WASHINGTON, January 24. /TASS/. American journalist Larry King will be remembered for his art of engaging guests in an easygoing conversation and letting them tell their stories themselves, Russia’s diplomatic mission in the US stated on its Facebook page.
The embassy was "deeply saddened to learn about the demise of Mr. Larry King, the eminent American broadcaster, interviewer and writer." "Mr. King used to be one of a kind, a professional, a legend," according to the diplomatic mission.
"For more than sixty years on television and radio, he interviewed dozens of thousands of politicians, religious and business figures, movie stars and celebrities of all sorts. Mr. King will be remembered for his art of engaging guests in an easygoing conversation and letting them tell their stories themselves," the Russian diplomats stated.
"We extend our most heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the family and friends of Mr. Larry King. The iconic talk show host, he will be missed by millions of his viewers and listeners, all those who loved, respected and admired this extraordinary man," the embassy concluded.
A tweet posted on King’s Twitter account on Saturday said that he passed away at the age of 87. The veteran television host was said to have died in a LA hospital, but the cause of his death was not mentioned.
On January 2, CNN reported that the journalist had been hospitalized with COVID-19.
Born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger on November 19, 1933, in New York, Larry King was brought up in a family of Jewish immigrants, who had come from Belarus. He hosted his talk show "Larry King Live" on CNN for 25 years. His show was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as "the longest-running show with the same host in the same time slot."
During his carrier, King conducted, according to various estimates, from 50,000 to 60,000 on-air interviews. He interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin (in 2000 and 2010) and the Soviet Union’s first President Mikhail Gorbachev (in 2008) as well as every sitting US president from Richard Nixon, and Margaret Thatcher, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Mike Tyson, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. In 2013, he began hosting Larry King Now on RT America.
During his career, the journalist received numerous professional awards, including Peabody and Emmy Awards.