He was one of those very rare individuals who had lengthy television careers by being… personable. It’s not like he was a great singer or noted comedian (although he certainly did have a sense of humor). But he was primarily a… host. He could chat with a co-host or guest, host game shows, emcee events.
Regis Philbin was a TV “personality.”
And on the surface you might think, “so what talent or skill does that require?” The truth is: A LOT.
Moving a live show along, being spontaneous and able to handle anything unforeseen with grace and polish, versatility, even reading teleprompters seamlessly – that does take a real skill. You're up there without a net for 16,700 hours. Being interesting enough that people continue to watch you year after year is also a skill.
The bottom line, Regis Philbin was a master communicator. And television is first and foremost about communication.
Very few have that talent. Dave Garroway, Garry Moore, Art Linkletter, Dick Clark, and more recently – Ryan Seacrest, Hugh Downs (who we just recently lost), and maybe Tom Bergeron. (I’m pretty sure Ryan is trying to beat Regis’ record in one year.)
The downside is: “personable” does not lend itself to a long legacy. Unless you grew up with Garry Moore or Art Linkletter I seriously doubt if you know who they are. TV personalities are made for the moment.
And that’s unfortunate because they don’t get the credit they deserve. You’ve got to be doing something right for people to hire you to go on camera for 16,700 hours. And no one was better at it than Regis Philbin. The sense I always got was that he enjoyed every minute of it, and that’s got to be worth way more than being a trivia answer in twenty years.
So long, Regis. Sorry we can no longer “see you tomorrow.”
from By Ken Levine
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