Philbin leaves this world having spent more hours on TV than any other human being surpassing Hugh Downs in 2004. (It is worth noting Philbin's death comes just over three weeks after Downs' passing.)
Yet for all his many years on TV, it took many years for Philbin to become a bonafide star. Philbin's first nationally syndicated show in 1964 which had the unenviable task of filling in a void left by Steve Allen flopped. His show was soon replaced by The Merv Grffin Show. From 1967 to 1969, Philbin was Ed McMahon to Joey Bishop's Johnny Carson. But The Joey Bishop Show was no match for The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Most of the 1970's was spent at KABC in Los Angeles co-hosting A.M. Los Angeles first with Sarah Purcell and then with Cyndy Garvey. In 1981, Philbin got another chance on national TV with The Regis Philbin Show which featured Mary Hart. However, NBC would drop the show after only 18 weeks on the air.
Philbin then went to work for WABC in New York City and reunited with Cyndy Garvey to co-host The Morning Show. In 1985, Philbin would get a new co-host - Kathie Lee Johnson (later to be known as Kathie Lee Gifford). The two would become a sensation and in the fall of 1988 would be reborn as the nationally syndicated Live with Regis & Kathie Lee. In 2001, Gifford left the show and would be replaced by Kelly Ripa. Live with Regis & Kelly was equally successful. In the midst of all this, Regis also became the host of the ABC prime time game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? from 1999 to 2002 and again from 2004 to 2009.
After nearly 30 years at WABC, Philbin retired in 2011 although he would make occasional TV guest appearances. His last TV appearance was in April 2020 on an episode on the ABC sitcom Single Parents which is co-created and produced by his daughter J.J. Philbin.
I live only a few blocks from WABC. At its entrance is a plaque dedicated to Philbin upon his retirement in 2011. R.I.P.
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