Week of November 18: How Regis Became Big

By Sylvia Gurinsky

Well, it wasn't because of the Nehru jacket:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMXpahmPDFI

Regis Philbin took the slow path to stardom. He hosted a local show in San Diego and eventually played the second banana role to Joey Bishop. After that, Philbin would go back to local television for a while, interviewing and presenting people such as legendary drummer Buddy Rich:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzXMuXO2-6w&feature=related

The first key to Regis' climb took place with a series of hosting partners. Early in the 1980s, he worked with Cristina Ferrare and Cyndy Garvey. Here he is with Garvey and a young Jay Thomas, in a format not much different from what he's done since:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRefS6fRXRM

But it was his next-to-last partner - Kathie Lee Gifford - with whom he would rise to the top of morning television - with "The Morning Show," which was nationally syndicated and retitled "Live With Regis and Kathie Lee":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJi3a8Ea2y0

Gifford continued with the show until 2001, when she was replaced with Kelly Ripa. Philbin and Ripa didn't miss a beat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbKcR53MnFo&feature=related

Philbin's appearances on "Late Show With David Letterman" - including a guest-host stint when Letterman had his heart bypass surgery in 2000 - have added to the fun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txz5g17XSBg

But Regis went into the stratosphere with the 1999 success of "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire." Here he is with John Carpenter, the show's first successful winner (Sorry about those little boxes):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeqPJojGqxc

We trust Regis won't disappear, though he won't be on in the morning anymore. No doubt he'll add more to those thousands of hours he's logged in television.

Thanks, Reege.

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