Most Memorable Non-Million Dollar Winner on Millionaire?

[Jeremy Nelson]

With Millionaire coming back this week, who is your most memorable contestant who didn't win the million?

For me, it was Kati Knudsen- she missed a 500k question on the network run, and based on Regis' comments, she was in that hot seat for a very long time mulling over that question. What I rememebr most was Regis, as much as he was allowed to, pleading with her to take the money and go. She ended up moving off her original gut answer (which was right) to a wrong one.

[BrandonFG]

There was a contestant who appeared not long after it became a regular series, and I only remember vague details here. IIRC, it was Rudy Reber, and got a question about who a movie director who directed a Michael Jackson video. His PAF was very confident about it being (I think) John Landis, and it was not. The question was for $125 or $250K, and he went home with 32K.

(Googles) It was Rudy Reber, but he played for 500K, and the question asked who directed the Bad video. Reber went with his friend's answer of Landis, but it was Martin Scorsese.

As far as Kati Knudsen, I'd seen quite a few stories about how difficult of a contestant she was, from the studio all the way to the cab ride back to the airport.

[TLEberle]

Ken Basin.

[PYLdude]

I would have to go with my esteemed colleague and Pointless partner Jason Block.

[Chief-O]

Part of me feels Robby(sp?) Roseman, who I believe was the show's first zero-aire, might be worth mention.

[BillCullen1]

Ken Basin.

Ah yes, the guy who went for the million and got it wrong on the 10th anniversary edition. The guy I remember was Ogi Ogas, who walked away with $500k and had a fit when he found out he knew the answer. There was also Norm McDonald on a celebrity edition who wanted to go for the million, but Regis talked him out of it. It turned out Norm had the right answer.

[nowhammies10]

Doug Van Gundy? First person to break six figures (he walked with $125,000 $250,000).

[BrandonFG]

I thought Doug walked with 250K? I distinctly remember his overjoyed reaction when Regis declared his answer correct.

[Bryce L.]

I thought Doug walked with 250K?

He did.

[TLEberle]

I thought Doug walked with 250K? I distinctly remember his overjoyed reaction when Regis declared his answer correct.

It would be hard to forget. It was nice to see him 20+ years later as part of the retrospective. Certainly one of my medal podium favorite players and certainly instrumental in Millionaire’s early success.

[Bobby B.]

Doug was my early favorite as well.  Seemed like a nice guy, very down to earth.  A far cry from most of the contestants cast on many of today's shows.  Wasn't he working a very low-paying job at the time?   I want to say I remember that being mentioned.

[TLEberle]

Doug was my early favorite as well.  Seemed like a nice guy, very down to earth.  A far cry from most of the contestants cast on many of today's shows.  Wasn't he working a very low-paying job at the time?   I want to say I remember that being mentioned.

He was earning $11,000/year as a fiddler, yes.

[PYLdude]

Doug was awesome. I was glad when he won.

If I'm not mistaken, they used Doug as the first Phone-A-Friend for the abc.com online game.

[nowhammies10]

I thought Doug walked with 250K? I distinctly remember his overjoyed reaction when Regis declared his answer correct.

Welp I was 5 when he first aired.  Isn't $250k what I said? 

[GSBOY92]

Phil Gibbons. He was out of lifelines after $8,000 and made it to the million-dollar question mainly by deductive reason.