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Television Personality Regis Philbin Dies at 88

Associated Press

   NEW YORK - Regis Philbin, the genial host who shared his life with
   television viewers over morning coffee for decades and helped himself
   and some fans strike it rich with the game show "Who Wants to Be a
   Millionaire," has died at 88, People magazine reported.

   Philbin died Friday, just more than a month before his 89th birthday.
   He died of natural causes, according to a family statement to the
   magazine.

   Celebrities routinely stopped by Philbin's eponymous syndicated morning
   show, but its heart was in the first 15 minutes, when he and co-host
   Kathie Lee Gifford -- on "Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee" from 1985 to
   2000 -- or Kelly Ripa -- on "Live! with Regis and Kelly" from 2001
   until his 2011 retirement -- bantered about the events of the day.
   Viewers laughed at Philbin's mock indignation over not getting the best
   seat at a restaurant the night before or being henpecked by his
   partner.

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