A film journalist and test prep teacher from Los Angeles, California...

Bob Verini

A film journalist and director of teachers for a test preparation company, Bob used the money he earned as winner of the season four Tournament of Champions to start his own theater company in New York. After 10 years of pushing the envelope of his creativity he moved on to other pursuits and relocated to Los Angeles, California. But he's proud of having taken advantage of the opportunity that the money made available to him and remembers it as "a great and fulfilling time." Of his original 1989 appearances, Bob says he "never took the game super-seriously. I was there to have fun and whatever happened, happened. I will say that it was all easier once I won the very first game."

Hi, I'm Bob Verini, winner of the 1987 Tournament of Champions. Watch me participate in Jeopardy!'s Million Dollar Masters tournament. Right now you're watching me on jeopardy.com.

When did you first appear on Jeopardy!?
I appeared in 1987. Uh, I was a five-time winner, and then won the Tournament of Champions that fall.

How much money did you win in your previous competitions?
A total of $146,802 on the regular show and the Tournament, and then another $50,000 on Super Jeopardy! three years later.

What is your fondest memory from your previous appearances on Jeopardy!?
My favorite memory of the show is being way in the hole with two minutes to go in Double Jeopardy!, and boom!-boom!-boom! getting a whole bunch right in a row. It's an incredible rush--it's one of the greatest feelings I've ever had... to come from behind at end up in first place.

How has being on Jeopardy! changed your life?
I don't know exactly; I certainly--Jeopardy!'s changed my life in terms of, I guess some self-esteem, certainly a lot of self-awareness, and I started a theater company here in New York when I was living here using the money from the Jeopardy! winnings, so I was able to make a dream come true that way, and it was very, very exciting and very rewarding.

Do you get recognized from your previous Jeopardy! appearances?
I get recognized from Jeopardy! all the time. In fact, it's been fourteen years, and just last year I was in line at Disneyland for Magic Mountain, and a family from the Philippines tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Weren't you the Jeopardy! guy?" And, uh, of couse I had to say "You have a tremendous memory," and it was very gratifying. But it happens less often now. But it does happen, and it's incredible.

Since being on Jeopardy! what kind of questions do you get asked?
They ask me to do my impressions, they ask me to do my Alex impression... uh, yeah, I get asked that a lot. Sure. Alex would typically say, "No, sorry, you forgot about British Columbia, which is a province I know because I'm from Canada, and it's fine fishing up there." Alex, uh... I did that for Alex on the show, he got a kick out of it. "No, sorry..."

"A resident of New York City when he won the 1987 Tournament of Champions, he's now a film journalist and test prep teacher. From Los Angeles, California..."

2014 Battle of the Decades invitee: $5,000.
2005 Ultimate Tournament of Champions Nifty Nine (players with byes into Round 2) member: $25,000.
2002 Million Dollar Masters tournament 2nd runner-up: $50,000.
1990 Super Jeopardy! 1st runner-up: $50,000.
1987 Tournament of Champions winner: $100,000.
Season 3 5-time champion: $46,802.

Bob appeared on The $50,000 Pyramid in 1981 and was a finalist in one of their $50,000 tournaments.