The next day, to Penzo's surprise, Cunningham and his wife came to the diner with the winning lottery ticket in hand. Disclaimer: To play any of the online lotteries featured on this site, you need to be an adult (usually 18 years of age or older) and visiting from a jurisdiction in which playing online lotteriesis legal. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Electrical Parts EW: After she wins, Fondas character indulges in macadamia nuts and eventually buys the restaurant she worked in. On April Fool's Day (of all days), Cunningham called Phyllis at 9 a.m. to tell her he had just won $6 million dollars and that she was entitled to half of it. cunningly.bandcamp.com. Regardless, it was a box office hit that made nearly $38 million while in theatres, which is a substantial profit considering the movies $20 million budget. 2023-05-01T12:44:43.523Z, Roman Zdorov participated with his son in the IDF preparation day in Tiberias - Walla! He had been a regular customer for seven or eight years. Waitress Yvonne Biasi, is bankrupt because her husband Eddie, whom she had not yet been able to afford to divorce, took her credit card and spent $12,000 without her permission. 2023-05-01T13:50:44.341Z, Mercado Pago launches 2,500 free financial education scholarships for women entrepreneurs: how to sign up 2023-05-01T13:20:49.553Z, They want to control Pulga Rodrguez 'minute by minute': he woke up, but he does not remember anything about the brutal accident In 1984, Phyllis Penzo was a waitress at a pizzeria commonly frequented by Yonkers, New York police officers. Suddenly losing your entire fortune and then randomly getting another half a million had no basis in the real-life storythat was just based on Nic Cage's average Tuesday. After the night at the Plaza, we see the reporter standing reading a newspaper with "Night at the Plaza" as the headline, and a picture of Charlie and Yvonne exiting the Plaza. Nicolas Cage tells Bridget Fonda in Love Lottery . One day in March, 1984, Cunningham asked Penzo for help picking his weekly lottery numbers. In both stories, the tip was a tad bigger than either expected from a $5 ticket that could also have paid out something tiny. At one time I had considered opening a restaurant, but after 27 years as a waitress, you reach the age where you just cant do those hours anymore. Naturally the ticket wins and the pair fall for each other. True to his word, Cunningham split the winnings between them right down the middle. 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. 2023-05-01T12:02:48.162Z, Jorge Rial's health: "He is waking up" from an induced coma, said his personal doctor For some reason, the movie's French title happens to be "Milliardaire malgr lui", which could roughly translate as "The Accidental Billionaire", "The Unwilling Billionaire" or even more literally "A Billionaire In Spite of Himself" which is weird because Charlie's winning lottery ticket makes him a millionaire, not a billionaire. This way, everyone had space of their own. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Yvonne tells Officer Lang in the diner that her luck is so bad that she had a puppy die of"parvo," but she doesn't even know what that is. The first was Honeymoon in Vegas (1992). 26 October 1994 (p. A3). Cunningham, who ordinarily might have left a couple of dollars on the restaurant table, had no regrets about splitting the prize. This film was inspired by the generosity of detective Robert Cunningham (ret.) That's right, Cunningham ended up winning after all, and true to his promise, shared the $6 million prize right down the middle. But the cop, by now hopelessly in love with the waitress, finds her at the diner and tells her that the money means nothing to him, and they declare their love for each other. 2023-05-01T12:14:42.844Z, Musikkapelle Poing celebrates its 30th birthday in the best weather and in a good mood Thus was born, several licenses in between, the film mentioned above. 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 . 2023-05-01T12:26:49.182Z, Dirty and graffiti for a holiday unit: the perfect transformation of the house in Tel Aviv - voila! 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. In 1984, Phyllis Penzo was a waitress at a pizzeria commonly frequented by Yonkers, New York, police officers.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. 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 Tristar Pictures / Everett Collection Advertisement 15.. 2023-05-01T12:56:54.694Z, Spain heats up like in summer and worries about the future In 1984, New York City detective Robert Cunningham was dining at Sals 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. A fun fact can be told at any time and doesn't have to be relevant to anything. 2023-05-01T12:33:05.316Z, The Ukrainian military says that the explosion in Crimea was a preparation for the next offensive Though Robert was initially joking, Phyllis was hasty to agree. Cunningham's ticket had won $6 million, which he split with Penzo, giving her $3 million. 