Philbin and Gifford hosted together for a dozen years until she left in 2000. Sources told the outlet Philbin suffered a heart attack, but this was not confirmed by his family. Regis Philbin 's cause of death has been confirmed as a "myocardial infarction due to coronary artery disease," according to the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in . He also had two children from his first marriage, which ended in divorce in 1968, Amy Philbin and Daniel Philbin, who died in 2014. Regis Philbin Age. Kelly Ripa Gets Candid About Everything from Marriage and Sex to Botox and Regis Miller Mobley Ripa says she still treasured spending time away from the show with Philbin, who died at 88 in. with Regis and Kelly in 2001, and continued as Live! [32] At the time, the 9am time slot for WABC suffered from low Nielsen ratings because of competition from WNBC-TV's Donahue and WCBS-TV's game show block featuring The Joker's Wild and Tic Tac Dough. After graduating from Cardinal HayesHigh School in the Bronx in 1949, Philbin left New York for the Midwest to attend the University of Notre Dame and graduated in 1953, per Notre Dame Magazine. In November 2005, ABC announced that Philbin would host the network's revival of This Is Your Life. [57], In 1991, Philbin was a celebrity guest at WrestleMania VII in Los Angeles, commenting on the main event between Hulk Hogan and Sgt. Kathie took to Instagram with a photo of the two of them, writing "There are no words to fully express the love I have for my precious friend, Regis. Both his talk show co-stars Kathie Lee Gifford and Kelly Ripa also paid tribute to the icon in recent days. [7] In 1976, he was a "field reporter" for ABC's Almost Anything Goes, an American adaptation of the British game show, It's a Knockout. Philbin was born on August 25, 1931, in New York City, United States. [15] His mother, Filomena ("Florence"; ne Boscia), was a member of an Albanian-Italian immigrant family from Greci. Regis co-hosted the show until 2011, when Michael Strahan replaced him. After Garvey left again and Ann Abernathy briefly shared co-hosting duties, Philbin was paired with Kathie Lee Johnson (later Gifford), in June 1985, and ratings improved significantly. Gifford said that he was also grieving the loss of their friend, who died of COVID-19, but most importantly, he didn't have an outlet to put his focus and energy elsewhere. [97] His funeral was held at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and he was buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery,[98] both on the campus of his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame. He briefly became the king of prime time, too, as host of ABC's game-show phenomenon "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire.". The super concert for 500 guests was offered for sale at $1.6million. And there never will be.. [54], Philbin made regular guest appearances on Late Show with David Letterman. [39] Under this contract, Philbin reportedly earned more than US $21million per annum. The Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? [10] He is also well-known as the original host of the U.S. version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, the most-watched prime-time series of the 19992000 U.S. television season. Although. "His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with himfor his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about. [47] With regard to filling Philbin's spot, Springer noted that "no one fills in for Regis. Regis Philbin's cause of death has been revealed. In 1970, he appeared in an episode of the ABC crime drama The Silent Force, and also in an episode of the series That Girl. In a Johnny Carson-Ed McMahon vein, Bishop would playfully tease Philbin and he would take the barbs in stride. [90] Prior to the surgery, Philbin talked with David Letterman, for whom he had substituted on Late Show with David Letterman during Letterman's own quintuple bypass surgery. From 1975 to 1981, he co-hosted A.M. Los Angeles, a local morning talk show on KABC-TV,[32] where Philbin was already working reviewing movies for newscasts on the station. After a short stint at an NBC's variety series with ET's Mary Hart, Philbin began hosting "The Morning Show" with Cindy Garvey on New York City's local ABC affiliate. Ripa, 49, and cohost Ryan Seacrest, meanwhile, spoke about Philbin on-air on Monday. The first follows a year (19941995) in his life, his memories of celebrities, and work on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, among other