What Was Legendary Talk Show Host Larry King's Net Worth At The Time Of His Death?
| Name | Larry King |
| Net Worth | $50 million |
| Salary | $2 million |
| Gender | Male |
| DOB | Nov 19, 1933 - Jan 23, 2021 |
| Age | 87 years |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| Profession | Journalist, Talk show host, Actor, Voice Actor, Radio personality, Writer, TV Personality |
Larry King's net worth
Larry King, a renowned American radio and television journalist, had a net worth of $50 million at the time of his passing. He gained fame through his role as the host of "Larry King Live" on CNN. On January 23, 2021, Larry King passed away at the age of 87.
Larry King's Sources of Income
In 1957, Larry King started at WAHR in Miami, initially performing odd jobs around the studio. However, he got his break when one of the station's announcers quit, and he began his on-air career on May 1, 1957, as a disc jockey with a 9 am to noon slot. King also handled two-afternoon newscasts and a sportscast, earning a weekly wage of $50.
CNN Contract & Salary
When Larry King initially joined CNN in 1985, his annual salary was $200,000. However, by the early 1990s, his earnings had surged to $2 million per year. In 1994, Larry inked a four-year contract that awarded him a hefty $3.5 million annually.
In May 1998, during the pinnacle of his success at CNN, King signed a new agreement that substantially raised his income to match other prominent news anchors at the time. At that point, "Larry King Live" was CNN's highest-rated show. Under the terms of this deal, Larry King was guaranteed a salary of $7 million per year over five years, totaling $35 million. Adjusted for today's dollars, earning $7 million in 1998 is equivalent to roughly $13 million.
In addition to the salary increase, he also received stock options in CNN's parent company, Time Warner, and a substantial signing bonus estimated to be around $5 million.
Other Ventures
Larry King made memorable appearances in film and television, including "Ghostbusters," "Shrek 2," and "30 Rock." He played himself in "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" in 2016. In 2012, he hosted a third-party presidential debate and moderated the Kazenergy Eurasian Forum in 2011. He also hosted "In View with Larry King" from 2012 to 2013 and remained active on Twitter. Additionally, he appeared in TV infomercials.
Social Media
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| 345K | |
| 2.2M |
Personal Life
Larry King's personal life got nearly as much attention as his popular show. He went through eight marriages and fathered five children. His first marriage to high school sweetheart Freda Miller occurred when he was just 19, but it was annulled after a year. King married Playboy Bunny Alene Akins twice, first from 1962 to 1963, and again in 1969 only to divorce in 1972. His most recent marriage to Shawn Southwick lasted from 1997 until he filed for divorce in 2019.
King faced various health issues, primarily related to his heart. He experienced his first major heart attack in 1987, which led to a quintuple bypass surgery. Subsequently, he established the Larry King Cardiac Foundation, dedicated to providing life-saving heart procedures to those unable to afford them.
In April 2019, he had another heart attack and later revealed suffering from a stroke that left him in a coma for weeks. Tragically, in August 2020, two of his children, Andy and Chaia King, passed away within a few weeks of each other.
FAQs
How many times did Larry King marry?
Larry King married 8 times.
How much did Larry King make per year?
In 1998, at the peak of his success, King signed a new contract that doubled his salary, earning him $7 million per year for five years, totaling $35 million a year.