Celebrity Death: Regis Philbin (88)

[Langdon Alger]

People were watching it religiously to see who would be the first to win and then the guy does it without using life-lines. The show remained popular afterward, but I have to imagine the ratings dropped after that considering no one was ever going to top that run?

I agree as well, Regis handled it exceptionally and with class. All other hosts after he left could never capture the magic he had in that role.

To be accurate, he did use a lifeline to call his dad. But that was just to tell him he was going to win. Very impressive he answered all those questions with no help.

off topic, but I just remembered this. Pierre Maguire’s first name is Regis.

 

[member 51464]

People were watching it religiously to see who would be the first to win and then the guy does it without using life-lines. The show remained popular afterward, but I have to imagine the ratings dropped after that considering no one was ever going to top that run?

I agree as well, Regis handled it exceptionally and with class. All other hosts after he left could never capture the magic he had in that role.

If I remember right, there was another game show around the same time that was losing in the ratings but had just had a much larger (multi million dollar) payout, and I believe there was a rumor at the time that the producers decided they needed to have someone win a million before the luster wore off the concept. Lo and behold this episode happened shortly thereafter.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

RIP Regis

 

[Langdon Alger]

Remember that episode of Seinfeld when Kramer went on Regis and Kathie Lee?

 

[SepticFish]

I believe there was a rumor at the time that the producers decided they needed to have someone win a million before the luster wore off the concept. Lo and behold this episode happened shortly thereafter.

I remember those rumors. John Carpenter. Here's all the questions. I would have used a lifeline at 500,000, but the rest of the questions are pretty simple.

 

[Jussi]

 

[Langdon Alger]

I remember those rumors. John Carpenter. Here's all the questions. I would have used a lifeline at 500,000, but the rest of the questions are pretty simple.

The first seven questions are incredibly simple and anyone would have got those right. The rest are more difficult. Not everyone knows who developed the first effective vaccine against Polio for example.

Some of them after question 7 would be easy for some, but not everyone. For example, question 8 where the answer is close encounters, I didn’t know that answer since I’ve never seen that movie.

What’s impressive is that he never needed help on any of those questions. Winning a million dollars without needing help is pretty impressive.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

I remember those rumors. John Carpenter. Here's all the questions. I would have used a lifeline at 500,000, but the rest of the questions are pretty simple.

My dad could never believe it was the million dollar question, anyone born before like 1956 would 100% know that answer, and though it was a little after Carpenter's time, it was such a famous moment that to have 2nd hand knowledge isn't that surprising.