From Vladimir Putin to Paris Hilton: 10 of Larry King's most iconic interviews
- Larry King died on Saturday morning at the age of 87.
- During his career, he conducted over 50,000 interviews.
- Paul McCartney, Marlon Brando, and Margaret Thatcher are among his most memorable interviewees.
On Saturday morning, Larry King died at the age of 87.
The Emmy-winning political talk show host had a matchless career, spanning over six decades and across TV, radio, and digital media.
It is believed that he conducted over 50,000 interviews, according to CNN.
Among these interviews, he had exclusive sit-downs with every US president since Gerald Ford. He also chatted with some of the biggest names in showbiz.
Here are some of the most iconic interviews of Larry King's legendary career.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
Putin appeared for an hour with Larry King in 2000. In this interview, Putin was asked about his KGB career, his religious beliefs, and the 2000 presidential race.
Sir Paul McCartney
King received an Emmy nomination and New York Festival Award for his 2001 interview with Sir Paul McCartney. In it, the two men had a heartfelt conversation about John Lennon's death and how McCartney coped with the loss.
Oprah Winfrey
This interview is said to have edged then-Senator Barack Obama over the line in a competitive Democratic primary. At the end of the interview, Winfrey threw her weight behind the future president.
Economists have estimated that Winfrey's early endorsement got Obama an extra one million votes in the primary.
Frank Sinatra
In 1998, Frank Sinatra participated in his final major interview with King. Sinatra very rarely gave interviews, so this was an impressive booking for the show.
He controversially referred to the writes of kiss-and-tell books as "the pimps and the whores."
Marlon Brando
In 1994, Marlon Brando was interviewed in his Los Angeles home. Brando shocked viewers by exposing his bare feet, drumming on his furniture, and even singing a duet with King.
The most memorable moment, however, was when Brando planted a kiss on King at the end of the hour-long interview.
Lady Gaga
Music superstar Lady Gaga appeared on "Larry King Live" in 2010. She appeared dressed in glasses, suspenders, and a tie - mimicking King's usual look.
During the interview, the two discussed Gaga's Lupus diagnosis, her views on death, and the singer offered an exclusive preview of the music video for her song "Alejandro."
Margaret Thatcher
Former British Prime Minister sat down for a chat with Larry King in 1995. In the interview, she described much of her life as having been "quite a battle."
Thatcher told King about when she decided to become a politician, a difficult phone call with former President Ronald Reagan, and her family life.
Jerry Seinfeld
King and Jerry Seinfeld had a famously heated exchange in 2007. Seinfeld got frustrated after it was suggested that his show might have been canceled.
Seinfeld memorably said: "It's the number one show on television, do you know who I am?"
Tammy Fay Messner
Tammy Fay Messner, a former televangelist and singer, appeared on Larry King while suffering from cancer. In the interview, she told King that she could no longer swallow food and weighed just 65 pounds.
The day after the interview was broadcast, Messner's family announced her death.
Paris Hilton
In 2007, Paris Hilton had just been released from prison. She had been arrested for violating her probation after being caught drink-driving.
Larry King secured her first post-jail interview. Hilton described what it was like growing up in the public eye.