(Photo: Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC NewsWire)
Remembering the late actor and TV host
Farewell to the iconic face of numerous television shows and the famous morning talk show “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.” Legendary broadcaster Regis Philbin has passed away at 88 years old, according to his family.
“We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday,” said the statement, as reported by CNN. “His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him — for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about.”
Philbin started in show business as a page on NBC’s “The Tonight Show.” He later hosted “The Regis Philbin Show” in San Diego before joining “The Joey Bishop Show” as Bishop’s sidekick.
This morning, we're remembering Regis Philbin, not only as an entertainment icon but also a charming, wonderful man. Philbin died Saturday at 88 years old. @KathyParkNBC joins us with more. pic.twitter.com/0JtQQZwDgX
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 26, 2020
He went on to co-host “The Morning Show” on WABC in 1983 and was joined by Gifford in 1985. In 1988, the show was syndicated and renamed to “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.”
Lee’s role was later taken over by Kelly Ripa and the show was renamed again to “Live with Regis and Kelly.” Philbin was also known for hosting a slew of Miss America pageants and game shows like SBC’s “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.”
Over the course of his 60-year career, Philbin was nominated for 37 Daytime Emmy Awards and won six, inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2006, and awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. He is even a Guinness World Records holder with more than 16,000 hours on U.S. television.
By: Maytinee Kramer
