind the slots on the main game board (numbered 1–30, à la Concentration); and host Art Fleming appeared dressed in a tuxedo with check-patterned jackets, instead of his customary business suit. None of these things helped this seemingly futile effort, and the show ran only one season, from September 1974 to September 1975; it is quite likely that most stations dropped the program even earlier than the end of the season, probably not long after the network version's demise.

The 1964 to 1975 airings originated from NBC headquarters in New York's Rockefeller Center; it has been based in Southern California starting with the 1978 revival.

The current version, with Trebek as host and Johnny Gilbert as the announcer, debuted on September 10 1984 (according to page 30 of Ray Richmond's book This is Jeopardy!), and perennially ranks second to Wheel of Fortune in the Nielsen ratings of syndicated programs. In 2005, it won its 10th Daytime Emmy for best game show, surpassing Pyramid.

The show was the subject of great interest and increased ratings (often beating Wheel) in the second half of 2004, as contestant Ken Jennings, taking advantage of newly relaxed appearance rules, remained a champion for seventy-four appearances, winning over US$2.5 million, and breaking almost every record in game show history.

Game play

Round 1: Jeopardy!

Each day, there are three contestants, one of whom is usually the champion, who play a three-round game. The first round is simply called the "Jeopardy!"round.

Six categories are announced, each with a column of five trivia 'answers' (i.e., questions written in answer form), ostensibly graded by difficulty. Each category is a topical category, and the categories change on each show; frequently, they contain puns or other wordplay. (Column number 6, the one furthest to the right, usually contains the wordplay category.) The names of the six categories are sometimes related in some way (e.g., titles of Shakespeare plays, although only one may actually concern the famous playwright).

The values of each of the five answers are thus:

• 1964–1975: $10, $20, $30, $40, $50
• 1978–1979: $25, $50, $75, $100, $125
• 1984–2001: $100, $200, $300, $400, $500
• 2001–present: $200, $400, $600, $800, $1000 (these values were also used for the 1990 Super Jeopardy! tournament during the Jeopardy! round.)

The returning champion (standing at the leftmost lectern) begins the game by selecting a category and monetary value ("Presidents for $200"). The host then reads the 'answer' ("He was the Father of Our Country; he didn't really chop down a cherry tree"), after which any of the three contestants may ring in, placing the response in question form ("Who was George Washington?"). Though contestants usually respond in the form of a question in both rounds, it is a little known fact that this is only required during Double Jeopardy to get credit for a correct response. Simply stating the correct answer is enough in the first round.

A correct response wins the dollar value of the clue, and gives him/her the right to select the next clue. If he/she is incorrect or failed to answer in time, that amount is deducted (hence, the dollar amount was always in jeopardy) and his/her opponents could answer. If all three contestants fail to answer or give wrong questions, the correct answer is read, and the player who gave the last correct response chooses the next clue.

The current scores are shown on the front of each player's podium; on the current set, positive scores are shown in blue, negative scores in red. Negative scores often happen, when contestants make enough incorrect responses.

Daily Doubles

In each game, three answers are designated 'Daily Doubles' (a name taken from horse racing): one in the Jeopardy! round and two in the Double Jeopardy! round. Only the contestant who selects a Daily Double can respond to its clue. They can wager as much as the maximum amount of a clue on the board (currently $1000 in the Jeopardy! round and $2000 in the Double Jeopardy! round) or as much as they have accumulated, whichever is greater. (They are permitted to make the wager of the maximum amount even if they have zero or negative score.) The minimum wager is $5. A player may also indicate that they wish to make it a 'True Daily Double', meaning that they are wagering all the money that they have up to that point. Two other Daily Doubles are sometimes used, a Video Daily Double and an Audio Daily Double.

Ringing in

Before the 1985–1986 season, contestants could ring in anytime after the clue was revealed. Now, in order to give all three contestants a fair shot at the clue, they must wait until the host finishes reading the clue and the lights surrounding the board illuminate before they can ring in, and pressing the signaling button too soon locks it for one quarter of a second. For easy clues, ringing in at the right moment is important.

Questioning

The phrasing rule ("What is ..." or "What's...") is quite strict, especially in the later rounds. For instance, if a player simply said "Titanic" as his/her response before his/her alloted time expired, he/she would be ruled incorrect because of the failure to reply in question form (even if "Titanic" were the correct response). Fleming and Trebek will remind contestants to phrase their responses in the form of a question in the first round, but never during Double Jeopardy! or Final Jeopardy!). However, if a contestant corrects himself/herself before time expires, the response is ruled valid.

For responses calling for foreign words, contestants may phrase their response as a "what is" question correctly phrased in the foreign language. For example, when the category was "A category about nothing" and the clue was "en español," Ken Jennings responded, "¿Qué es nada?". In another episode, Ken responded with "What be Ebonics?". Also, on the episode aired April 12, 2005, in the category "From the French," the clue was "It's a hint or trace of something (sounds like of Campbell's)." Steve Chernicoff responded, "Qu'est-ce que c'est un soupçon?"

Round 2: Double Jeopardy!

The second round, Double Jeopardy! (a pun on double jeopardy), works like the first round, with the following exceptions:

• The categories are different.
• The value of each clue is double what it was in the first round (except in the case of the 1990 Super Jeopardy! tournament):
  • 1964–1975: $20, $40, $60, $80, $100
  • 1978–1979: $50, $100, $150, $200, $250
  • 1984–2001: $200, $400, $600, $800, $1000
  • 1990 Super Jeopardy! tournament: 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500
  • 2001–present: $400, $800, $1200, $1600, $2000
• The contestant with the lowest amount of money at the end of the first round picks first in the second round.
• In the current version, prior to 1997, the set would change from blue to red starting with this round.
• Also, in the 1978–1979 version only, only the two highest-scoring players at the end of Round 1 played Double Jeopardy!; the third-place player was eliminated before the start of the round.

