It was 30 years ago around this time that Navy Lt. Thom McKee began doing what many game show buffs thought was impossible. He started his fantastic winning streak on Tic Tac Dough; and that streak that would carry over into the 1980-81 season. He would eventually win a then-record $312,700 in cash and prizes, including seven cars.
The reason many thought it was "impossible" was that Teddy Nadler won about $264,000 during his run on the $64,000 Challenge in 1957-58; that record would stand for 22 years. It would have been broken earlier had it not been for the scandals.
And now with all the "million-dollar" game shows that have come along in the last decade or so, we've come quite a ways since Lt. McKee.....
Cordially,
Tammy
