Regis Philbin

Television Host and Actor

August 25, 1931 – July 24, 2020

Regis Philbin was a legendary American Television host once dubbed “the hardest working man in show business.” He holds the Guinness World Record for the most hours appearing on U.S. television. Philbin achieved the feat on August 20, 2004. In 2011, the record was officially updated to 16,746.5 hours.

Philbin spent his early years growing up in the Bronx, New York. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, he spent time serving in the U.S. Navy. Philbin’s start in show business happened in 1955 when he worked for The Tonight Show as a Page at NBC.

In 1961, he debuted his first talk show, “The Regis Philbin Show.” Due to financial constraints, Philbin didn’t hire a writing staff, so this is where he developed his famous “host-chat” segment. During which, he would engage with the audience and talk casually about the day’s events. This would go on to be a staple in several of his talk shows going forward.

Throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, Philbin hosted several different morning shows and other programs. In 1985, Philbin was paired with Kathie Lee Gifford for a morning show. In 1988, “Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee” became nationally syndicated. The pair would continue hosting the show together until Gifford’s departure in 2000. After hosting the show with different co-hosts for about a year, Kelly Ripa was permanently added to the show in 2001. Together the pair hosted “Live! With Regis and Kelly” until Philbin’s departure in November 2011.

Besides his morning show hosting duties, Philbin appeared on numerous other television programs. He was a renowned game show host which included “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?,” “America’s Got Talent,” and “Million Dollar Password.”

Philbin also made guest and cameo appearances on late-night talk shows, sitcoms, and even Wrestlemania VII.

Philbin was married twice during his life. First to Catherine Faylen from 1955-1968 where the couple had a son and a daughter. In 1970 he married Joy Senese and the pair raised two daughters.

Peter Green

Musician

October 29, 1946 – July 25, 2020

Peter Green was an English musician and co-founder of the band Fleetwood Mac. Green was praised for his smooth guitar playing and the emotion he expressed through his music. In 1998, Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Green was born in London in 1946 and had four siblings. It was his brother who first introduced him to the guitar. However, by 11 years old, Green was teaching himself. He would begin to play professionally at the age of 15. Green would play in several bands before forming what would become Fleetwood Mac in 1967.

After releasing three albums and several hits with Fleetwood Mac, Green left the band in 1970 due to mental decline. He would go on to make a few appearances with other bands following his departure. Green spent much of the ‘70s receiving treatment for schizophrenia. In 1979, he began to re-emerge into the public eye and begin performing publicly and contributing to various artists’ albums.

Green is regarded by many to be one of the best guitarists of all time. He has appeared on several top guitarists lists by notable publications. Many of the songs written by Green have also been covered by other artists with many famous rock guitarists citing him as an influence on their playing style and sound.

Naya Rivera

Actress

January 12, 1987 – July 8, 2020

Naya Rivera was an American actress, singer and model. She was best known for her role in the television show Glee. 

Rivera began her career as a child model and actress appearing in television commercials. Her first significant television role happened at the age of four when she appeared on the 1991 sitcom, “The Royal Family.” While short lived, this helped launch her acting career. Rivera would go on to spend much of her early years appearing on different television shows like “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," “Family Matters,” “Baywatch,” and “Smart Guy.”

Rivera had her breakthrough role when she starred as Santana Lopez on “Glee.” She appeared on the show from 2009-2015. During this time, she was nominated for numerous awards for her acting and singing on the show. In 2014, she won a People’s Choice award.

Rivera devoted significant time to philanthropy efforts. She was involved with several different charities and foundations. Rivera was known to organize fundraisers and volunteer time with Alexandria House, a Los Angeles women’s shelter.

Rivera is survived by her family including her four-year-old son.

Kelly Preston

Actress and Model

October 13, 1962 – July 12, 2020

Kelly Preston was an American actress and model best known for her role in the 1996 film, “Jerry Maguire.” During her career, Preston appeared in more than 60 television and film productions.

Preston’s career began while she was living in Australia at the age of 16. After being discovered by a fashion photographer, Preston began to appear in commercials and other small acting roles. In 1985, she got her first big break starring in the film “Mischief.” This would lead to bigger roles in films like “SpaceCamp,” “Twins,” “Jerry Maguire,” and “For Love of the Game.” Preston also appeared in guest appearances on television programs and the Maroon 5 music video, “She Will Be Loved.”

Preston was married twice in her life. First to actor Kevin Gage from 1985-1987. After first meeting John Travolta in 1987, the pair were married in 1991. Together the couple had 3 children.

Charlie Daniels

Musician

October 28, 1936 – July 6, 2020

American musician Charlie Daniels passed away at the age of 83. Daniels was a legendary singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist known for Southern rock, country, and bluegrass music.

Daniels was born and raised in North Carolina. During this time, he grew up listening to Pentecostal gospel, local bluegrass bands, and country music. By the time he graduated high school Daniels could play the guitar, fiddle, banjo, and mandolin. It was during this time he decided to pursue a career in music by forming a rock band and hitting the road.

By the mid ‘60s, Daniels was working as a session musician playing on albums for Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. He also co-wrote the song “It Hurts Me” which Elvis Presley would go on to record.

Daniels released his first solo album in 1970. He would go on to release 32 studio albums plus several live albums and Christmas albums. In 1979, Daniels won a Grammy for his hit song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Daniels continued to release music from the ‘80s until his most recent album in 2018. During this time, he recorded several hit songs and won multiple awards. In 2008, he was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. This was followed by inductions to the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009 and ultimately the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.

Daniels married his wife Hazel in September 1964 and had one son. Daniels was an avid University of Tennessee sports fan, and enjoyed spending his time outdoors hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling among other outdoor activities. He was also actively involved with the National Rifle Association and appeared in their videos. Outside of music, Daniels appeared in several films, television shows, and specials. Often appearing as himself but occasionally acting as a guest character.