Regis Philbin, Legendary Television Host, Passed Away At 88
Beloved television host Regis Philbin has passed away. His family confirmed the heartbreaking news to PEOPLE in a statement. Regis died Friday night (July 24, 2o20) of natural causes — just one month shy of his 89th birthday. TMZ later reported that the cause of death was due to heart disease.
“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,” the Philbin family says.
In 1988, Regis began his iconic career as the host of Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee alongside Kathie Lee Gifford. After 15 years, Kathie Lee left the ABC show but the pair remained close after her departure.
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In 2001, the franchise became Live! with Regis and Kelly, co-starring Kelly Ripa before he left in 2011 after 23 years on-air.
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Regis also served as the original host of the widely popular game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? from 1999 to 2002.
After receiving a sociology degree and serving in the Navy, the Bronx native started his career in show biz as a writer. In 1961, he went on camera with his own local talk show in San Diego, The Regis Philbin Show.
After a string of local talk shows, including A.M. Los Angeles and Regis Philbin’s Saturday Night in St. Louis, he moved to New York in 1983 to host The Morning Show, which was renamed three years later as Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee.