things. [26] The audience did not accept Philbin as a replacement for Allen's zany antics and the appearance lasted slightly more than four months because of dismal ratings, especially compared to Johnny Carson in the same time slot. Philbin and his family, including a younger brother named Frank, spent most of his early childhood living in the Bronx, per Biography. Those are the days, the mornings that I miss.". ABC aired Millionaire as a regular series with frequent episodes, but its viewership slowly declined. [67], In February 2011, Philbin made an appearance on Take Two with Phineas and Ferb. "[48], Philbin's affiliation with Fremantle started to develop at this time. He hosted a revival of the Password franchise entitled Million Dollar Password, which premiered June 1, 2008, and ended on June 14, 2009. 17 Big TV Stars Without an Emmy Nomination. Philbins other longtime on-screen partner Kelly Ripa also paid tribute to the game show legend. [107], The Regis Philbin Studio Theatre in the Marie P. DeBartolo Performing Arts Center was named after him. He once again partnered with his producer from Millionaire, Michael Davies. I send all the love in my heart to Joy, to his children, to the rest of his family and to the innumerable people he touched over his legendary life. Philbin first got married to Catherine Faylen in 1955, but the marriage only lasted until 1968 (via Closer Weekly). In the memorial video footage of Philbin, he is seen on the set of the show during his early hosting years. 2011)", "Regis Philbin Interviewing David Letterman When He Guest Hosts 'Piers Morgan Tonight', "Regis Philbin Set As Recurring Guest On 'Rachael Ray', "Regis Philbin Returning To TV With Fox Sports 1 Show", "Regis Philbin returns for Fox Sports talk show 'Crowd Goes Wild', "Regis Philbin to join Kathie Lee Gifford on NBC 'Today' show", "A Talker Sings: Regis Philbin On When You're Smiling", "Regis Philbin, TV Host With the Most Congenial Demeanor, Dies at 88", "University of Notre Dame Alumni Association Newsletter, October 2005". Philbin's family confirmed the news of Philbin's death in a statement sent Saturday by his representative, Lewis Kay. 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 beloved star was 88. Stars Arrive to Fashion's Biggest Night!!! From there, the ball kept rolling -- he went on to replace talk show host Steve Allen on his own show, but fell short up against Johnny Carson's strong ratings. [69], From September 2012 to October 2017, Philbin was an official recurring monthly co-host on Rachael Ray.[70]. Philbin (along with Steve Harvey and John Henson) were named the 200910 guest hosts of the daily Millionaire. In the clip, Kimmel also shares a story of meeting with Philbin on his first day of filming, as well as a scene of Kimmel interviewing Philbin. [14] His father, Francis "Frank" Philbin, was a U.S. Marine of Irish descent who served in the Pacific. Regis Philbin's death last week was caused by a heart attack. Samantha Wilson. His son, Danny, died in 2014. All rights reserved. "We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday," his family said in a statement. A spokesperson for the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Farmington, Conn. told E! [9], In 2008, Philbin's contract with ABC was renewed through 2011. Leigh Hampton, then executive producer of the syndicated version, said that he "[knew] when to take rein of it and when to sit back and let the contestant be the contestant,"[45] and Jennifer Slater of twogirlsandatv.com called him "the sweetest man on television. "We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday, his family said in a statement after his passing on Friday night. He suffered a heart attack in 2007 and had to miss several weeks of the show to recover from heart surgery. We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday, his family said in a statement to Us. In 2019, Philbin and his wife (pictured together above) listed their home for sale, and it was put up for $4.6 million a significant drop in its value from years earlier, according toArchitectural Digest. ", Jimmy Kimmel paid tribute to Philbin in a tweet, writing that Philbin was a "great broadcaster, a good friend and a tremendous amount of fun. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser! hosts wife of 50 years, Joy Philbin, and their two daughters, Jennifer and Joanna, spoke out for the first time on Wednesday. He kept telling me to run for President. 