Larry King

Name at birth: Lawrence Harvey Ziegler

Larry King is one of the most recognized broadcasters in the world, thanks to his seven-days-a-week talk shows on CNN television, Larry King Live and Larry King Weekend. King began his broadcasting career in Miami, Florida in the late 1950s. By the 1970s he was an all-around media personality, doing television and radio shows as well as writing a column for The Miami Herald. His career went a little sour during the 1970s, but in 1978 he landed a spot as the host of a nationally syndicated radio show. In 1982 he began writing a newspaper column for USA Today (he ended the gig in 2001) and in 1985 he joined CNN as the host of a world-wide call-in talk show. Known for his blunt (if not particularly penetrating) questions, King has conducted thousands of interviews with celebrities, politicians and newsmakers, including Paul McCartney, Marlon Brando, Yasser Arafat, Tony Blair, Richard Nixon and Ross Perot.