Famous game show contestants

Game show contestants are usually noteworthy for one of three reasons.

The first frequently seen type is the contestant that has become famous for a winning streak or amount of winnings won legitimately.

Match game contestants who became famous

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Game show contestant's hope

2.

Being a contestant on a high profile game show is a chance to be noticed by an agent, the newspapers or just have an extra 15 minutes of fame.

See Ken Jennings (2004, Jeopardy!); or Thom McKee (1980, Tic Tac Dough).

The second general type is the contestant involved in a scandal concerning the legitimacy of their game show winnings. See Charles Van Doren (1957, Twenty-One); Michael Larson (1984, Press Your Luck) or Charles Ingram (2001, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?).

A third type of contestant is one who does not necessarily become famous because of the game show appearance, but finds fame later in life.

The Gong Show (1976) · Jeopardy!

See for example Joyce Brothers (1955, The $64,000 Question). Generally such people should not be categorized here, especially if they appear as a celebrity guest contestant.