Finishing Double Jeopardy! with $0 (or less)

Sometimes, contestants will finish Double Jeopardy! with either $0 or a negative score. If that happens, they are automatically eliminated from the game and not allowed to participate in the game's final round, Final Jeopardy! In this case, the contestant(s) receive consolation prizes, which (beginning in May 2002) are $1,000 for third place and $2,000 for second place.

Usually, it is only one contestant that gets eliminated from Final Jeopardy! However, on rare occasions, two contestants have been disqualified from playing, leaving the first-place player to provide a question to the Final Jeopardy! answer alone. The last show where two contestants finished 'in the red' aired on February 23, 2005 during the Ultimate Tournament of Champions (only Jeff Richmond advanced to Final Jeopardy!)

There has never been an instance where all three contestants finished "Double Jeopardy!" with $0 or less, thereby disqualifying everyone from "Final Jeopardy!", at least on the 1984 syndicated version. It is currently unknown whether a three-way disqualification from "Final Jeopardy!" ever happened on the 1964 NBC version. It is unknown how the time normally used to play "Final Jeopardy!" would be filled, since this has never happened on the syndicated version.

Round 3: "Final Jeopardy!"

In "Final Jeopardy!", the host first announces the category, then the show goes into a commercial break (during which the staff comes on stage and advises the contestants while barriers are placed between the players to discourage looking at one another's answers). The contestants then risk as little as $0 or as much money as they have accumulated, by writing it on a card (before 1979) or electronic drawing board (since 1984). After the final commercial break, the clue is revealed. Contestants have 30 seconds to write a response on a card/electronic drawing board, again phrased in the form of a question. The light pen is automatically cut off at the end of the 30 seconds.

There are two instances where the electronic pens are not used. If, for any reason, the contestant has a problem with the electronic board and/or pen, he or she can write down their response on an index card with a marker. The other instance is with blind contestants (like Eddie Timanus), where the board and pen are replaced with a Braille typing machine.

As with the rest of the show, responses in "Final Jeopardy!" must be phrased in the form of a question. During the 1984–1985 season, a few contestants lost their games solely because they had forgotten to do this. As losing a game because of forgetting two words made for very bad television, contestants have been instructed to write the beginning of their "Final Jeopardy!" question during the commercial break after "Double Jeopardy!" since the beginning of the 1985–1986 season.

Cash prizes

The top money-winner at the end of "Final Jeopardy!" is the day's champion and returns to the next show.

During the 1964 NBC and 1974 syndicated versions, all three contestants kept whatever cash they won. On the syndicated once-a-week version which aired from 1974–75, the winner chose one of 30 spaces, each of which concealed a prize such as a vacation, a car, or cash. The top prize was $25,000 in cash.

Before 1979, all contestants won their winnings in cash. Since 1984, in an attempt to discourage "runaway consolations" (where second- and third-place players keep money as close to that of the first-place winner as possible), only the champion wins the amount of money accumulated on the show, and the other two contestants win consolation prizes. However, in 2002, it was changed so that the second place finisher gets $2,000 and the third place finisher gets $1,000. The change was made so that contestants who had to pay to travel to Los Angeles would at least win enough money to cover airfare and lodging costs.

Special cases

• If no contestant finishes with a positive total (i.e., at least $1), then nobody wins and three new contestants appear on the following show; in such cases the three players will participate in a backstage draw to determine player position. The three-way loss has happened three times since 1984; the number of times this occurred during the 1964 NBC version is undetermined.

• If more than one contestant ties for first place, they each win the money and come back, assuming that they each have at least $1. (One contestant in the Trebek era actually won the game with only $1 ; there have been few players who have held the co-champ title twice, and there has never been a three-way tie).

• If there is a tie in a tournament episode, a tiebreaker question is played, but this has only happened on a few occasions. In case of a three-way loss in a tournament, nobody advances, and an additional wild card is added in the tournament. (A wild card is one of the usually four non-winners with the highest scores in the opening round of a tournament to advance. There has been one triple loss in a tournament, and a fifth wild card was added.) Scores coming to "Double Jeopardy!" break ties for a wildcard position.

Categories

For the first two rounds there are always six categories which change for each round and each show; frequently, they contain puns or other wordplay. The names of the six categories are sometimes related in some way (e.g., titles of Shakespeare plays, although only one may actually concern the famous playwright).

Some categories have special rules pertaining to them. In each case, contestants and viewers are told the specific format required to get the clue correct. For example, if a category has a letter or letters in quotation marks, those letters will appear, in that order, in the correct question. "Cat" and Mouse would mean that all questions would have the letters C-A-T present.

Common categories are:

• Rhyme Time - Two consecutive words in the question rhyme with each other ("A chilly swimming basin" - "What is a cool pool?").
• Name's the Same - The two nouns given share either the first or last word ("Close, Frey" - "Who is Glenn?", where the category is First Name's the Same).
• Potpourri - A variety of topics inside one category.
• Crossword Clues - Using the first letter given in the category, and the number of letters given in the answer, the question is the completion of the clue ("Late-night hunger pangs (8)" - "What are munchies?", where the category is Crossword Clues "M").
• Before and After - The first and second parts of the question join together via a mutual word ("The time it takes an element to lose 50 percent of its radioactivity in a 1979 Monty Python movie." - "What is Half Life of Brian?") or ("A Nickelodeon cartoon superhero is the title of a Star Wars film" - "What is Danny Phantom Menace?").
• Stupid Answers - The correct response is contained in the answer. (Example: "Name of the hotel & office complex where the Watergate break-in occurred." - "What is Watergate?")
• Spelling (AKA "The Dreaded Spelling Category") - The correct response must be spelled out. Generally, the answer is given, but not shown on the board ("Get hooked on the spelling of..." is shown, the word "Phonics" is given - "What is P-H-O-N-I-C-S?")
• "Wordplay" categories - In the "wordplay" category, all the answers will contain a specific word. For example, if the category title is "The 'Eyes' Have It", then all the correct questions will feature the word "eye" somewhere in them. (Example: Answer - "This popular fight song talks about the 30 million of these in this, the second most populous state." Question - "What are The Eyes of Texas?")

