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{{short description|American actress, talk show host, and singer}} {{short description|American actress, talk show host, and singer (born 1953)}}
{{Redirect|Kathie Lee|people with similar names|Kathy Lee (disambiguation)}} {{Redirect|Kathie Lee|people with similar names|Kathy Lee (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
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| alma_mater = ] | alma_mater = ]
| occupation = {{hlist | Television presenter | talk show host | singer | songwriter | actress | author}} | occupation = {{hlist | Television presenter | talk show host | singer | songwriter | actress | author}}
| years_active = 1970–present | years_active = 1970-present
| spouse = {{unbulleted list | {{marriage|Paul Johnson|1976|1982|reason=divorced}} | {{marriage|]|1986|2015|reason=died}}}} | spouse = {{unbulleted list | {{marriage|Paul Johnson|1976|1982|reason=divorced}} | {{marriage|]|1986|2015|reason=died}}}}
| children = {{plainlist| | children = {{plainlist|
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| URL = {{official URL}} | URL = {{official URL}}
}} }}
'''Kathryn Lee Gifford''' (] '''Epstein'''; born August 16, 1953)<ref>{{cite web |title=Kathie Lee Gifford Biography |url=http://www.biography.com/people/kathie-lee-gifford-9542089 |website=Bio |access-date=June 29, 2016}}</ref> is an American television presenter, singer, songwriter, actress and author. From 1985 to 2000, she and ] hosted the ] '']''. Gifford is also known for her 11-year run with ], on the ] of ]'s '']'' show (2008–2019)''.'' She has received 11 ] nominations and won her first ] in 2010 as part of the ''Today'' team. '''Kathryn Lee Gifford''' (] '''Epstein'''; born August 16, 1953)<ref>{{cite web |title=Kathie Lee Gifford Biography |url=http://www.biography.com/people/kathie-lee-gifford-9542089 |website=Bio |access-date=June 29, 2016}}</ref> is an American television presenter, singer, songwriter, actress, and author. From 1985 to 2000, she and ] hosted the ] '']''. Gifford is also known for her 11-year run with ], on the ] of ]'s '']'' show (2008–2019)''.'' She has received 11 ] nominations and won her first ] in 2010 as part of the ''Today'' team.


Gifford's first television role was as ]'s singer/sidekick on the syndicated version of '']'' in the 1977–1978 season. She also occasionally appeared on the first three hours of ''Today'' and was a contributing ] correspondent. Gifford's first television role was as ]'s singer/sidekick on the syndicated version of '']'' in the 1977–1978 season. She also occasionally appeared on the first three hours of ''Today'' and was a contributing ] correspondent.


Kathie Lee married Paul Johnson, a composer, arranger, producer and publisher of ], in 1976. After their divorce in 1982, she married sportscaster and former ] player ] in 1986. He died in 2015. Kathie Lee has released studio music albums and several books. Kathie Lee married Paul Johnson, a composer, arranger, producer and publisher of ], in 1976, and they divorced in 1982. She married sportscaster and former ] player ] in 1986. In 2015, Frank Gifford died from complications of ], often caused by contact sports-related injuries. Kathie Lee has released studio music albums and several books, her music and writings feature spiritual and uplifting themes.


==Early life and beginnings== ==Early life and beginnings==
Gifford was born Kathryn Lee Epstein in ], France, to American parents, Joan (born Cuttell; January 20, 1930 – September 12, 2017), a singer and Aaron Epstein (March 19, 1924&nbsp;– November 19, 2002), a musician and former ] ]. Aaron Epstein was stationed with his family in France at the time of Gifford's birth.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/88/Kathie-Lee-Gifford.html |title=Kathie Lee Gifford Film Reference biography |publisher=Filmreference.com |access-date=February 16, 2009}}</ref> Gifford grew up in ], and attended ].<ref name="Daily News">{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/1996/05/13/1996-05-13_kathie_lee_s_high-school_cla.html |title=Daily News |access-date=February 19, 2009 |author=George Rush and Joanna Molloy |location=New York |date=May 13, 1996 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619203539/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/1996/05/13/1996-05-13_kathie_lee_s_high-school_cla.html |archive-date=June 19, 2009}}</ref> Gifford was born Kathryn Lee Epstein in ], France, to American parents, Joan (born Cuttell; January 20, 1930 – September 12, 2017), a singer, and Aaron Epstein (March 19, 1924&nbsp;– November 19, 2002), a musician and former ] ]. Aaron Epstein was stationed with his family in France at the time of Gifford's birth.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/88/Kathie-Lee-Gifford.html |title=Kathie Lee Gifford Film Reference biography |publisher=Filmreference.com |access-date=February 16, 2009}}</ref> Gifford grew up in ], and attended ].<ref name="Daily News">{{cite news | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/1996/05/13/1996-05-13_kathie_lee_s_high-school_cla.html | title=Kathie Lee's High-School Class Struggle | work=Daily News | access-date=July 3, 2023 | first1=George | last1=Rush | first2=Joanna | last2=Molloy | first3=Baird | last3=Jones |location=New York | date=May 13, 1996 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619203539/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/1996/05/13/1996-05-13_kathie_lee_s_high-school_cla.html | archive-date=June 19, 2009}}</ref>


Gifford's paternal grandfather was a ] ] from ] and her paternal grandmother had ] ancestry. Her mother, a relative of writer ], was of ], ] and ] descent.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OuECAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Her+grandfather%2C+Meyer+Epstein%2C+was+a+snake-charmer+and+carnival+barker%22&pg=PA39 |title=New York Magazine – Google Books |via=] |date=July 22, 1996 |access-date=December 10, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/servlet/DCARead?standardNo=9780345512062&standardNoType=1&excerpt=true |title=Just When I Thought I'd Dropped My Last Egg |publisher=Worldcat.org |date=November 16, 2007 |access-date=December 10, 2011}}</ref> Gifford's paternal grandfather was a ] from ] and her paternal grandmother had ] ancestry. Her mother, a relative of writer ], was of ], ] and ] descent.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OuECAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Her+grandfather%2C+Meyer+Epstein%2C+was+a+snake-charmer+and+carnival+barker%22&pg=PA39 | title=How ''Does'' She Do It? | first=Barbara | last=Lippert | magazine=] | via=] | date=July 22, 1996 | pages=34–39 | access-date=July 3, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/servlet/DCARead?standardNo=9780345512062&standardNoType=1&excerpt=true |title=Just When I Thought I'd Dropped My Last Egg |publisher=Worldcat.org |date=November 16, 2007 |access-date=December 10, 2011}}</ref>


After seeing the ] produced film ''The Restless Ones'' at age 12, Gifford became a ]. She told interviewer ], "I was raised with many Jewish traditions and raised to be very grateful for my Jewish heritage."<ref>, ''Transcripts.cnn.com''</ref> After seeing the ]-produced film ''The Restless Ones'' at age 12, Gifford became a ]. She told interviewer ], "I was raised with many Jewish traditions and raised to be very grateful for my Jewish heritage."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0005/11/lkl.00.html | title=What's Next for Kathie Lee? | date=May 11, 2000 | work=Larry King Live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044407/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0005/11/lkl.00.html | archive-date=December 1, 2017}}</ref>


During high school, Gifford was a singer in a ] group, "Pennsylvania Next Right", which performed frequently at school assemblies. After high school graduation in 1971, Gifford attended ] in ], studying drama and music. During a summer in the early 1970s, she was a live in secretary/babysitter for ] at her home in ]. Her first regular appearances on national TV was as a singer on the game show "Name That Tune," hosted by Tom Kennedy in the late 1970s, in which she would sing small portions of songs that contestants would have to identify. During high school, Gifford was a singer in a ] group, "Pennsylvania Next Right", which performed frequently at school assemblies. After high school graduation in 1971, Gifford attended ] in ], studying drama and music. During a summer in the early 1970s, she was a live-in secretary/babysitter for ] at her home in ]. Her first regular appearances on national TV were as a singer on the game show '']'', hosted by ] in the late 1970s, in which she would sing small portions of songs that contestants would have to identify.


==Career== ==Career==
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===Early career=== ===Early career===


Gifford's career took off in the 1970s as a vocalist on the game show '']'' with ]. In 1978, she joined the cast of the short-lived '']'' spinoff, ''Hee Haw Honeys''. She was also a correspondent and substitute anchor on ]'s '']'' in the early 1980s. Gifford's career took off in 1978 when she joined the cast of the short-lived '']'' spinoff, ''Hee Haw Honeys''. She was also a correspondent and substitute anchor on ]'s '']'' in the early 1980s.


