--- title: Jeopardy Contestant Recognized as Willy Wonka Actor description: If you thought you recognized one of the contestants competing on Tuesday's episode of Jeopardy!, then you certainly weren't alone. canonical: https://time.com/5201390/jeopardy-contestant-willy-wonka-mike-teevee/ author: Megan McCluskey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-03-15T17:15:55.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:51:25.460Z og:title: You May Recognize This Jeopardy! Contestant From Your Favorite Childhood Movie og:description: Everyone's losing it. og:url: https://time.com/5201390/jeopardy-contestant-willy-wonka-mike-teevee/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9ce8dc1c53509c90/69892af797cdff11b26b4acc/jeopardy-mike-teevee.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: Jeopardy-Alex-Trebek og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: You May Recognize This Jeopardy! Contestant From Your Favorite Childhood Movie twitter:description: Everyone's losing it. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9ce8dc1c53509c90/69892af797cdff11b26b4acc/jeopardy-mike-teevee.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # You May Recognize This _Jeopardy!_ Contestant From Your Favorite Childhood Movie > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=aa651e48-dbf3-4ddc-8701-5c0952a3cfbd&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1)  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Mar 15, 2018 5:15 PM UTC  Host Alex Trebek poses on the set of Jeopardy on April 21, 2012. Host Alex Trebek poses on the set of Jeopardy on April 21, 2012. Tracy A. Woodward/The Washington Post via Getty Images  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Mar 15, 2018 5:15 PM UTC If you thought you recognized one of the contestants competing on Tuesday’s episode of [_Jeopardy!_](http://time.com/5128708/jeopardy-contestants-stumped-by-football-question/), then you certainly weren’t alone. After host [Alex Trebek](http://time.com/5089680/alex-trebek-brain-surgery-subdural-hematoma/) announced [Paris Themmen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B65mtQv6Nxs)—”an entrepreneur from North Hollywood, California”—as the second player of the night, fans of _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_ were quick to identify him as the original Mike Teevee (spelled “Teavee” in the Roald Dahl book on which the 1971 movie is based). As a child actor, Themmen became known for his portrayal of the young—and aptly-named—TV addict who managed to tear his eyes away from the television long enough to find one of Wonka’s coveted golden tickets. He went on to become the final child to lose out on the chance to take over Wonka’s chocolate factory, leaving Charlie Bucket as the candyman’s heir. Themmen has since moved on from acting. However, that didn’t stop Wonka enthusiasts from taking a trip down memory lane when they spotted him on the game show. “I was making dinner in the kitchen, listening to Jeopardy when Alex Trebek started introducing contestants at the break,” tweeted one viewer. “He said @ParisThemmen and I ran out saying MIKE TEEVEE !!! My wife thought I was nuts. Great job Paris!” > [](https://twitter.com/wildbill77/status/973672623598075904) See some of the reactions to Themmen’s appearance below. > [](https://twitter.com/timjcolby/status/973705728149147649) > [](https://twitter.com/leapinglizrds/status/973748226057621504) > [](https://twitter.com/rachelmichele25/status/973705414805213184) > [](https://twitter.com/dapper%5Fsports/status/974313732615663616) > [](https://twitter.com/StevenFabianTV/status/974285235633512448) > [](https://twitter.com/ScottBatemanMan/status/974327671751630851) > [](https://twitter.com/JahWoofums/status/974295682872938498) > [](https://twitter.com/dcjpad/status/973710369465217024) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5201390/jeopardy-contestant-willy-wonka-mike-teevee/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5201390/jeopardy-contestant-willy-wonka-mike-teevee/"},"headline":"You May Recognize This Jeopardy! 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