Other versions

1978 revival

During the short-lived 1978–79 series, the lowest-scoring contestant was eliminated after the "Jeopardy!" Round, and "Final Jeopardy!" was not played; instead, whoever was ahead at the end of "Double Jeopardy!" became the champion.

That contestant then got to play a bonus round called "Super Jeopardy!" (no relation to the special summer 1990 tournament of all-time champions as aired on ABC). This round featured a new board of five categories with five clues in each, numbered 1–5 (and unlike the main game, not necessarily increasing in difficulty down the line). The object was for the contestant to provide any five correct responses in a straight line, Bingo style (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally). Giving an incorrect response earned the player a "strike," and blocked off that space on the board; three strikes ended the round. "Super Jeopardy!" was worth $5,000 to a first-day champion, with the jackpot increasing by $2,500 each day that champion successfully defended his/her title; with the five-day limit in place, that meant a potential total of $50,000 in just "Super Jeopardy!" earnings ($5,000 + $7,500 + $10,000 + $12,500 + $15,000). If a player struck out, he/she still received $100 for each correct response given.

Celebrity Jeopardy!

Every so often (usually once a year), "celebrity weeks" are held in which the contestants are celebrities. Each celebrity chooses a charity to sponsor, and that charity is the recipient of the particular celebrity's winnings. Typically, the charity is guaranteed a certain amount ($20,000, with the winner's charity receiving $50,000). Also, the rules are usually relaxed for "Final Jeopardy!", where all players will play.

Celebrity Jeopardy! has been spoofed numerous times on a Saturday Night Live sketch, with Will Ferrell appearing as Trebek, and Darrell Hammond usually playing Trebek's nemesis, Sean Connery. The skits poke fun at the ineptitude of the starring celebrities at answering even the extra-easy sorts of questions that appear on the real Celebrity Jeopardy!, along with their ineptitude at answering questions in general. In 2001, Jeopardy! returned the favor by selecting a set of references to the skit (including "Therapists (not 'The Rapists')" and "Things You Shouldn't Put in Your Mouth") as Double Jeopardy! categories. Will Ferrell's final episode as an SNL cast member featured a Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch in which Trebek himself appeared.

Celebrity Jeopardy! has also been a regular skit on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. These bits usually include President George W. Bush as a contestant. The answers usually came from current events, and, unlike the SNL version, the celebrities usually knew what the realistic question is. However, these questions were actually wrong, with the correct question being a joke about another celebrity.

Regis Philbin was known for appearing on Celebrity Jeopardy! frequently, playing for Cardinal Hayes High School in New York.

Rock & Roll Jeopardy!

Main article: Rock & Roll Jeopardy!.

Rock & Roll Jeopardy was a music-intensive version of Jeopardy! that aired on VH1 from 1998 to 2002. Hosted by Jeff Probst (of Survivor fame), this show used music-based categories. Other than the host being somewhat looser with the "phrase in the form of a question" requirement, the game was basically identical to Jeopardy! The first two seasons awarded $5,000 to the winner; subsequent seasons were played for a $5000 house minimum.

Jep!

Main article: Jep!.

Jep! was the children's version of Jeopardy!, hosted by cartoon voice artist Bob Bergen. The show aired in 1998 on Game Show Network (now GSN), and up to late 2004 on Discovery Kids. Contestants were between the ages of 10 and 13. Rules differences from the adult version can be viewed by reading the Jep! article. This show was not well received by fans or critics, and didn't last long.

Starting in 1999, Jeopardy! began a "Back-to-School Week," which uses easier clues for the 10-to-12 year old contestants but is otherwise identical to the adult version.

Changes through the years

In previous seasons, a contestant who won five days in a row would be retired undefeated, with a guaranteed spot in the next Tournament of Champions. (In the first six seasons, winning contestants kept all winnings, with a cap of $75,000. Anything won above $75,000 went to the champion's favorite charity. The cap was increased to $100,000 starting in season seven after Bob Blake and Frank Spangenberg exceeded the $75,000 cap. In seasons 14-19 the cap was raised to $200,000. Starting in season 20, the cap was eliminated altogether.)

From Season 14–17, an undefeated champion would also be awarded a choice of Chevrolet cars or trucks (Corvette, Tahoe, or two Camaros). From Season 18–19, the winner won a Jaguar X-Type. Similarly, as part of the deal with Ford for the 2001–02 season, Ford also added a Volvo to the Teen Tournament prize package.

To mark the start of the current version's 20th season, in September 2003, the quiz show changed its rules so there is no winnings limit; a contestant keeps coming back as long as that contestant keeps winning (although automobiles were no longer awarded for five wins). This led to the remarkable winning streak of Ken Jennings, who currently holds most of the winning records on the show, including greatest number of appearances and regular season highest total dollar amounts won (excluding tournaments). Jennings held the record for the highest total dollar amount won on Jeopardy! and any game show ever played, until the Ultimate Tournament of Champions (see below) when he was displaced by Brad Rutter, whose winnings came mostly with special tournaments.

