Regis Philbin's 80th Birthday: In Praise Of A Legend (VIDEO)

Happy Birthday Regis!

Regis Philbin turned the big 8-0 on Thursday, after spending over 60 years in show business.

It's hard to know what to say about such a showbiz legend. The venerable AJ Hammer even coined Regis "one of the hardest working men in the business," and it's difficult to disagree with that assertion. The guy's 80, after all, and he puts most 20-year-olds to shame with his indefatigable ways. He got his start on TV in the 1960s as Joey Bishop’s sidekick on "The Joey Bishop Show," and currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a camera. But he still looks years shy of his actual age.

Philbin only just announced plans to retire from "Live With Regis and Kelly" in January. He's spent three decades hosting his morning show, where he's won legions of viewers over with his excited manner, senior moments and tongue-in-cheek jokes.

To give just one (amazing) example: in 2009, he terrified the normally poised and unflappable Meryl Streep when he misread a cue card and broke "the news" that her youngest daughter had broken her leg. Classic Regis!

Happy 80th, Reege!

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