This morning was Regis Philbin‘s last day co-hosting “Live! with Regis and Kelly,” and ABC went all-out to celebrate the man who holds the record for most hours spent in front of a TV camera. Attendees included Former NBC and CBS News anchor Katie Couric, who recently joined ABC, Couric’s former “Today” colleague Bryant Gumbel, “ABC World news” anchor Diane Sawyer, Disney CEO Bob Iger, former “Today” anchor Meredith Vieira, former “Good Morning America” anchor Joan Lunden, current “GMA” anchor Robin Roberts, Philbin’s former “Live!” co-host and current “Today” co-host Kathie Lee Gifford, actors Tony Danza and Alan Alda, cable news regular Donald Trump and more.

“I will always remember spending these mornings together,”Philbin said at the close of the program. “I hope to see you all again real soon.”

While Philbin may return to TV at some point, today’s event was treated as something of a retirement party, with New York City Mayor (and Bloomberg TV founder) Mike Bloomberg presenting Philbin with a key to the city, and Iger unveiling a plaque in Philbin’s honor outside of Disney’s New York headquarters on Columbus Avenue.

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Katie Couric pulled up a seat on “Good Morning America” this morning — a show which she competed against as co-host of NBC’s “Today” show for 15 years.

Couric is promoting tonight’s ABC primetime special with Regis Philbin. Philbin signs off tomorrow morning after 28 years of hosting mornings — 23 years on the nationally syndicated “Live!”

Couric has been on GMA a couple times over the years to promote her Stand up to Cancer event, but this is the first time she’s been on since joining ABC with whom she is launching her own syndicated show next year.

Video after the jump…

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Katie Couric emceed last night’s Friars Club toast (not roast) to Larry King. Donald Trump, Joan Rivers, Kathy Griffin, Regis Philbin and Wanda Sykes were all in attendance, as were a couple of Couric’s “Today” show pals. See the photo Couric Tweeted here. And see who CNN’s Wolf Blitzer ran into. Trump presented King with his Friars award at the end of the evening, and, according to the Daily News, King promised, “You have not seen the end of me. I shall return.”

(Photo: Tony Maciulis)

Katie Couric and Regis Philbin in the Bronx taping Couric’s “20/20″ profile of Philbin

Yesterday we told you about Katie Couric‘s participation in Lady Gaga’s Thanksgiving special on ABC, now we have more on Couric’s upcoming ABC News “20/20″ special profiling Regis Philbin.

“A Special Edition of 20/20 – Regis Philbin: The Morning Maestro with Katie Couric” will air Thursday Nov. 17 at 8pmET/PT, the night before Regis signs off from “Live!”.

From a day in the life walking in his footsteps, to a nostalgic trip to his boyhood haunts in the Bronx, including a touching surprise at his high school, Couric has a behind-the-scenes look at the life he has know for 28 years – and one he’s leaving behind.

Couric continues the planning of her own syndicated daytime show “Katie” which will be distributed by ABC launching next September.

Earlier this week, Couric presented Philbin with the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s Living Landmark Award.

(Photo: ABC / Ida Mae Astute)

Guinness World Records U.S. spokesperson Stuart Claxton dropped by LIVE on Thursday to present Regis Philbin with an update of his record for “Most Hours on U.S. Television.” Philbin smashed his own existing record by 198 hours, bringing the grand total to 16,746.5 hours spent in front of the camera during his illustrious career.

This was Guinness World Record Breaker Week on LIVE coinciding with the launch of the new Guinness World Records book released yesterday.

On “Live! with Regis and Kelly” this morning, Regis Philbin announced that his last day on the program would be November 18th. Philbin announced that he would be leaving the show in January, and would only say at the time that his last day would be sometime this Fall.

Philbin and Kelly Ripa announced that they would be starting a heavy rotation of clips looking back at the decades-long career of Philbin over the next few weeks. Philbin, who has made his energy and humor a daily part of his TV persona, couldn’t resist the chance to make a few jokes at his own expense:

“Last January I made the announcement that I’ll be moving on, but I never gave you an exact date” Philbin said. “So I’m pushing it back five years… Just kidding!”

And with regards to Ripa:

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“NBC Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams was on CBS last night, as a guest on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” Williams, who is one of the most popular talk show guests on Letterman, “The Tonight Show,” Late Night” and “The Daily Show” saved one of his best anecdotes for Dave.

In involves Regis Philbin, the New York State Broadcasters Association and a teeny tiny private plane:

The New York State Broadcasters association honored “NBC Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams with the 2011 “Broadcaster of the Year” award, and inducted Regis Philbin into its Hall of Fame this week.

“Growing up as an Irish-Catholic kid on the the Jersey shore my mother would always point out correspondents and anchors on television, knowing that I was always writing for the student paper, always so interested in what Walter (Cronkite) was reporting on,” Williams recounted at the event. “She’d always tell me, bless her heart, that I could do just as well as those people — or even better.”

Below, Philbin and Williams are joined by Fox 5 anchor Ernie Anastos at the reception at the Sagamore Hotel in Lake George, New York.

After opting not to strike a deal with former “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric for a daytime talk show, CBS has instead inked a deal with “Survivor” host Jeff Probst to host a talker. Both Couric’s new talk show on ABC and Probst’s CBS project will debut in Fall, 2012.

According to B&C‘s Paige Albiniak, Probst will shoot a pilot next month, which will be shopped to TV stations across the country. He is not a stranger to the format, having filled in for Regis Philbin on “Live! with Regis & Kelly” as well as  for Larry King on his eponymous CNN program.

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With “Live! with Regis and Kelly” co-host Regis Philbin set to leave the show in November, the search is on to find his replacement. The Wall Street Journal this morning floats three interesting possibilities. The WSJ names Ryan Seacrest, Bravo executive/talk show host Andy Cohen and actor Mark Consuelos has three names being bandied about by executives. Consuelos also happens to be the husband of “Live!” co-host Kelly Ripa.

The names are not without problems, however. Both Cohen and Seacrest have long-term contracts with Comcast, Seacrest to produce and host shows, and Cohen to develop and host programs. Comcast may be OK allowing an occasional guest-hosting gig, but to move to Disney/ABC full-time might be problematic, and contractual issues could present a problem.

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