Tournaments

Tournament of Champions

During both the NBC and 1984 syndicated versions, there has been an annual Tournament of Champions (ToC), featuring five-time undefeated champions and other biggest winners during the past season. During the Fleming-era, the winner won $25,000 and a trophy. Eleven ToC champions were crowned during the 11-year NBC run.

The ToC format during the Trebek era was similar. Fifteen players - all five-time champions (before 2003) and the biggest winners among the other players - are invited to participate; starting in 2003, spots in the ToC are determined by length of the champion's reign (e.g., all 10-day champions, followed by all nine-day winners, etc.), with winnings serving as the tiebreaker.

The ToC lasts two weeks (10 shows), in the following manner:

• Shows 1–5: The quarterfinals, with three new contestants participating each day. The five winners advance to the semi-finals. Four "wild card" spots are available to those with the highest score among non-winners; ties broken by the highest score after "Double Jeopardy!"

• Shows 6–8: The semifinals. At this point, the game becomes a single-elimination affair, with each winner advancing to the finals.

At any point in the quarterfinals or semifinals, there is a tie for first place, a tie-breaking clue is played, with the one answering correctly advancing to the next round.

• Shows 9–10: The two-day finals. The first-day score does not factor into the second day's scoring. The contestant's cumulative total from both days is added together to determine his/her final score. The contestant with the highest cumulative score wins the grand prize ($100,000 from 1985-2001; $250,000 since 2002). All non-winners — including the second- and third-place players in the finals — receive a guaranteed amount based on their finishing position; in addition, the runners-up in the finals receive additional cash equal to their score if it exceeds the guaranteed amount.

Other tournaments

Two other tournaments are featured each season, and include:

• The Teen Tournament: Featuring high school students. The winner receives $75,000 (plus, at various times through the run, a new car). For many years, the winner also participates in the Tournament of Champions. One of the most notable Teen champions was Eric Newhouse, who advanced to the finals of the 1989 ToC, and participated in the "Million Dollar Masters" and "Ultimate Tournament of Champions" tourneys. The first Teen Tournament aired in 1987.

• The College Championship: Featuring college students, usually broadcast from college campuses (from 1997–present). Prior to that, the shows were broadcast in the show's main studios in LA. The winner earns $100,000 plus a spot in the Tournament of Champions. The college tournament was also played during the Fleming era, with the first Trebek-era college shows airing in 1989. Tom Cubbage, who was the very first Jeopardy! college champion that year, won the Tournament of Champions the following season.

These tournaments are staged identically to the Tournament of Champions.

For many years in the Trebek era, the show also had a Seniors Tournament, where contestants 50 or over played. This tournament has been discontinued, largely due to advertisers wanting to pull in younger demographics.

Special All-Time Best Tournaments

There have been a number of special tournaments featuring the greatest players during the history of Jeopardy! These are listed below.

Super Jeopardy!

Main article: Super Jeopardy!

The first of these "all-time best" tournaments, "Super Jeopardy!" aired in 1990 on ABC. It featured top players during the first six years of the 1984 syndicated run, plus a notable champion from the original Fleming era. The tournament was similar to the Million Dollar Masters and Ultimate Tournament of Champions (see below), although it was on a much smaller scale than that tournament. The "Super Jeopardy!" tournament also featured 4 lecterns as opposed to the standard three, and the games were played for points instead of dollars. Bruce Seymour won the tournament and $250,000.

Tenth Anniversary Tournament

The Tenth Anniversary Tournament was a short five-day tournament aired in 1993 following the conclusion of the regular Tournament of Champions. $100,000 Tournament winner Tom Nosek got a free pass into the tournament, the other eight spots were chosen randomly. The winner of each of the last five regular season games drew one name from each of eight bowls representing the second through ninth seasons of Jeopardy!. Contestants who had made it to the semi-final round of that year's tournament were put in the bowl.

Three regular semifinal matches were played, with the winners competing in a two-day final. Frank Spangenberg won the tournament with a two-game score of $16,800 plus a $25,000 bonus for a total of $41,800. Tom Nosek finished second with $13,600, and Leslie Frates won the $7,500 third place prize, which exceeded her score of $4,499.

The semi-final losers were: Roy Holliday, Steve Rogitz, Mark McDermott, Doug Molitor, Robert Slaven and Lionel Goldbart, who each won $5,000.

Teen Reunion Tournament

In November 1998, players from the 1987, 1988, and 1989 Teen Tournaments (including the champions) were invited to Boston to play in a special Teen Reunion Tournament of former players of the event. Eric Newhouse won the tournament and later found himself at two other special tournaments.

Million Dollar Masters

In May 2002, to commerate the Trebek version's 4,000th episode, the show returned to its New York roots when fifteen champions played in episodes taped at Radio City Music Hall to play for a $1 million bonus, with a standard tournament format.

First round

Each of the five winners advance, with four non-winners filling wild-card spots. Results were thus:

• Wednesday, May 1: Bob Harris defeated Rachael Schwarz and Frank Spangenberg
• Thursday, May 2: Brad Rutter defeated Claudia Perry (WC) and Kathleen Waits
• Friday, May 3: Chuck Forrest defeated Leslie Frates (WC) and Eric Newhouse (WC) All three advance to semifinals.
• Monday, May 6: Bob Verini defeated Leslie Shannon (WC) and Eddie Timaus
• Tuesday, May 7: India Cooper defeated Babu Srinivasan and Robin Carroll

Semifinals

• Wednesday, May 8: Newhouse defeated Harris and Shannon
• Thursday, May 9: Rutter defeated Frates and Cooper
• Friday, May 10: Verini defeated Forrest and Perry

Finals

• Monday, May 13: Rutter $11,800, Newhouse $0, Verini $6,800
• Tuesday, May 14: Rutter $13,801, Newhouse $25,600, Verini $800

Totals: Rutter $25,601; Newhouse $25,600; and Verini $7,600. Rutter wins the Million Dollar Masters Touranment and the $1 million grand prize.

