The View hosts pay tribute to longtime producer Bill Geddie, dead at 68: 'He kept us together'

The View cohosts are honoring the memory of Bill Geddie, the executive producer who helped launch the long-running ABC talk show alongside the late Barbara Walters, following his death at 68.

"We are saddened by the sudden death of Bill Geddie. As a producer, he kept us together and was very loyal to his staff. Bill loved comedy and plenty of laughs not to mention a good cigar," Joy Behar, one of the show's debut cohosts who still sits at the Hot Topics table today, tweeted Friday. "I'm forever grateful to him and Barbara for the opportunity to be on the View. RIP 'VIEWMASTER.'"

Sunny Hostin, the show's sitting legal expert who joined the permanent panel in 2016, called Geddie her "friend & mentor" in an emotional message on Twitter.

"My friend & mentor Bill Geddie has transitioned at 68. Bill was the 1st person to believe that I could be a national talk show host," Hostin wrote. "He told me after an audition for The View 'you were sitting there watching the show instead of being on the show. Lean in like I know you can.'"

EW has learned that The View will also honor Geddie on Monday's live broadcast. On Friday, the show's Instagram account shared a statement and a photo of Geddie, who earned six career Emmy nominations for his work with Walters on The Barbara Walters Summer Special.

"It's with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of The View co-creator and one of television's most well-respected producers, Bill Geddie. He was a pioneer in television and greatly beloved by The View family, creating the show with Barbara Walters and serving as its executive producer for 17 years," the statement said. "The View wouldn't exist without Bill Geddie. 'He was a big deal in TV, but at home he was an even 'bigger than life' husband and dad,' his family said in a statement. Our love goes out to his wife Barbara and their two daughters, Allison and Lauren."

EW has reached out to other prominent cohosts who appeared on the show under Geddie's tenure, including Rosie O'Donnell and Star Jones — with whom he reportedly had notable disagreements — as well as Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

After helping Walters (who died in December at 93) establish The View in 1997, Geddie stuck with the program until 2014.

In addition to The View, Geddie worked on The Tamron Hall Show and Megyn Kelly Presents.

Lou Rocco/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Bill Geddie on 'The View'

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