Synopses & Reviews
The Regis Philbin story is about never giving up. When he announced to his family that he wanted a career in television, few believed Philbin would succeed. Working two to three jobs to support his family, he slowly rose through the ranks to host his own series of talk shows. He still didn't get any respect from his peers and little or no recognition for his talk show innovations. Even his name was the fodder of jokes from fellow performers.
Philbin endured, and then he found the right vehicle and the right partner - Kathie Lee Gifford - to showcase his talents. Their on-air chemistry catapulted what had been two journeymen television personalities into the stratosphere of daytime megastars. Philbin's status continued to rise and he became the most watched man on American television as host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Regis! looks at the personal and professional struggles of Regis Philbin during his thirty-year climb to the top of the television heap. Philbin has been happily married to his current wife, Joy, for thirty years but he has had painful relationships with his children. His son, Danny, is physically challenged and his daughter, Amy, has struggled with drug dependency.
And then there's Philbin's complicated relationship with Gifford. From her sweatshop imbroglio to her husband's embarrassing affair with a stewardess, Gifford's seemingly never-ending personal traumas and public battles with the media also put Philbin in the hot seat as he struggled to be both compassionate to her plights and protective of the show he had helped to nurture.
Finally, the book traces the improbable sequence of events that led to Philbin becoming the host of Who Want to be a Millionaire? and one of America's favorite celebrities.
Synopsis
The dapper host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, the most popular game show in television history, and Live! With Regis is admired by an incredibly diverse fan base: old-timers love his cantankerous outlook on life; middle-aged men want to be him and middle-aged women want to marry him; younger viewers love his hip-to-be-square attitude. This biography looks at Philbins personal and professional life. During his slow rise through the television ranks, he got little respect and recognition for his talk show innovations. Even his name was the fodder of jokes. It was his on-air chemistry with Kathie Lee Gifford on their morning show Live! that catapulted them both to megastardom. Regis! The Unauthorized Biography looks at all of this in detail, including Philbins bittersweet relationships with his physically challenged son, Danny, and his daughter, Amy, as she struggled with drug addiction. Finally, Tracy recounts the improbable events that led to his becoming the host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
About the Author
Kathleen Tracy is a freelance writer and entertainment journalist, whose previous books include
Jennifer Lopez,
The Dixie Chicks,
Ricky Martin: Red Hot and on the Rise,
Neve Campbell,
Ellen: The Real Story of Ellen DeGeneres, and
Seinfeld: The Entire Domain. She has contributed to A&E Biography Magazine and Film News International.