Regis Philbin Was 'the Same Off-Camera as He Was On-Camera,' According to Son-in-Law Michael Schur
Regis Philbin Was 'the Same Off-Camera as He Was On-Camera,' According to Son-in-Law Michael Schur
Angela AndaloroTue, June 16, 2026 at 4:56 PM UTC
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Regis Philbin with wife Joy and daughter JenniferCredit: Robert Mora/Getty -
Hacks producer Michael Schur looks back at his memories of his late father-in-law, Regis Philbin, during his recent appearance on Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia
Schur married Philbin's daughter, J.J. Philbin, in 2005, and shares two children with the comedy writer
Schur remembers his father-in-law for being endlessly giving to his fans and family, sharing special stories from the times they spent together
Regis Philbin's family enjoyed the same wonderful spirit that he shared with audiences, behind the scenes.
The late daytime host's son-in-law, Michael Schur, appeared on Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia, where he remembered the television icon for being a wonderful family man and an involved grandfather.
"He was exactly the grandfather you would imagine, which is to say delighted to have grandkids, incredibly funny and attentive and sweet with them," The Good Place creator said of Philbin, who died in 2020 at age 88.
"The thing I always say about him is he was exactly the same off-camera as he was on-camera. There was literally not an ounce of difference in the man. What you saw was what you got with him, which was what you wanted out of him."
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Regis Philbin, daughters Joanna and Jennifer, and wife Joy in 1987Credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Schur shared an example he felt exemplified Philbin's capacity to connect with audiences and showcase his authentic self on television. The pair were at a gas station when a woman stopped the daytime host to talk about her son's college plans. Schur assumed it was someone he knew personally, but it was actually a fan.
"I said, 'Who was that?' He goes, 'Oh, I have no idea,' " Schur recalled.
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"Because he was in people's homes for an hour every single day, just talking about going to the dry cleaners or parking his car or eating out at a restaurant in New York or whatever, people believed deep in their souls that he was their close friend," he explained.
"He never disabused them of that notion, which I always thought was such a wonderful and human thing to do. I never once saw him say, 'I don't have time for you,' or, 'I'm sorry, I'm with my family,' or whatever and blow people off."
Regis Philbin in April 2020Credit: Richard Cartwright/ABC via Getty Images
Schur's children with wife J.J. Philbin, ages 18 and 16, have special memories of their late grandfather tied to their shared love for sports.
"He took our whole family and his two grandkids, my son and my daughter, to a Yankee game," Schur said. "One of the players tossed my son a ball, and he caught it, and it was very exciting."
While some are just casual sports fans, Schur emphasized Philbin was the real deal. "He was a sports fan the way that anyone is a sports fan. He loved his teams. He loved Notre Dame. He loved the Yankees. He loved the New York Giants. He loved the NFL. We watched a ton of NFL football together. We used to come over to our house every Sunday. We would watch NFL games."
"It didn't matter that he was a famous person who had been on TV for 50 years," he continued. "He was just a sports fan like anybody."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
