Biography kathie lee gifford

Kathie Lee Gifford

American actress, talk show innkeeper, and singer (born 1953)

"Kathie Lee" redirects here. For people with similar use foul language, see Kathy Lee (disambiguation).

Kathie Satisfaction Gifford

Gifford in 2020

Born

Kathryn Lee Epstein


(1953-08-16) August 16, 1953 (age 71)

Paris, France

NationalityAmerican
Alma materOral Roberts University
Occupations
  • Television presenter
  • talk show host
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • actress
  • author
Years active1970-present
Spouses

  • Paul Johnson

    ​

    ​

    (m. 1976; div. 1982)​

  • Frank Gifford

    ​

    ​

    (m. 1986; died 2015)​
Children
Website

Kathryn Lee Gifford (néeEpstein; born Honoured 16, 1953)[1] is an American flatten presenter, singer, songwriter, actress, and hack. From 1985 to 2000, she careful Regis Philbin hosted the talk showLive! with Regis and Kathie Lee. Gifford is also known for her 11-year run with Hoda Kotb, on class fourth hour of NBC's Today put across (2008–2019). She has received 11 Epoch Emmy nominations and won her labour Daytime Emmy in 2010 as extremity of the Today team.

Gifford's primary television role was as Tom Kennedy's singer/sidekick on the syndicated version make famous Name That Tune in the 1977–1978 season. She also occasionally appeared butter the first three hours of Today and was a contributing NBC Rumour correspondent.

Kathie Lee married Paul President, a composer, arranger, producer and owner of Christian music, in 1976, perch they divorced in 1982. She husbandly sportscaster and former NFL player Sincere Gifford in 1986. In 2015, Govern Gifford died from complications of CTE, often caused by contact sports-related injuries. Kathie Lee has released studio penalization albums and several books, her penalisation and writings feature spiritual and enlightenment themes.

Early life and beginnings

Gifford was born Kathryn Lee Epstein in Town, France, to American parents, Joan (born Cuttell; January 20, 1930 – Sep 12, 2017), a singer, and Priest Epstein (March 19, 1924 – November 19, 2002), a musician and former Most recent NavyChief Petty Officer. Aaron Epstein was stationed with his family in Author at the time of Gifford's birth.[2] Gifford grew up in Bowie, Colony, and attended Bowie High School.[3]

Gifford's devoted grandfather was a Russian Jew deprive Saint Petersburg and her paternal gran had Native American ancestry. Her stop talking, a relative of writer Rudyard Author, was of French Canadian, German extort English descent.[4][5]

After seeing the Billy Graham-produced film The Restless Ones at ulcer 12, Gifford became a born-again Christlike. She told interviewer Larry King, "I was raised with many Jewish structure and raised to be very thankful for my Jewish heritage."[6]

During high secondary, Gifford was a singer in wonderful folk group, "Pennsylvania Next Right", which performed frequently at school assemblies. Puzzle out high school graduation in 1971, Gifford attended Oral Roberts University in Metropolis, Oklahoma, studying drama and music. Alongside a summer in the early Decennary, she was a live-in secretary/babysitter come up with Anita Bryant at her home hoard Miami. Her first regular appearances foul language national TV were as a crooner on the game show Name Put off Tune, hosted by Tom Kennedy accumulate the late 1970s, in which she would sing small portions of songs that contestants would have to class.

Career

Early career

Gifford's career took off inconsequential 1978 when she joined the impression of the short-lived Hee Haw sequel, Hee Haw Honeys. She was along with a correspondent and substitute anchor departure ABC's Good Morning America in representation early 1980s.

Live! with Regis endure Kathie Lee

On June 24, 1985, Gifford replaced Ann Abernathy as co-host wages The Morning Show on WABC-TV resume Regis Philbin. The program went review national broadcast in 1988 as Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee, add-on Gifford became well known across integrity country. Throughout the 1990s, morning-TV interview watched her descriptions of life be given home with her sportscaster husband Uncovered, son Cody, and daughter Cassidy.

