Regis Philbin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Regis Philbin
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Philbin at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival
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| Born |
Regis Francis Xavier Philbin
August 25, 1931 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | July 25, 2020 (aged 88) Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.
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| Burial place | Cedar Grove Cemetery, Notre Dame, Indiana, U.S. |
| Education | University of Notre Dame (BA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1955–2020 |
| Spouse(s) |
Catherine Faylen
(m. 1955; div. 1968)Joy Senese
(m. 1970) |
| Children | 4, including J. J. Philbin |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1953–1955 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant (junior grade) |
| Unit | Navy Supply Corps |
Regis Francis Xavier Philbin (born August 25, 1931 – died July 25, 2020) was a famous American television host. He was known for hosting talk shows, game shows, and even acting and singing. Many called him "the hardest working man in show business." He even held a Guinness World Record for spending the most hours on U.S. television.
After college, Philbin served in the U.S. Navy. He began his TV career in the 1950s. He became well-known as the co-host of Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee starting in 1988. Later, the show became Live! with Regis and Kelly. He also hosted the popular game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
Philbin also hosted Million Dollar Password and the first season of America's Got Talent.
Contents
Regis Philbin's Early Life
Regis Philbin was born in New York City on August 25, 1931. His father, Francis "Frank" Philbin, was a U.S. Marine. His mother, Filomena, came from an Albanian-Italian family. Regis grew up in a Catholic family. He was named "Regis" because his father hoped he would attend Regis High School.
For a long time, people thought he was an only child. But in 2007, he shared that he had a brother named Frank. His brother had passed away a few days before.
Regis grew up in the Van Nest area of the Bronx. He went to Our Lady of Solace grammar school. He then graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School. After high school, he went to the University of Notre Dame. He graduated in 1953 with a degree in sociology. Later, he served in the U.S. Navy as a supply officer. Before becoming a TV star, he worked behind the scenes in television and radio.
Regis Philbin's Career in Television
Starting in Show Business
Regis Philbin began his career in 1955 as a "page" for The Tonight Show. Pages help out behind the scenes. Later, he wrote for a talk show host in Los Angeles. One night, he had to fill in when the host didn't show up.
In 1961, he got his first talk show, The Regis Philbin Show, in San Diego. He didn't have writers, so he started each show by just chatting with the audience. This became his famous "host chat" style. In 1964, his show was picked up for national TV. But it didn't get many viewers and was replaced.
Hosting Talk Shows
In 1967, Philbin became Joey Bishop's sidekick on The Joey Bishop Show. Bishop would often tease Philbin in a friendly way. Philbin once pretended to quit the show on air. This was actually a trick planned with Bishop to get more viewers.
In the 1970s, Philbin hosted shows in Los Angeles and St. Louis. From 1975 to 1981, he co-hosted A.M. Los Angeles. His presence helped the show become very popular.
In 1983, Philbin joined The Morning Show in New York City. In 1985, Kathie Lee Johnson became his co-host. Their partnership was a big success. In 1988, the show became nationally known as Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee.
When Kathie Lee left in 2000, the show was called Live! with Regis. Philbin had many guest co-hosts. In 2001, Kelly Ripa became the new permanent co-host. The show was renamed Live! with Regis and Kelly. Their teamwork also made the show very popular.
On August 20, 2004, Philbin broke a Guinness World Record. He had spent 15,188 hours on television, more than anyone else.
Regis Philbin left Live with Regis and Kelly on November 18, 2011.
Hosting Game Shows
Philbin was also a popular game show host. He hosted The Neighbors in 1975.
He was the first host of the U.S. version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. This show was a huge hit when it first started in 1999. It became the most-watched show on TV. Philbin won an Emmy Award for hosting Millionaire in 2001.
In 2006, Philbin hosted the first season of America's Got Talent on NBC. He had to travel a lot between New York and Los Angeles for his shows. Because of this, he was replaced by Jerry Springer in 2007.
