Following the death of Regis Philbin, fans of the late TV personality are sharing favorite moments from his 60-year career. In particular, he's known for hosting the game show "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" from 1999 to 2002, in 2004 and again in 2009.
One popular clip, from November 1999, features Internal Revenue Service employee John Carpenter, from Connecticut, who was 31 at the time, according to The Washington Post.
Carpenter advanced to the million-dollar question without burning through any of his lifelines. Then, he used his "phone a friend" option to ring his father — but not for help. Instead, Carpenter called to tell his old man that he was about to win a million bucks.
Over the phone, Philbin introduced himself to Tom Carpenter, saying, "We’ve got your son John with us right now. He’s doing pretty well. He’s won a half-million dollars, and he’s going for a million dollars, and he needs your help to get there."
"Hi, Dad. I don’t really need your help," Carpenter told his father while Philbin chuckled. "I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to win the million dollars."
Then, Carpenter became the show’s first millionaire winner.
After the news of Philbin’s death, Carpenter shared his condolences on Twitter, writing, "So sorry to hear about Regis' passing — he was one in a million. Final Answer."
Fans of the iconic entertainer have been sharing the resurfaced moment, calling it one of the greatest moments in game show history.
"RIP to Regis Philbin," one person tweeted. “One of the best TV hosts ever. This is my favorite moment in game show history.”
Another fan shared the clip, writing, “Rest easy Regis Philbin. Great time to recycle this video of the greatest moment ever on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.”
The iconic television host died on Friday, July 24, at age 88.
"We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday," his family said in a statement to TODAY. "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."
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"We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss," it added.