"Ultimate Tournament of Champions"

Main Article: Jeopardy! Ultimate Tournament of Champions

Jeopardy! announced a new tournament on December 28, 2004, called the Ultimate Tournament of Champions, which began airing February 9, 2005. This tournament pitted 144 former Jeopardy! champions against each other, with two winners moving on to face Ken Jennings in a 3-game final for a chance at $2 million.

The final winner was Brad Rutter ($62,000 for the tournament final). Jennings placed second (with $34,599) and took home $500,000. Jerome Vered finished third ($20,600), collecting $250,000.

As a result, Rutter is the all-time highest winner of any game show with $3,270,102, with Jennings a close second with $3,022,700.

Auditions

The Jeopardy! staff regularly offers auditions for potential contestants. Tryouts take place regularly at the Los Angeles Jeopardy! studio, and occasionally in other locations. In order to try out, one must be at least 18 years of age, unless one is auditioning for one of the "special" programs, such as the Teen Tournament or Kids' Week.

Tryouts for the regular version are given to many people at one time. Before one arrives, one is asked to bring along a filled-out form stating one's name and providing five anecdotes that one could potentially use during the on-air interviews.

There are three parts to the auditioning process itself. The first is a pep talk of sorts from the contestant coordinator. The staff tries to make the audition process entertaining. In the second section, fifty Jeopardy!-style clues in fifty different categories are displayed on a big screen at the front of the room and read aloud by Johnny Gilbert, the show's announcer. A potential contestant has eight seconds to write down his or her response (no need to phrase in the form of a question here) before the next clue is read.

At the end of the fifty questions, the contestant coordinators take the completed answer sheets and grade them. Though some sources state that a score of 35 is passing, the contestant coordinators refuse to confirm or deny that and the official passing score is kept a secret. Some people who have auditioned speculate that the passing score varies depending on how many contestants are needed for the show. Exact scores are not disclosed, only pass/fail results. Those who did not pass the test are dismissed, and those who did pass the test remain for the third phase of the audition.

At this point the people who passed the written test are given paperwork to fill out, which details eligibility and availability. Then the third part of the audition, a mock Jeopardy! competition, begins. A game board is presented, and potential contestants are placed in groups of three to play the game. The emphasis is not on scoring points, or even having correct answers; the contestant coordinators know that they possess the knowledge to compete on the show, as they have already passed the test, and are looking for on-the-air-compatible qualities. Having a lot of energy and using a loud, confident voice are considered to be huge advantages.

After playing a few clues, the contestant coordinators give each potential contestant a few minutes to talk about themselves. The coordinators request that they finish by telling what they would do with any money they won on Jeopardy!

After the end of the tryout, those who passed the test and participated in the mock Jeopardy game are placed into the "contestant pool" and are eligible to be called to compete for the next year. Those in the contestant pool may be called at any time in that year, although the show has more potential contestants than it needs and many people are not called at all.

In 2006, a preliminary screening for potential contestants was conducted on the Internet. An online version of the 50-question qualifying exam was administered on March 28-30. Those who scored well enough to 'pass' the test (Jeopardy! does not reveal its scores or scoring process) were invited to participate in regional auditions, where they underwent the same process described above to be added to the contestant pool.

Tryouts for the Kids Weeks are slightly different. One does bring one's anecdotes and information sheet, but one first plays the mock Jeopardy! game, then takes a thirty question test. One is called or notified by the station on which one views Jeopardy! if one is to appear on the show. Fifteen children ages ten to twelve are chosen for each filming, along with one alternate.

The mandatory waiting period after taking the contestant exam is one year, after which one may try out again.

Theme songs

The theme song, "A Time for Tony," which was composed by Merv Griffin as a lullaby for his son, has served as the "think music" of the Final Jeopardy! countdown since the show's inception in 1964 (although it was not used in the 1978–79 version), and is also the melody for the current theme. In the United States, it has insinuated itself into everyday communication; the song applies to any situation in which someone is waiting for another to answer a question or make a decision. For example, the theme is often heard at baseball stadiums when the manager goes to the pitcher's mound to discuss a replacement, or at football games during instant replay reviews. Another longer variation of "A Time For Tony" was used as a jewelry prize cue on Wheel Of Fortune in the 1980s.

A few years after composing the song, Griffin added 2 timpani notes at the end so that it would meet the 30-second minimum length required to secure a copyright on the song.

Griffin has estimated the Jeopardy! theme song to have made him somewhere between 70 and 80 million dollars in royalties.

The main theme song to the original 1960s version is called "Take 10" and was composed by Merv Griffin's wife, Julann. On the finale episode with Art Fleming in 1975, the theme used was "Smile" originally composed by Charlie Chaplin.

The main theme to the 1978–79 revival was called "Frisco Disco" and was composed by Merv Griffin. "Frisco Disco" would resurface in 1983 as a prize cue on Wheel of Fortune, and would continue to be used until 1989.

When the current incarnation began in 1984, an electronic version of the "think music" melody became the main theme, while the original recording of "think music" was resurrected for the Final Jeopardy! round. The main theme was remixed in 1991 to include a bongo track. In 1997, both the theme and (much to the chagrin of some fans) the think music were updated, with jazzy orchestral arrangements by Steve Kaplan. The main theme was updated again in 2000 - this arrangement was similar to the previous one, but looser and more upbeat. The theme has gone through some slight reorchestrations since then. The main theme was updated since 2001. Over the commercial break during College Tournament and Teen Tournament, a Rock & Roll Jeopardy! theme song was played (and during a few of those tournaments, was used in Final Jeopardy). Alternate versions of the Final Jeopardy! "think music" have been performed by the UCLA marching band and the Yale Whiffenpoofs.

