Larry King is one of the most important figures in media of the 20th century. The 82-year-old may have been around the block a few times, but he’s still kicking. However, despite the fact that King has spent a considerable amount of time in the spotlight and under the scrutiny of the public eye, there are still some things that many people don’t know. With that in mind, here we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Larry King. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: He Was Not Always a King. In fact, King was born Larry Zeiger. However, when King moved to Miami to become a media personality, his first boss sad Zeiger was “too ethnic.” His boss then looked down, saw an advertisement for King’s Wholesale Liquors, and suggested the last name of King.
Number Fourteen: He Was a Sports Analyst. You might know King best as a talk show host, but while he was in Miami, he worked as a sports analyst for the Miami Dolphins. However, he ended up losing his job after he was arrested in 1971 for grand larceny.
Number Thirteen: He Got Into a Car Accident With JFK. Yes, THE John F. Kennedy! King and Kennedy got into a fender-bender in 1958. According to King, Kennedy was quite upset because he was parked at the time and didn’t understand how King could have possibly hit him.
Number Twelve: He Doesn’t Really Prepare for Shows. According to King, only spending a minimal amount of time preparing for shows allows for the interactions he has with his interviewees to be as authentic as possible. He wants to learn about them at the same time that his watchers do.
Number Eleven: He Kissed Marlon Brando. In 1994, King had a very interesting interview with Marlon Brando that involved King shaking Brando’s mastiff’s hand. However, that wasn’t the most interesting thing that happened on the episode. The interview finished in Brando’s home, and Brando can be seen kissing King on the mouth at one point.
Number Ten: He Has Been Married Eight Times. King has been married eight times to seven different women. The woman he married twice was his third wife, who was a Playboy bunny.
Number Nine: He Learned Two Lessons From His Father. And those lessons were two pieces advice about what not to do: lie or talk to strangers.