Hutton Gibson facts for kids

Hutton Peter Gibson (August 26, 1918 – May 11, 2020) was an American writer. He was a veteran of World War II and won the 1968 Jeopardy! grand champion title. He was also the father of 11 children, including the famous actor and director Mel Gibson.

Early Life and Family Background

Hutton Gibson was born in Peekskill, New York. His father, John Hutton Gibson, was a businessman. His mother, Eva Mylott, was an Australian opera singer. Hutton's mother passed away when he was only two years old. His father died when Hutton was nineteen.

Hutton grew up in Chicago. He finished high school early, at age 15, and was one of the top students in his class. He helped support his younger brother, Alexis, after their parents died.

Gibson once studied to become a priest in Chicago. However, he decided to leave the seminary. He then worked for Western Union and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). While working for the CCC in Wisconsin from 1938 to 1939, he helped edit a newsletter called "The Pointer."

After serving in the United States Marine Corps during the Guadalcanal Campaign in World War II, Gibson married Anne Patricia Reilly. They got married on May 1, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York. They had ten children and adopted another child after moving to Australia. Hutton Gibson had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His first wife passed away in 1990. He later married Teddy Joye Hicks in 2002.

Moving to Australia

In the 1960s, Hutton Gibson worked for the New York Central Railroad. In 1964, he hurt his back in a work accident. He later won a lawsuit in 1968, receiving $145,000. After paying his debts, he moved his family to Ireland, and then to Australia later that year.

Gibson said in 2003 that he moved to Australia because he believed his oldest son would not have to join the military there. This was different from the American military draft during the Vietnam War. Because of his back injury, Gibson looked for a new career. He was encouraged to become a computer programmer after tests showed he was very intelligent.

Quiz Show Champion

In 1968, Hutton Gibson appeared on the game show Jeopardy!. He was known as "Red Gibson" from New York. He won $4,680 and stayed undefeated for five shows. This was the maximum number of wins allowed at that time.

He was then invited back to the 1968 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions. He became the grand champion, winning over a thousand dollars more. He also won a cruise to the Caribbean. The show's host, Art Fleming, mentioned that it was hard to find Gibson to invite him back. This was because Gibson had moved his family to County Tipperary, Ireland.

Gibson also took part in many quiz shows in Australia. These included Big Nine and Ford Superquiz. In 1986, a newspaper reported that he had recently won $100,000 and a car on a TV quiz show.

His Writings and Views

Hutton Gibson was a writer who shared his opinions in a newsletter called The War is Now!. He also published three collections of these writings. These books were titled Is the Pope Catholic?, The Enemy is Here!, and The Enemy is Still Here!.

Gibson was known for his strong opinions. He often criticized changes made within the Catholic Church after the Second Vatican Council. He believed that the Holy See (the Pope's office) was vacant. He also thought that later popes were not true popes.

Local Church Support

In 2006, Hutton Gibson's foundation, The World Faith Foundation of California, bought a church building. This foundation was supported by his son, Mel Gibson. The church was located in Unity Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. It was used to start a traditional Catholic congregation called St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Chapel.

Death

Hutton Gibson passed away on May 11, 2020. He was 101 years old. He died at a medical center in Thousand Oaks, California.

Books

• Is the Pope Catholic?: Paul VI's Legacy: Catholicism? (1978)
• Time Out of Mind (1983)
• The Enemy is Here! (1994)
• The Enemy is Still Here! (2003)