2023-05-01T13:32:49.646Z, Modern Love: Sometimes it's not you or math The movie added a little more drama (it never claimed to be based on a true story). 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. Sure, it's easy to imagine you'd say, "$3 million, $6 million, same thing, we're rich either way," but between taxes and the payment timeline, that's a difference between a family getting $86,000 a year and $172,000 a year, which can lead to two very different lifestyles. 2023-05-01T11:26:47.685Z, At the request of Avi Maoz, the secretary of the government in a letter to the ministers: to issue forms also with the headings "father" and "mother" - voila! International 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. He picks three numbers for each game, she picks three. Charlie happily returns to the police force and Yvonne reclaims the diner. N.Y. Policeman Robert Cunningham and Waitress Phyllis Penzo split the winnings on a six million dollar lottery payout. 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. One could assure that the lives of these two people changed after they made three million for a playful bet. 2023-05-01T14:14:51.141Z, May Day protests: why the use of drones provokes the legal debate Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action. $3M. Cunningham's ticket had won $6 million, which he split with Penzo, giving her $3 million. That same evening, Yvonne leaves her apartment after her husband shows up and threatens to stay until he gets $50,000 from her. 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. Penzo suggested three numbers, and Cunningham came up with three more numbers on his own. 2023-05-01T12:20:53.959Z, The US prepares accelerated controls of asylum applications at the border: this is what is known so far While ruminating about their future at the diner, they are gracious enough to provide a hungry and poor customer some soup, which he eats at the special table. Cunningham added on to the house that he and his family shared with his wifes parents. His wife Muriel works in a hairdressing salon and, unlike Charlie, is selfish, greedy and materialistic, constantly complaining about their situation in life. I don't have enough for a tip, I will split the lottery ticket. The unusual event that inspired a famous Hollywood movie with Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda. 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 Penzo, 58 (still residing in Yonkers, N.Y., with her husband, Robert), the real cop and waitress who inspired It Could Happen to You, to find out what they think of their screen personas. However, Cunningham managed to convince her and once the news finally sank in, Penzo screamed and woke her husband. Spain: a volcano erupted on the island of La Palma, in the Canary Islands, The eccentric tower full of vegetation they want to build in the middle of Hollywood, All news articles on [6], The film grossed $37,939,757 in the United States and Canada but only $9.8 million internationally for a worldwide total of $47.7 million.[2]. Yvonne, feeling guilty at costing Charlie all his money, storms out of court in tears and tries to keep away from Charlie. Except for the part where we won, it's totally fiction, said the waitress. Such is the story of lottery winners Robert Cunningham and Phyllis Penzo, in which a shared gift in lieu of a tip turned out much better for both of them. He pledges to give her half the. Phyllis thought it was an April Fool's Day prank at first, but when Cunningham reiterated, she started screaming in excitement. 2023-05-01T13:20:43.945Z, Wood carvers in the square in Trieste with chainsaws The Vow (2012) A pair of newlyweds are ripped apart by a horrific car crash which leaves bride Paige (Rachel McAdams) with severe memory loss. Somebody managed to get a Nigerian scammer to copy an entire Harry Potter book by hand. 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. Want more like this, straight from your email inbox, without any ads or popups? Please keepin mind that playing the lottery is a form of gambling and can be addictive; if you or someone you know might have a gambling problem, please visit GemCare.co.uk for details on how you can get help. 