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.
King hosted “Larry King Live” on CNN for over 25 years, interviewing presidential candidates, celebrities, athletes, movie stars and everyday people. He retired in 2010 after taping more than 6,000 episodes of the show.
He started his career as a radio DJ in Miami in 1957. His late-night radio talk show, “The Larry King Show,” debuted in 1978 and was nationally syndicated. King joined CNN in 1985.
King interviewed such luminaries as Marlon Brando, Hillary Clinton, Vladimir Putin, Patty Hearst, Oprah Winfrey, President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara and more.
A statement was posted on his verified Facebook account announcing his passing. His son, Chance, confirmed King’s death Saturday morning.
“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” according to his son Chance.
The statement did not give a cause of death. King had been hospitalised with Covid-19 in late December.
[Photo: Jordan Strauss/Getty Images for CNN]