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.. The 46 best Mother's Day gift ideas for all moms in 2023, Taylor Swift's Atlanta ticket prices are dropping big time. Thanks for contacting us. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. He was 88. Host Regis Philbin poses backstage at the Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Las Vegas, Sunday, June 27, 2010. Regis Philbin Death. The couple was married for 50 years, and they had two children together: daughters J.J. and Joanna Philbin. As one of the school's most famous alumni, Philbin was a big donor and occasionally returned to Notre Dame to do speaking events and interviews. Iconic television personalityRegis Philbin's cause of death has been revealed. [29] When The Joey Bishop Show was canceled, Bishop returned the favor and walked off the show on air unannounced, leaving Philbin to carry the night on his own. The program replaced A.M. Los Angeles upon its cancellation in 1991 and was eventually picked up by all of the ABC owned-and-operated stations except for WLS in Chicago, which aired The Oprah Winfrey Show in that time slot and had done so since the show's debut as A.M. In a statement to Fox News on Monday, the Chief Medical Examiner Office in Connecticut said: "He died of heart. "Mark [Consuelos] and I were lucky enough to have all of our children with us this past weekend on Saturday," she told Ryan Seacrest. [citation needed] He split his time between his Manhattan apartment (near the WABC-TV studios) and his house in Greenwich, Connecticut. We just had the best time, she said of her lunch with Philbin and his wife, Joy. Philbin is survived by his wife of 50 years, Joy Philbin and their two two children, J.J. and Joanna Philbin. Philbin's longtime Live co-hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Kelly Ripa have gone on topay tribute to their beloved friend. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. 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., The Philbin family later asked for mourners to donate to New York City food bank to keep his memory alive in a second statement on Monday, July 27: Regiss family is overwhelmed by the outpouring of love weve received. And it broke his heart," said Gifford, per Today. For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews Subscribe on YouTube! He was named after his father's alma mater, Manhattan's Regis High School. Following his death on Friday, July 24, his family mourned the loss in a statement to E! [76] It features several duets, with friend Donald Trump ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"), Steve Tyrell ("Marshmallow World"), and wife Joy ("Baby, It's Cold Outside" and "Winter Wonderland"). He let everyone into his life, they told People magazine. One of the greats in the history of television, Regis Philbin has passed on to even greater airwaves, at 88. The beloved TV host died from myocardial infarction, otherwise known as a heart attack, due to coronary artery disease and hypertension, a spokesperson for the Chief Medical Examiners Office in Farmington, Conn., confirmed to Page Six on Wednesday. Philbin guest-hosted two episodes of The Late Late Show in January 2015. [75] He tested the musical waters with his 1968 pop vocal release, It's Time For Regis! Personal Life. We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday, his family wrote. [27], Philbin gained his first network TV exposure in 1967 as Joey Bishop's sidekick on The Joey Bishop Show[25] on television (19671969). and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" [39], Philbin departed Live with Regis and Kelly after hosting his final show on November 18, 2011. I smile knowing somewhere in Heaven, at this very moment, hes making someone laugh. The 88-year-old former Live With Regis and Kathie Leehost died from a myocardial infarction due to coronary artery disease, a spokesperson for Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Farmington,. / CBS News. All rights reserved. Philbin died on July 24. The legendary television host died at Greenwich Hospital, according to TMZ. In 1970, he remarried for a second and final time to his wife Joy, who he was survived by. [53], Philbin hosted the 37th Daytime Emmy Awards on June 27, 2010. News - YouTube Five days after the legendary television icon passed away at age 88, his cause of death has been shared by the medical. [81] He narrated the two audio CDs that accompanied Joe Garner's book Echoes of Notre Dame Football: Great and Memorable Moments of the Fighting Irish, and he was unwilling to waver even when St. John's basketball coach Steve Lavin asked Regis to