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. Apparently it is an ordinary day. The movie is based on the true story of Phyllis Penzo and Officer Robert Cunningham. ". When she realised he was being genuine, she was filled with immediate excitement and woke her husband to tell him the good news: they were now millionaires. On this day in 1984: World's most valuable tip - New York police detective Robert Cunningham offered waitress Phyllis Penzo half of $1 lottery ticket; the next day they won $6 million (inspired film "It Could Happen To You") It was worth six million dollars: three million for each of them. ( source) 3. Robert ended up with a 4,4 million win and he returned to the pizza restaurant where she worked to give her a whopping tip of 2,2m. In real life, apparently Cunningham's wife was fine with the split, which is a little surprising. As a result, neither Penzo nor Cunningham were required to authorize the film, nor were they entitled to collect royalties from its proceeds. The soundtrack album was released by Columbia Records/Sony Records on July 19, 1994. Bridget Fonda and Nicolas Cage star in Love Lottery, a film based on the story of Phyllis and Robert. Nicolas Mancini 2023-05-01T12:21:10.484Z, Book Fair 2023: the must-sees of May 1st For this film, Robert returned to the cinema: comedy brought him closer to the big screens since the premiere of Rocky . 2023-05-01T12:21:15.986Z, The chief of immigration is prosecuted for the fire in Ciudad Jurez that left 40 dead. This is the true story of Robert Cunningham and Phyllis Penzo the real-life inspirations for the main characters of the hit movie. Family and friends said a final goodbye to a Metro mechanic who died while trying to protect others. All rights reserved. . 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. He wins $4 million (in 21 annual payments) in the lottery the next day and keeps his promise, despite the protests of his wife. Rosie Perez appeared in the sequel, Perdita Durango. He would do so again in The Wicker Man (2006). Still, he persisted. A police officer promises to share his lottery ticket with a waitress in lieu of a tip.A police officer promises to share his lottery ticket with a waitress in lieu of a tip.A police officer promises to share his lottery ticket with a waitress in lieu of a tip. In the 1850s, there was a newspaper column titled Fun, Fact, and Fancy, a sort of Twitter Moments of its day. (His favorite dish was linguine with clams.) by Knowledge Ninja | Jun 6, 2022 | Fun Facts, Knowledge Chops, 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 other was Guarding Tess (1994), which was released a few months earlier by the studio, co-starring Oscar winner Shirley MacLaine. They're also happily married to other people. The movie is based on the true story of Phyllis Penzo and Officer Robert Cunningham. (33) marries Robert Altman (58) Feb 14 British singer Elton John (36) marries Renate Blauel at Darling Point, New South Wales, Australia; . 2023-05-01T14:03:06.602Z, He never arrived at his accommodation: police are looking for construction worker - only his car was found The Love Lottery prize is 4 million, not 6. Sources: Though Robert was initially joking, Phyllis was hasty to agree. Likewise, she took the opportunity to travel, as she was no longer restricted by the small wages that come with being a hard-working waitress. Cunningham jokingly promised that if he won, he would split the winnings with Penzo as a tip. [7] The closing credits of the film include a disclaimer stating that although the film was inspired by actual events, at the time of production both Penzo and Cunningham were happily married to their respective spouses. 191 views, 4 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from thebingestop: On This Day In 1984, the world's "most valuable tip" was handed to waitress, Phyllis Penzo in New York City. The second collaboration between star Nicolas Cage and director Andrew Bergman. For twenty-four years, Penzo served as a waitress at Sal's Pizzeria in Yonkers, New York. 2023-05-01T14:02:50.217Z, It was allowed to be published: the father suspected of the murder in Tayba is Muhammad Masrava, 30 years old - voila! Since they accepted annuity payments, the two were set up to receive nearly $280,000 annuallymaking Phyllis one of the luckiest winners whose tickets were gifted. (His favorite dish was linguine with clams.) At Charlie and Muriel's divorce proceedings, Muriel has had a breast augmentation. News Dont forget to share with your friends and family. 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. MST Rice U., MEd SHSU, BM UT Arlington. 2023-05-01T11:50:42.527Z, Madrid Masters 1000: Cachn and Bez and two complicated exams to take another step in the Caja Mgica Since Charlie doesn't have enough money to pay the tip, he promises Yvonne to give her either double the tip or half of his prospective lottery winnings. 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. Nicolas Cage would later appear with Bridget's father Peter Fonda in Ghost Rider (2007). Yvonne Biasi: Because of me, you have nothing. Yvonne buys the diner she was working in. When interviewed by Entertainment Weekly, Phyllis expressed discontentment with the portrayal of a love story when that wasnt her story with Robert at all. He says that if they win, they will split the prize in half. A decade later, when the media checked in on the winners, neither had been robbed and murdered, despite the attention their story had received. 