Below is a compiled list of the most interesting facts about Regis Philbin. Check it out!
TV-talk show host, game-show host, singer, author, and TV personality, Regis Philbin became one of the most popular talk-show hosts in America and in Canada, especially. Growing up as an only child in The Bronx, New York, Philbin went to the University of Notre Dame and got a degree in sociology. Later, he would serve in the U.S. Navy and went through behind-the-scenes in radio and TV, before going into broadcasting.
Interesting Facts about Regis Philbin
- Distant cousin of Kara DioGuardi.
- Very good friends with Academy Award winners Jack Nicholson and Robert De Niro.
- The first guest on his show, That Regis Philbin Show (1964) in 1961 on KGTV in San Diego, was Jack Kemp, the quarterback of the new San Diego Chargers football team.
- Regis Philbin was the most frequent guest in David Letterman’s late night career. Between Late Night on NBC and The Late Show on CBS, Regis appeared 150 times in total. His final appearance was in Letterman’s penultimate Late Show episode in 2015.
- Met a young, unfamiliar employee, Michael Gelman, after he had graduated from the University of Colorado’s School of Journalism, in 1983, when Philbin had hired him, for his first job on The Morning Show (Regis Philbin, Cyndy Garvey) (1983), as a production assistant. By the time, the show became Live with Kelly and Ryan (1988) (with Philbin’s fourth co-hostess Kathie Lee Gifford, at the time), Gelman was already promoted as executive producer on the show, which he is still to this day.
- After his hosting role on Live with Kelly and Ryan (1988), he retired from his hosting duties at age 80. As of 2011, he was the longest-serving host on that show.
- As of 2016, he was reunited with both of his former co-hosts: Kathie Lee Gifford and Kelly Ripa.
- His father, Frank “Francis” Philbin, passed away on April 20, 1978. He lived to be 69.
- Served in the United States Navy as a supply officer.
- Had not spoken to Kelly Ripa, since his departure on Live with Kelly and Ryan (1988), but defended her, because of the backstage drama of her show.
- Resides across the street from the studio where he tapes his show.
- His middle name Xavier came from the Jesuit Saint Francis Xavier.
Personal Quotes by Regis Philbin
Is that your final answer? Here in New York garbage men, bus drivers, taxi cab drivers, bus drivers, whoever, you know, people just yell it out to me. So that was a lot of fun.
Regis Philbin
We play a lot of tennis, and we work out at the gym three or four times a week. As you get older, you feel those aches and pains, so Advil’s become a friend in the house.
Regis Philbin
What’s so wonderful about being 6’3″. What is this mythical edge tall men have over average and short men?
Regis Philbin
You know, I never knew if I had any talent when I started in this business. My first job was being a page at The Tonight Show. I saw Jack Paar come out one night and sit on the edge of his desk and talk about what he’d done the night before. I thought, ‘I can do that!’ I used to do that on a street corner in the Bronx with all my buddies.
Regis Philbin