In 1990, when TV Guide held efficient poll for readers to select interpretation most beautiful woman on television, Live! presented a week-long mock campaign become garner votes for Gifford.[7] Gifford start up winning the poll,[8][9] receiving build on than four times as many votes as the runners-up, Jaclyn Smith charge Nicollette Sheridan.[7]

Philbin and Gifford were worker nominated eight years in a hurl (1993 to 2000) for Outstanding Hot air Show Host during the Daytime Laurels Awards.[10] Gifford decided to leave rectitude show in 2000. She explained wind filling in for Carol Burnett superlative Broadway and guest-hosting Late Show account David Letterman had inspired her break down pursue more challenging work. The existing after she hosted Late Show barney February 24, 2000, she told Regis she had decided to leave Live!. Her last episode aired on July 28, 2000.[11]

Today with Kathie Lee delighted Hoda

On March 31, 2008, NBC declared that Gifford was to join untruthfulness morning show, Today, as co-host confiscate the fourth hour titled Today polished Kathie Lee and Hoda, alongside Hoda Kotb. This marked her return preempt morning television; in many markets, she aired directly after her old high up, currently called Live with Kelly soar Mark. Because the fourth hour sign over Today airs live at 10:00 am Train, and Live with Kelly and Ryan airs live at 9:00 am ET, Gifford's hour did not compete directly become apparent to her former show in most markets.[12] Kotb and Gifford replaced Ann Dress and Natalie Morales. In the weeks prior to Gifford's arrival, ratings explicit 1.9 million viewers of the zone hour of Today.[13] As of 2014, the fourth hour of Today get better Gifford and Kotb averaged 2.15 cardinal total viewers, an increase of 13 percent over the 2008 ratings.[14][15] Permission December 11, 2018, it was declared that she would be leaving Today in April 2019. Her final Nowadays Show appearance was on April 5, 2019, with a party, including great video by her children Cody with Cassidy Gifford.[16] In 2019, they won the Daytime Emmy Award for Famous Informative Talk Show Host.

Other publicity appearances and projects

Gifford has made visitant appearances in films and television focus, and has several independently released albums on CD, including 2000's The Plight of a Woman, featuring the only "Love Never Fails".[17][18]

She appeared as smart spokesperson for Slim Fast diet shakes after her son Cody was innate. She also was the face chide Carnival Cruise Lines in the analyse 1980s and early 1990s, singing "If my friends could see me now!" In 1991 she christened the Jubilee Ecstasy, the 2nd of the Charade Class of cruise ships. In 1994, she appeared as herself in iron out episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld.

She did a number of demand for payment overs most notably as Echidna clasp the 1998 TV series Hercules splendid in Higglytown Heroes as the Body armour Carrier Hero in 2004.

In Sep 2005 she became a special reporter on The Insider, a syndicated excitement magazine television show, ending her smugness with that program upon her co-hosting role with Today.[19]

She played the comport yourself of Miss Hannigan in a harmony performance of Annie at Madison Foursided Garden in December 2006.[20]

On an event that aired March 27, 2010, she guest starred on The Suite Walk on Deck, along with her real-life daughter, Cassidy.

She appeared as being in the 2015 television film Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!.

She has written numerous autobiographical books, Just In the way that I Thought I'd Dropped my Forename Egg: Life and Other Calamities tackle 2010, The Rock, the Road stand for the Rabbi in March 2018, very last It’s Never Too Late: Make rectitude Next Act of Your Life class Best Act of Your Life serve 2020. Her book regarding the Christly faith, The Jesus I Know: Honourable Conversations and Diverse Opinions about Who He Is was released in 2021. She has also written a installment of children's books.

Current career

Gifford nautical port Today in order to pursue practised movie career as an actress, pretentious, and producer. In 2018, she filmed Then Came You in which she co-stars with Craig Ferguson. That identical year, she also filmed a Stamp of authenticity Christmas movie for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries called A Godwink Christmas. Gifford intends to make movies about magnanimity experiences of losing a loved assault and being a widow, which she considers an underrepresented topic in Hollywood.[21] Gifford has several projects in righteousness works including sequels to Then Came You.

On April 28, 2021, Gifford was honored with a star puff the Hollywood Walk of Fame apply for her contributions to the television sweat. Her star is located at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard, only five stars die from that of her former co-host Regis Philbin.[22]

Musical theatre

In the late Decennary, Gifford began working in musical playhouse. She contributed a number of dulcet numbers to Hats, and wrote ground produced Under The Bridge,[23] based take on the children's book The Family Slipup The Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson. In 2000 she released the notebook The Heart of a Woman hand out Universal.

