Nancy Christy, a middle school teacher from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was a contestant on the U.S. version of the show on May 7-8, 2003. She became the first woman to win a million dollars on the show on May 8, 2003, and was also the last million-dollar winner for six years until Sam Murray won the Tournament of Ten on November 20, 2009.
Prior to appearing on Millionaire, Nancy was a contestant on Wheel of Fortune in 1987.
Nancy Christy's Run to the Million[]
| $100 (1 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| What movie features a singing group known as The von Trapp Family Singers? | |
| ⬥ A: Almost Famous | ⬥ B: The Sound of Music |
| ⬥ C: Funny Girl | ⬥ D: Grumpy Old Men |
| $200 (2 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| The front of an aircraft is often referred to as its what? | |
| ⬥ A: Nose | ⬥ B: Mouth |
| ⬥ C: Chest | ⬥ D: Chin |
| $300 (3 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| On a classic TV sitcom, earthling Mindy McConell lives with an alien named what? | |
| ⬥ A: ALF | ⬥ B: Uncle Martin |
| ⬥ C: Spock | ⬥ D: Mork |
| $500 (4 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| Native to Australia, the emu is what type of animal? | |
| ⬥ A: Snake | ⬥ B: Bird |
| ⬥ C: Goat | ⬥ D: Fish |
| $1,000 (5 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| William Masters and Virginia Johnson are best known for their pioneering studies on what subject? | |
| ⬥ A: Human sexuality | ⬥ B: Depression |
| ⬥ C: Preschool education | ⬥ D: Subliminal advertising |
| $2,000 (6 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| American composer John Philip Sousa is best known for writing what type of musical compositions? | |
| ⬥ A: Polkas | ⬥ B: Ballads |
| ⬥ C: Waltzes | ⬥ D: Marches |
| $4,000 (7 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| "Piccolo" is an Italian word meaning which of the following? | |
| ⬥ A: Fast | ⬥ B: Colorful |
| ⬥ C: Loud | ⬥ D: Small |
| $8,000 (8 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| Often found in health clubs, an "erg" machine simulates which of these activities? "Ask the Audience" and "50:50" lifelines used. | |
| ⬥ A: Cross-country skiing | ⬥ B: Swimming |
| ⬥ C: Rowing a boat | ⬥ D: Climbing |
| Ask the Audience Results: A: 18% ⬥ B: 8% ⬥ C: 45% ⬥ D: 29% | |
| $16,000 (9 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| A 1939 treaty between the U.S.S.R. and Germany secretly laid the groundwork for the division of what country during WWII? "Phone-a-Friend" lifeline used. | |
| ⬥ A: Italy | ⬥ B: Poland |
| ⬥ C: France | ⬥ D: United Kingdom |
| Nancy did not know it and wishes she had been better at history, so she decided to call Angela, a fellow teacher. However, she failed to give an answer within the alloted time. Nancy then decided to guess B: Poland and was correct, winning $16,000. Then, the klaxon called time, and Nancy would return on $16,000 with no lifelines remaining. |
| $32,000 (10 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| In the 1964 musical "Fiddler on the Roof," what is Tevye's profession? | |
| ⬥ A: Tailor | ⬥ B: Grocer |
| ⬥ C: Milkman | ⬥ D: Scholar |
| $64,000 (11 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| Amtrak's scenic "Coast Starlight" train service runs between which of these two U.S. cities? | |
| ⬥ A: San Diego & New York | ⬥ B: Miami & Boston |
| ⬥ C: Houston & New Orleans | ⬥ D: Los Angeles & Seattle |
| $125,000 (12 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| Girl detective Nancy Drew made her debut in the 1930 book titled "The Secret of the" what? | |
| ⬥ A: Haunted Museum | ⬥ B: Lost Diamond |
| ⬥ C: Ancient Treasure | ⬥ D: Old Clock |
| $250,000 (13 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| On the California coast, what kind of fish is known for coming ashore and laying its eggs on the beach? | |
| ⬥ A: Pupfish | ⬥ B: Loach |
| ⬥ C: Grunion | ⬥ D: Sawfish |
| $500,000 (14 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| In 1957, Jorn Utzon won an international competition to design what architectural landmark? | |
| ⬥ A: Sears Tower | ⬥ B: Sydney Opera House |
| ⬥ C: Seattle Space Needle | ⬥ D: Pompidou Center |
| Nancy admitted she only had a gut feeling, but also that the Sydney Opera House was her first thought before the possible answers appeared. She then said "[Winning] $500,000 would be just incredible." She then went for it, guessing B: Sydney Opera House.