Philbin also hosted Million Dollar Password. This game show started in 2008.
Other TV Appearances
On December 31, 2004, Philbin filled in for Dick Clark on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. Clark was recovering from an illness.
Philbin often appeared as a guest on Late Show with David Letterman. He also appeared on other late-night shows. He acted in TV shows like Spin City, How I Met Your Mother, Seinfeld, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
In 1998, Philbin was the voice of the monster Typhon in Disney's Hercules TV series. He also appeared on Celebrity Jeopardy! three times. In 2006, he won $50,000 for his old high school, Cardinal Hayes High School. In 2007, he played on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? and won $175,000 for his school.
After leaving Live!, Philbin continued to appear on TV. He was a monthly co-host on Rachael Ray from 2012 to 2017. He also co-hosted a sports show called Crowd Goes Wild.
Writing and Singing
Regis Philbin wrote two autobiographies. These books were written in the same friendly, chatty style as his TV show. His first book, I'm Only One Man!, came out in 1995. His second, Who Wants To Be Me?, was published in 2000. In 2011, he released his final memoir, How I Got This Way.
Philbin also loved to sing. He released a pop album in 1968 called It's Time For Regis!. In 2004, he recorded a traditional pop album called When You're Smiling. In 2005, he released The Regis Philbin Christmas Album. It included songs with Donald Trump and his wife, Joy.
Regis Philbin's Personal Life
Regis Philbin was married to Catherine Faylen from 1955 to 1968. They had a daughter named Amy and a son named Daniel. He then married Joy Senese in 1970. They had two daughters, Joanna and J. J.. Joy sometimes co-hosted his show. Regis often talked about Joy and his children on Live!. He lived in Manhattan and Greenwich, Connecticut.
Philbin was a big sports fan, especially of baseball and football. He loved the New York Yankees and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish teams. He often returned to Notre Dame for games and events. He even donated money to the university to build a theater.
Regis Philbin was known for having trouble with new technology. He often got confused by remote controls and DVD players. He didn't usually use computers or cell phones. But his wife, Joy, would help him with calls and emails.
Health and Passing
Regis Philbin had some health issues over the years. He had heart surgery in 2007. He also had hip replacement surgery in 2009.
Regis Philbin passed away on July 25, 2020, at the age of 88. He died from a heart attack. His funeral was held at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame. He was buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery on the campus.
Regis Philbin in Popular Culture
His Role in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
During the successful run of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Regis Philbin made a certain fashion style popular. He wore suits, shirts, and ties all in similar shades of the same color.
When he hosted Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, he would always ask, "Is that your final answer?" This phrase became his famous catch phrase.
In August 2009, Philbin returned to host special episodes of Millionaire for its 10th anniversary. He also guest-hosted some daily episodes of the show in November 2009.
Awards and Honors
- 1997: Bronx Walk of Fame
- May 2001: Won Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host, for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
- May 2001: Won Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host, for Live with Regis
- April 10, 2003: Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
- August 20, 2004: Set a Guinness World Record for "Most Hours on Camera" – 15,188 hours
- April 2006: Inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame
- April 2006: Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame
- June 2008: Received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmy Awards
- 2011: Won Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host, for Live with Regis and Kelly
- August 19, 2011: Received the Disney Legends award for his work in Television.
- September 15, 2011: Guinness World Record updated to 16,746.5 hours
- November 18, 2011: Received a key to New York City from Mayor Michael Bloomberg. This honored his 28 years in New York media.
Regis Philbin's Legacy
The Regis Philbin Studio Theatre at the Marie P. DeBartolo Performing Arts Center was named after him. It is a special theater used for performances.
Images for kids
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Regis Philbin at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival
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Philbin with Joey Bishop and Johnny Mann on The Joey Bishop Show in 1969
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Philbin in Washington, D.C. in 2000
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Philbin in 2009
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Philbin and his wife Joy in New York City, 2009
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Philbin's star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame
See also
In Spanish: Regis Philbin para niños
