Larry King Has Died at Age 87

Larry King, legendary talk show host and journalist, has passed away. He was 87 years old.

On Saturday (Jan. 23), King's TV production company Ora Media confirmed the sad news in a statement shared on Twitter. "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 tweet began. "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."

The statement went on to highlight King's off-the-cuff interviewing technique that made him an icon. "Additionally, while it was his name appearing in the shows' titles, Larry always viewed his interview subjects as the true stars of his programs, and himself as merely an unbiased conduit between the guest and audience. Whether he was interviewing a U.S. president, foreign leader, celebrity, scandal-ridden personage, or an everyman, Larry liked to ask short, direct, and uncomplicated questions. He believed considered questions usually provided the best answers and he was not wrong in that belief."

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Known for his blocky glasses, colorful suspenders, and baritone voice, King conducted more than 60,000 interviews — ranging from Vladimir Putin to Paris Hilton — over his decades-long career. "Larry's interviews from his 25-year run on CNN's Larry King Love, and his Ora Media programs Larry King Now, and Politicking with Larry King are consistently referenced by media outlets around the world and remain part of the historical record of the late 20th and early 21st centuries," the announcement continued, before offering condolences to the King family.

A cause of death was not disclosed, but just weeks earlier King was hospitalized for COVID-19.