===''Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee''=== ===''Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee''===
On June 24, 1985, Gifford replaced Ann Abernathy as co-host of ''The Morning Show'' on ] with ]. The program went into national broadcast in 1988 as '']'', and Gifford became well known across the country. Throughout the 1990s, morning-TV viewers watched her descriptions of life at home with her sportscaster husband Frank, son Cody, and daughter Cassidy. On June 24, 1985, Gifford replaced Ann Abernathy as co-host of ''The Morning Show'' on ] with ]. The program went into national broadcast in 1988 as '']'', and Gifford became well known across the country. Throughout the 1990s, morning-TV viewers watched her descriptions of life at home with her sportscaster husband Frank, son Cody, and daughter Cassidy.


In 1990, when ] held a poll for readers to select the most beautiful woman on television, ''Live!'' presented a week-long mock campaign to garner votes for Gifford.<ref name="deseret">{{cite news |title=Kathie Lee Proves She Has the Knack for Pulling in Votes |url=https://www.deseret.com/1990/8/21/18877344/kathie-lee-proves-she-has-the-knack-for-pulling-in-votes |access-date=2022-08-04 |work=] |date=21 August 1990}}</ref> Gifford wound up winning the poll,<ref>''TV Guide'', 25 August 1990.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Altschuler |first1=Glenn C. |last2=Grossvogel |first2=David I. |title=Changing Channels: America in TV Guide |date=1992 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |location=Urbana |isbn=025201779X |page=82 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C2brkf3x-YEC&dq=%22kathie+lee+gifford%22+%22tv+guide%22+%22most+beautiful%22&pg=PA82 |access-date=2022-08-04}}</ref> receiving more than four times as many votes as the runners-up, ] and ].<ref name="deseret"/> In 1990, when ] held a poll for readers to select the most beautiful woman on television, ''Live!'' presented a week-long mock campaign to garner votes for Gifford.<ref name="deseret">{{cite news |title=Kathie Lee Proves She Has the Knack for Pulling in Votes |url=https://www.deseret.com/1990/8/21/18877344/kathie-lee-proves-she-has-the-knack-for-pulling-in-votes |access-date=2022-08-04 |work=] |date=21 August 1990}}</ref> Gifford wound up winning the poll,<ref>''TV Guide'', 25 August 1990.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Altschuler |first1=Glenn C. |last2=Grossvogel |first2=David I. |title=Changing Channels: America in TV Guide |date=1992 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |location=Urbana |isbn=025201779X |page=82 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C2brkf3x-YEC&dq=%22kathie+lee+gifford%22+%22tv+guide%22+%22most+beautiful%22&pg=PA82 |access-date=2022-08-04}}</ref> receiving more than four times as many votes as the runners-up, ] and ].<ref name="deseret"/>


Philbin and Gifford were jointly nominated eight consecutive years in a row (1993 to 2000) for Outstanding Talk Show Host during the Daytime Emmy Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0317537/awards|title=Kathie Lee Gifford|website=IMDb|access-date=May 4, 2018}}</ref> Gifford left the show on July 28, 2000. Philbin and Gifford were jointly nominated eight years in a row (1993 to 2000) for Outstanding Talk Show Host during the Daytime Emmy Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0317537/awards|title=Kathie Lee Gifford|website=IMDb|access-date=May 4, 2018}}</ref> Gifford decided to leave the show in 2000. She explained that filling in for ] on Broadway and guest-hosting '']'' had inspired her to pursue more challenging work. The day after she hosted ''Late Show'' on February 24, 2000, she told Regis she had decided to leave ''Live!''. Her last episode aired on July 28, 2000.<ref name="DavidLetterman">{{cite web|last=Miller |first=Kyle Michael |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/kathie-lee-says-filling-david-letterman-changed-her-life-t22016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520234507/https://www.today.com/popculture/kathie-lee-says-filling-david-letterman-changed-her-life-t22016 |url-status=live |archive-date=May 20, 2015 |title=Kathie Lee reveals how filling in for David Letterman changed her life |work=Today |date=May 20, 2015|access-date=September 29, 2023}}</ref>


===''Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda''=== ===''Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda''===
On March 31, 2008, NBC announced that Gifford was to join its morning show, '']'', as co-host of the fourth hour titled '']'', alongside ]. This marked her return to morning television; in many markets, she aired directly after her old show, currently called '']''. Because the fourth hour of ''Today'' airs live at 10:00&nbsp;am ET, and ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'' airs live at 9:00&nbsp;am ET, Gifford's hour did not compete directly with her former show in most markets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/news/kathie-lee-gifford-returns-morning-tv-wbna23871853|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080401235318/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23871853/|archive-date=April 1, 2008|title=Kathie Lee Gifford returns to morning TV at ''Today''|date=March 31, 2008|publisher=Today.msnbc.msn.com|access-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> Kotb and Gifford replaced ] and ]. In the weeks prior to Gifford's arrival, ratings indicated 1.9 million viewers of the fourth hour of ''Today''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/business/11today.html|title=Forthright or Clueless? Kathie Lee Draws Fire|last=Quenqua|first=Douglas|date=August 10, 2008|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 4, 2018}}</ref> As of 2014, the fourth hour of ''Today'' with Gifford and Kotb has averaged 2.15 million total viewers, an increase of 13 percent over the 2008 ratings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/networks/nbcnews/today/pressreleases?pr=contents/press-releases/2011/03/31/todayrtgswin1301594221263.xml|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612050110/http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/networks/nbcnews/today/pressreleases?pr=contents%2Fpress-releases%2F2011%2F03%2F31%2Ftodayrtgswin1301594221263.xml|url-status=dead|title="TODAY is the No. 1 Morning Program for 797 Weeks Straight and Counting"|archivedate=June 12, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://theknoxvillejournal.com/kathie-lee-gifford-more-than-just-a-pretty-face/|title="Kathie Lee Gifford, more than just a pretty face", The Knoxville Journal, Nov. 9, 2012|publisher=Theknoxvillejournal.com|access-date=2015-03-09}}</ref> On December 11, 2018, it was announced that she would be leaving ''Today'' in April 2019. Her final Today Show appearance was on April 5, 2019 with a party, including a video by her children Cody and Cassidy Gifford.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/11/media/kathie-lee-gifford-leaving-today-show/index.html|title=Giffords leaving Today show|date=December 11, 2018|work=CNN|access-date=December 11, 2018}}</ref> In 2019, they won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host. On March 31, 2008, NBC announced that Gifford was to join its morning show, '']'', as co-host of the fourth hour titled '']'', alongside ]. This marked her return to morning television; in many markets, she aired directly after her old show, currently called '']''. Because the fourth hour of ''Today'' airs live at 10:00&nbsp;am ET, and ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'' airs live at 9:00&nbsp;am ET, Gifford's hour did not compete directly with her former show in most markets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/news/kathie-lee-gifford-returns-morning-tv-wbna23871853|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080401235318/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23871853/|archive-date=April 1, 2008|title=Kathie Lee Gifford returns to morning TV at ''Today''|date=March 31, 2008|publisher=]|access-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> Kotb and Gifford replaced ] and ]. In the weeks prior to Gifford's arrival, ratings indicated 1.9 million viewers of the fourth hour of ''Today''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/business/11today.html|title=Forthright or Clueless? Kathie Lee Draws Fire|last=Quenqua|first=Douglas|date=August 10, 2008|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 4, 2018}}</ref> As of 2014, the fourth hour of ''Today'' with Gifford and Kotb averaged 2.15 million total viewers, an increase of 13 percent over the 2008 ratings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/networks/nbcnews/today/pressreleases?pr=contents/press-releases/2011/03/31/todayrtgswin1301594221263.xml|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612050110/http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/networks/nbcnews/today/pressreleases?pr=contents%2Fpress-releases%2F2011%2F03%2F31%2Ftodayrtgswin1301594221263.xml|url-status=dead|title="TODAY is the No. 1 Morning Program for 797 Weeks Straight and Counting"|archivedate=June 12, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://theknoxvillejournal.com/kathie-lee-gifford-more-than-just-a-pretty-face/|title="Kathie Lee Gifford, more than just a pretty face", The Knoxville Journal, Nov. 9, 2012|publisher=Theknoxvillejournal.com|access-date=2015-03-09}}</ref> On December 11, 2018, it was announced that she would be leaving ''Today'' in April 2019. Her final Today Show appearance was on April 5, 2019, with a party, including a video by her children Cody and Cassidy Gifford.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/11/media/kathie-lee-gifford-leaving-today-show/index.html|title=Giffords leaving Today show|date=December 11, 2018|work=CNN|access-date=December 11, 2018}}</ref> In 2019, they won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host.


===Other media appearances and projects=== ===Other media appearances and projects===
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She did a number of voice overs most notably as Echidna in the 1998 TV series '']'' and in ] as the Mail Carrier Hero in 2004. She did a number of voice overs most notably as Echidna in the 1998 TV series '']'' and in ] as the Mail Carrier Hero in 2004.


In September 2005 she became a special correspondent on '']'', a syndicated entertainment magazine television show, ending her relationship with that program upon her co-hosting role with ''Today''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/story/544.html|title=Kathie Lee Gifford lands role on ''The Insider''|author=TV.com|date=2005-08-16|publisher=Tv.com|access-date=2015-03-09}}</ref> In September 2005 she became a special correspondent on '']'', a syndicated entertainment magazine television show, ending her relationship with that program upon her co-hosting role with ''Today''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/story/544.html|title=Kathie Lee Gifford lands role on ''The Insider''|author=TV.com|date=2005-08-16|publisher=Tv.com|access-date=2015-03-09|archive-date=June 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620224008/http://www.tv.com/story/544.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>


She played the role of Miss Hannigan in a concert performance of '']'' at ] in December 2006.<ref>{{cite web |author=BWW News Desk |url=http://broadwayworld.com/article/Kathie_Lee_Gifford_is_Miss_Hannigan_in_MSG_Annie_20061012 |title=Kathie Lee Gifford plays Miss Hannigan in MSG production of ''Annie'' |publisher=Broadwayworld.com |access-date=2015-03-09}}</ref> She played the role of Miss Hannigan in a concert performance of '']'' at ] in December 2006.<ref>{{cite web |author=BWW News Desk |url=http://broadwayworld.com/article/Kathie_Lee_Gifford_is_Miss_Hannigan_in_MSG_Annie_20061012 |title=Kathie Lee Gifford plays Miss Hannigan in MSG production of ''Annie'' |publisher=Broadwayworld.com |access-date=2015-03-09}}</ref>
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=== Current career === === Current career ===
Gifford left ''Today'' in order to pursue a movie career as an actress, director, and producer. In 2018, she filmed '']'' in which she co-stars with Craig Ferguson. That same year, she also filmed a Hallmark Christmas movie for ] called ''A Godwink Christmas''. Gifford intends to make movies about the experiences of losing a loved one and being a widow, which she considers an underrepresented topic in Hollywood.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2019/03/29/today-show-exit-kathie-lee-gifford-hoda-kotb-final-show/3299811002/|title=Kathie Lee Gifford says 'Today' exit isn't sad: 'I certainly won't bawl like a baby'|website=USA TODAY|language=en|access-date=2019-03-30}}</ref> Gifford has several projects in the works including sequels to ''Then Came You''. Gifford left ''Today'' in order to pursue a movie career as an actress, director, and producer. In 2018, she filmed '']'' in which she co-stars with ]. That same year, she also filmed a Hallmark Christmas movie for ] called ''A Godwink Christmas''. Gifford intends to make movies about the experiences of losing a loved one and being a widow, which she considers an underrepresented topic in Hollywood.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2019/03/29/today-show-exit-kathie-lee-gifford-hoda-kotb-final-show/3299811002/|title=Kathie Lee Gifford says 'Today' exit isn't sad: 'I certainly won't bawl like a baby'|website=USA TODAY|language=en|access-date=2019-03-30}}</ref> Gifford has several projects in the works including sequels to ''Then Came You''.


On April 28, 2021, Gifford was honored with a star on the ] for her contributions to the television industry. Her star is located at 6834 ], only five stars away from that of her former co-host Regis Philbin.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Young |first1=Julius |title=Kathie Lee Gifford receives star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: 'Thank you for this honor' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/kathie-lee-gifford-star-hollywood-walk-fame |access-date=May 10, 2021 |work=Fox News |date=April 28, 2021}}</ref> On April 28, 2021, Gifford was honored with a star on the ] for her contributions to the television industry. Her star is located at 6834 ], only five stars away from that of her former co-host Regis Philbin.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Young |first1=Julius |title=Kathie Lee Gifford receives star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: 'Thank you for this honor' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/kathie-lee-gifford-star-hollywood-walk-fame |access-date=May 10, 2021 |work=Fox News |date=April 28, 2021}}</ref>
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In the late 1990s, Gifford began working in musical theatre. She contributed a number of musical numbers to ''Hats'', and wrote and produced ''Under The Bridge'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kathieleegifford.com/lamb04/messages/6706mesg.php |title=Under The Bridge |publisher=KathieLeeGifford.com |date=November 4, 2008 |access-date=December 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109112436/http://www.kathieleegifford.com/lamb04/messages/6706mesg.php |archive-date=January 9, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> based upon the children's book ''The Family Under The Bridge'' by Natalie Savage Carlson. In 2000 she released the album ''The Heart of a Woman'' on Universal. In the late 1990s, Gifford began working in musical theatre. She contributed a number of musical numbers to ''Hats'', and wrote and produced ''Under The Bridge'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kathieleegifford.com/lamb04/messages/6706mesg.php |title=Under The Bridge |publisher=KathieLeeGifford.com |date=November 4, 2008 |access-date=December 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109112436/http://www.kathieleegifford.com/lamb04/messages/6706mesg.php |archive-date=January 9, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> based upon the children's book ''The Family Under The Bridge'' by Natalie Savage Carlson. In 2000 she released the album ''The Heart of a Woman'' on Universal.


Gifford wrote the book and lyrics for '']'', a stage musical about evangelist ], which premiered in 2007 at the ] in ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kathieleegifford.com/lamb04/messages/sablog.php |title=Saving Aimee |publisher=KathieLeeGifford.com |date=May 15, 2007 |access-date=December 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620163613/http://www.kathieleegifford.com/lamb04/messages/sablog.php |archive-date=June 20, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/24/AR2007042402428.html |title=Kathie Lee Gifford's Leap of Faith |newspaper=] |date=April 25, 2007 |access-date=December 16, 2009 |first=Jane |last=Horwitz}}</ref> The premiere starred actress ] in the lead role.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/107157.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/2012.09.09-054108/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/107157.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-09 |title=Carmello Is Famed Evangelist in Kathie Lee Gifford's Saving Aimee Musical |publisher=Playbill.com |date=2007-04-10 |access-date=2015-03-09 }}</ref> The show, retitled as '']'', ran on Broadway from November 15, 2012, through December 9, 2012,<ref>. ].</ref> with Carmello reprising her role as McPherson. On April 30, 2013, Carmello received her third ] nomination for the performance.<ref>Tony Awards Official Website. . '']''. Retrieved May 1, 2013.</ref> Gifford wrote the book and lyrics for '']'', a stage musical about evangelist ], which premiered in 2007 at the ] in ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kathieleegifford.com/lamb04/messages/sablog.php |title=Saving Aimee |publisher=KathieLeeGifford.com |date=May 15, 2007 |access-date=December 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620163613/http://www.kathieleegifford.com/lamb04/messages/sablog.php |archive-date=June 20, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/24/AR2007042402428.html |title=Kathie Lee Gifford's Leap of Faith |newspaper=] |date=April 25, 2007 |access-date=December 16, 2009 |first=Jane |last=Horwitz}}</ref> The premiere starred actress ] in the lead role.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/107157.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909054108/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/107157.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-09 |title=Carmello Is Famed Evangelist in Kathie Lee Gifford's Saving Aimee Musical |publisher=Playbill.com |date=2007-04-10 |access-date=2015-03-09 }}</ref> The show, retitled as '']'', ran on Broadway from November 15, 2012, through December 9, 2012,<ref>{{ibdb show|493182|Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson}}</ref> with Carmello reprising her role as McPherson. On April 30, 2013, Carmello received her third ] nomination for the performance.<ref>Tony Awards Official Website. . '']''. Retrieved May 1, 2013.</ref>


On April 16, 2007, Gifford was a guest presenter at the Washington, D.C. ] Ceremony, honoring contributions and professional accomplishments in theatre.<ref>.</ref> On April 16, 2007, Gifford was a guest presenter at the Washington, D.C. ] Ceremony, honoring contributions and professional accomplishments in theatre.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.washingtonian.com/blogarticles/Arts%20&%20Events/afterhours/3930.html | title=Celebrating the Stars at the Helen Hayes Awards | first=Leslie | last=Milk | date=April 17, 2007 | work=] | access-date=July 3, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620020933/https://www.washingtonian.com/blogarticles/Arts%20&%20Events/afterhours/3930.html | archive-date=June 20, 2009}}</ref>


In 2008, Gifford and ] wrote a junior high school musical entitled ''Key Pin It Real''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/21/929229.aspx |title=Kathie Lee: At home on Today |publisher=Allday.msnbc.msn.com |access-date=December 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225004706/http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/21/929229.aspx |archive-date=December 25, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The play depicts a coming-of-age story about a young girl named Key Pin. The first production took place in December 2008 in ], at ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1987797|title=www.tradingmarkets.com}}</ref> In 2008, Gifford and ] wrote a junior high school musical entitled ''Key Pin It Real''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/21/929229.aspx | title=Kathie Lee: At home on Today | work=allDAY | publisher=MSNBC | first=Kathie Lee | last=Gifford | date=April 21, 2008 | access-date=July 3, 2023 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225004706/http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/21/929229.aspx | archive-date=December 25, 2009 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> The play depicts a coming-of-age story about a young girl named Key Pin. The first production took place in December 2008 in ], at ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1987797|title=www.tradingmarkets.com}}{{Dead link|date=April 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>


Gifford is currently working on a musical adaptation of '']'' with ]; McDaniel is composing music while Gifford is writing lyrics.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stlmag.com/St-Louis-Magazine/June-2011/Meet-John-McDaniel-Director-of-Opera-Theatre-of-Saint-Louis-039-The-Daughter-of-the-Regiment/# |title=Meet John McDaniel, Director of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis' The Daughter of the Regiment – St. Louis Magazine – June 2011 – St. Louis, Missouri |date=May 24, 2011 |publisher=Stlmag.com |access-date=December 10, 2011}}</ref> In 2011, Gifford was working on a musical adaptation of '']'' with ]; McDaniel is composing music while Gifford is writing lyrics.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.stlmag.com/Meet-John-McDaniel-Director-of-Opera-Theatre-of-Saint-Louis-039-The-Daughter-of-the-Regiment/ | title=Meet John McDaniel, Director of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis' The Daughter of the Regiment | first=Jeanette | last=Cooperman | work=St. Louis Magazine | date=May 24, 2011 | access-date=July 3, 2023}}</ref>


==Other endeavors== ==Other endeavors==
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===Labor rights activity=== ===Labor rights activity===
In 1996 Gifford was earning $9 million annually licensing her name to a brand of clothing sold at Walmart. Part of the proceeds went to charity. ]'s ] group called the ] reported that ] labor was being used in manufacturing the Kathie Lee Gifford branded clothing. <ref name="auto">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/14/us/charles-kernaghan-dead.html | title=Charles Kernaghan, Scourge of Sweatshops, is Dead at 74 | newspaper=The New York Times | date=June 14, 2022 | last1=Risen | first1=Clay }}</ref> <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/30/AR2005073001413_pf.html |title="The Man Who Made Kathie Lee Cry", ''Washington Post'', July 31, 2005 |work=Washingtonpost.com |date=2005-07-31 |access-date=2015-03-09}}</ref> In 1996 Gifford was earning $9 million annually licensing her name to a brand of clothing sold at Walmart. Part of the proceeds went to charity. ]'s ] group called the ] reported that ] labor was being used in manufacturing the Kathie Lee Gifford branded clothing.<ref name="auto">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/14/us/charles-kernaghan-dead.html | title=Charles Kernaghan, Scourge of Sweatshops, is Dead at 74 | newspaper=The New York Times | date=June 14, 2022 | last1=Risen | first1=Clay }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/30/AR2005073001413_pf.html |title="The Man Who Made Kathie Lee Cry", ''Washington Post'', July 31, 2005 |work=Washingtonpost.com |date=2005-07-31 |access-date=2015-03-09}}</ref>


Gifford called Kernaghan's report "a vicious attack" on a TV broadcast called ''Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee''. Gifford explained during this broadcast that she was not responsible for the contract manufacturers that made her products.<ref name="auto"/> Gifford called Kernaghan's report "a vicious attack" on an episode of ''Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee''. Gifford explained during this broadcast that she was not responsible for the contract manufacturers that made her products.<ref name="auto"/>
<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060222094131/http://66.244.199.219/CKUA_Archives/eng/archive/news_gifford.aspx |date=February 22, 2006 }}</ref> <ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060222094131/http://66.244.199.219/CKUA_Archives/eng/archive/news_gifford.aspx |date=February 22, 2006 }}</ref>


Kernaghan in his congressional testimony of April 1996, said that to make Gifford’s clothing, girls as young as 15 worked for 31 cents an hour, 75 hours a week. <ref name="auto"/> Kernaghan reported that a worker in ] smuggled a piece of clothing out of the factory, which had a Kathie Lee label on it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.americas.org/bookstore/category_5006_product_2607|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051205204406/http://www.americas.org/bookstore/category_5006_product_2607|url-status=dead|title="Zoned for Slavery: The Child Behind the Label", 1995; a Crowning Rooster Production|archivedate=December 5, 2005}}</ref> One of the workers, Wendy Diaz, came to the United States to testify about the conditions under which she worked. She commented, "I wish I could talk to . If she's good, she will help us."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2003/07/ma_447_01.html |title=Keeper of the Fire |publisher=Motherjones.com |access-date=December 16, 2009}}</ref> Kernaghan in his congressional testimony of April 1996, said that to make Gifford's clothing, girls as young as 15 worked for 31 cents an hour, 75 hours a week.<ref name="auto"/> Kernaghan reported that a worker in ] smuggled a piece of clothing out of the factory, which had a Kathie Lee label on it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.americas.org/bookstore/category_5006_product_2607|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051205204406/http://www.americas.org/bookstore/category_5006_product_2607|url-status=dead|title="Zoned for Slavery: The Child Behind the Label", 1995; a Crowning Rooster Production|archivedate=December 5, 2005}}</ref> One of the workers, Wendy Diaz, came to the United States to testify about the conditions under which she worked. She commented, "I wish I could talk to . If she's good, she will help us."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2003/07/ma_447_01.html |title=Keeper of the Fire |publisher=Motherjones.com |access-date=December 16, 2009}}</ref>


Gifford later contacted federal authorities to investigate the issue and worked with US federal legislative and executive branch agencies to support and enact laws to protect children against sweatshop conditions. She appeared with President ] at the ] in support of the government's initiatives to counter international sweatshop abuses.<ref>"Companies agree to meet on 'sweatshops'. The Washington Post, John F. Harris, Peter McKay. August 3, 1996, Page A10. "Pres Clinton stood side-by-side at the White House August 2, 1996 with talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford and a delegation of leading executives from the apparel industry to announce ..."</ref> Gifford later contacted federal authorities to investigate the issue and worked with US federal legislative and executive branch agencies to support and enact laws to protect children against sweatshop conditions. She appeared with President ] at the ] in support of the government's initiatives to counter international sweatshop abuses.<ref>"Companies agree to meet on 'sweatshops'. The Washington Post, John F. Harris, Peter McKay. August 3, 1996, Page A10. "Pres Clinton stood side-by-side at the White House August 2, 1996 with talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford and a delegation of leading executives from the apparel industry to announce ..."</ref>
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==Personal life== ==Personal life==
] ]
Kathie Lee married Paul Johnson, a composer/arranger/producer/publisher, in 1976. They gained fame in Christian music, appearing on covers of Christian magazines. The marriage was strained from the start and in 1981, Johnson moved out. The couple divorced in 1982.<ref name=peoplecover>{{cite news|url=http://people.com/archive/cover-story-kathie-lees-story-vol-38-no-18/|author=Elizabeth Gleick|title=Kathie Lee's Story |publisher=] magazine |date=November 2, 1992|access-date=November 29, 2017}}</ref> Kathie Lee married Paul Johnson, a composer/arranger/producer/publisher, in 1976. They gained fame in Christian music, appearing on covers of Christian magazines. The marriage was strained from the start and in 1981, Johnson moved out of their residence in Woodland Hills, CA. The couple divorced in 1982.<ref name=peoplecover>{{cite news|url=http://people.com/archive/cover-story-kathie-lees-story-vol-38-no-18/|author=Elizabeth Gleick|title=Kathie Lee's Story |publisher=] magazine |date=November 2, 1992|access-date=November 29, 2017}}</ref>


On October 18, 1986, Kathie Lee married a second time, this time to ], an American football player and television sports commentator. It was his third marriage after marriages with Maxine Avis Ewart and Astrid Lindley. With Ewart he had three children. On October 18, 1986, Kathie Lee married a second time, this time to ], an American football player and television sports commentator. It was his third marriage after marriages with Maxine Avis Ewart and Astrid Lindley. With Ewart he had three children.


Kathie Lee was 23 years younger than Frank. They had two children together, Cody Newton Gifford (born March 22, 1990) and ] (born August 2, 1993). They also shared a birthday: August 16. Frank died on August 9, 2015, from natural causes at their ], home at the age of 84.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/08/09/frank-gifford-dead-at-84/ |title=Pro Football Hall Of Famer, Giants Legend Frank Gifford Dead At 84 |access-date=August 9, 2015 |date=August 9, 2015 |publisher=] |location=New York City |archive-date=August 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810173619/http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/08/09/frank-gifford-dead-at-84/ |url-status=live |df=mdy}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nfl-legend-frank-gifford-passes-away-84-n406761 |title=NFL Legend Frank Gifford Passes Away at 84 |publisher=] (]) |access-date=August 9, 2015 |date=August 9, 2015 |first=Hasani |last=Gittens |archive-date=August 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810163739/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nfl-legend-frank-gifford-passes-away-84-n406761 |url-status=live |df=mdy}}</ref> In 2017, she released "He Saw Jesus", a very personal song Kathie Lee co-wrote (with songwriter ]) and dedicated to her husband. All proceeds from the song went to the international ] Christian humanitarian aid charity ]. Kathie Lee was 23 years younger than Frank Gifford. They had two children together, Cody Newton Gifford (born March 22, 1990) and ] (born August 2, 1993). They also shared the same birthday of August 16. Frank Gifford died on August 9, 2015, from natural causes at their ], home at the age of 84.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/08/09/frank-gifford-dead-at-84/ |title=Pro Football Hall Of Famer, Giants Legend Frank Gifford Dead At 84 |access-date=August 9, 2015 |date=August 9, 2015 |publisher=] |location=New York City |archive-date=August 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810173619/http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/08/09/frank-gifford-dead-at-84/ |url-status=live |df=mdy}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nfl-legend-frank-gifford-passes-away-84-n406761 |title=NFL Legend Frank Gifford Passes Away at 84 |publisher=] (]) |access-date=August 9, 2015 |date=August 9, 2015 |first=Hasani |last=Gittens |archive-date=August 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810163739/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nfl-legend-frank-gifford-passes-away-84-n406761 |url-status=live |df=mdy}}</ref>
In 2017, Kathie Lee Gifford released the song "He Saw Jesus", co-written with songwriter ], which she dedicated to her late husband. All proceeds from the song went to the international ] Christian humanitarian aid charity ].


==Discography== ==Discography==
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==Filmography== ==Filmography==
'''Credits from Kathie Lee Gifford ] page.'''


===Films===
''Actress''
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
*Days of Our Lives: Nurse Callahan (1978, credited as Kathie Lee Johnson)
!scope="col"|Year
*Hee Haw Honeys: Kathie Honey (1978-1979, credited as Kathie Lee Johnson)
!scope="col"|Title
*Evening Shade: Stephanie Rodgers (1994, 1 episode)
!scope="col"|Role(s)
*Seinfeld: (1994, 1 episode)
!scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
*Coach: (1995, 1 episode)
|-
*The Cosby Mysteries: (1995, 1 episode)
|1996
*Women of the House: (1995, 1 episode)
*The First Wives Club: (1996, Movie) |'']''
|Herself
*Second Noah: (1997, 1 episode)
|Cameo appearance
*Mother Goose: A Rappin' and Rhymin' Special: Jill (1997, TV Movie: Voice)
|-
*Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child: Jill (1997, 1 episode: Voice)
|rowspan="2"|1999
*Spin City: (1997, 1 episode)
|'']''
*The Tom Show: (1997, 1 episode)
|Echidna (voice)
*Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show: (1997, 1 episode)
|Voice role
*Style & Substance: (1998, 1 episode)
|-
*Diagnosis Murder: Mary Montgomery (1998, 1 episode)
|'']''
*Soul Men: (1998, 1 episode)
|Herself
*Caroline in the City: (1998, 1 episode)
|Cameo appearance
*The Simpsons: (1998, 1 episode: Voice)
|-
*Hercules: Echidna (1998, 4 episodes: Voice)
|2011
*LateLine: (1999, 1 episode)
|'']''
*Hercules: Her to Zero (1999, Direct-to-VHS release: Voice)
|Herself
*Dudley Do-Right (1999, Movie)
|
*Hey Arnold!: Jackie Lee (1999, 1 episode: Voice)
|-
*The Famous Jett Jackson (1999, 1 episode)
|2020
*The Wonderful World of Disney: Dierdre (2000, 1 episode: Voice)
|'']''
*Touched by an Angel: Wendy/Jolene (1996-2000, 2 episodes)
|Annabelle Wilson
*The Amanda Show: Princess Whiff (2001, 1 episode)
|Also screenwriter
*Spinning Out of Control: Amanda Berkley (2001, TV Movie)
|-
*Just Shoot Me!: Allison Spencer (2001, 1 episode)
|2022
*The Drew Carey Show: Vanessa Bobeck (2001, 1 episode)
|'']''
*Hope & Faith: Marge (2004, 1 episode)
|Herself
*Higglytown Heroes: Mail Carrier (2004-2005, 2 episodes)
|Documentary
*That's So Raven: Claire (2005, 1 episode)
|}
*Handy Manny: Mrs. Hillary (2006, 1 episode)
*Lipstick Jungle: (2009, 1 episode)
*30 Rock: (2010, 1 episode)
*The Suite Life on Deck (2010, 1 episode)
*Adventures of Serial Buddies (2011, Movie)
*Hot in Cleveland: Christal (2011, 1 episode)
*The Mysteries of Laura (2015, 1 episode)
*Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!: (2015, TV Movie)
*Difficult People: (2015, 1 episode)
*Donny!: (2015, 2 episodes)
*Come to the Garden: Reader/Singer (2016, Movie: Voice)
*Younger: (2016, 1 episode)
*Nashville: (2017,1 episode)
*Sharknado 5: Global Warming: (2017, TV Movie)
*Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce: (2014-2017, 3 episodes)
*
*The Baxters: Lillian (2019, 3 episodes)
*The Other Two: (2019, 1 episode)
*A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love: Olga (2019, TV Movie)
*'']'' (2020)


===Television===
''Producer''
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
*Kathie Lee Gifford's Celebration of Motherhood (1993)
!scope="col"|Year
*Kathie Lee's Rock n' Tots Cafe: A Christmas "Giff" (1995)
!scope="col"|Title
*A Godwink Christmas (2018)
!scope="col"|Role(s)
*The God Who Sees (2019)
!scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
*A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love (2019)
|-
*'']'' (2020)
|1975

|'']''
''Herself''
|Nurse Callihan
*The $100,000 Name That Tune (1977)
|Episode dated October 17, 1975
*Constantinople (1977)
|-
*The Funniest Joke I Ever Heard (1984)
|1985-2000
*Miss America (1985)
|'']''
*The New Hollywood Squares (1987)
|Herself / Co-host
*Regis and Kathie Lee: Special Edition (1988)
|
*The Pat Sajak Show (1988)
|-
*The Morning Exchange (1989)
|1991
*Hee Haw (1989)
|'']''
*Donahue (1990)
|Herself
*Children's Miracle Network Telethon (1990)
|Episode dated November 11, 1991
*Victory & Valor: Special Olympics World Games (1991)
|-
*Walt Disney World's 20th Celebration (1991)
|1993–2002
*The Bikini Open 5 (1991)
|'']''
*All My Children (1991)
|Herself / Announcer
*ABC After School Special (1992)
|
*Kathie Lee Gifford's Celebration of Motherhood (1993)
|-
*A Musical Christmas at Walt Disney World (1993)
|rowspan="2"|1994
*The Crusaders (1994)
|'']''
*Glenn Miller's Greatest Hits (1994)
|Stephanie Rodgers
*The Annual Friars Club Tribute Presents a Salute to Barbara Walters (1994)
|Episode: "Mama Knows Best"
*All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! (1994)
|-
*The 10th TV Academy Hall of Fame (1994)
|'']''
*Walt Disney World Inside Out (1994)
|Herself
*CBS This Morning (1994)
|Episode: "The Opposite"
*1994 Holiday at Pops! (1994)
|-
*Kathie Lee Gifford...Looking for Christmas (1994)
|rowspan="3"|1995
*Kathie Lee's Rock n' Tots Cafe: A Christmas "Giff" (1995)
|'']''
*Intimate Portrait (1995)
|Herself
*Super Bowl XXIX (1995)
|Episode: "The Day I Met Frank Gifford"
*Regis and Kathie Lee: Mom's Dream Come True (1995)
|-
*Miss North America (1995)
|'']''
*Kathie Lee's Rock n' Tots Cafe: Kathie Lee's Big Surprise (1996)
|Herself
*The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1996)
|Episode: "Big Brother is Watching"
*The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story (1996)
|-
*Maury (1992-1996)
|'']''
*Kathie Lee Gifford: We Need a Little Christmas (1996)
|Herself
*Kathie Lee Gifford: Just in Time for Christmas (1996)
|Episode: "Dear Diary"
*Oops! The World's Funniest Outtakes 5 (1997)
|-
*The 25th Annual Daytime Emmy's (1998)
|1996, 2000
*Biography (1996-1998)
|'']''
*Wheel of Fortune (1999)
|Wendy / Jolene
*Millennium Chorus: The Greatest Story Ever Sung (2000)
|2 episodes
*31st Annual Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards (2000)
|-
*The 27th Annual Daytime Emmy's (2000)
|1996–2002
*The 54th Annual Tony Awards (2001)
|'']''
*Late Night with Conan O'Brien (2001)
|Herself / Guest host
*The 28th Annual Daytime Emmy's (2001)
|12 episodes
*AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Barbra Streisand (2001)
|-
*ESPN SportsCentury (2001)
|rowspan="5"|1997
*Primetime Glick (2001)
|'']''
*See How They Run (2001)
|Herself
*The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1996-2002)
|Episode: "Diving In"
*Late Show with David Letterman (1993-2002)
|-
*Star Search (2003)
|'']''
*The Wayne Brady Show (2003)
|Jill (voice)
*The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003)
|Episode: {{nowrap|"Mother Goose"}}
*The Jamie Kennedy Experiment (2003-2004)
|-
*Hollywood Squares (2000-2004)
|'']''
*Controversy (2004)
|Herself
*Good Day Live (2005)
|Episode: "Radio Daze"
*The Tony Danza Show (2004-2005)
|-
*The Daily Buzz (2005)
|{{nowrap|'']''}}
*Larry King Live (2000-2006)
|Herself
*The Reichen Show (2006)
|Episode: "It's Jan!"
*The O'Reilly Factor (2008)
|-
*Celebrity Family Feud (2008)
|'']''
*Books Equal Gifts Commercial (2008)
|Herself
*Plymouth Rock Studios: The Series (2009)
|Episode: "Honey, I Know What You're Thinking"
*Jimmy Kimmel Live (2004-2009)
|-
*VH1 Divas Live 2009 (2009)
|rowspan="6"|1998
*Talk Stoop (2011)
|'']''
*CMT: 40 Greatest Love Songs (2011)
|Mary Montgomery
*The Annual 2011 Actors Fund Gala Awards (2011)
|Episode: "Talked to Death"
*Keeping Up With the Kardashians (2011)
|-
*Live With Kelly and Ryan (1998-2011)
|'']''
*The Lennon Sisters: Same Song, Separate Voices (2011)
|Herself
*The Apprentice (2009-2012)
|Episode: "Treehouse of Horror IX"
*The Soup (2012)
|-
*The Wendy Williams Show (2012)
|'']''
*Weekend Today (2012)
|Herself
*2012 CMT Music Awards (2012)
|Episode: "Grabbed by an Angel"
*The Daily Show (2011-2012)
|-
*Theater Talk (2013)
|'']''
*Chelsea Lately (2013)
|Herself
*Steve Harvey (2013)
|Episode: "A Recipe of Disaster"
*Chasing the Saturdays (2013)
|-
*Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009-2013)
|'']''
*After Lately (2013)
|Echidna (voice)
*Smash (2013)
|4 episodes
*Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (2013)
|-
*Kris (2013)
|'']''
*Top Chef Masters (2013)
|Herself
*The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson (2013)
|Episode: "Pearce on Conan"
*The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1994-2013)
|-
*Bethenny (2014)
|rowspan="2"|1999
*Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014)
|'']''
*The Michael J. Fox Show (2014)
|Jackie Lee (voice)
*The View (2004-2014)
|Episode: "Deconstructing Arnold"
*Howard Stern Birthday Bash (2014)
|-
*Dateline NBC (2014)
|'']''
*Rachael Ray (2006-2014)
|Herself
*WWE Raw (2014)
|Episode: "New York"
*The Insider (2006-2014)
|-
*The JBL & Cole Show with Renee Young (2014)
|2000
*Inside Edition! (2014)
|'']''
*A Toast to 2014! (2014)
|Deirdre Adams
*73 Questions (2015)
|Television film
*Whose Line is it Anyway? (2015)
|-
*The Kitchen (2015)
|2000–2004
*Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things (2015)
|'']''
*Good Morning America (2015)
|Herself / Panelist
*The Meredith Vieira Show (2015-2016)
|15 episodes
*A Toast to 2016! (2016)
|-
*Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce (2017)
|rowspan="4"|2001
*Home & Family (2017)
|'']''
*Talking Live with Dr. Robi Ludwig (2017)
|Princess Whiff
*The National Christmas Tree Lighting (2017)
|Episode: "Episode 29"
*Paula Abdul/Today Show (2017)
|-
*Billy Graham: An Extraordinary Journey (2018)
|''Spinning Out of Control''
*Access Hollywood (2018)
|Amanda Berkeley
*Today Show: An Insider's Guide to Italy (2018)
|Television film
*Harry (2018)
|-
*Megyn Kelly Today (2018)
|'']''
*The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2019)
|Allison Spencer
*Extra with Billy Bush (2014-2019)
|Episode: "Sugar Momma"
*Entertainment Tonight (2003-2019)
|-
*The Dr. Oz Show (2015-2020)
|'']''
*Celebrity Page (2017-2020)
|Vanessa Bobeck
*Today Show (2004-2020)
|Episode: "Christening"
|-
|2003
|'']''
|Herself / Guest judge
|Episode dated March 5, 2003
|-
|2004
|'']''
|Marge
|Episode: "The Diner Show"
|-
|2004–2005
|'']''
|Mail Carrier (voice)
|2 episodes
|-
|2004–2019
|'']''
|Herself / Co-host
|
|-
|2005
|'']''
|Claire
|Episode: "Dog Day After-Groom"
|-
|2005–2014
|'']''
|Herself / Guest host
|7 episodes
|-
|2006
|'']''
|Mrs. Hillary (voice)
|Episode: "Not So Fast Food/Merry-Go-Around"
|-
|rowspan="2"|2009
|'']''
|Herself
|Episode: "Everything On the Line"
|-
|'']''
|Herself
|Episode: "La Vie en Pose"
|-
|rowspan="2"|2010
|'']''
|Herself
|Episode: "Floyd"
|-
|'']''
|Cindy
|Episode: "Model Behavior"
|-
|rowspan="2"|2011
|'']''
|Herself
|Episode: "Kim's Fairytale Wedding: Part 2"
|-
|'']''
|Christal
|Episode: "Elka's Choice"
|-
|rowspan="2"|2013
|'']''
|Herself / Contestant
|Episode dated May 10, 2013
|-
|'']''
|Herself
|Episode: "The Producers"
|-
|2014
|'']''
|Herself
|Episode: "Changes"
|-
|2014–2017
|'']''
|Herself
|3 episodes
|-
|rowspan="4"|2015
|'']''
|Dr. Carlin
|Episode: "The Mystery of the Sunken Sailor"
|-
|'']''
|Herself
|2 episodes
|-
|'']''
|Herself
|Television film
|-
|'']''
|Herself
|Episode: "Premium Membership"
|-
|2016
|'']''
|Herself
|Episode: "A Kiss Is Just a Kiss"
|-
|rowspan="2"|2017
|'']''
|Herself
|Episode: "]"
|-
|'']''
|Herself
|Television film
|-
|2018
|''A Godwink Christmas''
|Aunt Jane
|Television film
|-
|rowspan="3"|2019
|'']''
|Herself
|Episode: "Pilot"
|-
|''A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love''
|Olga
|Television film
|-
|'']''
|Lillian Ashford
|3 episodes
|}


==Written works== ==Written works==


'''Biographical''' '''Biographical'''
*1976: (As Kathie Epstein) ''The Quiet Riot'' *1976: (as Kathie Epstein) ''The Quiet Riot''
*1992: ''I Can't Believe I Said That!: An Autobiography by Kathie Lee Gifford'' *1992: ''I Can't Believe I Said That!: An Autobiography by Kathie Lee Gifford''
*1995: ''Listen to My Heart: Lessons in Love, Laughter, and Lunacy'' *1995: ''Listen to My Heart: Lessons in Love, Laughter, and Lunacy''
Line 358: Line 472:


== In popular culture == == In popular culture ==
A fictionalized version of Kathie Lee Gifford appears in the '']'' episode "]", voiced by ].<ref>{{Citation |title=Weight Gain 4000 {{!}} South Park Character / Location / User talk etc {{!}} Official South Park Studios Wiki |url=https://wiki.southpark.cc.com/ |access-date=2022-05-06 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Gifford later re-appears in the episodes "]", "]", "]" and "]".<ref>{{Citation |title=Kathie Lee Gifford {{!}} South Park Character / Location / User talk etc {{!}} Official South Park Studios Wiki |url=https://wiki.southpark.cc.com/ |access-date=2022-05-06 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> A fictionalized version of Kathie Lee Gifford appears in the '']'' episode "]", voiced by ].<ref>{{Citation |title=Weight Gain 4000 {{!}} South Park Character / Location / User talk etc |url=https://southpark.cc.com/ |access-date=2022-05-06 }}</ref> Gifford later re-appears in the episodes "]", "]", "]" and "]".<ref>{{Citation |title=Kathie Lee Gifford {{!}} South Park Character / Location / User talk etc |url=https://southpark.cc.com/ |access-date=2022-05-06 }}</ref>


==See also== ==See also==
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* * {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044407/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0005/11/lkl.00.html |date=December 1, 2017 }}
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Latest revision as of 00:44, 15 October 2024

American actress, talk show host, and singer (born 1953) "Kathie Lee" redirects here. For people with similar names, see Kathy Lee (disambiguation).

Kathie Lee Gifford
Gifford in 2020
BornKathryn 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
Websitewww.kathieleegifford.com Edit this at Wikidata

Kathryn Lee Gifford (née Epstein; born August 16, 1953) is an American television presenter, singer, songwriter, actress, and author. From 1985 to 2000, she and Regis Philbin hosted the talk show Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee. Gifford is also known for her 11-year run with Hoda Kotb, on the fourth hour of NBC's Today show (2008–2019). She has received 11 Daytime Emmy nominations and won her first Daytime Emmy in 2010 as part of the Today team.

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

Kathie Lee married Paul Johnson, a composer, arranger, producer and publisher of Christian music, in 1976, and they divorced in 1982. She married sportscaster and former NFL player Frank Gifford in 1986. In 2015, Frank Gifford died from complications of CTE, often caused by contact sports-related injuries. Kathie Lee has released studio music albums and several books, her music and writings feature spiritual and uplifting themes.

Early life and beginnings

Gifford was born Kathryn Lee Epstein in Paris, France, to American parents, Joan (born Cuttell; January 20, 1930 – September 12, 2017), a singer, and Aaron Epstein (March 19, 1924 – November 19, 2002), a musician and former US Navy Chief Petty Officer. Aaron Epstein was stationed with his family in France at the time of Gifford's birth. Gifford grew up in Bowie, Maryland, and attended Bowie High School.

Gifford's paternal grandfather was a Russian Jew from Saint Petersburg and her paternal grandmother had Native American ancestry. Her mother, a relative of writer Rudyard Kipling, was of French Canadian, German and English descent.

After seeing the Billy Graham-produced film The Restless Ones at age 12, Gifford became a born-again Christian. She told interviewer Larry King, "I was raised with many Jewish traditions and raised to be very grateful for my Jewish heritage."

During high school, Gifford was a singer in a folk group, "Pennsylvania Next Right", which performed frequently at school assemblies. After high school graduation in 1971, Gifford attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, studying drama and music. During a summer in the early 1970s, she was a live-in secretary/babysitter for Anita Bryant at her home in Miami. Her first regular appearances on national TV were as a singer on the game show Name That Tune, hosted by Tom Kennedy in the late 1970s, in which she would sing small portions of songs that contestants would have to identify.

Career

Early career

Gifford's career took off in 1978 when she joined the cast of the short-lived Hee Haw spinoff, Hee Haw Honeys. She was also a correspondent and substitute anchor on ABC's Good Morning America in the early 1980s.

Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee

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

In 1990, when TV Guide held a poll for readers to select the most beautiful woman on television, Live! presented a week-long mock campaign to garner votes for Gifford. Gifford wound up winning the poll, receiving more than four times as many votes as the runners-up, Jaclyn Smith and Nicollette Sheridan.

Philbin and Gifford were jointly nominated eight years in a row (1993 to 2000) for Outstanding Talk Show Host during the Daytime Emmy Awards. Gifford decided to leave the show in 2000. She explained that filling in for Carol Burnett on Broadway and guest-hosting Late Show with David Letterman had inspired her to pursue more challenging work. The day after she hosted Late Show on February 24, 2000, she told Regis she had decided to leave Live!. Her last episode aired on July 28, 2000.

Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda

On March 31, 2008, NBC announced that Gifford was to join its morning show, Today, as co-host of the fourth hour titled Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda, alongside Hoda Kotb. This marked her return to morning television; in many markets, she aired directly after her old show, currently called Live with Kelly and Mark. Because the fourth hour of Today airs live at 10:00 am ET, and Live with Kelly and Ryan airs live at 9:00 am ET, Gifford's hour did not compete directly with her former show in most markets. Kotb and Gifford replaced Ann Curry and Natalie Morales. In the weeks prior to Gifford's arrival, ratings indicated 1.9 million viewers of the fourth hour of Today. As of 2014, the fourth hour of Today with Gifford and Kotb averaged 2.15 million total viewers, an increase of 13 percent over the 2008 ratings. On December 11, 2018, it was announced that she would be leaving Today in April 2019. Her final Today Show appearance was on April 5, 2019, with a party, including a video by her children Cody and Cassidy Gifford. In 2019, they won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host.

Other media appearances and projects

Gifford has made guest appearances in films and television series, and has several independently released albums on CD, including 2000's The Heart of a Woman, featuring the single "Love Never Fails".

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

She did a number of voice overs most notably as Echidna in the 1998 TV series Hercules and in Higglytown Heroes as the Mail Carrier Hero in 2004.

In September 2005 she became a special correspondent on The Insider, a syndicated entertainment magazine television show, ending her relationship with that program upon her co-hosting role with Today.

She played the role of Miss Hannigan in a concert performance of Annie at Madison Square Garden in December 2006.

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

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

She has written numerous autobiographical books, Just When I Thought I'd Dropped my Last Egg: Life and Other Calamities in 2010, The Rock, the Road and the Rabbi in March 2018, and It’s Never Too Late: Make the Next Act of Your Life the Best Act of Your Life in 2020. Her book regarding the Christian faith, The Jesus I Know: Honest Conversations and Diverse Opinions about Who He Is was released in 2021. She has also written a number of children's books.

Current career

Gifford left Today in order to pursue a movie career as an actress, director, and producer. In 2018, she filmed Then Came You in which she co-stars with Craig Ferguson. That same year, she also filmed a Hallmark Christmas movie for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries called A Godwink Christmas. Gifford intends to make movies about the experiences of losing a loved one and being a widow, which she considers an underrepresented topic in Hollywood. Gifford has several projects in the works including sequels to Then Came You.

On April 28, 2021, Gifford was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to the television industry. Her star is located at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard, only five stars away from that of her former co-host Regis Philbin.

Musical theatre

In the late 1990s, Gifford began working in musical theatre. She contributed a number of musical numbers to Hats, and wrote and produced Under The Bridge, based upon the children's book The Family Under The Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson. In 2000 she released the album The Heart of a Woman on Universal.

Gifford wrote the book and lyrics for Saving Aimee, a stage musical about evangelist Aimee McPherson, which premiered in 2007 at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia. The premiere starred actress Carolee Carmello in the lead role. The show, retitled as Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson, ran on Broadway from November 15, 2012, through December 9, 2012, with Carmello reprising her role as McPherson. On April 30, 2013, Carmello received her third Tony Award nomination for the performance.

On April 16, 2007, Gifford was a guest presenter at the Washington, D.C. Helen Hayes Award Ceremony, honoring contributions and professional accomplishments in theatre.

In 2008, Gifford and David Friedman wrote a junior high school musical entitled Key Pin It Real. The play depicts a coming-of-age story about a young girl named Key Pin. The first production took place in December 2008 in Kendallville, Indiana, at East Noble High School.

In 2011, Gifford was working on a musical adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life with John McDaniel; McDaniel is composing music while Gifford is writing lyrics.

Other endeavors

Charity

Gifford is a celebrity ambassador for the non-profit organization Childhelp. She regularly makes appearances at fund raisers and events for the child abuse prevention and treatment organization and is an ardent supporter.

Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford raised the money to build and continued to financially support two shelters in New York City for babies born with HIV, or a congenital crack cocaine addiction. These shelters were named in honor of her children, Cody and Cassidy.

Labor rights activity

In 1996 Gifford was earning $9 million annually licensing her name to a brand of clothing sold at Walmart. Part of the proceeds went to charity. Charles Kernaghan's human rights group called the National Labor Committee reported that sweatshop labor was being used in manufacturing the Kathie Lee Gifford branded clothing.

Gifford called Kernaghan's report "a vicious attack" on an episode of Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee. Gifford explained during this broadcast that she was not responsible for the contract manufacturers that made her products.

Kernaghan in his congressional testimony of April 1996, said that to make Gifford's clothing, girls as young as 15 worked for 31 cents an hour, 75 hours a week. Kernaghan reported that a worker in Honduras smuggled a piece of clothing out of the factory, which had a Kathie Lee label on it. One of the workers, Wendy Diaz, came to the United States to testify about the conditions under which she worked. She commented, "I wish I could talk to . If she's good, she will help us."

Gifford later contacted federal authorities to investigate the issue and worked with US federal legislative and executive branch agencies to support and enact laws to protect children against sweatshop conditions. She appeared with President Bill Clinton at the White House in support of the government's initiatives to counter international sweatshop abuses.

Personal life

Kathie Lee and Frank Gifford in 1996

Kathie Lee married Paul Johnson, a composer/arranger/producer/publisher, in 1976. They gained fame in Christian music, appearing on covers of Christian magazines. The marriage was strained from the start and in 1981, Johnson moved out of their residence in Woodland Hills, CA. The couple divorced in 1982.

On October 18, 1986, Kathie Lee married a second time, this time to Frank Gifford, an American football player and television sports commentator. It was his third marriage after marriages with Maxine Avis Ewart and Astrid Lindley. With Ewart he had three children.

Kathie Lee was 23 years younger than Frank Gifford. They had two children together, Cody Newton Gifford (born March 22, 1990) and Cassidy Erin Gifford (born August 2, 1993). They also shared the same birthday of August 16. Frank Gifford died on August 9, 2015, from natural causes at their Greenwich, Connecticut, home at the age of 84.

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

Discography

(as Kathie Lee Gifford on all 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: A 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

Year Title Role(s) Notes
1996 The First Wives Club Herself Cameo appearance
1999 Hercules: Zero to Hero Echidna (voice) Voice role
Dudley Do-Right Herself Cameo appearance
2011 Adventures of Serial Buddies Herself
2020 Then Came You Annabelle Wilson Also screenwriter
2022 Jennifer Lopez: Halftime Herself Documentary

Television

Year Title Role(s) Notes
1975 Days of Our Lives Nurse Callihan Episode dated October 17, 1975
1985-2000 Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee Herself / Co-host
1991 All My Children Herself Episode dated November 11, 1991
1993–2002 Late Show with David Letterman Herself / Announcer
1994 Evening Shade Stephanie Rodgers Episode: "Mama Knows Best"
Seinfeld Herself Episode: "The Opposite"
1995 Coach Herself Episode: "The Day I Met Frank Gifford"
The Cosby Mysteries Herself Episode: "Big Brother is Watching"
Women of the House Herself Episode: "Dear Diary"
1996, 2000 Touched by an Angel Wendy / Jolene 2 episodes
1996–2002 The Rosie O'Donnell Show Herself / Guest host 12 episodes
1997 Second Noah Herself Episode: "Diving In"
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Jill (voice) Episode: "Mother Goose"
Spin City Herself Episode: "Radio Daze"
The Tom Show Herself Episode: "It's Jan!"
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show Herself Episode: "Honey, I Know What You're Thinking"
1998 Diagnosis: Murder Mary Montgomery Episode: "Talked to Death"
The Simpsons Herself Episode: "Treehouse of Horror IX"
Soul Man Herself Episode: "Grabbed by an Angel"
Style & Substance Herself Episode: "A Recipe of Disaster"
Hercules Echidna (voice) 4 episodes
Lateline Herself Episode: "Pearce on Conan"
1999 Hey Arnold! Jackie Lee (voice) Episode: "Deconstructing Arnold"
The Famous Jett Jackson Herself Episode: "New York"
2000 Model Behavior Deirdre Adams Television film
2000–2004 Hollywood Squares Herself / Panelist 15 episodes
2001 The Amanda Show Princess Whiff Episode: "Episode 29"
Spinning Out of Control Amanda Berkeley Television film
Just Shoot Me! Allison Spencer Episode: "Sugar Momma"
The Drew Carey Show Vanessa Bobeck Episode: "Christening"
2003 Star Search Herself / Guest judge Episode dated March 5, 2003
2004 Hope & Faith Marge Episode: "The Diner Show"
2004–2005 Higglytown Heroes Mail Carrier (voice) 2 episodes
2004–2019 Today Herself / Co-host
2005 That's So Raven Claire Episode: "Dog Day After-Groom"
2005–2014 The View Herself / Guest host 7 episodes
2006 Handy Manny Mrs. Hillary (voice) Episode: "Not So Fast Food/Merry-Go-Around"
2009 The City Herself Episode: "Everything On the Line"
Lipstick Jungle Herself Episode: "La Vie en Pose"
2010 30 Rock Herself Episode: "Floyd"
The Suite Life on Deck Cindy Episode: "Model Behavior"
2011 Keeping Up with the Kardashians Herself Episode: "Kim's Fairytale Wedding: Part 2"
Hot in Cleveland Christal Episode: "Elka's Choice"
2013 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Herself / Contestant Episode dated May 10, 2013
Smash Herself Episode: "The Producers"
2014 The Michael J. Fox Show Herself Episode: "Changes"
2014–2017 Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce Herself 3 episodes
2015 The Mysteries of Laura Dr. Carlin Episode: "The Mystery of the Sunken Sailor"
Donny! Herself 2 episodes
Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! Herself Television film
Difficult People Herself Episode: "Premium Membership"
2016 Younger Herself Episode: "A Kiss Is Just a Kiss"
2017 Nashville Herself Episode: "Hurricane"
Sharknado 5: Global Swarming Herself Television film
2018 A Godwink Christmas Aunt Jane Television film
2019 The Other Two Herself Episode: "Pilot"
A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love Olga Television film
The Baxters Lillian Ashford 3 episodes

Written works

Biographical

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

Cooking

  • 1993: (with Regis Philbin) Cooking With Regis & Kathie Lee: Quick & Easy Recipes From America's Favorite TV Personalities
  • 1994: (with Regis Philbin) Entertaining With Regis & Kathie Lee: Year-Round Holiday Recipes, Entertaining Tips, and Party Ideas

Christian faith

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

Children's books

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

In popular culture

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

See also

References

  1. "Kathie Lee Gifford Biography". Bio. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  2. "Kathie Lee Gifford Film Reference biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved February 16, 2009.
  3. Rush, George; Molloy, Joanna; Jones, Baird (May 13, 1996). "Kathie Lee's High-School Class Struggle". Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on 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 Thought I'd Dropped My Last Egg". Worldcat.org. November 16, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  6. "What's Next for Kathie Lee?". Larry King Live. May 11, 2000. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  7. ^ "Kathie Lee Proves She Has the Knack for Pulling in Votes". Deseret News. August 21, 1990. Retrieved August 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 025201779X. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  10. "Kathie Lee Gifford". IMDb. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
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External links

Media offices
Preceded byGary Collins and Phyllis George Miss America Pageant host
1991–1995
Served alongside: Regis Philbin 		Succeeded byEva LaRue and John Callahan
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host
In 2023, the category was merged back into Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host.
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