The king of the interview, pioneer of "infotainment" (infotainment), Larry King died at the age of 87 on Saturday.
In 63 years of work, including 25 years at CNN, he has interviewed the greatest: from all American presidents since 1974, through foreign heads of state to the most discreet Hollywood stars.
An American television icon has died out.
Famous host Larry King died on Saturday at the age of 87.
The cause of his death has not been disclosed, but he was admitted to hospital several weeks ago after contracting Covid-19.
The king of the interview had a very recognizable allure: large square glasses, shirt with rolled up sleeves, multicolored tie and above all two wide visible straps.
From Bill Clinton to Celine Dion, many tributes have been paid to him.
Even Vladimir Putin, whom he had interviewed in his late-show, praised his "great professionalism".
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The figures are even more telling: nearly 50,000 interviews, 63 years of work including 25 years on the same channel that made him famous: CNN.
He hosted his famous show: "Larry King Live" until 2010, with boxes of audiences.
It has happened to be followed by 160 million households in 220 countries.
His show entered Guinness World Records as the longest-running show with the same host and on the same time slot: every night of the week at 9 p.m.
His notoriety has earned him to play his own role in dozens of films or TV series.
From heads of state to rare cinema actors
All those who made the news came first on his set.
The host liked to chat with his hosts.
He also said not to prepare too much for his interviews, to be surprised, like his viewers.
Larry King received personalities from various fields: politics, religion, sport, economy, culture but also victims of news items or catastrophes, crooks, murderers, "experts" in paranormal phenomena ... He had received all the American presidents since 1974, and even some foreign heads of state: Vladimir Poutine, Mouammar Kadhafi, Margaret Thatcher, Hugo Chavez but also the Dalai Lama, or Yasser Arafat.
Besides, on the glitter side, the list would be far too long to establish, but he was known to land the most coveted guests.
And especially those who were scarce in the media, like Franck Sinatra for example.
He found himself at Larry King's microphone in 1988. The same goes for actor Marlon Brando, very rare on television.
He still ended his interview by humming with Larry King and giving him a kiss on the mouth.
An image that made a lot of noise at the time, in 1994.
Many exclusives that his detractors explained by his complacency with his guests.
Larry King fully assumed.
"I'm not interested in making people uncomfortable," he explained.
He did not claim to be a journalist, moreover, but preferred the term "infotainer", which could be translated as "infotainer".
A pioneer of the genre