01of 14NBC/courtesy Everett CollectionBorn Lawrence Harvey Zeiger on Nov. 19, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, Larry King didn’t have the easiest childhood.After his father - a Russian immigrant - died of heart problems in 1944, “I was 11, my younger brother Martin was only 6, and my mother couldn’t work,” he told PEOPLE in 1980. “I remember the inspectors from the Welfare Department coming to our house. They opened the refrigerator and asked my mother how she could afford the meat. She could afford it because she didn’t eat it. She gave it to my brother and me.“An avid fan of radio, King broke into the business in the late ’50s in Miami, after he took a janitor job at a local station and was asked to go on air after an announcer abruptly quit.“I was petrified,” he recalled to PEOPLE. “The theme music was supposed to fade, and I was supposed to do a voice-over. But every time the music faded I’d turn it back up again. Finally the station manager stuck his head into the studio and said, ‘Remember, this is a communicating business.’ I let the music go down and told the audience what had just happened. Those were my first words on radio.”
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NBC/courtesy Everett Collection
Born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger on Nov. 19, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, Larry King didn’t have the easiest childhood.
After his father - a Russian immigrant - died of heart problems in 1944, “I was 11, my younger brother Martin was only 6, and my mother couldn’t work,” he told PEOPLE in 1980. “I remember the inspectors from the Welfare Department coming to our house. They opened the refrigerator and asked my mother how she could afford the meat. She could afford it because she didn’t eat it. She gave it to my brother and me.”
An avid fan of radio, King broke into the business in the late ’50s in Miami, after he took a janitor job at a local station and was asked to go on air after an announcer abruptly quit.
“I was petrified,” he recalled to PEOPLE. “The theme music was supposed to fade, and I was supposed to do a voice-over. But every time the music faded I’d turn it back up again. Finally the station manager stuck his head into the studio and said, ‘Remember, this is a communicating business.’ I let the music go down and told the audience what had just happened. Those were my first words on radio.”
02of 14AlamyKing continued on the radio and even had a television show,Miami Undercover,as well as radio work covering the Miami Dolphins football team.But he lost all of his gigs in 1971 when he was arrested and charged with grand larceny, unable to pay back a financier. The charges were eventually dropped - and King was hired back on the radio - but continued to have financial struggles throughout his early career, due in part to a predilection for gambling.“I was in a lot of financial trouble,” he told PEOPLE, “but I never let it affect my job. Work was my opiate.”
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Alamy
King continued on the radio and even had a television show,Miami Undercover,as well as radio work covering the Miami Dolphins football team.
But he lost all of his gigs in 1971 when he was arrested and charged with grand larceny, unable to pay back a financier. The charges were eventually dropped - and King was hired back on the radio - but continued to have financial struggles throughout his early career, due in part to a predilection for gambling.
“I was in a lot of financial trouble,” he told PEOPLE, “but I never let it affect my job. Work was my opiate.”
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Everett
According to a 1980 PEOPLE profile, the show was a “stunning success,” with 6 million listeners. It ended in 1994, after winning King a Peabody Award in 1982.
04of 14Ron Galella/WireImageAs his star was on the rise, so was his profile:King famously married eight times, to seven women. Sharon Lepore, pictured, was his fourth wife (and fifth marriage); the two were together from 1976 to 1983.Prior to her, he was married to high school sweetheart Freda Miller from 1952 to 1953 (their parents allegedly annulled the marriage because they disapproved); Annette Kaye in 1961 (with whom he had his first child, Larry Jr.);Playboybunny Alene Akins from 1961-63 and again from 1968 to 1971 (he adopted her son Andy and had daughter Chaia with her); and Mickey Sutphin from 1964-67 (with whom he had daughter Kelly).
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Ron Galella/WireImage
As his star was on the rise, so was his profile:King famously married eight times, to seven women. Sharon Lepore, pictured, was his fourth wife (and fifth marriage); the two were together from 1976 to 1983.
Prior to her, he was married to high school sweetheart Freda Miller from 1952 to 1953 (their parents allegedly annulled the marriage because they disapproved); Annette Kaye in 1961 (with whom he had his first child, Larry Jr.);Playboybunny Alene Akins from 1961-63 and again from 1968 to 1971 (he adopted her son Andy and had daughter Chaia with her); and Mickey Sutphin from 1964-67 (with whom he had daughter Kelly).