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. The jury decides in Muriel's favor. She then moves in with her mother in The Bronx and goes back to her old manicure job. But did you know that it wasn't entirely all made up? Not only a good showcase for the film's three ideal leads, but also a kindhearted film that gives hope to the notion of human decency. He and Mrs. Penzo, a waitress whom he had known for 13 or 14 years, play a New York Lotto card that cost $5. Her role was originally played by Isabella Rosselini. news [5], The film received generally positive reviews from critics. EW: Does the script ring true to what really happened?Penzo: Ours is really a luck story, but the filmmakers turned it into a love story. Home and design It Could Happen to You is a 1994 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda. 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. That was a decade earlier and both continued to be married to their spouses. LottoAnalyst uses cookies to improve your experience. : "He has a projection to play in the first team" barry mcguigan, daughter funeral; phyllis penzo and officer robert cunningham In real life, however (as stated in a disclaimer at the end of the movie), Cunningham and Penzo were both happily married to other people for many years. 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. Officer Robert Cunningham and waitress Phyllis Penzo were actually good friends who joked one day about sharing a lottery ticket to cover her tip. 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.. 834 ebm 18-8 3810901 1 I bought a house, I bought a car for my daughter and my husband, and I did some traveling to see our grandchildren. phyllis penzo and officer robert cunninghamduskull evolution arceus. In 1984, Phyllis Penzo was a waitress at a pizzeria commonly frequented by Yonkers, New York, police officers. Diner exterior and interior shots were done on location. 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. Welcome to our. COPYRIGHT 2005-2023 Cracked is published by Literally media Ltd., Dave Chappelle Is Buying Up Yellow Springs, Ohio, and Some Locals Arent Happy, The Funniest Tweets From Barry Fans Who Really Hate Bill Hader Right Now, Robot Chicken Was Way Ahead of the Curve on Barbie, 12 World-Class Con Artists Who Could Sell A Shit Popsicle To A Lady In White Gloves. Welcome offer: Save 25% off your entire first order, Welcome offer:Get 25% off your entire first purchase, Welcome offer: FREE Powerball entry with first purchase. Isaac Hayes is the film's narrator and also plays a supporting role as undercover reporter and photographer, Angel Dupree. In that conversation she made it clear that having shared earnings with a friend did not bring her marital problems with Gina (an idea she plays with in the film): "I told her that I had a partner and that we were splitting up halfway. Robert Cunningham and Phyllis Penzo starred in a lottery commercial after the win The 1994 rom-com, starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda, sees a police officer promising a waitress. Forero, Juan. Follow Ryan Menezes on Twitter for more stuff no one should see. For Robert, he was eager to add more space to the home he and his family lived in. If I win, tomorrow we will split the winnings and if I don't I will come back and leave you the tip. $287,715 annually for 21 years, each. The film is based on the true story of New York police officer Robert Cunningham who made a verbal agreement with his waitress, Phyllis Penzo, to split the money if he won the lottery. Robert Cunningham and Phyllis Penzo knew each other before they split a lottery ticket and they each picked half of the numbers. Cunningham jokingly promised that if he won, he would split the winnings with Penzo as a tip. Robert Cunningham offered a waitress at his favorite pizzeria half of his lottery ticket instead of a tip. After 24 Years Pushing Pizza, Waitress Phyllis Penzo Gets a Tip to Remember: $3 Million - People Magazine 1984. All the numbers came up, and he kept his word by sharing the jackpot with her. For twenty-four years, Penzo served as a waitress at Sal's Pizzeria in Yonkers, New York. Phyllis Penzo was a waitress at Sal's Pizzeria in Yonkers, New York, for twenty-four years. 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. Cunningham and Penzo had been friends for 15 years at that point, so some friendly ribbing wasnt unusual. Sal's Pizzeria, where he worked, was a hangout for the Yonkers police. Rotten Tomatoes calculates a "Fresh" rating with a score of 71% based on reviews from 35 critics. Claim: A policeman promised a waitress half the winnings from his lottery ticket. Just as Charlie and Yvonne are giving up and moving out of town, they begin receiving bags of mail from New Yorkers who read the story, sending encouraging letters containing "tips for the cop and the waitress" totaling about $600,000.
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