Meredith: Oh, Nancy, oh gosh....you're one away from a million dollars! |
| $1,000,000 (15 of 15) - Not Timed | |
| Who did artist Grant Wood use as the model for the farmer in his classic painting "American Gothic"? | |
| ⬥ A: Traveling salesman | ⬥ B: Local sheriff |
| ⬥ C: His dentist | ⬥ D: His butcher |
| Nancy: I lived in Washington D.C. for a whole lot of years. I used to be a part of a performing group, and we opened up the show one time, with a diptych of American Gothic. And I was, you know, the lady in all of this. That was his sister, but the farmer was his dentist. C., and that's my final answer.
(A few people in the audience scream) Meredith: We have our first woman as a millionaire! Nancy Christy: Millionaire |
Trivia[]
- Nancy became the eleventh contestant overall to win the top prize, after John Carpenter, Dan Blonsky, Joe Trela, Bob House, Kim Hunt, David Goodman, Kevin Olmstead, Bernie Cullen, Ed Toutant, and Kevin Smith.
- On the syndicated version of the show, Nancy was the second contestant to see the million-dollar question, after Kevin Smith.
- Nancy became the first woman to win $1 million on any U.S. version of Millionaire, as Meredith Vieira (then-host of Millionaire) cheerfully noted shortly before the correct answer to the million-dollar question was revealed.
- Nancy remains the only woman to win the top prize during regular game play. Kate Flannery won $1 million playing Celebrity Millionaire as a team of two with Oscar Nunez in September 2025.
- Before Nancy left the stage, Meredith mentioned that she thought the contestant that was to follow Nancy would have a hard time on the seat.
- Meredith: It's gonna be hard for the next contestant who has to come out and follow you.
- Nancy: Oh gosh.
- Ironically, the very next contestant, Armand Kachigian, climbed his way up the money tree and reached the million-dollar question himself. No contestant that followed a million-dollar winner had ever performed this well. By the time Armand reached the final question, Meredith was hopeful that the show would have its first back-to-back winners in its history.
- However, Armand decided to walk away with $500,000, meaning that Nancy and Armand's appearances are the closest that Millionaire has ever gotten to having back-to-back winners on the show. Armand would have missed his million-dollar question had he decided to go for it.
- Nancy appeared as one of the Three Wise Men during the first episode of Super Millionaire. Alongside Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson and Anthony DeCurtis, she helped Todd Kim answer his $500,000 question.
- Nancy also appeared on GSN's 2007 gameshow Grand Slam. Seeded ninth into the tournament, she lost to fellow Millionaire contestant Ogi Ogas in the first round.
- Nancy later appeared in the audience on August 7, 2024 during Kelly and Jack Osbourne's run.[1]
Gallery[]
Best license plate ever!
Nancy (right) as one of the Three Wise Men on Todd Kim's Super Millionaire run. She was rather surprised by the question!
Sources[]
| Preceded by Unkn. |
U.S. Contestant (Season 1) Nancy Christy |
Succeeded by Armand Kachigian |
| Preceded by Kevin Smith |
U.S. Top Prize Winner Nancy Christy |
Succeeded by Sam Murray |
| Preceded by N/A |
Super Millionaire Three Wise Men Nancy Christy Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson Anthony DeCurtis |
Succeeded by Dr. Abby Salny Dr. Drew Pinsky John Carpenter |