Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (U.S. game show) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Who Wants to Be a Millionaire |
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|---|---|
| Genre | Game show |
| Created by | David Briggs Mike Whitehill Steven Knight |
| Directed by | Mark Gentile (1999–2002) Matthew Cohen (2002–2010) Rob George (2010–2013) Brian McAloon (2013–present) |
| Presented by | Regis Philbin (ABC versions; 1999–2002, 2004, 2009) Meredith Vieira (syndicated version; 2002–2013) Cedric the Entertainer (syndicated version; 2013-2014) Terry Crews (syndicated version; 2014-2015) Chris Harrison (syndicated version; 2015-2019) |
| Composer(s) | Keith Strachan (1999–2010) Matthew Strachan (1999–2010) Jeff Lippencott (2010–present) Mark T. Williams (2010–present) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 19 (3 on ABC, 16 in syndication) |
| No. of episodes | ABC (Original): 363 Syndicated: 2,655 (as of October 6, 2017) ABC (Super Millionaire): 12 ABC (10th Anniversary Special): 11 Total: 3,018 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Michael Davies (1999–2010) Paul Smith (1999–2007) Leigh Hampton (2004–2010) Rich Sirop (2010–present) |
| Running time | 39–48 minutes (ABC) 22–26 minutes (Syndicated) |
| Production company(s) | Valleycrest Productions (1999–present) Celador (1999–2007) 2waytraffic (2007–present) |
| Distributor | USA: Buena Vista Television (1999–2007) Disney-ABC Domestic Television (2007–present) International: Sony Pictures Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC (1999–2002, 2004, 2009) Syndication (2002–present) |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) (1999–2011) 720p/1080i (HDTV) (2011–present) |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | ABC August 16, 1999 – June 27, 2002 Syndication September 16, 2002 – May 31, 2019 |
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is a popular American quiz show. It is based on a similar show from the UK. On the show, players answer multiple choice trivia questions. The goal is to win up to one million United States dollars ($1,000,000). To win the top prize, a player must answer fourteen (or sometimes fifteen) questions correctly in a row.
Contents
Show History and Hosts
The first version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire aired on ABC. It was shown during primetime, which means it was on in the evening. This version was hosted by Regis Philbin. It ran from August 16, 1999, until June 27, 2002.
The Syndicated Version
A different version of the show started on September 16, 2002. This is known as the syndicated version. It means the show is sold to many different TV stations across the country.
- Meredith Vieira hosted this version for eleven seasons. She left to work on other projects.
- Cedric the Entertainer became the next host in September 2013. He left after one season due to his busy schedule.
- Terry Crews then took over as host in September 2014. He also left after one season because he was very busy.
- Chris Harrison became the host in September 2015.
How the Game Works
The rules of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire have changed a few times. The main idea is always to answer questions and win money.
Original Game Rules
The very first version of the game had fifteen multiple-choice questions. Each question was harder than the last. As players answered more questions correctly, the amount of money they could win increased.
Changes to the Game
In 2008, the show added a clock. This meant contestants had a limited time to answer each question. If they ran out of time, they had to stop playing. They would then take home the money they had won up to that point.
Another change happened in 2010. For the first ten questions, the money amounts and difficulty were random. The second part of the game was more like the older versions. This new format had only fourteen questions in total.
In 2015, the game changed back again. It went back to fourteen multiple-choice questions. The questions got harder as the player continued. The money amounts also increased with each correct answer. The first ten question amounts were no longer random.
Images for kids
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Screenshot illustrating how question text and answer choices appear on-screen
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Regis Philbin, host of the original network version
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The building that housed the Californian version, shown here after its 2004 closure
See also
In Spanish: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (concurso estadounidense) para niños
