Larry King Live debuted on CNN television in 1985 with a mix of celebrity interviews, political debates and topical discussion, and is the network’s highest-rated program. Westwood One’s simulcast of CNN’s Larry King Live debuted in 1994 as the first daily television/radio talk program of its kind.

Larry King has been in the interviewing business for over 40 years. Dubbed the “most remarkable talk-show host on TV ever” by TV Guide and “master of the mike” by TIME magazine, King also hosts Larry King Weekend on CNN. In addition, he has written 11 books with his 12th scheduled for release in November of 2001.

With more than 44 years in broadcasting and over 44,000 interviews to his credit, King is one of the most respected personalities in the industry. King, who has been described as the “Muhammad Ali of the broadcast interview,” has been inducted into five of the nation’s leading broadcasting halls of fame. Both his radio and television shows have won the George Foster Peabody Award for Excellence in Broadcasting. King has also won 10 CableACE Awards for Best Interviewer and for Best Talk Show Series.

King recently received the Unity Award from Lincoln University of Missouri and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Public Service Award. He was honored by the American Academy of Achievement in 1996 with the Golden Plate Award for his life’s work in the broadcasting industry. In May 1997, King celebrated his 40th anniversary in the broadcasting industry and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his life’s work. The National Association of Radio Talk Show Hosts named King “Talk Show Host of the Year” in 1993, and in 1994 he was the recipient of the prestigious Scopus Award from the American Friends of Hebrew University. He has received honorary degrees from George Washington University, Columbia Medical School, the New England Institute of Technology and the Pratt Institute.

Before broadcasting to an international audience, King was a popular media personality in Miami where he hosted interview programs for WIOD-Radio and WTVJ-TV. From 1978-1994, King’s voice was heard by millions of radio listeners on Mutual Radio’s The Larry King Show.

Additionally, he founded the Larry King Cardiac Foundation, which awards grants to individuals with heart disease to help pay for medical treatment. King also is involved with the American Heart Association and the Save the Children Foundation, and he recently established a $1 million journalism scholarship at George Washington University’s School of Media and Affairs for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.