Wikipedia's first sentence called it “wealthy investor and businessman”. Today it says “american banker”.
Measured, not asserted. Every count, date and revision on this page was taken from Wikipedia's own history and checked against the live article. The words quoted are theirs.
Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
We saved snapshots of this article over twenty years; you are reading the 2005 one. Red dashes: removed from Wikipedia since.Pale dots: rewritten; the numbered note shows what it says now.Red text: written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot.1 tap a number or a side note to jump between them
The opening as it read in 2005
Perelman (born 1943 ) is a wealthy investor and businessman , who appears 126th on the Forbes 2004 list of billionaires . His primary interest is in stable companies that generate cashflow without being capital-intensive , and which are not in fashion or high-tech . Through his holding company MacAndrews & Forbes , his portfolio has included Revlon , Marvel Comics , Scientific Games , Panavision , the Coleman Company , New World Communications , Mafco Worldwide , Meridian Sports , First Nationwide Bank , National Health Laboratories and Consolidated Cigar Corporation . He is currently married to actress Ellen Barkin . In May 2005, a jury in West Palm Beach , Florida , found for Perelman in his lawsuit against Morgan Stanley , the brokerage firm, on the grounds that Morgan Stanley helped appliance maker Sunbeam falsify its financial condition at the expense of investors such as Perelman.1
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 16493166.
The opening as it stood in 2010 5 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Ronald Owen Perelman (born January 1, 1943) is an American investor who made his fortune buying beleaguered corporations and re-selling them later for enormous profits.He has invested in grocery, cigar, licorice, makeup, car, photography, television, camping, security, lottery, jewelry, banks, and comic book companies.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 371235837.
The opening as it stood in 2015 2 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Ronald Owen Perelman (born January 1, 1943) is an American businessman, investor, philanthropist and Chairman of Carnegie Hall.Through his company MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc. , he has invested in various companies with interests that encapsulate groceries, cigars, licorice, makeup, cars, photography, television, camping supplies, security, gaming, jewelry, banks, and comic book publishing.Perelman annually is one of the world's largest philanthropic donors.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 668385458.
The opening as it stood in 2020 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
American billionaire businessman and investor For the American actor, see Ron Perlman .Ronald Owen Perelman ( / ˈ p ɛr əl m ən / ; born January 1, 1943) is an American banker , businessman and investor.MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated , his company, has invested in companies with interests in groceries, cigars, licorice , makeup, cars, photography, television, camping supplies, security, gaming, jewelry, banks, and comic book publishing.Perelman holds significant shares in companies such as AM General , Deluxe Entertainment, Revlon , SIGA Technologies RetailMeNot , Merisant, Scantron, Scientific Games Corporation , Valassis , vTv Therapeutics and Harland Clarke.Perelman is annually one of the world's largest philanthropic donors.As of January 2019, Perelman is the 49th richest American, and 152nd-richest person in the world, with an estimated wealth of $9.4 billion.In September 2017, Forbes magazine named Perelman as one of the "100 Greatest Living Business Minds." "World's Billionaires" .The New York Times .The New York Times Company .Perelman: MacAndrews and Forbes Bio" ."RetailMeNot is getting bought for $630 million by one of billionaire Ron Perelman's companies" ."Forbes List "100 Greatest Living Business Minds" " .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 964109160.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 4 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
American billionaire businessman and investor For the actor, see Ron Perlman . Ronald Owen Perelman ( / ˈ p ɛr əl m ən / ; born January 1, 1943) is an American banker, businessman, investor, and philanthropist. MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated , his company, has invested in companies with interests in groceries, cigars, licorice , makeup, cars, photography, television, camping supplies, security, gaming, jewelry, banks, and comic book publishing. Perelman holds significant shares in companies such as Deluxe Entertainment, Revlon , SIGA Technologies , RetailMeNot , Merisant, Scantron, Scientific Games Corporation , Valassis , vTv Therapeutics and Harland Clarke. He previously owned a majority of shares in AM General , but in 2020 sold the majority of his shares in AM General along with significant works of art, in light of the impact of the economy on the high debt burdens many of his companies have from leveraged buyouts.In early 2020, Revlon, acquired by Perelman in the 1980s, undertook a debt deal.Previously worth $19.8 billion in 2018, Perelman is, as of September 2020, worth $4.3 billion. The New York Times . Perelman: MacAndrews and Forbes Bio" . "RetailMeNot is getting bought for $630 million by one of billionaire Ron Perelman's companies" .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1177548118.
The opening as it stood in 2025
American billionaire businessman and investor For the actor, see Ron Perlman . Ronald Owen Perelman ( / ˈ p ɛr əl m ən / ; born January 1, 1943) is an American banker, businessman, investor, and philanthropist. MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated , his company, has invested in companies with interests in groceries, cigars, licorice , makeup, cars, photography, television, camping supplies, security, gaming, jewelry, banks, and comic book publishing. Perelman holds significant shares in companies such as Deluxe Entertainment, Revlon , SIGA Technologies , RetailMeNot , Merisant, Scantron, Scientific Games Corporation , Valassis , vTv Therapeutics and Harland Clarke. He previously owned a majority of shares in AM General , but in 2020 sold the majority of his shares in AM General along with significant works of art, in light of the impact of the economy on the high debt burdens many of his companies have from leveraged buyouts. In early 2020, Revlon, acquired by Perelman in the 1980s, undertook a debt deal. Previously worth $19.8 billion in 2018, Perelman is, as of November 2022, worth $1.9 billion. The New York Times . Perelman: MacAndrews and Forbes Bio" . "RetailMeNot is getting bought for $630 million by one of billionaire Ron Perelman's companies" .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1298220574. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “wealthy investor and businessman”. Today it says “american banker”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
Counts in the opening at each snapshot. Green: the word gained ground. Red: it was cut. Grey: no change.
What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
wealthy investor and businessman
Now
american banker
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
