Larry King, Legendary Talk Show Host, Dies At The Age Of 87

The legendary talk show host Larry King has died.

King died at the Los Angeles Cedar-Sinai Medical Center Saturday. Ora Media, the company behind “Larry King Now” and “Politicking with Larry King,” said in a statement. The official statement was posted on King’s Official Twitter page.

“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,” according to the statement. “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.”

In early January, the host was hospitalized with COVID-19.

Larry King has battled with many health issues over the years. The host has suffered from several heart attacks, undergoing quintuple bypass surgery in 1987, which inspired him to establish the Larry King Cardiac Foundation. The foundation helped provide insurance to that did not have it. In 2017, King had been diagnosed with lung cancer and had a successful surgery to treat it.

King stepped away from his long-running CNN program in 2010. He returned to television again as a moderator, opinion shaper, and, from time to time, as a pitchman.

During his 25 years running the “Larry King Live,” which was the first international live phone-in TV talk show, he was variously called by the press “America’s yak-master,” the “pope of talk,” and the “top banana of talk-show hosts.”

King was well-known for wearing his hair slicked back, horned rimmed glasses, and trademarked suspenders while interviewing people from his desk.

Over the years, many celebrities, politicians and newsmakers, and experts have chatted it up with King.

He will be missed.

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— Larry King (@kingsthings) January 23, 2021