Regis Philbin Biography



At the national level, Philbin replaced Steve Allen on Westinghouse's syndicated late-night talk show, marking his first time as a national host. He served as Joey Bishop's sidekick on "The Joey Bishop Show" and helmed "The Regis Philbin Show," a daily 30-minute program which received an Emmy for Outstanding Daytime Variety Series. Philbin also spent three years as host of the three-hour morning show, "Tempo," on KHJ-TV (Los Angeles). Philbin has worked on two ABC game shows, hosting "The Neighbors" and as a field reporter for "Almost Anything Goes." He also hosted a magazine show for Lifetime, "Regis Philbin Lifestyles," and when the show moved to primetime as "The Regis Philbin Show," it became the highest-rated program in the history of Lifetime. In 1983, Philbin returned to his native Manhattan and created "The Morning Show" on WABC-TV. Kathie Lee Gifford joined him in June 1985, and their chemistry sent the ratings soaring, making the show the long-time number one program in the New York market. In September 1988, the program debuted in national syndication, the title was changed to "LIVE with Regis & Kathie Lee," and it matched its local success by becoming a national ratings powerhouse. Philbin also has a news background, having worked as a news and sports writer at KCOP-TV (Los Angeles), a news reporter for KSON Radio and as a reporter, substitute anchor and sportscaster at Channel 8 in San Diego. He also served as a feature reporter and a permanent anchor at Channel 10 in San Diego. Philbin has also branched into areas other than broadcasting: he has written three bestsellers including a memoir "I'm Only One Man"; his second memoir, "Who Wants To Be Me?" will hit bookstores in September 2000; and he recently launched a new line of shirts and ties, "The Regis Collection" by Phillips-Van Heusen, inspired by his sartorial look on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." A native of New York City, Philbin is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and received an honorary doctor of laws degree for his contributions to Notre Dame and South Bend. Philbin and his wife, Joy (a frequent "LIVE" co-host and host of her own interior decorating show, "Haven"), live in Manhattan and Connecticut. They have two grown daughters, Joanna and Jennifer. Regis Philbin seems to have it all. He's the host of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," the most popular game show in television history. He already has a large fan base from his daytime talk show, "LIVE with Regis." Thanks to these successes, he now has his own fashion line. And, he has two national bestsellers to his credit. So what could he have to complain about? Well, plenty. Now Regis Philbin, the king of curmudgeonly humor, has written an all-new book of side-splitting rants -- "Who Wants to Be Me?" Regis provides the inside scoop on his ridiculously difficult life, with cantankerous takes on everything -- and everyone -- that drives him crazy. In addition, he reveals some of the funnier moments behind the scenes of his television shows, and his takes on travel, sports, and his legions of fans. Whether it's skewering the producers of his morning talk show, or describing the travails of celebrity life today, in "Who Wants to Be Me?" you can be sure that Regis Philbin will tell it like it is.