Miscellaneous trivia

• The show's 3,000th episode had the same six categories used from the show's first episode in the first round ("Lakes & Rivers", "Inventions", "Animals", "Foreign Cuisine", "Actors & Roles", and "Number Please"). A category of unrevealed questions from the first episode were featured on Double Jeopardy! (which, ironically, were not all revealed in this episode either). The Final Jeopardy! category was "Holidays", which was also the same category used on their first show.
• Kevin Laude, a one-day champion, had to wait more than four years for his win to air. His win was on the "lost episode" of the show which never aired in its rotation. In Season 18, Laude defeated 4-time champion Ramsey Campbell and Nancy Casbeer in a game which did not air because of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The show was finally aired on GSN in June 2005.
• The theoretical maximum win for a single day of Jeopardy! is $566,400. However, this requires choosing all of the Daily Doubles last and that they are all placed behind the lowest valued clues, which the odds are 3,288,600 to 1 against (assuming they are randomly placed, which they are not), wagering everything for each Daily Double, and again wagering everything in Final Jeopardy! Depending on placement and order of the Daily Doubles, a so-called "perfect game" (every question correct, always maximum wager when called to do so) can range from $208,000 to $566,400, with a mean of $374,400.
• The current one-day record is $75,000, set by Ken Jennings on July 23, 2004.

The Sets

Here are some of the set changes over the years, starting from season one of the syndicated version in 1984.

Season 2 (1985-1986) was a partial overhaul of the original set. The 9-foot Jeopardy! logo was redone in white neon lighting with opaque white plexiglass panels covering the lights, the gameboard was repainted to a gray metallic and the carpet changed from blue to gray. The podiums received a slight facelift and all traces of the color red was removed. The inner red neon band on the to the outer neon bands. The gameboard also began to cycle through a flash routine at the end of the show.

Season 3 (1986-1987) The set received a minor facelift again. The white plexiglass covers on the 9-foot Jeopardy! logo were replaced with ones matching the color of the outer almost-yellow neon band, and the spotlights above the set now had color to them. This set would be the second-longest running set Jeopardy! had, as they used it until the end of the 1990-1991 season. Minor changes were made over the years. In 1988 the category headings changed from a surrounding neon tube to a neon backlight, the spaces between the gameboard monitors was trimmed up a little bit and the carpet on the set floor was slightly more refined. The riser on the stage was also changed from carpet to a blue plexiglass with a neon backlight (which ironically was almost always never used) In 1989 the spotlight on the upper support for the "O" behind Alex's podium was removed.

In 1990, for the 16-week Super Jeopardy! tournament to air on ABC, the set received an additional fourth contestant podium for the quarterfinals, and the floor changed from gray carpet to a shiny black linoleum tile. Additionally, the gray metallic on the gameboard and the podiums was changed to a bronze like texture, and for Super Jeopardy! only, the red neon lights for the category headings made a return.

Season 7 (1991-1992) Jeopardy! rolls out a brand new set and a revised version of the original theme from 1984. The set consisted of a revised 9-foot Jeopardy! logo (with changes being made to the "R", the "Y", and the "!", and the color changed back to white). In addition, the 2-tone blue and white band making up the border of the set was overhauled and replaced by a solid light blue neon band. The upper band was a 1-piece design while the lower piece consisted of elements from the previous set and elements of the new set. A 6-foot gap separated the edges of the upper and lower bands at the left and right sides, and a shiny metal grid was the main feature behind the contestants. The podiums also received a new look, incorporating the new shiny grid and a perennial white backlight. The gameboard was also substantially revised. Instead of a 3-inch border surrounding 30 19" TV monitors, the new gameboard consisted of 30 25" TV screens incased in a half-inch frame. The end result resulted in a near-seamless video wall that was inspired by both Disney's short-lived 1990 "The Challengers" game show hosted by Dick Clark, and also TNT's NBA basketball studio show. Additionally, the posterboard category headings were also changed to the use of TV monitors. The Jeopardy! logo on the set also was changed to a cycle between flashing red-to-white and flashing blue-to-white during the Jeopardy! and Double Jeopardy! round respectively. The "Entrance Arch" was replaced by a wall of the "metal grid" material and contestants from then on until 2002 walked onto the set. The floor now adopted the shiny black look from "Super Jeopardy!"

This set lasted until the 13th season in 1997, and was the longest-tenured set on the Trebek version.

Season 13 (1996-1997) Two months after the start of the 13th season, Jeopardy! once again overhauled their set. Every feature was overhauled. The main feature was a new 9-foot Jeopardy! logo etched in glass with the "P" and "A" being sliding doors for Alex's new entrance walk. The backdrop behind the contestants and for the remainder of the set consisted of dark gray granite columns and huge wood panels with small etched glass "windows." The set floor was also changed to a more angular shape and the color scheme on the floor consisted of a mix of granite tile, tan tile and gloss black. The contestant podiums were overhauled to a more wood-like appearance and Alex's podium received a similar treatment. Alex's podium also had a light blue neon backlight and a marble globe in front of it. Additionally, 2 large television displays were added to the left and right hand sides (usually seen off-screen) of the set, and the audience now became a part of the set, receiving the same background as the set itself. A few weeks after revealing this set, Jeopardy! rolled out a brand-new rendition of the famous theme music and a retooling of the Final Jeopardy! "Think Theme." All of these changes nearly alienated longtime loyal viewers of the show, while the set was nicknamed by some the "sushi bar" studio.

