<P> Jeopardy! is an American television game show . Its format is a quiz competition in which contestants are presented with general knowledge clues in the form of answers, and must phrase their responses in question form . Many contestants throughout the show's history have received significant media attention because of their success on Jeopardy!, particularly Brad Rutter, who has won the most money on the show, and Ken Jennings, who has the show's longest winning streak; Rutter and Jennings also hold the first - and second - place records respectively for most money ever won on American game shows . Other contestants went on to great accomplishments, including former U.S. senator and presidential candidate, the late John McCain . </P> <P> Burns Cameron (born December 11, 1938) won a total of $11,110 in his appearances on Jeopardy!, including a then - record five - game total of $7,070 in December 1965 . Cameron was also the winner of the third annual Tournament of Champions in 1966, in which he won $4,040 . A still picture of Cameron receiving a "dummy" check still exists, as well as a still of him being greeted by Mel Brooks as the 2000 - year - old man on the Fleming era 2000th show . Cameron is cited as one of the best players of the Art Fleming era of the show . In 1990, when Jeopardy! creator Merv Griffin produced Super Jeopardy!, a separate weekly prime time network version based on the Trebek version of Jeopardy! to air Saturday nights in the summer on ABC, he invited Cameron to compete as the only player to represent the Fleming era . Cameron competed in the fifth quarterfinal game, where he finished in second (by one point) and won $5,000 . </P>

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