Regis Philbin, famed TV host and genre guest star, dies at 88

Regis Philbin, the famous television personality known for hosting Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Live with Regis and Kelly (originally Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee), has passed away at the age of 88. According to People, Philbin, who was exactly one month away from his 89th birthday, died of natural causes.

"His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him — for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about. We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss," the Philbin family said in a statement to People.

Thanks to a prolific career on the small screen that turned him into a household name, Philbin would often appear as himself in shows and films like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show (1997's "Honey, I Know What You're Thinking"), The Simpsons (1998's "Treehouse of Horror IX"), Little Nicky (2000), Family Guy (2002's "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1"), and Lilo & Stitch: The Series (2004's "Drowsy: Experiment 350").

He also voiced original characters such as Typhon on Disney's Hercules series, Cinderella's ugly step-sister Mabel in the final two Shrek films, and the Easter Bunny in Cartoon Network's Uncle Grandpa. Speaking of Shrek, Philbin once dressed up as the lovable green ogre during an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman.

Check out some of his most memorable genre appearances below:

Philbin is survived by his second wife, Joy, and three daughters, J.J., Joanna Philbin, and Amy.