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Dick Clark and Regis Philbin are two television legends who had impressive talents and careers. Both are iconic hosts and they even once competed for New Year's ratings. But which of them had a higher net worth at their time of death?

Published on December 13, 2021

Daytime talk host Regis Philbin and New Year’s Eve icon Dick Clark were both charismatic superstars. They both had long and highly lucrative careers in the entertainment industry. And they each had a massive net worth at their respective times of death. But whose net worth was higher?

Dick Clark’s net worth was $200 million when he died on April 18, 2012

Dating back to the ’50s, Clark was a multi-talented television and radio host. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he had a net worth of $200 million at the time of his death. He died of a heart attack on April 18, 2012 at age 82.

Clark is easiest remembered for hosting American Bandstand and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. But he was also the CEO of Dick Clark Productions, founded in 1957 and involved in iconic awards shows including The Golden Globes, The Country Music Awards and The American Music Awards. Clark received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1976 and won a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994.

In 2007, he sold his company for $175 million.

Regis Philbin’s net worth was $150 million when he died on July 24, 2020

New York native Philbin was a television host, actor, singer, and author with a career that lasted more than six decades. He had a net worth of $150 million at the time of his death, per Celebrity Net Worth. Philbin died of heart disease on July 24, 2020 at the age of 88.

Beginning in 1988, he co-hosted the nationally syndicated talk show Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee with Kathie Lee Gifford. She left in 2000 and Kelly Ripa took her spot, with Philbin staying on through 2011. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003 and won a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. He was also inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Television Hall of Fame in 2006.

At his peak, Philbin earned a $20 million yearly salary.

The competition for New Year’s Eve in 2005

It seemingly didn’t happen often in their overlapping careers, but as reported by Today, Philbin and Clark were in direct competition for ratings in 2005.

Of course, Clark’s annual televised bash for the New Year was a tradition in many homes and Philbin had filled in for the host after he’d suffered a stroke the year before. But Philbin, then 74, said he didn’t hesitate when people at Fox asked him to host a program that would rival Clark’s to ring in 2006.

“Regis can do anything these young punks can do,” Philbin said per Today. “I fit right in there with my Fox people. They want Regis to dance, Regis will dance. They want Regis to lift weights with them, Regis will lift weights with them. Whatever they want!”

With both men in their ’70s, they were each present and broadcasting the countdown. But with Ryan Seacrest as Clark’s co-lead, ABC held onto the ratings tradition. And that yearly show is still called Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve almost a decade after his death.

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