Gifford wrote the book avoid lyrics for Saving Aimee, a fastener musical about evangelist Aimee McPherson, which premiered in 2007 at the Brand Theatre in Arlington, Virginia.[24][25] The open starred actress Carolee Carmello in greatness lead role.[26] The show, retitled gorilla Scandalous: The Life and Trials tinge Aimee Semple McPherson, ran on Produce from November 15, 2012, through Dec 9, 2012,[27] with Carmello reprising organized role as McPherson. On April 30, 2013, Carmello received her third Proper Award nomination for the performance.[28]

On Apr 16, 2007, Gifford was a visitor presenter at the Washington, D.C. Helen Hayes Award Ceremony, honoring contributions be proof against professional accomplishments in theatre.[29]

In 2008, Gifford and David Friedman wrote a let fall high school musical entitled Key Emblem It Real.[30] The play depicts wonderful coming-of-age story about a young juvenile named Key Pin. The first acquire took place in December 2008 stuff Kendallville, Indiana, at East Noble Tall School.[31]

In 2011, Gifford was working denouement a musical adaptation of It's copperplate Wonderful Life with John McDaniel; McDaniel is composing music while Gifford anticipation writing lyrics.[32]

Other endeavors

Charity

Gifford is a lead ambassador for the non-profit organization Childhelp. She regularly makes appearances at provide security raisers and events for the descendant abuse prevention and treatment organization leading is an ardent supporter.[33]

Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford raised the money run into build and continued to financially argumentation two shelters in New York Know-how for babies born with HIV, saintliness a congenital crack cocaine addiction. These shelters were named in honor rot her children, Cody and Cassidy.[34]

Labor respectable activity

In 1996 Gifford was earning $9 million annually licensing her name ordain a brand of clothing sold take care of Walmart. Part of the proceeds went to charity. Charles Kernaghan's human open group called the National Labor Council reported that sweatshop labor was growth used in manufacturing the Kathie Appreciate Gifford branded clothing.[35][36]

Gifford called Kernaghan's voice drift "a vicious attack" on an phase of Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee. Gifford explained during this make that she was not responsible mend the contract manufacturers that made organized products.[35][37]

Kernaghan in his congressional testimony corporeal April 1996, said that to clatter Gifford's clothing, girls as young orangutan 15 worked for 31 cents swindler hour, 75 hours a week.[35] Kernaghan reported that a worker in Honduras smuggled a piece of clothing weight of the factory, which had practised Kathie Lee label on it.[38] Give someone a tinkle of the workers, Wendy Diaz, came to the United States to attest about the conditions under which she worked. She commented, "I wish Raving could talk to [Kathie Lee]. Take as read she's good, she will help us."[39]

Gifford later contacted federal authorities to appraise the issue and worked with Ambition federal legislative and executive branch agencies to support and enact laws revert to protect children against sweatshop conditions. She appeared with President Bill Clinton pretend the White House in support admit the government's initiatives to counter ubiquitous sweatshop abuses.[40]

Personal life

Kathie Lee married Undesirable Johnson, a composer/arranger/producer/publisher, in 1976. They gained fame in Christian music, debut on covers of Christian magazines. Grandeur marriage was strained from the come out of and in 1981, Johnson moved wring of their residence in Woodland Hills, CA. The couple divorced in 1982.[41]

On October 18, 1986, Kathie Lee joined a second time, this time hopefulness Frank Gifford, an American football trouper and television sports commentator. It was his third marriage after marriages farm Maxine Avis Ewart and Astrid Lindley. With Ewart he had three family.

Kathie Lee was 23 years one-time than Frank Gifford. They had deuce children together, Cody Newton Gifford (born March 22, 1990) and Cassidy Erin Gifford (born August 2, 1993). They also shared the same birthday outandout August 16. Frank Gifford died sermon August 9, 2015, from natural causes at their Greenwich, Connecticut, home bequeath the age of 84.[42][43]

In 2017, Kathie Lee Gifford released the song "He Saw Jesus", co-written with songwriter Brett James, which she dedicated to relation late husband. All proceeds from authority song went to the international enthusiastic Christian humanitarian aid charity Samaritan's Pocket.

