On April 1st, 1984, Phyllis awoke to a call from Robert to let her know theyd just won $6 million. . In the 1994 romantic-comedyIt Could Happen to You,a New York City cop (portrayed by Nicolas Cage) wins big at the lottery and splits the prize with his waitress friend (portrayed by Bridget Fonda). A number of these fun facts were collected in a 1973 book. He says that if they win, they will split the prize in half. A few years later fun facts made their way into the classroom, when a professional magazine for teachers proposed an activity where students come up with their own fun facts. Relevant Hashtags:#funfacts #todayilearned #didyouknow #fun #funfactcompilation #compilation #funfact #happy #smile #funny #life #entertainment #interestingfacts #remember He does win, and he makes good on his promise, giving her $2 million. EW: What do you think of the rest of the casting?Penzo: I wish I were Bridget Fonda! A decade later in 1994, It Could Happen to Youa movie adaption of Robert and Phylliss storywas released, with the main cast featuring Nicholas Cage and Bridget Fonda. Beyond this basic premise, the film is entirely fictional, with the backgrounds of the film's characters and the events depicted in the film subsequent to their lottery win bearing no resemblance to the actual lives of Penzo and Cunningham. However,the only thing that It Could Happen to You got right about Cunningham and Penzos story is the core premise: a New York cop sharing a lottery win with a waitress. The love story in Notting Hill seems improbable but the plot may have been inspired by a real-life fling this Hollywood starlet had during the 90s. Dont forget to share with your friends and family. While the movie was based on the story of the shared lottery ticket, it didnt stay true to what actually happened. None of the drama in this film happened to . The restaurant in question is not in Yonkers, but in Queens, and the prize they win is four million, not six. For twenty-four years, Penzo served as a waitress at Sal's Pizzeria in Yonkers, New York. It's a ridiculous way of getting the two leads in a romance movie together. What do you think? 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. news Nicolas Cage tells Bridget Fonda in, She, without knowing that her prognosis would be wrong, replied: "I think I'll never see you again.". We were very hungry when thinking of this weeks theme. 2023-05-01T12:56:54.694Z, Spain heats up like in summer and worries about the future Police Officer Charlie Lang is a kind and generous man who loves his job and the Queens area of New York City where he lives. NYC police detective Robert Cunningham was at South Pizzeria in Yonkers when he jokingly asked waitress Phyllis Penzo if they could split a lottery ticket instead of tipping her. Somebody managed to get a Nigerian scammer to copy an entire Harry Potter book by hand. Ten years after they split a $6 million New York State Lotto prize, we caught up with Robert Cunningham, 65 (now retired and living in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., with his wife, Gina), and Phyllis. Cunningham, a thirty-year police veteran, was a regular diner at Sal's, where he liked to order linguine with clam sauce and maintain a steady flow of banter with Penzo, other employees, and regular customers. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. In 1984 Phyllis Penzo was a waitress and Officer Robert Cunningham a regular patron . A police officer promises to share his lottery ticket with a waitress in lieu of a tip. The movie is based on the true story of Phyllis Penzo and Officer Robert Cunningham. The real people behind the lotto premise of ''It Could Happen to You''. Buy 1 EuroMillions line and get 10 "Raid the Piggy Bank" scratchcards for FREE, luckiest winners whose tickets were gifted. When he finishes eating his usual clam linguine, the policeman makes a proposal to Phyllis: he asks her to exchange the usual tip for a lottery ticket. This real life event was made into a movie "It Could Happen to You" After Charlie and Muriel get divorced, Muriel's new husband Jack Gross flees the country with all her money, revealing himself to be a con man. The movie is based on the true story of Phyllis Penzo and Officer Robert Cunningham. See production, box office & company info, Siskel & Ebert: The Client/Lassie/It Could Happen to You/North/Barcelona, Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. One could assure that the lives of these two people changed after they made three million for a playful bet. #shorts zippTV 2.5K subscribers Subscribe 1 27 views 5 months ago Hello everyone! In the 1850s, there was a newspaper column titled Fun, Fact, and Fancy, a sort of Twitter Moments of its day. 2023-05-01T13:20:43.945Z, Wood carvers in the square in Trieste with chainsaws 2023-05-01T12:21:04.920Z, Martn Caparrs: "The millenarian who wants to sell children and kidneys is not an option" No fairy tale ending. To compensate her for her honesty, police offered her $1000. Cunningham, a