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Jeffrey Markowitz/Sygma via Getty
In 1985, King began his CNN series,Larry King Live,spending an hour every night on air before heading to his radio job. According to his bio, he conducted more than 40,000 interviews over the span of his career. Here, he talks to O.J. Simpson attorney Robert Shapiro in 1995.
He famously never prepared for his guests, telling PEOPLE, “This way the audience and I can learn together. I never ask a question when I know the answer.”
His success came at a price, however; in 1985, he told PEOPLE, “Somebody has to suffer - I guess it’s my children and my wife. We workaholics make life decisions that make marriage very difficult.”
06of 14Darlene Hammond/GettyJulie Alexander, a businesswoman, met King in 1989. She would become his sixth wife later that year when the two married in Washington.They separated in 1990, two years before they officially divorced.Before meeting her, King suffered a major heart attack in 1987, leading to hospitalizations in the years following. His health issues led him to found theLarry King Cardiac Foundation, giving financial assistance to people with heart conditions in need of medical treatment.
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Darlene Hammond/Getty
Julie Alexander, a businesswoman, met King in 1989. She would become his sixth wife later that year when the two married in Washington.They separated in 1990, two years before they officially divorced.
Before meeting her, King suffered a major heart attack in 1987, leading to hospitalizations in the years following. His health issues led him to found theLarry King Cardiac Foundation, giving financial assistance to people with heart conditions in need of medical treatment.
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Jim Henson Company/courtesy Everett Collection
08of 14Nick Ut/AP/REX/ShutterstockIn 1997, King was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Previously, he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and the Broadcasters' Hall of Fame.
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Nick Ut/AP/REX/Shutterstock
In 1997, King was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Previously, he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and the Broadcasters' Hall of Fame.
09of 14TANNEN MAURY/AFP/GettyThough many of his guests were celebrities and authors, King’s show was also known for its political spin. In 2000, Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush and his wife Laura visited the show, before the former Texas governor won the controversial presidential election against Democratic nominee Al Gore.
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TANNEN MAURY/AFP/Getty
Though many of his guests were celebrities and authors, King’s show was also known for its political spin. In 2000, Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush and his wife Laura visited the show, before the former Texas governor won the controversial presidential election against Democratic nominee Al Gore.
10of 14King with Shawn, their sons Cannon and Chance, and son Larry King Jr., in 2009.Michael Schwartz/WireImageIn 1997, King married Shawn Southwick, with whom he has two sons, Chance and Cannon (here they attend an event with Larry King Jr. in 2009). In 2010, they filed for divorce, but reconciled three months after the original filing. In 2016,there were rumors Southwickwas having an affair, though the coupleweathered the storm. As of late 2020, however, they were estranged andcontinuing with divorce proceedings.
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King with Shawn, their sons Cannon and Chance, and son Larry King Jr., in 2009.Michael Schwartz/WireImage
In 1997, King married Shawn Southwick, with whom he has two sons, Chance and Cannon (here they attend an event with Larry King Jr. in 2009). In 2010, they filed for divorce, but reconciled three months after the original filing. In 2016,there were rumors Southwickwas having an affair, though the coupleweathered the storm. As of late 2020, however, they were estranged andcontinuing with divorce proceedings.
11of 14Jordan Strauss/GettyIn 2010, after 25 years, King ended his CNN series, and parted ways with the network in 2012.
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Jordan Strauss/Getty
In 2010, after 25 years, King ended his CNN series, and parted ways with the network in 2012.
12of 14Larry KingKing received a Lifetime Achievement Award Emmy - his only Emmy, despite six nominations - at the 32nd Annual News and DocumentaryEmmy Awardsin 2011.
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Larry King
King received a Lifetime Achievement Award Emmy - his only Emmy, despite six nominations - at the 32nd Annual News and DocumentaryEmmy Awardsin 2011.
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Hulu
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Larry King.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty
In early January 2021,he was hospitalizedwith COVID-19, andon Jan. 23, Ora Media announced the journalist’s death at the age of 87.
Working until age 85, King never felt put upon. Instead, he told PEOPLE in 2003, “While it seems like I’m doing a lot, I don’t think of it as work. I love what I do.”
source: people.com
