Regis Philbin, the genial host who shared his life with television viewers over morning coffee for decades, and helped himself and some fans strike it rich with the game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” died July 24. He was 88.
Celebrities routinely stopped by Philbin’s eponymous syndicated morning show, but its heart was in the first 15 minutes, when he and co-host Kathie Lee Gifford — on “Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee” from 1985-2000 — or Kelly Ripa — on “Live! with Regis and Kelly” from 2001 until his 2011 retirement — bantered about the events of the day. Viewers laughed at Philbin’s mock indignation over not getting the best seat at a restaurant the night before, or being henpecked by his partner.
Longtime MSTies will remember his performance as Harry Carter in the movie in episode K13- SST: DEATH FLIGHT.
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‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ was a great show and he was a great host. Sometimes he’d get me questioning if I knew the right answer, even if it was obvious. RIP.
RIP John Saxon too…
As a morning TV host, Regis was Jack Paar in influence and style… and Johnny Carson in stature.
…and all Regis.
There’s a very long story about how Regis got his first national talk show hosting opportunity when Steve Allen was compelled by Westinghouse to quit his syndicated show…It involved Allen’s “A Meeting of Minds” sketches, a jealous ex-girlfriend, an attempted stabbing and the morals clause of the entertainer’s contract. If I can ever find it, I’ll post it here… RIP Regis…