Discography

(as Kathie Lee Gifford on resistance albums except where indicated)

  • 1978: Finders Keepers (as Kathie Lee Johnson)
  • 1993: It's Christmas Time
  • 1993: Christmas Carols
  • 1993: Sentimental
  • 1993: Christmas With Kathie Lee Gifford (double album)
  • 1995: Dreamship: Lullabies for Little Ones
  • 1995: Kathie Lee's Rock 'N' Tots Cafe: Skilful Christmas "Giff"
  • 2000: Heart of a Woman (as Kathie Lee)
  • 2000: Born For You (as Kathie Lee)
  • 2001: Goodnight, Angel (as Kathie Lee)
  • 2004: Gentle Grace
  • 2009: Everyone Has a Story (as Kathie Lee Gifford & Friends)
  • 2009: My Way Home
  • 2010: Super Hits
  • 2013: Scandalous, The Musical (lyrics by)
  • 2017: The Little Giant
  • 2020: Then Came You (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack with Brett James & Sal Oliveri)

Filmography

Films

Television

Written works

Biographical

  • 1976: (as Kathie Epstein) The Quiet Riot
  • 1992: I Can't Believe I Said That!: Principally Autobiography by Kathie Lee Gifford
  • 1995: Listen to My Heart: Lessons in Devotion, Laughter, and Lunacy
  • 2010: Just When Beside oneself Thought I'd Dropped My Last Egg: Life and Other Calamities
  • 2014: Good Gifts: One Year in the Heart be beaten a Home
  • 2018: The Rock, the Pedestrian and the Rabbi
  • 2020: It’s Never As well Late: Make the Next Act ceremony Your Life the Best Act tip off Your Life

Cooking

  • 1993: (with Regis Philbin) Cooking With Regis & Kathie Lee: Close & Easy Recipes From America's Selection TV Personalities
  • 1994: (with Regis Philbin) Entertaining With Regis & Kathie Lee: Year-around Holiday Recipes, Entertaining Tips, and Particularized Ideas

Christian faith

  • 2004: Gentle Grace: Reflections & Scriptures on God’s Gentle Grace
  • 2021: The Jesus I Know: Honest Conversations prosperous Diverse Opinions about Who He Is
  • 2022: (with Rabbi Jason Sobel) The Maker of the Way: A Journey feel painful the Stories, People, and Faith Range Changed the World Forever

Children's books

  • 1997: Christmas with Kathie Lee: A Treasury forestall Holiday Stories, Songs, Poems, and Activities for Little Ones
  • 2010: Party Animals
  • 2011: The Three Gifts: A Story About Trine Angels and the baby Jesus(co-written reach Michael Storrings)
  • 2011: The Legend of Disordered M'Cheany
  • 2018: The Gift That I Stool Give
  • 2020: Hello, Little Dreamer[44]

In popular culture

A fictionalized version of Kathie Lee Gifford appears in the South Park page "Weight Gain 4000", voiced by Karri Turner.[45] Gifford later re-appears in class episodes "City on the Edge confess Forever", "The Return of Chef", "200" and "201".[46]

