Larry King, the broadcaster whose career spanned more than six decades, has died at the age of 87, weeks after he was hospitalized for more than a week with COVID-19.
King died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to Ora Media, the studio and network he co-founded.
“For 63 years and across the platforms of radio, television and digital media, Larry’s many thousands of interviews, awards, and global acclaim stand as a testament to his unique and lasting talent as a broadcaster,” a statement from Ora said on King’s Twitter account. “Additionally, while it was his name appearing in the shows’ titles, Larry always viewed his interview subjects as the true stars of his programs, and himself as merely an unbiased conduit between the guest and audience. Whether he was interviewing a U.S. president, foreign leader, celebrity, scandal-ridden personage, or an everyman, Larry liked to ask short, direct and uncomplicated questions. He believed concise questions usually provided the best answers, and he was not wrong in that belief.”
His lengthy career made him a household name, beginning his career in Miami in the 1950s and gaining national recognition with the debut of his eponymous radio show in 1978. In 1985, CNN launched Larry King Live, interviewing politicians, celebrities, and media figures. The network posted a lengthy obituary package narrated by anchor Wolf Blitzer on Saturday morning.
Larry King, the longtime CNN host who became an icon through his interviews with countless newsmakers and his sartorial sensibilities, has died. He was 87. https://t.co/eWOnYiwla2 pic.twitter.com/J61Zr0Kk4N
— CNN (@CNN) January 23, 2021
He is survived by three of his five children, Larry Jr., Chance, and Cannon; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
King was celebrated in the media and won the Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting for both his television and radio shows.
The broadcaster was born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn on Nov. 19, 1933, the son of Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and what is now Ukraine. King’s personal life often brought tabloid attention. He was married eight times to seven women. He married his last wife, Shawn Soutwhick, in 1997. The couple separated in 2019 after 22 years of marriage.
King had publicly expressed a desire to be cryogenically preserved after his death, saying in 2010, “I want to be frozen on the hope that they’ll find whatever I died of and bring me back.” It is unclear if his wishes will be honored.
“We mourn the passing of our colleague Larry King,” Jeff Zucker, CNN’s president, said in a statement. “The scrappy young man from Brooklyn had a history-making career spanning radio and television. His curiosity about the world propelled his award-winning career in broadcasting, but it was his generosity of spirit that drew the world to him.
Statement on the passing of Larry King from CNN President Jeff Zucker: pic.twitter.com/t1RVZyk4YP
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) January 23, 2021
Greta Van Susteren, a former anchor for CNN, wrote: “So few tv hosts can do their jobs like #larryking …you could not tell what his politics were …he let his guests answer the questions…and he thought his guest the “stars” and not himself..he profiled his guests, didn’t talk about himself.”
So few tv hosts can do their jobs like #larryking …you could not tell what his politics were …he let his guests answer the questions…and he thought his guest the “stars” and not himself..he profiled his guests,didn’t talk about himself
— Greta Van Susteren (@greta) January 23, 2021
CNN chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour wrote, “Larry King was a giant of broadcasting and a master of the TV celebrity/statesman-woman interview.”
Larry King was a giant of broadcasting and a master of the TV celebrity/statesman-woman interview.
His name is synonymous with CNN and he was vital to the network’s ascent. EVERYONE wanted to be on Larry King Live. May he Rest in Peace.https://t.co/XTgeMqjmcg
— Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) January 23, 2021
