A project manager from Minneapolis, Minnesota...

Brian Weikle

2005 Ultimate Tournament of Champions Nifty Nine (players with byes into Round 2) member: $25,000.
2003 Tournament of Champions 1st runner-up: $56,601.
Season 19 5-time champion: $149,200 + a Jaguar X-Type.

In his 3rd game (#4296, aired 2003-04-14), Brian set a new single-day cash winnings record of $52,000, breaking the previous record of $50,000 set by Myron Meyer in his 1st game (#4139, aired 2002-09-05). (However, Brian's single-day cash winnings record did not top the record of $34,000 set by Jerome Vered in his 4th game, #1794, aired 1992-05-21, if adjusted for doubled dollar values.) Ken Jennings playfully tied Brian's record three times (#4585, aired 2004-07-09, #4586, aired 2004-07-12, and #4594, aired 2004-07-22) before shattering it with a $75,000 finish in his 38th game, the last game of Season 20 (#4595, aired 2004-07-23). (Shortly before the end of his streak, on show #4653, aired 2004-11-24, Ken topped Brian's record once more with a $55,099 win.)

Also in his 3rd game (#4296, aired 2003-04-14), Brian set a new regular play cash winnings record of $104,800, breaking the previous record of $102,597 set by Frank Spangenberg in his 5th game (#1241, aired 1990-01-15 )--a record that had stood for 13 years. (Adjusted for doubled dollar values, however, Frank's record would last a little over one more year, until broken by Ken Jennings's 7-day total of $231,000, #4564, aired 2004-06-10.) Brian's $149,200 5-day cash winnings record was beaten by Tom Walsh in his sixth game (#4456, aired 2004-01-12) with $152,900 and by Ken Jennings in his fifth game (#4562, aired 2004-06-08) with $156,000.

Brian lost his UToC Round 2 game--a game in which he had 29 correct responses and 0 incorrect responses--when opponent Grace Veach found both Double Jeopardy! Round Daily Doubles, wagered everything on both of them, and got them both right, putting her within $400 of Brian's score going into Final Jeopardy! The Final clue was a Triple Stumper, and Brian had wagered to cover, while Grace wagered only $500 to beat him if he answered incorrectly and wagered correctly. (She lost her Round 3 game to Frank Spangenberg.)

Brian's single-day cash winnings record-breaking appearance was featured in the Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie film Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Jeopardy! Message Board user name: BWeikle
JBoard user name: Coelacanth