trade his allegiance. By Carmel Dagan. ABC Television. ", "He leaves behind a beautiful family and a TV legacy that will likely go unmatched," Kimmel wrote. Market data provided by Factset. Updated on: July 26, 2020 / 2:45 PM Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He appeared in an episode of The Big Valley called "The Challenge" which first aired on March 18, 1968. Philbin died on July 24, 2020, of natural causes according to his family. People announced Philbin's death on July 25, 2020, a day after the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire host's . For Kelly Ripa, Regis Philbin seemed like someone who would live forever. Regis is one of the people that we all believed would somehow figure out a way around the inevitable. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. [51], Philbin was also the host of The Apprentice 2 finale on December 16, 2004,[52] and the official 30-minute red carpet arrivals at the 80th Academy Awards ceremony on February 24, 2008. Philbin was hoping to transfer his success from KABC to a national network show, but the show was not successful and lasted only 18 weeks. Philbin was born Regis Francis Xavier Philbin in New York City on August 25, 1931. He returned to occasionally host from March until its cancellation on May 8. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. In the late '80s, he perhaps got his biggest break by landing a co-hosting gig with Kathie Lee Gifford, which most know as "Live! After Garvey left Los Angeles in 1982 and moved to New York City,[32] Philbin rejoined her on The Morning Show,[32] on WABC-TV starting on April 4, 1983. REGIS PHILBIN, ICONIC TELEVISION HOST, DEAD AT 88. On Fox Sports 1, Philbin began co-hosting Crowd Goes Wild, a daily sports panel show, on August 17, 2013. During his time as host, Philbin recorded some 300 episodes until 2009, shows IMDb. with Regis and Kathie Lee, starting in 1988, which became Live! He moved to Los Angeles to start his own show, but struggled to find writers and viewers. [14] It was long believed that he was an only child, but he announced on Live with Regis and Kelly in February 2007 that he had a brother named Frank (March 1, 1951 January 27, 2007), who had died from non-Hodgkin lymphoma several days earlier. News that the. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. [104], When Philbin hosted Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, he used the phrase "Is that your final answer?" The Philbins were well-recognized locals of the upscale city and longtime residents since moving there in 2008 (via Hello Magazine). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Regis Philbins cause of death has been revealed. However, as fans around the world learned over the weekend, the legendary TV host died at 88 years old following an iconic . A few nights later, assured by Bishop that all was well and the barbs were not personal, Philbin returned. He was 88 years old. [37] Philbin had guest co-hosts until a replacement was found. Market data provided by Factset. [1] After graduating high school, he attended the University of Notre Dame, where he lived in Fisher Hall,[20] and graduated in 1953 with a degree in sociology. Regis Philbins cause of death was revealed on Wednesday, July 29, less than a week after the beloved hosts passing. [44] When Millionaire was honored on GSN's Gameshow Hall of Fame special, Philbin's tenure as the show's host was praised. [25] That Regis Philbin Show failed to attract many stations and Westinghouse replaced Philbin with Merv Griffin in 1965. The longtime television host died on July 24, PEOPLE confirms. We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first, In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies. The medical examiner also revealed that Philbin had hypertension and that also played a role. WIth Regis and Kathie Lee" and "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?," has died. As COVID-19 spread around the world at the start of 2020 and a global pandemic followed, various industries were hit hard and highly affected by the changes made to stop the spread. Additionally, Philbin's family asked mourners to donate in his memory to the New York City food bank in a follow-up statement. Philbin left "Live! The cause of death of TV host Regis Philbin has been revealed. The beloved "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" host died of a myocardial infarction due to coronary artery disease, an official. 1.