- Original name:
- Lawrence Harvey Zeiger
- Died:
- January 23, 2021, Los Angeles, California (aged 87)
- Awards And Honors:
- Emmy Award (2011)
- Subjects Of Study:
- heart disease
- On the Web:
- Jewish Virtual Library - Larry King (Oct. 24, 2026)
Larry King
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Who was Larry King?
Larry King (1933-2021) was an American talk show host. His easygoing interview style made Larry King Live (1985–2010) one of CNN’s longest-running and most popular programs.
King began his career as a disc jockey in South Florida, developing his conversational interview style. In 1960, he transitioned to television with a Miami-based talk show and also wrote for Miami newspapers. From 1978 to 1994, King hosted The Larry King Show, a national radio talk show. From 1985, he hosted Larry King Live on CNN, which became known for its live phone-in format and King's interview style.
King also appeared in television shows and films, including Ghostbusters and Shrek. In 2011, he received a News & Documentary Emmy Award for lifetime achievement.
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What is Larry King best known for?
Larry King (1933–2021) was an American talk show host, most known for his CNN program Larry King Live (1985–2010). His easygoing interview style made it one of CNN’s longest-running and most popular programs.
King honed his conversational interview style as a disc jockey in South Florida, conducting on-location interviews with everyday citizens. In 1978, he gained further recognition as the host of the national radio talk show The Larry King Show. Over time, King became an internationally recognized figure, as famous as the celebrities, newsmakers, and world leaders that he interviewed.
King's show became known as a platform for political candidates; Ross Perot even announced his presidential candidacy on the show in 1992.
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What was Larry King's most famous TV show?
Larry King Live, which aired on CNN from 1985 to 2010, stands out as Larry King's most famous TV show. Renowned for King's relaxed interview technique, the show became CNN's longest-running and most popular program. It was the first live phone-in show on television with an international audience and a platform for political candidates; Ross Perot announced his presidential candidacy on the show in 1992. King became an internationally recognized figure because of the show, interviewing celebrities, newsmakers, and world leaders. After its run, King continued interviewing on Larry King Now and PoliticKING with Larry King.
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What made Larry King's interviewing style unique?
Larry King was an American talk show host known for his easygoing interviewing style. This approach helped make Larry King Live (1985–2010) one of CNN’s longest-running and most popular programs. King honed his conversational interview style doing on-location interviews with random citizens. He prided himself on doing very little research on his guests, allowing for an off-the-cuff, natural conversation.
King's show became known not only for his unique interview style but also for its popularity as a platform for political candidates. Over time, King became an internationally recognized figure, as famous as the celebrities, newsmakers, and world leaders that he interviewed.
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Who were some famous guests on Larry King's show?
Larry King was an American talk show host known for his easygoing interview style. Larry King Live, which ran on CNN from 1985 to 2010, became known for attracting celebrities, newsmakers, and world leaders. Ross Perot notably announced his presidential candidacy on the show in 1992. The following year, Perot and Vice President Al Gore debated the North American Free Trade Agreement on Larry King Live. After Larry King Live ended, King continued interviewing notable personalities on Larry King Now, a talk show that premiered on Hulu in 2012, and in 2013, he added the talk show PoliticKING with Larry King.
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How did Larry King influence the world of television and talk shows?
Larry King significantly impacted television and talk shows through his interviewing style and the format of his shows. From 1985 to 2010, he hosted Larry King Live on CNN, which became one of the network's most popular and longest-running programs. King's success stemmed from his easygoing, conversational interview style, and his pride in doing very little research on his guests.
His show was the first live phone-in program on television with an international audience and became a platform for political candidates; for example, Ross Perot announced his presidential candidacy on the show in 1992. Over time, King became an internationally recognized figure, as famous as the celebrities, newsmakers, and world leaders that he interviewed. Other talk show hosts who focused on interviews include Merv Griffin, Jack Paar, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and Stephen Colbert.
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Larry King (born November 19, 1933, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.—died January 23, 2021, Los Angeles, California) was an American talk-show host whose easygoing interviewing style helped make Larry King Live (1985–2010) one of CNN’s longest-running and most popular programs.
King grew up in Brooklyn, where he remained for several years after high-school graduation to help support his mother, who had been widowed when he was a young child. In his early twenties King left New York for Florida in the hopes of breaking into radio. He worked as a disc jockey in South Florida, honing his conversational interview style doing on-location interviews with random citizens. In 1960 he broke into television with a Miami-based talk show. King also wrote for a number of Miami newspapers during that period.
In 1971 King was arrested and charged with grand larceny for allegedly having stolen money from a former friend. Though the charges were dropped the following year, the scandal left King temporarily unable to secure radio or newspaper work. In the early 1970s he worked in public relations and as a sports commentator, and in 1975 he started to regain his foothold in Miami media.
From 1978 to 1994 King hosted the popular national radio talk show The Larry King Show, and from 1985 he hosted the television talk show Larry King Live on CNN, then a young network. The program was television’s first live phone-in show with an international audience. It became known not only for King’s off-the-cuff interview style (he prided himself on doing very little research on his guests) but for its popularity as a platform for political candidates. Notably, Ross Perot announced his presidential candidacy on the show in 1992. Though Perot failed to secure the presidency, the following year he and Vice Pres. Al Gore used King’s show as a forum for debating the North American Free Trade Agreement. Over time King became an internationally recognized figure, as famous as the celebrities, news makers, and world leaders that he interviewed. In December 2010 Larry King Live ended its run, after 25 years on the air. British tabloid journalist Piers Morgan was chosen to take over for King. King resumed interviewing notable personalities on Larry King Now, a talk show that premiered on the Web site Hulu in 2012, and the following year he added the talk show PoliticKING with Larry King.
King appeared as himself in a number of television shows, including 30 Rock and Sesame Street, and in such films as Ghostbusters (1984). King also did voice work in several of the animated Shrek films (2004, 2007, and 2010) and in Bee Movie (2007). In addition, he participated in documentaries, including 1989: The Year That Made Us (2019) and Dispatches from Quarantine (2020). After suffering a heart attack in 1987, he wrote books on heart disease. His autobiography, My Remarkable Journey, was published in 2009. In 2011 he received a News & Documentary Emmy Award for lifetime achievement.