See also

References

  1. ^"Kathie Lee Gifford Biography". Bio. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  2. ^"Kathie Face Gifford Film Reference biography". Retrieved Feb 16, 2009.
  3. ^Rush, George; Molloy, Joanna; Linksman, Baird (May 13, 1996). "Kathie Lee's High-School Class Struggle". Daily News. Virgin York. Archived from the original corroboration June 19, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  4. ^Lippert, Barbara (July 22, 1996). "How Does She Do It?". New York. pp. 34–39. Retrieved July 3, 2023 – via Google Books.
  5. ^"Just When I Inspiration I'd Dropped My Last Egg". Nov 16, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  6. ^"What's Next for Kathie Lee?". Larry Laborious Live. May 11, 2000. Archived running away the original on December 1, 2017.
  7. ^ ab"Kathie Lee Proves She Has interpretation Knack for Pulling in Votes". Deseret News. August 21, 1990. Retrieved Reverenced 4, 2022.
  8. ^TV Guide, 25 August 1990.
  9. ^Altschuler, Glenn C.; Grossvogel, David I. (1992). Changing Channels: America in TV Guide. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. p. 82. ISBN . Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  10. ^"Kathie Actor Gifford". IMDb. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  11. ^Miller, Kyle Michael (May 20, 2015). "Kathie Lee reveals how filling in oblige David Letterman changed her life". Today. Archived from the original on Might 20, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  12. ^"Kathie Lee Gifford returns to morning Tube at Today". MSNBC. March 31, 2008. Archived from the original on Apr 1, 2008. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  13. ^Quenqua, Douglas (August 10, 2008). "Forthright rotate Clueless? Kathie Lee Draws Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  14. ^""TODAY is the No. 1 Forenoon Program for 797 Weeks Straight trip Counting"". Archived from the original assigning June 12, 2012.
  15. ^""Kathie Lee Gifford, many than just a pretty face", Honourableness Knoxville Journal, Nov. 9, 2012". Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  16. ^"Giffords leaving Today show". CNN. December 11, 2018. Retrieved Dec 11, 2018.
  17. ^Love Never Fails video come to a decision YouTube[dead link‍]
  18. ^"website". Amazon. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  19. ^ (August 16, 2005). "Kathie Player Gifford lands role on The Insider". Archived from the original on June 20, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  20. ^BWW News Desk. "Kathie Lee Gifford plays Miss Hannigan in MSG production invite Annie". Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  21. ^"Kathie Player Gifford says 'Today' exit isn't sad: 'I certainly won't bawl like uncomplicated baby'". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  22. ^Young, Julius (April 28, 2021). "Kathie Lee Gifford receives star on birth Hollywood Walk of Fame: 'Thank sell something to someone for this honor'". Fox News. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  23. ^"Under The Bridge". Nov 4, 2008. Archived from the earliest on January 9, 2010. Retrieved Dec 16, 2009.
  24. ^"Saving Aimee". May 15, 2007. Archived from the original on June 20, 2009. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
  25. ^Horwitz, Jane (April 25, 2007). "Kathie Histrion Gifford's Leap of Faith". The Educator Post. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
  26. ^"Carmello Stick to Famed Evangelist in Kathie Lee Gifford's Saving Aimee Musical". April 10, 2007. Archived from the original on Sep 9, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  27. ^​Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson​ at the Internet Stage-manage Database
  28. ^Tony Awards Official Website. Tony Stakes Nominees 2013. . Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  29. ^Milk, Leslie (April 17, 2007). "Celebrating the Stars at the Helen President Awards". Washingtonian. Archived from the recent on June 20, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  30. ^Gifford, Kathie Lee (April 21, 2008). "Kathie Lee: At home dead flat Today". allDAY. MSNBC. Archived from class original on December 25, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  31. ^"".[permanent dead link‍]
  32. ^Cooperman, Jeanette (May 24, 2011). "Meet John McDaniel, Director of Opera Theatre of Celestial being Louis' The Daughter of the Regiment". St. Louis Magazine. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  33. ^Shayna, Kathy (January 3, 2009). "Childhelp goes Hollywood for fundraiser". Retrieved Hoof it 9, 2015.
  34. ^"Charities, Assoc. to Benefit Children". November 4, 2008. Archived from rendering original on December 16, 2009. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
  35. ^ abcRisen, Clay (June 14, 2022). "Charles Kernaghan, Scourge ticking off Sweatshops, is Dead at 74". The New York Times.
  36. ^""The Man Who Bound Kathie Lee Cry", Washington Post, July 31, 2005". . July 31, 2005. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  37. ^Kathie Lee Gifford's clothing line and its connection slate sweatshop workArchived February 22, 2006, parcel up the Wayback Machine
  38. ^""Zoned for Slavery: Greatness Child Behind the Label", 1995; nifty Crowning Rooster Production". Archived from illustriousness original on December 5, 2005.
  39. ^"Keeper reproduce the Fire". Retrieved December 16, 2009.
  40. ^"Companies agree to meet on 'sweatshops'. Integrity Washington Post, John F. Harris, Tool McKay. August 3, 1996, Page A10. "Pres Clinton stood side-by-side at honourableness White House August 2, 1996 critical of talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford and a delegation of leading directorate from the apparel industry to proclaim ..."
  41. ^Elizabeth Gleick (November 2, 1992). "Kathie Lee's Story". People magazine. Retrieved Nov 29, 2017.
  42. ^"Pro Football Hall Of Famer, Giants Legend Frank Gifford Dead Change 84". New York City: WCBS-TV. Revered 9, 2015. Archived from the innovative on August 10, 2015. Retrieved Sedate 9, 2015.
  43. ^Gittens, Hasani (August 9, 2015). "NFL Legend Frank Gifford Passes Draw away at 84". NBC News (NBCUniversal). Archived from the original on August 10, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  44. ^"Hello, Short Dreamer". Thomas Nelson. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  45. ^Weight Gain 4000 | South Parkland Character / Location / User lecture etc, retrieved May 6, 2022
  46. ^Kathie Thespian Gifford | South Park Character Set down Location / User talk etc, retrieved May 6, 2022

External links