Regis Philbin

Host

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his one-hour interview, Regis Philbin (1931-2020) talks about his start in television as an NBC page where, among other things, he was seen on camera holding the elevator door for Eddie Fisher as he exited the stage at the end of his Coke Timeshow. Philbin describes his rise through local broadcasting in such markets as Los Angeles, San Diego, St. Louis, and Chicago. He talks about his first talk show, The Regis Philbin Show, which he produced live on Saturday nights at KOGO in San Diego starting in 1961. He acknowledges the failure of his syndicated show from 1964-65 and talks about his stint as a sidekick to Joey Bishop on his 1967-69 talk show. He chronicles his work through the 1970s and early '80s, including the KABC series A.M. Los Angeles, NBC series The Regis Philbin Show, and the Cable Health Network show Regis Philbin's Health Styles. He then talks about the series for which he is most well-known, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee/Live with Regis and Kelly and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (and comments on the catchphrase "Is that your final answer?"). Philbin also speaks about two career highlights: being named to the Television Academy Hall of Fame and setting the Guinness World Record for most hours on camera. Karen Herman conducted the interview on November 1, 2006 in New York, NY.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"Being a good interviewer means that you listen to what the person is saying. You just don't go to the next question and you don't jump all over the guest. You let them be the star of whatever time they have with you."

People Talking About ...

Regis Philbin

Highlights

Regis Philbin on hosting Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

01:53

Regis Philbin on being inducted in the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2006

00:29

Regis Philbin on the highlight of his career and astrologer Sydney Omarr's prediction about it

01:58

Regis Philbin on what his talent is

03:21

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On growing up in the Bronx and trying to decide what to do as a career

On his interest in television and his quest for his first television job, culminating in his becoming a page at NBC in 1955 and working on The Steve Allen Show

On moving to Hollywood and working at Channel 13

On going to San Diego where he worked on news and sports stories; culminating in his own syndicated show in 1961

On hosting a public TV show, which Joey Bishop sees and asks him to be his "second banana" on The Joey Bishop Show, which he accepts (then briefly walks off at one point)

Chapter 2

On his work in local TV (LA, St. Louis, and other cities)

On his short-lived NBC show, The Regis Philbin Show

On hosting WABC New York's The Morning Show (before going national)

On taking The Morning Show into national syndication as Live with Regis and Kathie Lee

On Kelly Ripa becoming the co-host of Live with Regis and Kelly

On hosting Who Wants to be Millionaire?

On appearing on David Letterman's shows; and on hosting 2004's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve

On summing up his achievements, on fame, advice to hosts, and his 2006 induction into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame

On how we would like to be remembered

Shows

Coke Time

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Regis Philbin on his first small TV appearance on Coke Time with Eddie Fisher