[33]. [13], Philbin was born in the Manhattan borough of New York City on August 25, 1931. "If I'm out the night before, and I went to the Friars Club last night, they had a party for the book, so I enjoyed it. He was a fantastic person, and my friend. The success of Jerry Springer opened up lots of doors for the host, who played a version of himself in the 1998 film Ringmaster, briefly replaced Regis Philbin as host of the variety show America . ABC aired the family-friendly program as often as five times a week. [59], On December 25, 2000, Philbin appeared as a panelist on the first season championship game of the ESPN game show 2 Minute Drill. On December 25, 2009, Philbin attended Christmas Mass with Father Edward L. Beck and Timothy Dolan, the current Archbishop of New York, at The Sunday Mass[66] and gave a special interview discussing how being a Catholic had influenced his life. Philbin, embraced by millions for a less-polished familiarity and brisk speaking style that seemed more neighborhood than Hollywood, was a dominant TV force in daytime for more than two decades, co-hosting "Live! He co-hosted first with Sarah Purcell (1975 to 1978), then with Cyndy Garvey (1978 to 1981). [citation needed] He also was an announcer on The Tonight Show in 1962.[7]. News the. [76] After receiving poor reviews, he was reluctant to record another studio album, but he occasionally sang on Live, usually duets. The job proved to be another opportunity for Philbin, as he demonstrated his sense of humor as a writer. In August 2009, Philbin returned to host a two-week miniseries of new Millionaire episodes celebrating the American primetime show's 10th anniversary. Some 30 years earlier, he suffered some serious chest pains during a commercial shoot, later learning that he had blocked arteries, he said in a 2017 interview with Parade. His former co-host and longtime friend, Kathie Lee Gifford, revealed in October 2020 that Philbin was heartbroken that he couldn't do the job he loved the most. The TV legend, a household name during his ever-present, six-decade career on the small screen, died Friday of natural causes at 88. with Regis and Kathie Lee from 1985 to 2000 -- orKelly Ripa-- on Live! [40], Philbin was also a game show host. America does", "Regis Philbin Avenue Who wants to be on a street sign? In the show, he hosted a "show within a show" called Million Dollar Heads or Tails, which made reference to both Million Dollar Password and Millionaire. His cause of death has now been. (2000), are written in the conversational or anecdotal style of his host chats. The show had two female contestants guessing which of her three women neighbors said gossipy things about her. Yet, as noted, it wasn't sold for the asking price. Regis, we love you.". , less than a week after the beloved hosts passing. Regis got his start in Hollywood back in the '50s while working on "The Tonight Show," under which he served as a page. With Regis and Kathie Lee" in 1988. For budget reasons, he had no writing staff, so he began each show with what became his hallmark, the "host chat" segment influenced by Jack Paar, where he engaged his audience (and later his co-host) in discussions about his life and the day's events. ", "Regis Philbin, Legendary Television Host, Dies at 88", "Best of Connecticut 2006: People & Entertainment", "Regis Philbin: Million Dollar Password on CBS", "Jerry Springer Replacing Regis Philbin as 'America's Got Talent' Host", "Regis Philbin, TV's Indignant Everyman, Dies at 88", "The Hosts of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", "Fisher Hall // Residential Life // University of Notre Dame", "PHOTOS: Regis Philbin: Life and Career Through the Years", "Regis Philbin is moving on _ but not retiring", "Regis Philbin, legendary TV host, dies at 88", "The First Time News Was Fit To Print, XXV", "Regis Philbin Explains How He 'Got This Way', "April 17, 1967 Fifty Years Ago Today "The Joey Bishop Show" Debuted on ABC", Regis Philbin's Lifestyles (TV Series 19841987), "Remembering Regis Philbin, Legendary Television Host", "Regis Philbin's bittersweet farewell to 'Live!," the show that gave him his 'last chance', "Details on ABC's "Millionaire" 10th Anniversary BuzzerBlog", "Philbin Fills in for Vieira on Syndie 'Millionaire', "Regis Philbin 15 Best Game Show Hosts TIME", "Popular Television Talk-Show Host Jerry Springer Named Host of NBC's 'America's Got Talent' When Hit Variety-Talent Competition Series Returns This Summer", "Regis ready, willing and able to host annual New Year's show", "Donald Trump hires Regis Philbin to host 'The Apprentice 2' reunion show", "COSMOWORLDS | THE OSCARS 80TH ACADEMY AWARDS Oscar Nominations The Academy Awards", "2010 Daytime Emmys welcome Ryan Seacrest, Wayne Brady, Vanessa Marcil and more From Inside the Box Zap2it", "David Letterman Says Regis Philbin Is 'In the Same Category as Carson', "Wrestling World Mourns Passing Of Legendary TV Host Regis Philbin", "Hercules (TV Series 19981999 Cast IMDb", "Regis Philbin: the TV host and Genre Guest Star, Dies at 88", "SNL Transcripts: Tobey Maguire: 04/15/00: Celebrity Jeopardy", "Regis Philbin to Guest on How I Met Your Mother", "The Marriage Ref (20102011) Season 2 Episode 2 All Tracy Morgan, Susie ssman, Regis Philbin (3 Jul. Kathie Lee Gifford, President Trump, more react to Regis Philbin's death, Riley Keough gets tattoo in honor of late brother Benjamin Keough, Elvis Presley's grandson, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He also had two other children from his first marriage, his oldest daughter Amy, and his only son Daniel, who sadly died in 2014, per People Magazine. It brings me great comfort knowing that he had a personal relationship with his Lord that brought him great peace. No lifetime achievement award was presented in 2020 and 2021. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). Linda Silviaof the chief medical examiner's office in Farmington, Connecticut, confirmed Thursday that Philbin died from "myocardial infarction due to coronary artery disease and hypertension.". On Wednesday (July 29), a spokesperson for the Chief Medical Examiners Office in Farmington, Connecticut told Us Weekly that the beloved TV icon died from a myocardial infarction at 88 due to coronary artery disease. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. [37] Kelly Ripa was chosen as the permanent co-host in February 2001, and the show was renamed Live! He got his own self-titled show in 1964 (per IMDb), and Philbin remained a fixture on television until 2020, despite announcing retirement in 2011 (via CNN). It was not in the cards, I suppose, the former soap star said on Live With Kelly and Ryan. In the days before the October 2020 premiere of the game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," the current host Jimmy Kimmel paid tribute to Regis Philbin, per Entertainment Tonight. "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. But even after his departure, he would still make regular appearances as a guest host. The legendary television host was suffering from a heart condition called coronary artery disease, which led to the attack. A source tells TMZ Regis died early Saturday after suffering a heart attack at his home, possibly the one in Connecticut -- although, we have not confirmed that with the family at this point.. [82], After graduating from Notre Dame in 1953, he returned to campus often for football games, concerts, pep rallies, banquets, and other events, and donated $2.75million to the university to build the Philbin Studio Theatre for performance arts productions. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Yes! Along with being a Yankees fan, Philbin was also "keeping an eye on the Florida Marlins". [58], In 1998, Philbin made an appearance in Disney's Hercules as the voice of the mythical monster Typhon; Kathie Lee Gifford was also present as the voice of Typhon's mate, Echidna. Philbin was born in the Bronx, New York, on August 24, 1931, famously developing a thick New York accent and staying a city resident most of his life. Because of his difficulty with commuting cross country and his health problems, he was replaced in 2007 by talk show host Jerry Springer. He ended up in Hollywood afterward and landed a job as a delivery worker at a local television station in Los Angeles. "Regis, I hope our friend Rickles met you at the pearly gates with open arms and a slew of the insults you loved so much.". But Philbin would die before he and his wife could make their final move west. If youd like to honor Regiss memory, we kindly ask that you make a donation to http://foodbanknyc.org/, to help people in need in his beloved New York, especially his home borough of The Bronx. [43], Philbin's Millionaire hosting duties won him a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host in 2001. It brings me great comfort knowing that he had a personal relationship with his Lord that brought him great peace. Philbin was cast as car salesman Handsome Hal on Kelly Ripa's sitcom Hope & Faith. [50] The following year, Philbin hosted a competing special for Fox, replacing Clark's new co-host and eventual successor Ryan Seacrest.