What Happened to Regis Philbin? Inside the TV Host’s Incredible Decades-Long Career Before His Death

Breakout in Show Business

After his time in the Navy and moving to California, Regis took on several roles before becoming one of the most popular television personalities of all time. However, he admitted during a November 2011 interview with AARP that the road to stardom wasn’t always easy. 

“I had my years of struggling,” he said. “Some of my shows failed miserably, and I was upset by it and it dented my confidence. But I never stopped. I kept going for it. And when I returned to New York from Los Angeles, I mean, it was make it or not — that was my last chance. And what a great chance it was, to make it in my own hometown.”  

In 1961, Regis landed his first talk show, The Regis Philbin Show, in San Diego. The series aired locally on KOGO-TV. Three years later, he began hosting his first-ever nationally syndicated show, That Regis Philbin Show. The show only aired for one year but did not deter him from seeking other opportunities in the talk show circuit. 

The Hollywood star’s big break came in 1967 when he became the announcer on The Joey Bishop Show. As Joey Bishop’s onscreen sidekick, Regis thrived on national television. After bouts hosting The Morning Show and Regis Philbin’s Lifestyles, he was tapped to cohost Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee with Kathie Lee Gifford on ABC in 1988. 

The show became a network hit before Kathie Lee announced her departure in 2000. After a series of guest cohosts joined the I’m Only One Man! author on the program, Kelly Ripa was officially announced as the permanent cohost in 2001. Together they formed a dynamic duo, boosting the ratings and keeping viewers engaged with each segment. 

Family Life

In addition to his incredible accolades in the world of television, Regis started a family. He and his first wife, Catherine “Kay” Faylen, were married from 1955 to 1968. Their daughter, Amy Philbin, was born in 1961. Their son, Daniel Philbin, arrived in 1967. Daniel died from natural causes in November 2014 at the age of 49. 

Regis married his second wife, Joy Philbin, in 1970. Their first child together, daughter Joanna Philbin, arrived in 1973. The following year, their youngest daughter, J.J. Philbin, was born.

Leaving ‘Live’

In January 2011, Regis announced that he would be leaving Live with Regis & Kelly. 

“This will be my last year on this show … but there is a time, there is a time that everything needs to come to an end for certain people on camera, especially certain old people,” he shared during an episode at the time. 

The former Who Wants to Be a Millionaire host was awarded the Guinness World Record for the most hours on television after his final show in November 2011.

Death and Legacy

The National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame inductee talked about focusing on his health and his family since stepping away from his television career in an October 2017 interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“I don’t know that retiring had an impact on my health, but I will say, although I felt it was the right time to leave, I do miss working,” he explained. “I had been doing a talk show for more than 50 years in Los Angeles and New York. Since I retired, it has been relaxing to have the freedom to do what I want everyday and travel with Joy. We love going to California to be with our kids and grandkids.”

At the time, the actor and his wife became the faces of the Take Cholesterol to Heart initiative. The cause meant a lot to him as he underwent triple bypass surgery in 2007 after suffering from a buildup of plaque in his arteries. The television icon died on July 24, 2020, from heart disease at the age of 88. 

“We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday,” his family said in a statement to Us Weekly. “His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him — for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about. We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss.”

A Brief Mention

In February 2024, Regis was briefly mentioned during a segment on Live, which now stars Kelly and her husband, Mark Consuelos. The rare mention came just two years after Kelly spoke about her dynamic with Regis and their ups and downs in her 2022 book, Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories.

“There were good and bad days,” Kelly told People at the time of the book’s release. “I don’t want to feel like I’m slamming anyone or that I’m being disrespectful. But I also want people to know it was not a cakewalk. It took years to earn my place there and earn things that are routinely given to the men I worked with. Including an office and a place to put my computer.”