This set would last with virtually no change until the 19th season in 2003.

Season 19 (2003-2004) Three months after the start of the 19th season, Jeopardy! would again overhaul their set, to the set they currently use now.

International adaptations

There are (or have been) versions of Jeopardy! outside of the United States, including a UK version hosted by Paul Ross (with Derek Hobson, Chris Donat and Steve Jones before him), an Australian version with Sale of the Century legend Tony Barber, versions from Sweden (from 1991) with Magnus Härenstam (1991-2005), later Adam Alsing (2006-), Quebec (French Canada) with Réal Giguère (aired on TVA network from 1991 to 1993), Germany with Hans-Jürgen Bäumler (as Riskant! on RTL, 1990-1992), Frank Elstner (as Jeopardy! on RTL, 1994-1998), Gerriet Danz (on tm3, 2000-2001), Russia, from 1994, called Svoya Igra, with Pyotr Kuleshov, plus a version from Denmark with Søren Kaster (from 1995), Lasse Rimmer (from 2000), to Lars Daneskov (from 2003), version in Israel with Ronny Yovel, and Estonia whit Mart Mardisalu (as Kuldvillak on tv3, (start and end date unknow)). Israel's version is the most recent version of the A&Q show around the globe, starting in 1997.

In addition, the American version of the show is distributed internationally and airs across the world.

Logos

File:JeopardyTitleCard.jpg File:Jeopardy 1994.JPG

Episode Status

GSN has aired 1 episode from the 1964–75 Fleming version, the 2000th episode. A clip from an earlier 1960s episode aired in 2004 during an ABC News Nightline special on Jeopardy! on the night Ken Jennings lost. In addition, an ordinary 1974 episode and the 1975 finale exist among private collectors. It is believed that is all that is left of the run, as the tapes were destroyed by NBC. The status of the 1978 version is unknown, although GSN aired this version's last episode on December 31, 1999, as part of a marathon of game show finales. The first episode and the second episode also exist in collections.

The Trebek version is completely intact. GSN—which like Jeopardy! is an affiliate of Sony Pictures Television—has rerun approximately 8 seasons to date, although they continuously aired the 1997–98 season (14th season) from June, 2001 until June 13, 2005. Since then, GSN has been rerunning episodes from the 2001–02 season (18th season), including a series of unaired 2001 episodes which did not air because of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Cast and crew

• Host: Alex Trebek
• Executive Producer: Harry Friedman
• Senior Producers: Lisa Finneran, Rocky Schmidt, Gary Johnson
• Producers: Alex Trebek (1984-1987), George Vosburgh (1987-1997)
• Directed By: Kevin McCarthy
• Head Writer: Jules Minton (1984-1988)
• Writers: Kathy Easterling, Steve D. Tamerius, Debbie Griffin, Gary Johnson, Michele Loud, Jim Rhine, Mark Gaberman, Andrew Shepard Price, John Duarte, Carol Campbell, III (1988-1990), Carlo Panno (1985-1990)
• Editoral Supervisor: Billy Wisse
• Announcer: Johnny Gilbert
• Clue Crew: Jon Cannon (2005-present), Cheryl Farrell (2001-present), Jimmy McGuire (2001-present), Kelly Miyahara (2005-present), Sarah Whitcomb (2001-present)
• Associate Directors: Joel D. Charap, L. David Irete, John M. Prichett
• Stage Managers: John Lauderdale, Keith Richmond (1984-1986)
• Senior Technical Supervisor: Bob Sofia
• Senior Production Supervisor: Randy Berke
• Segment Producer: Deb Dittman
• Associate Segment Producer: Stewart Hoke
• Stage Operations Supervisor: June Curtis-Nogosek
• Senior Researcher: Suzanne Stone
• Researchers: Lorrianne P. Axeman (2000-), Sarah Beach, Matt Caruso, Ryan Haas, Michael Harris, Eric Johnson, Robert McClenaghan, Matthew Sherman
• Material Coordinator: Suzanne Jack
• Production Designer: Naomi Slodki
• Art Director: Bob Rang (1985-1991)
• Contestant Executive: Maggie Speak
• Senior Contestant Coordinator: Glenn Kagan
• Segment Production Supervisor: Renee Rial-Reynolds
• Director Clip Clearance: Shelley Ballance
• Executive Directors of Promotions: Rebecca L. Erbstein, Lisa Dee, Suzy Rosenberg
• Senior Unit Publicist: Jeff Ritter
• Promotions Managers: Grant Loud, Sarah Wallace,Karen Palumbo
• Field Producer:Brett Schneider
• Post Production Manager: Kelli Cardona
• Production Coordinator: Nakeshia Carroll
• Promotions Coordinator: Kevin DeLarios
• Senior Marketing Manager: Annettte Dimatos-Schwartz
• Director, Special Projects: Annie Crowe
• Contestant Coordinators: Tony Pandolfo, Robert James
• Assistant Contestant Coordinator: Corina Nusu
• Senior Production Accountant: Kellie Foster
• Production Accountant: Christina Gabaig
• Office Manager: Luci Sweron
• Special Projects Coordinators: Bob Ettinger, Dan Kozlowski
• Music Supervisor: Sean Sasahara
• Clip Clearance & Licensing Coordinator: Shannon White-Lee
• Clearance Coordinator: Jennifer Haugland
• Clearance Assistant: Stacy Oki-Skredsvig
• Segment Coordinator: Chole Corwin
• Publicity Coordinator: Sara Kaplan
• Assistant to the Executive Producer: Yvette Sapanza
• Assistant Production Accountant: Reda Smith-Watson
• Travel Coordinator: Christy Myers
• Production Assistant: Greg Eisenman
• Technical Directors: Robert Ennis, Jr., Rick Edwards IV (1989-1990)
• Lighting Designed By: Jeffrey M. Engel
• Gaffer: Brian McElroy
• Audio:Cole Coonce
• Senior Video: Dick Browning (1989-1990), Ross Eliott (1989-1990)
• Video: Ross Elliott
• Cameras: Diane Farrell, Marc Hunter, Randy Gomez, Ray Reynolds, Jeff Schuster (1985-), Mike Tribble, Robin Fonorow (1989-1990), Raimo Kaartinen (1989-1990), Al Miller, Jr. (1989-1990), Michael Tribble (1989-1990)
• Camera Utility: Valerie Stultman (1984-1985)
• Key Grip: Luke Lima
• Prop Master: Jeff Schwartz
• Game Board Operator: Michele Lee Hampton
• Viedotape Editors: Kirk Morri, Keith Fernandes
• Deko Operator: Joseph Servillo
• Wardrobe: Alan Mills
• Make-Up: Cherie Whitaker, Sandy Reimer-Morris, Larry Abbott (1984-1996)
• Hairdresser: Renee Ferruggia
• Set Decorators: Heather Lynne Rasnick, Heather DeCristo
• Music: Steve Kaplan

