Regis Philbin Retiring From 'Live With Regis and Kelly': 5 Facts About Him

"The hardest working man in show business" is taking a breather.

Veteran television host Regis Philbin announced today that after 28 years on the air, he plans to retire from hosting his morning talk show "Live With Regis and Kelly."

"This will be my last year on this show," he told the audience at the start of the show. "It was the biggest thrill of my life. There is a time that everything must come to an end for certain people on camera, especially certain old people."

Now 79 years old, Philbin has built up an extensive resume over his 50-plus years in the entertainment industry, including extended tenures as the host of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," "Million Dollar Password" and, of course, "Live With Regis and Kelly."

Surge Desk offers five quick facts on the iconic TV personality.

1. He's a Bronx man, born and raised.
Regis was born to Francis and Filomena Philbin on Aug. 25, 1931. He attended Our Lady of Solace grammar school and Cardinal Hayes High School, both in the New York City borough.

2. He wasn't always the leading man.
Philbin got his first national exposure in 1967 as a sidekick to Joey Bishop on The Joey Bishop Show.

3. He's won a few awards.
Philbin has three Emmy Awards and is a member of the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame for television. In 2008, the Daytime Emmys honored Philbin with its Lifetime Achievement Award.

4. He'll always be partly remembered for hosting "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."
But probably not for the time he played.

5. He's not exactly camera shy.
In 2004, Philbin set a Guinness World Record for most hours on camera, with 15,188 recorded television hours. In 2006, Guinness updated his record to 15,662 hours.

Here's a recent appearance he made with David Letterman: