Kathryn Kathie Lee Gifford is a multi talented American television host, singer, songwriter, comedian and an actress; best known for her popular talk show ‘Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee’, which she co-hosted with her onscreen partner Regis Phibin. The show had a great success over a span of 15 years in the television platform. Leaving aside her success in television, Kathie was also a part of a successful television commercial of Carnival Cruise Lines which went on air in 1984. Sometimes, she appears on the show ‘Today’ and is regularly contributes news to NBC as a news correspondent.
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Early Life and Background
Kathie was born as Kathryn Lee Epstein on 16th August 1953 in Paris, France. She is the daughter of Joan, a singer and Aaroan Epstein a musician and also a former US Navy Chief Petty Officer. Gifford completed her schooling from Bowie High School in Maryland and later she got enrolled into Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from where she passed her graduation in Music and Drama.
Career
Gifford started her career in the early 1970’s as a vocalist for a game show known as Name that Tune along with the famous Tom Kennedy. Later in 1978, she joined with the cast of a popular American television variety show Hee Haw which only features western country songs.
On 24th June 1985, Kathryn replaced the famous anchor Ann Abernethy and started co-hosting the morning show on WABC-TV with Regis Philbin. After getting some great response from the viewers the channel renamed it as ‘Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee’ which was broadcasted in the national platform.
Apart from being a host at various programs, she made guest appearance in various films, television series and has released independent albums like The Heart of a Woman, featuring the single song Love Never Fails.
In the year 2005, around September, Kathryn was nominated as a special correspondent for The Insider, an entertainment magazine television show. There, she continued as a correspondent for three years, after which Gifford joined the morning show ‘Today’ as a co host of the fourth hour with Hoda Kotb, another famous television persona.
Apart from television, Gifford is also recognized as a famous musician in America. The musical career of Kathie started in the 90’s by contributing various musical records for different albums. In the year 2007, she premiered for the first time ‘Saving Aimee’ a musical show on the famous evangelist Aimme McPherson. Kathie also worked as a lyricist on a famous musical adaptation ‘It’s a wonderful life’ with John Mc Daniel who is contributing the music.
Gifford has been nominated 11 times for Daytime Emmy Awards, out of which she won one in 2010 as a part of the team ‘Today’.
Kathie Lee Gifford – Net Worth and Salary
Gifford has an approximate net worth of $20 million. Her annual salary is $2 million
Controversy
In a television show Kathie made a particular statement the parents of drug addict children are actually the most careless people. The statement sparked a huge controversy in the social media. She was also accused of using child labor in sweat shops that were involved in designing the Kathie Lee line of apparel.
Husband and Children
She married Paul Johnson, music arranger and producer in 1976; the marriage lasted seven years before culminating into divorce in 1983. She then married sports commentator Frank Gifford in 1986, the marriage was solid till his death in 2015. The couple have two kids, Cassidy and Cody.
Kathie Lee Gifford – House
She has a house in Connecticut build in Spanish revival architectural- style. The house is built with white stucco and has red roofs. Her late husband Frank Gifford (84) left behind a will comprising $10 million worth property that includes the Connecticut home, the Florida home and other assets in cash.
