Larry King

Larry King was an American television and radio host, author, and spokesman who conducted over 50,000 interviews throughout his career. Born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger, he achieved national prominence as the host of the nationwide radio program The Larry King Show and the nightly CNN television program Larry King Live.

King was born on November 19, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, to Orthodox Jewish immigrants from Soviet Belarus. His mother was a garment worker and his father was a restaurant owner and defense-plant worker. King attended Lafayette High School in Brooklyn. Following his father's death when King was nine years old, his family received government assistance. After graduating from high school, he worked to help support his mother while pursuing his goal of working in radio broadcasting.

In the 1950s, King moved to Florida and obtained his first radio job at WAHR in Miami Beach, adopting the broadcast name Larry King. He later moved to WIOD to host mid-morning interviews at Pumpernik's Restaurant, securing his first celebrity interview guest, singer Bobby Darin. In 1960, he began hosting Miami Undercover on local television and later served as a color commentator for the Miami Dolphins. After grand larceny charges stemming from a 1971 arrest were dropped, he resumed his broadcasting work in Miami.

In January 1978, King gained national prominence as the host of The Larry King Show on the Mutual Broadcasting System. The nationwide, all-night call-in radio program featured guest interviews and open telephone discussions, growing from 28 initial affiliates to over 500. King hosted the late-night radio program until transitioning to a daytime format in 1993, ending his tenure on the show in May 1994.

In June 1985, he launched Larry King Live on CNN, using a direct, non-confrontational style to interview political figures, celebrities, and prominent newsmakers. Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running television show hosted by the same person on the same network in the same time slot, the program ran for 25 years until King retired from the show in December 2010 after 6,000 episodes.

In 2012, King co-founded the production company Ora TV and hosted Larry King Now and Politicking with Larry King, which aired on Hulu, Ora TV, and RT America. He also appeared as himself or in voice roles in various television series and films, including Shrek 2, hosted educational programming, appeared in infomercials, and maintained an active presence on Twitter.

Following a 1987 heart attack, King established the Larry King Cardiac Foundation to fund life-saving procedures for individuals unable to afford them. His industry recognition included two Peabody Awards, an Emmy, ten Cable ACE Awards, and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 32nd Annual News and Documentary Emmys. King remained active until his death on January 23, 2021.