Jeopardy! in popular culture

Main article: Jeopardy! in culture

The show has been portrayed or parodied on many television shows, movies, and literature over the years, usually with one of the characters appearing as a contestant. Also many movies have featured Jeopardy! as a show that the actors are watching on television, often playing along.

A prime example of this was the Comedy Central show "Win Ben Stein's Money". If any contest answered a question in the question form made popular by Jeopardy, that contestant was forced to wear a dunce cap. However, if they gave the correct response they did receive the money value of the question.

Art Fleming appeared in a parody of the show in 1982's Airplane II: The Sequel.

In an episode of "Cheers," John Ratzenberger's "Cliff Clavin" appears on "Jeopardy," and almost wins, but ends up losing in Final Jeopardy!

In the 1992 film White Men Can't Jump, Gloria Clemente, played by Rosie Perez, becomes a Jeopardy! champion.

In the 1993 comedy film Groundhog Day, Bill Murray's character watches an episode of the program and, having lived the same day over and over again (as per the film's plotline), answered all of the questions correctly, sometimes before they were asked.

In an episode of The Simpsons, in an effort to get badly needed money, Marge Simpson goes on Jeopardy. She does terribly, and ends up getting a negative score. After the show, she is confronted by Alex Trebek and two large goons, asking Marge for the money she owes the show. When she refuses, he states "When I asked you if you knew the rules, you said you did" and then she runs for it.

In an episode of Seinfeld, Jason Alexander's "George Costanza" demonstrates his newfound intellect by answering several difficult questions in a row correctly as he and Jerry Seinfeld watch an episode of the program.

"Celebrity Jeopardy" was a popular skit on Saturday Night Live featuring Will Ferrell as Alex Trebek. The skit also featured Darrell Hammond as Trebek's constant nemesis, Sean Connery, (although all players on the actual Celebrity Jeopardy appear only once.)

The original Art Fleming version of Jeopardy! was the subject of musician "Weird Al" Yankovic's parody of "Jeopardy" by the Greg Kihn Band, titled "I Lost On Jeopardy."

There is a parody of the program called Jeoprandy!, located on the Game Show Parodies website.

Merchandising

The Jeopardy! brand has been used on products in several other formats.

• There have been Jeopardy! video games made on almost every popular platform including Apple II, Commodore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Game Boy, Sega Game Gear, Sega Genesis, Super NES, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Sega Dreamcast, Apple Macintosh, PlayStation 2, and Microsoft Windows.
• Tiger Electronics also marketed a hand-held travel version of the game in the late nineties.
• Several board game versions of the game have been produced over the years by Milton Bradley, Pressman Toys (including a Simpsons version), Tyco Toys and Parker Brothers.
• For the show's 15th season in 1998-1999, a watch was released. The watch plays the famous theme song with the push of a button, and included 25 game cards with the answer-question format.
• Educational toy company Educational Insights (makers of the Geosafari system) has released a self-contained, programmable Jeopardy! system that can be hooked up to a normal TV set for both home and school use. The school version is marketed as Classroom Jeopardy!, while the home version is called Host Your Own Jeopardy!. Except for the names, both systems are identical, using a cartridge-based system for the categories and wireless controls for the players and "host". The unit itself acts as the scoreboard.
• A Jeopardy! DVD was released on November 8, 2005.

See also

• Merv Griffin Productions

External links

• Official Jeopardy! Web site
• Official Jeopardy! message board
• J! Archive: Clues from all Season 21 and Season 22 episodes (as well as selected games from the past)
• Ronnie O'Rourke's JEOPARCHIVE!: Clues from all 20th season episodes
• A History of Jeopardy!
• UK Gameshows Page: Jeopardy!
• Jeopardy! Database of Champions: Tournament of Champions results from Seasons 1–15
• Jeopardy! at IMDb
• Another Jeopardy Site
• Australian Game Show Homepage on Australian Jeopardy!
• BYOJeopardy -- Build Your Own Jeopardy: A free program to build and play Jeopardy games.

• 1960s TV shows in the United States
• 1970s TV shows in the United States
• 1980s TV shows in the United States
• 1990s TV shows in the United States
• 2000s TV shows in the United States
• Australian game shows
• Game shows
• Jeopardy!
• NBC network shows
• Syndicated television series