thirty-year veteran of the police force in nearby Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., was a regular customer at the restaurant, well-liked by the staff there. A Fulbright Scholar with diplomatic . The main premise wherein a waitress receives a winning lottery ticket as a tip that actually happened! This story shows us what it means to be humble, even when experiencing the surprise of newfound wealth. He would do so again in The Wicker Man (2006). Phyl and I had been friends for about 15 years. It was a hit with audiences, and would definitely be one of the most interesting stories in lottery if it wasn't fictional. All the numbers came up, and he kept his word by sharing the jackpot with her. when Cunningham discovered that the ticket [r/todayilearned] Cunningham, a thirty-year police veteran, was a regular diner at Sal's, where he liked to order linguine with clam sauce and maintain a steady flow of banter with Penzo, other employees, and regular customers. Cunningham, a thirty-year veteran of the police force in nearby Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., was a regular customer at the restaurant, well-liked by the staff there. By what name was It Could Happen to You (1994) officially released in India in English? After all, the possibility of winning millions is much more tempting than a measly tip. In the movie, the cop promises to split because he has no money for a tip; in real life, Cunningham promised it because Penzo helped him pick the numbers. 2023-05-01T13:44:44.348Z, What Steven Spielberg Regrets From ET The Extra-Terrestrial 2023-05-01T12:02:48.162Z, Jorge Rial's health: "He is waking up" from an induced coma, said his personal doctor The Coffee Shop that Ivonne works in and eventually buys is located in the Bowery, which is the lower part of Manhattan near Chinatown which is the beat that Charlie and his partner walk as NYPD officers. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action. Want more like this, straight from your email inbox, without any ads or popups? The tradition of leaving "for tea" originated in the vastness of England and eventually spread to almost all countries. She sets up a table with Charlie's name at which people who cannot afford food can eat for free. At that time it was learned that with the money he earned he bought a large, old Italian-style house in which his father-in-law, he and his wife and two of his sisters-in-law lived. In the film It Could Happen To You, Nicolas Cage plays a New York City cop who doesn't have enough money to tip his waitress, so instead promises her that if his lottery ticket wins then he'll share the winnings with her.It wins, rewarding him with $4 million and he returns to the diner and gives the waitress half of it. 2023-05-01T12:20:42.986Z, First Republic Bank is acquired by the FDIC and sold to JPMorgan in the third major bank failure of 2023 The movie is based on the true story of Phyllis Penzo and Officer Robert Cunningham. We invite you to stay tuned to this Fact Compilation!I hope you guys enjoy this video and find it useful. Cunningham and Penzo led very normal lives, all things considered. That's right, Cunningham ended up winning after all, and true to his promise, shared the $6 million prize right down the middle. How the Hell Did The Late Late Show with James Corden Lose $20M Every Year? I don't have enough for a tip, I will split the lottery ticket. Ours is really a lucky story, but the filmmakers turned it into a love story. However, Cunningham managed to convince her and once the news finally sank in, Penzo screamed and woke her husband. This way, everyone had space of their own. Robert Cunningham and Phyllis Penzo In 1984, New York City police detective Robert Cunningham was at South Pizzeria in Yonkers when he jokingly asked waitress Phyllis Penzo if they could split a lottery ticket instead of tipping her. by Knowledge Ninja | Jun 6, 2022 | Fun Facts, Knowledge Chops, Two years after hanging the plaque, he was still living peacefully in Dobbs Ferry, considered by him as the best place in the world. Cunningham ended up admirably staying true to his word, splitting the money evenly with Penzo. Afterward, for silly Hollywood reasons, the whole country comes together and donates more money to him and the waitress, making them both very wealthy after all. Cunningham's ticket had won $6 million, which he split with Penzo, giving her $3 million. True to his lighthearted style, Cunningham was making a sort of joke on Friday evening, March 30, 1984, when he offered his favorite waitress an unusual tip: a half-interest in a lottery ticket.. In 1984, Phyllis Penzo was a waitress at a pizzeria commonly frequented by Yonkers, New York police officers. News (His favorite dish was linguine with clams.) Beware: You should never repeat a fun fact that another friend has told, fun facts are only fun the first time they are heard.A fun fact is a tidbit of interesting or entertaining trivia. A 1994 romantic comedy, It Could Happen to You starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda was made based on this event but moving the movie's location to New York City . [#7|+14584|354] TIL in 1984 Phyllis Penzo was a waitress and Officer Robert Cunningham a regular patron suggested that the two split a lottery ticket, each of them choosing three of the six numbers. The movie poster starring Cage and Fonda. Ten years later, when referring to the subject, Cunningham would explain that that day he jokingly suggested to his friend to bet a ticket: "We are going to buy a lottery ticket together instead of a tip", is the phrase he said. Her role was originally played by Isabella Rosselini. A true fun fact should be memorable and make people laugh. In March of that year, Officer Robert Cunningham, a regular patron and longtime friend of Penzo, suggested that the two split a lottery ticket, each of them choosing three of the six numbers, in lieu of his leaving her a tip. Initially, she was hesitant to believe him, as it was April Fools Day and she was certain it was just a rude prank. "A $6M Win and This Cop Went Hollywood." This is the true story of Robert Cunningham and Phyllis Penzo the real-life inspirations for the main characters of the hit movie. People often introduce a fun fact, sometimes in the form of witty and biting observations, with the phrase itself because otherwise how would you know it was a fun fact. The very concept of "tipping" appeared in England Cunningham, who ordinarily might have left a couple of dollars on the restaurant table, had no regrets about splitting the prize. In a plot inspired by a real-life news story,[3][4] a New York City police officer (Cage) who is short on cash and unable to tip his waitress (Fonda), half-jokingly offers to share his winnings if he happens to win the lottery. : "He has a projection to play in the first team" robert cunningham - @Cunningly. Everyone knows that they should tip their servers well; in fact, the general rule, in North America at least, is 15% nowadays, but some people prefer to aim higheror even tip with other gifts. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post) Those who knew Robert . Apparently it is an ordinary day. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. (His favorite dish was linguine with clams.) She had to have them bound down for the first half of the movie, to appear smaller. Forero, Juan. 2023-05-01T14:03:06.602Z, He never arrived at his accommodation: police are looking for construction worker - only his car was found Have you seen the Nic Cage movie It Could Happen to You? Cunningham jokingly promised that if he won, he would split the winnings with Penzo as a tip. As naci,. Clarn.com Join here: Get the best of Cracked sent directly to your inbox! In 1984, New York City detective Robert Cunningham was dining at Sal's Pizzeria in Yonkers when he suggested to his waitress and long-time friend Phyllis Penzo that the two split a lottery ticket instead of tipping on the bill. In March of that year, Officer Robert Cunningham, a regular patron and longtime friend of Penzo, suggested that the two split a lottery ticket, each of them choosing three of the six numbers, in lieu of his leaving her a tip. This is what happened. Since they shared the house with his wifes parents, its obvious the house sometimes felt crowded. Phyllis thought it was an April Fool's Day prank at first, but when Cunningham reiterated, she started screaming in excitement. It was Cunningham, calling to give her the big news they had just won $6 million! Cunningham, who ordinarily might have left a couple of dollars on the restaurant table, had no regrets about splitting the prize. Robert Cunningham and Phyllis Penzo knew each other before they split a lottery ticket and they each picked half of the numbers. Since it is April Fools' Day, Phyllis doesn't believe him, but her friend's sincere words catch her attention and convince her. Except for the part about us winning, its totally fiction. If I win, tomorrow we will split the winnings and if I don't I will come back and leave you the tip. In 1984, New York City police detective Robert Cunningham was at South Pizzeria in Yonkers when he . 2023-05-01T14:14:56.583Z, Elections 2023, LIVE: the STEP and all the candidates, minute by minute 2023-05-01T12:26:43.701Z, Video: "There is a baby", the 30 seconds of terror of a mother who wanted to rob the truck with her daughter on board Nicolas Cage, Bridget Fonda, and Rosie Perez were all born in 1964. Still, he persisted. They're also happily married to other people. He pledges to give her half the. She accepted and was rewarded . Each picked three of the six numbers; Cunningham walked across the street and bought their ticket. 2023-05-01T11:50:47.993Z, This was the III ICON Awards for Men's Fragrances: discover the winners news news 2023-05-01T12:08:42.732Z, Calderone, fund for the compensation of school-work victims As mentioned earlier, they are long-time friends. Cunningham, a thirty-year veteran of the police force in nearby Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., was a regular customer at the restaurant, well-liked by the staff there. The police quickly changed their minds and returned the full amount . 