Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Wiki

Jim Cleaves, a graduate student from La Jolla, California, appeared on the U.S. version of the show on June 5-10, 2001. He walked away with $64,000.

WWTBAM Run[]

Fastest Finger Question[]

Fastest Finger Question
Put these islands in geographic order, starting in the Atlantic Ocean and going east.
⬥ A: Maui ⬥ B: Sri Lanka
⬥ C: Galapagos ⬥ D: Siciliy
The correct answer was D-B-A-C. Out of 8 contestants, 2 got it right. Jim was the fastest in 7.88 seconds.

Jim’s Run to the Million[]

$100 (1 of 15) - Not Timed
A famous 18th century Russian empress was called "Catherine the" what?
⬥ A: Pretty Good ⬥ B: So-So
⬥ C: Great ⬥ D: I’ve Seen Better
$200 (2 of 15) - Not Timed
People traditionally tie what around the outside of a wrapped gift?
⬥ A: Ribbon ⬥ B: Masking tape
⬥ C: Shoelace ⬥ D: Banana peel
$300 (3 of 15) - Not Timed
A person who helps at the latest possible moment is often said to "arrive at" what "hour"?
”50:50” lifeline used
⬥ A: Second ⬥ B: Fifth
⬥ C: Eleventh ⬥ D: Witching
$500 (4 of 15) - Not Timed
"Specs" is a slang term for which of the following?
⬥ A: Watches ⬥ B: Braces
⬥ C: Eyeglasses ⬥ D: Earrings
$1,000 (5 of 15) - Not Timed
Someone who is riding a horse bareback is riding without what?
⬥ A: Saddle ⬥ B: Gloves
⬥ C: Pants ⬥ D: Reins
The klaxon called time, and Jim will be back with 2 lifelines left.
$2,000 (6 of 15) - Not Timed
What comedian's longtime theme song is "Thanks for the Memory"?
”Ask the Audience” lifeline used
⬥ A: Bob Hope ⬥ B: Milton Berle
⬥ C: Johnny Carson ⬥ D: Rodney Dangerfield
Ask the Audience Results: A: 93% ⬥ B: 2% ⬥ C: 5% ⬥ D: 0%
$4,000 (7 of 15) - Not Timed
Which of these colors is not one of the three secondary colors?
⬥ A: Orange ⬥ B: Green
⬥ C: Purple ⬥ D: Brown
$8,000 (8 of 15) - Not Timed
What U.S. Supreme Court justice administered the oath of office to George W. Bush at his 2001 inauguration?
“Phone-a-Friend” lifeline used
⬥ A: Antonin Scalia ⬥ B: David Souter
⬥ C: William Rehnquist ⬥ D: Clarence Thomas

Jim is wishing he watched the inauguration, but since he didn’t, he’s calling his father Henderson. Henderson is very sure that it’s C: William Rehnquist, Jim goes with him and earns $8,000 for it.
$16,000 (9 of 15) - Not Timed
In the 2000 movie "Almost Famous," the girls that follow the band call themselves what instead of "groupies"?
⬥ A: Tour bunnies ⬥ B: Roadsides
⬥ C: Band-aids ⬥ D: Warm-ups
$32,000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed
The Solomon Islands are located off the coast of what continent?
⬥ A: North America ⬥ B: Australia
⬥ C: Africa ⬥ D: South America
$64,000 (11 of 15) - Not Timed
What travel book series is reported and written primarily by Harvard college students?
⬥ A: Frommer’s ⬥ B: Lonely Planet
⬥ C: Let’s Go ⬥ D: Fodor’s
$125,000 (12 of 15) - Not Timed
In 1963, what world leader was made an honorary citizen of the United States by an act of Congress?
⬥ A: Anwar Sadat ⬥ B: Winston Churchill
⬥ C: Charles de Gaulle ⬥ D: David Ben-Gurion
Jim doesn’t think’s Anwar Sadat and Winston Churchill, he believes Churchill was dead by 1963. He doesn’t want to guess so he’s leaving with $64,000.


Jim would have guessed D: David Ben-Gurion, and he would have lost $32,000 had he guessed that.


B: Winston Churchill was the correct answer.

Total Prize Money: $64,000

Trivia[]

  • Jim's sister was a FF finalist on the 5/3/2001 episode who later came back as Scott McKeeve's companion in September 2001. He and Scott also had the same Phone-a-Friend.

Sources[]

Preceded by
Ayappa Biddanda
U.S. Contestant (Season 1)
Jim Cleaves
Succeeded by
Tracie Nielson