John Carpenter, the first million-dollar winner, got all the way to the final question without using any lifelines. The question was, "Who was the only U.S. President to appear on 'Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In'?" When Regis Philbin asked him the question, John decided to call his father, Tom, using the "phone-a-friend" lifeline. Instead of asking his father for help, he told him "Um...I don't really need your help. I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to win the million dollars."
A contestant, from a rural city in Texas named Hooks, (population is between 5,000-10,000) dressed in western attire and 18-gallon cowboy hat, spoke and answered questions with heavy and humorous southern slang, he won $250,000 and quit at the $500,000 question.