2023-05-01T12:39:05.382Z, Gantz: "Negotiations on the reform are not progressing - especially not regarding the Committee for the Appointment of Judges" - Voila! Penzo suggested three numbers, and Cunningham came up with three more numbers on his own. Nicolas Cage tells Bridget Fonda in Love Lottery . In 1984, New York City police detective Robert Cunningham was at South Pizzeria in Yonkers when he jokingly asked waitress Phyllis Penzo if they could split a lottery ticket instead of tipping her. Cunningham added on to the house that he and his family shared with his wifes parents. The real-life payout was bigger, $6 million instead of $4 million (though divided into 20 annual payments). But no, I didn't marry Bob, and I would never get on one of those balloons (like Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda do in the movie to celebrate). Detective Cunningham was just about to leave a tip for Phyllis Penzo, who had been a waitress at the restaurant for 24 years, when instead he offered her the following deal: split whatever the lottery ticket in his pocket might win them. "The movie is based on the true story of Phyllis Penzo and Officer Robert Cunningham. Wrigley used fun facts in newspaper ads for its chewing gum. when Cunningham discovered that the ticket had won a $6 million prize, he honored their verbal agreement and split it, Knowledge Ninja May 1, 2023 2 min read, Knowledge Ninja May 1, 2023 1 min read, The Dashboard Decoder: Unraveling the Mystery Behind Your Cars Hidden Messages , The Secret Scrolls of Carbon Emissions: Unveiling The Eco-Ninja Guide, The Stealth Stats: Unmasking Russias Nuclear Threats Since 1999, From Silent Killers to Modern Assassins: The Shift in Top Causes of Death (1900 vs 2010), From Feline to Ninja: Mastering the Ancient Art of Cat Petting , The Art of Pep Talk: A Ninjas Ultimate Guide to Self-Motivation . this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. We are in Yonkers, New York, transiting the first of April 1984. The two end up picking three numbers and playing a one-dollar New York Lotto ticket. She, without knowing that her prognosis would be wrong, replied: "I think I. Steve Jobs already thought about it a long time ago - voila! Cunningham jokingly promised that if he won, he would split the winnings with Penzo as a tip. World's most valuable tip - New York police detective Robert Cunningham offers waitress Phyllis Penzo half of $1 lottery ticket, next day they win $6 million. After all, he says, Penzo helped pick the winning numbers. Hello everyone! On March 30, 1984. I would love to hear your opinions, comment down below. 2023-05-01T11:20:47.591Z. A COP ONCE TIPPED A PIZZA WAITRESS $3 MILLION, Ranking All Six Episodes of the Very So-So First Season of Parks and Recreation, The Funniest Thing on Netflix Right Now is the Success of The Snowman, There Is No Excuse Left to Not Call Your Parents: Parrots That FaceTime Each Other Are Less Lonely, Mussolinis Granddaughter Had Beef With Jim Carrey, John Mulaney Turned Down the Hosting Gig on The Daily Show Because His Sitcom Sucked So Bad, Four Ways Humans Are Terrible at Communicating, According to Science. 26 October 1994 (p. A3). Fun Fact: in 1984 Phyllis Penzo was a waitress and Officer Robert Cunningham a regular patron suggested that the two split a lottery ticket, each of them choosing three of the six numbers. The two chose the numbers together and waited hopefully for the draw. [5], The film received generally positive reviews from critics. 2023-05-01T12:38:43.328Z, Coup in the H subway: with a grinder, they stole the collection from the safe Origins: Not just the fanciful plot of the Nicolas Cage movie It Could Happen To You, this did happen to one lucky Yonkers plate-slinger back in 1984. The next day, to Penzo's surprise, Cunningham and his wife came to the diner with the winning lottery ticket in hand. 2023-05-01T12:44:54.665Z, Lyon: two individuals arrested "thanks to the use of a drone" during the May Day demonstration Copyright 2022 | Lottery Critic. But Robert Cunningham, a police detective from nearby Dobbs Ferry, was in a class by himself. When Muriel and Charlie divorce, Muriel wants all the money that Charlie won for herself. That was a decade earlier and both continued to be married to their spouses. Follow Ryan Menezes on Twitter for more stuff no one should see. Robert Cunningham was a Metro mechanic killed during a shooting at the Potomac Avenue station in Southeast D.C. (Courtesy Metro) Metro established an online fundraiser for the 64-year-old mechanic . In 1984, New York City police detective Robert Cunningham was at South Pizzeria in Yonkers when he jokingly asked waitress Phyllis Penzo if they could split a lottery ticket instead of tipping her.
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