Larry King — the legendary broadcaster known for his suspenders and high-profile interviews, has died. He was 87.
King died at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to Ora Media, the studio and network he co-founded.
“With profound sadness, Ora Media announces the death of our co-founder, host and friend Larry King, who passed away this morning at age 87 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles,” the statement said. “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.”
- No cause was given for his death.
- His son, Chance, confirmed the death to CNN.
- CNN reports that King had been hospitalized for more than a week with COVID-19 back in December. It’s unclear if that’s what led to his death.
King hosted “Larry King Live” on CNN for over 25 years. He interviewed massive celebrities, athletes and presidential candidates, according to CNN.
CNN President Jeff Zucker issued a statement about King’s death.
“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. We are so proud of the 25 years he spent with CNN, where his newsmaker interviews truly put the network on the international stage. From our CNN family to Larry’s, we send our thoughts and prayers, and a promise to carry on his curiosity for the world in our work.”
He retired in 2010 after doing 6,000 episodes.
Larry King interviewed President Gordon B. Hinckley of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints three times on his show, according to the Deseret News.
Medical issues
King had suffered multiple heart problems throughout his life. In November 2019, he revealed he had been in a coma and suffered a stroke, as I wrote about for the Deseret News.
- “I had a stroke,” he told ExtraTV. “Everything got better except my left foot and I have been rehabbing that every day, and they tell me I’ll be walking by Christmas. Not bad, I can walk with a walker, too.”
Earlier in 2019, King underwent a heart procedure. Ora TV said in April that he was staying at the hospital for his recovery, according to USA Today.
- The medical problems came amid marital strife. Larry King sought a divorce from his seventh wife, Utah’s Shawn King, after 22 years of marriage, which I wrote about for Deseret News.
- The couple were married 1997. They had originally filed for divorce in 2010 but stayed together. Shawn Southwick originates from Provo. Her brother is Bret Engemann, a former BYU quarterback.
What’s next
According to The Associated Press, funeral arrangements and a memorial service will be revealed later. The King family is asking “for their privacy at this time,” according to the tweet from Ora Media.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.