Fast Facts about Regis Philbin

Regis Philbin passed on at 88 years old, leaving behind his wife, Joy Philbin, and four children. Philbin died of natural causes Friday night, a little more than a month before his 89th birthday celebration, as per an announcement from his family gave by representative Lewis Kay.

Here’s a look at the life of television personality Regis Philbin.

Personal:

• Birthdate: August 25, 1931
• Birthplace: New York, New York
• Birth name: Regis Francis Xavier Philbin
• Father name: Frank Philbin, a personnel director
• Mother name: Florence Philbin
• Marriages: Joy (Senese) Philbin (March 1, 1970-present), (Catherine) Kay Faylan, (1957-1968, divorced)
• Children: with Joy Philbin: Jennifer and Joanna; with Kay Faylan: Danny and Amy
• Education: Notre Dame University, B.A., Sociology, 1953
• Military service: US Navy, 1953-1955
• Religion: Roman Catholic

Other Facts:

Regis Philbin was named after Regis High School in Manhattan, a Jesuit school his dad joined in.

Has shown up in various films and TV programs as himself, for example, “Miss Congeniality,” “Cheaper by the Dozen,” “30 Rock,” “Seinfeld” and “Spin City.”

Nominated for 37 Daytime Emmy Awards and won six. Regis Philbin additionally got a Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

Regis Philbin was the writer of five books; two are a collection of recipes with the previous co-host Kathie Lee Gifford.

Timeline:

1956 – Begins his showbiz career as a page for “The Tonight Show.”

1961-1965 – Host of “The Regis Philbin Show” out of San Diego.

1964 – Regis Philbin took over the show that supplanted The Steve Allen Show when Steve Allen left the show.

1967-1969 – Regis Philbin was Joey Bishop’s sidekick on “The Joey Bishop Show.”

July 11, 1968 – Regis Philbin reported on-air that he’s stopping “The Joey Bishop Show,” and walks off stage, a lot to the surprise of Bishop and the team. Contrasts are worked out and he rejoins the show four days after the fact.

1970 – Regis Philbin showed up in an episode of the ABC crime drama The Silent Force.

1975-1981 – Host of “A.M. Los Angeles,” a local area TV talk show.

1976 – Regis Philbin was a “field reporter” for ABC’s Almost Anything Goes, an American adaptation of the British game show, It’s a Knockout.

1980 – Philbin hosted Lifestyles with Regis Philbin on the Lifetime TV network.

1981 – Regis Philbin and Mary Hart co-hosted a national morning variety series for NBC.

1983-1988 – Co-host of “The Morning Show” with Cindy Garvey, (later Ann Abernathy), on WABC. Gifford replaces Abernathy in 1985.

March 1984 – Regis Philbin opened a Ford dealership in Gilbert, Arizona, as a side investment during his career on TV.

September 6, 1988-July 28, 2000 – “The Morning Show” was coordinated and became “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.”

1991-1995 – Hosted the Miss America show with Gifford.

1996 – Hosted the Miss America show without Gifford.

1998 – Regis Philbin showed up in Disney’s Hercules as the voice of the mythical monster Typhon.

August 16, 1999-June 27, 2002 – Host of ABC’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” The show returns in 2009 for a restricted run in prime time.

July 28, 2000 – The title was abbreviated to “Live with Regis!” after Gifford’s departure.

December 25, 2000 – Regis Philbin showed up as a panelist on the first season championship game of the ESPN game show 2 Minute Drill.

February 12, 2001 – Kelly Ripa debuts as Regis’ co-host on “Live! with Regis and Kelly.”

2001 – Regis Philbin won Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Game Show Host for “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and Outstanding Talk Show Host for “Live with Regis!”

January 1, 2002 – Grand Marshal of Tournament of Roses Parade

April 10, 2003 – Got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Blvd.

August 20, 2004 – established Guinness World Precedent for “Most Hours on Camera” – 15,188 hours

2004 – Host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

July 2005 – champ, PR.com “Best Celebrity Nickname”

April 22, 2006 – Won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Special for the “Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade.”

April 24, 2006 – Regis Philbin was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

May 15, 2006 – Regis Philbin showed up as a special guest, nearby Howie Mandel, for a two-hour special episode of Deal or No Deal on NBC.

2006 – Hosted the first season of “America’s Got Talent.”

2006 – Regis Philbin was enlisted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

October 2007 – Regis Philbin was included in the 100th-anniversary issue of the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book.

June 20, 2008 – Won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Special for “Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade” and was likewise awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.

June 2008-June 2009 – Host of “Million Dollar Password.”

August 2009 – Regis Philbin returned for a two-week stint as host of Millionaire.

January 18, 2011 – During his show reports that 2011 will be his last year on “Live! with Regis and Kelly.”

February 2011 – Regis Philbin showed up on taking Two with Phineas and Ferb.

June 19, 2011 – Shared a Daytime Emmy Award win for Best Talk Show Host with co-host Ripa. They attach with Dr. Mehmet Oz for “The Oz Show.”

November 18, 2011 – Philbin’s last show on “Live! with Regis and Kelly.”

June 23, 2012 – Won a Daytime Emmy award for Best Talk Show Host with co-host Ripa.

August 19, 2013 – Premiere of “Crowd Goes Wild,” Regis Philbin’s new show on the network Fox Sports 1.

April 2014 – Fox Sports 1 cancels “Crowd Goes Wild.”

May 9, 2015 – Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Trine University.

July 2015 – Joined the fourth hour of NBC’s “Today” as a contributor, joining previous co-host Gifford and Hoda Kotb.

July 24, 2020 – Regis Philbin died of heart disease at the age of 88.