What was Larry King's net worth?
Broadcast legend had lucrative career, supported philanthropic causes
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Before he died at age 87 Saturday, broadcast legend Larry King enjoyed a long and lucrative career.
King’s TV career spanned more than six decades, including 25 years hosting “Larry King Live” on CNN.
Donald Trump, right, is interviewed by Larry King during a taping of "Larry King Live," in New York in 1999. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler, File)
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Even early on at the cable news channel, King stood out as a popular personality. In 1990, King signed a then-record, five-year $8 million contract, the Los Angeles Times reported. In 1998, his pay had reached $7 million per year, according to The New York Times.
“I certainly never thought they would pay this kind of money,” King told the newspaper at the time.
By 2010 -- King’s final year at CNN -- his contract was worth $56 million and his net worth was estimated at $144 million, according to TMZ.
Larry King asks a question to the Republican presidential candidates during the 2000 Republican presidential debate in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Eric Draper, Pool)
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Two years later, King co-founded on-demand digital network and production company Ora TV along with billionaire Carlos Slim. The company produced eight seasons of another King-hosted show, “Larry King Now.”
King remained a sought-after media figure. Just last year, Variety reported he had signed a $5 million contract to host an entertainment and celebrity interview podcast, “The Millionth Interview.”
The sale of a Beverly Hills mansion owned by King and his former wife, Shawn Southwick King, netted $15.5 million last year. By then, the couple was in the midst of a messy divorce -- King’s eighth -- and in 2010, TMZ had reported they had no prenuptial agreement.
Larry King,who interviewed presidents, movie stars and ordinary Joes during a half-century in broadcasting, has died at age 87. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
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King’s career also saw him writing columns for several newspapers and authoring about a dozen books.
He was also noted for his philanthropy. King started the Larry King Cardiac Foundation in 1988, helping people get needed medical treatment who otherwise would be unable to afford it. King donated proceeds from his books, speaking engagements and galas to fund the group.