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Looking back at the early Sixties screen career of Regis Philbin
The legendary TV host can be found acting in The Big Valley, That Girl and more.
Images (L-R): CBS Television Distribution, The Everett Collection, The Big Valley
The late, great Regis Philbin holds the Guinness World Record for the most hours on American television. He set the record in 2004, passing Hugh Downs, logging 15,188 hours. Of course, he hardly retired after reaching that mark. The Notre Dame alum and Navy veteran continued to plug away on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.
Regis will forever be remembered for those two series in particular, but his broadcasting career truly took off in the 1960s. He honed his hosting skills on A.M. Los Angeles and his own The Regis Philbin Show in San Diego. His national breakthrough came through his association with the Rat Pack, but more on that in a bit.
In all those tens of thousands of hours of his work, it's easy to overlook the handful of episodes that featured his acting skills. Let's take a look at his memorable guest spots in the swingin' Sixties.
1. The Big Valley
Regis the cowboy? Well, not really. He may have a cowboy hat atop his head, but his character in The Big Valley is a journalist. Look for his rare turn as a thespian in the season-three finale, "The Challenge." Regis plays a local Stockton reporter who presses a visiting senator in this episode that aired March 28, 1968. He has plenty to do and say (well, mostly "Senator") in the opening scenes.
Image: The Everett Collection
2. Get Smart
"The old communications-equipment-in-the-French-bread trick!" Maxwell Smart declares to Regis' undercover baker character in the opening scene of "The Hot Line." The episode aired just five days after his turn on The Big Valley, in March of '68.
3. That Girl
Old West reporters and espionage agents might have been a light stretch for Regis, but That Girl cast him in a comfortable situation — he plays a professional in the TV biz, when Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) believes she has baked her ring into a cake. This episode technically aired in 1970, but the show oozes Sixties style and culture.
Image: CBS Television Distribution
4. The Joey Bishop Show
Of course, Regis' biggest national splash on Sixties television came in his most comfortable mode — as an energizing emcee. From 1967–69, he served as the sidekick and announcer on The Joey Bishop Show, the talk show showcasing the comedy skills of Rat Pack member Bishop. (Not to be confused with the sitcom The Joey Bishop Show, which aired from 1961–64.) In one of the show's most memorable moments, Regis walked off the talk show in a huff, frustrated with his critics, declare that he was dragging down the show. It was all a stunt — Regis was acting — and it worked brilliantly. The ratings spiked.
Image: CBS Television Distribution
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