Larry King's Wife Exposed: The Secret Leak That Destroyed Their Marriage
What really happened behind the scenes of Larry King's final marriage? The shocking revelations about Shawn Southwick King that led to their divorce and shattered the legendary broadcaster's final years.
Larry King, the iconic television and radio host who conducted over 50,000 interviews during his remarkable career, experienced his share of personal drama behind the scenes. While millions knew him as the man with the suspenders and glasses who interviewed presidents and celebrities, his private life was marked by multiple marriages and complex relationships. The most scrutinized of these was undoubtedly his marriage to Shawn Southwick King, which ended in a highly publicized divorce that revealed shocking allegations about infidelity, manipulation, and emotional turmoil.
Larry King's Biography and Personal Details
Larry King, born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger on November 19, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York City, was one of two sons of Jennie (née Gitlitz) and Edward Zeiger, Orthodox Jews who immigrated to the United States from Soviet Belarus in the 1920s. His journey from Brooklyn to becoming one of America's most recognizable television personalities is a classic American success story.
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Personal Information Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Lawrence Harvey Zeiger (Larry King) |
| Date of Birth | November 19, 1933 |
| Place of Birth | Brooklyn, New York City |
| Parents | Jennie (née Gitlitz) and Edward Zeiger |
| Ethnicity | Jewish (Belarusian descent) |
| Marriages | 8 (including two to Alene Akins) |
| Most Notable Marriage | Shawn Southwick King (1997-2019) |
| Children | 5 (including Chance and Cannon with Shawn) |
| Career Start | 1957 as a radio host |
| Death | January 23, 2021 |
| Age at Death | 87 |
The Beginning of Larry and Shawn's Relationship
Larry King married Shawn Southwick on September 5, 1997, when he was 63 years old and she was 38 - a significant age gap that would later become part of their story's complexity. Shawn, born Shawn Engemann, had worked as an actress and singer before marrying King. Their wedding came 43 years after King's first marriage to Freda Miller, a girlfriend from his native Brooklyn when he was still Larry Zeiger.
The marriage seemed to represent a fresh start for King, who had been through multiple marriages and divorces. Shawn brought youthful energy into his life, and they soon had two children together: Chance, born in 1999, and Cannon, born in 2000. For 22 years, they appeared to be the picture of a successful Hollywood marriage, with Shawn often accompanying King to events and supporting his career.
The Allegations That Changed Everything
However, according to multiple sources, including a producer who worked on "Larry King Live" for more than 1,300 episodes, the marriage was far from perfect. This producer alleged that he witnessed Shawn King abusing and isolating Larry, even trapping him in the back of their home. These serious allegations painted a picture of a marriage that was controlling and potentially abusive.
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The most devastating revelation came from Larry King's longtime friend, who disclosed that the late TV host believed his wife Shawn was having an alleged affair with another man during the final years of his life. This information, obtained by RadarOnline.com, suggested that King was living with the painful suspicion of infidelity throughout his last years of marriage.
The Divorce Filing and Heartbreak
In 2019, Larry King filed for divorce from Shawn Southwick King after nearly 22 years of marriage. His lawyer confirmed the filing to People magazine, citing irreconcilable differences. At the time of the filing, Larry was 85 years old, and Shawn was 59. The divorce filing came as a shock to many, given the couple's long history together and the fact that they had weathered previous rumors and challenges.
An insider told Us Weekly that King was "heartbroken" following reports that his wife had allegedly been having an affair for a year. The source emphasized that King was "blindsided" by the situation, suggesting that the infidelity allegations came as a complete surprise to him. This emotional devastation was particularly poignant given King's advanced age and health challenges at the time.
The Final Years and Public Scrutiny
The marriage played out during a time when celebrity news moved faster and stuck longer in the public consciousness. Unlike today's rapid news cycle, the 1990s and early 2000s allowed for more sustained coverage of celebrity relationships. Larry and Shawn's marriage was frequently in the spotlight, with their age difference and King's previous marriages making them a subject of public fascination.
The divorce proceedings and the allegations surrounding them became part of the public record, adding another chapter to King's already complex personal history. The situation was further complicated by King's declining health in his final years, making the emotional turmoil of a contentious divorce particularly difficult for someone of his age.
The Broader Context of Larry King's Personal Life
Larry King's relationship with Shawn Southwick King was his seventh marriage, though technically his eighth if you count his two marriages to Alene Akins. His marriage history included relationships with Annette Kaye (1961), Alene Akins (1961-1963 and 1967-1972), Mickey Sutphin (1963-1967), Sharon Lepore (1976-1983), Julie Alexander (1989-1992), and finally Shawn Southwick (1997-2019).
This pattern of multiple marriages and divorces had become part of King's public persona, with many of his relationships playing out in the media. However, the allegations surrounding his final marriage with Shawn seemed to carry a different weight, given his age and the serious nature of the accusations.
The Impact on Larry King's Legacy
The revelations about Larry King's final years and his marriage to Shawn Southwick King add a complex layer to his legacy. While he is remembered as one of the greatest interviewers in television history, his personal life was marked by the same kinds of relationship struggles that affect many people. The allegations of infidelity, control, and emotional distress in his final marriage humanize him in a way that his professional achievements alone cannot.
King's death on January 23, 2021, at age 87, came after years of health issues, including multiple heart attacks and the need for cardiac surgery. The divorce from Shawn had been finalized before his death, though the emotional impact of their separation likely continued to affect him in his final years.
Conclusion
The story of Larry King's marriage to Shawn Southwick King serves as a reminder that even the most public figures face private struggles that can be just as challenging as their professional lives. The allegations of infidelity, control, and emotional manipulation that emerged in the final years of their marriage paint a picture of a relationship that was far more complicated than the public image suggested.
For a man who spent his career asking questions and uncovering truths about others, the revelations about his own personal life show that even the most skilled interviewers can miss important truths in their own relationships. The secret leaks that ultimately destroyed their marriage - from the producer's allegations of abuse to the claims of Shawn's affair - transformed what appeared to be a storybook Hollywood marriage into a cautionary tale about the complexities of relationships, especially those played out in the public eye.
Larry King's legacy as a broadcaster remains secure, but his personal life, particularly his final marriage, reminds us that success in one area of life doesn't guarantee success in others. The heartbreak and allegations that marked his final years with Shawn Southwick King add a human dimension to the story of a man who, for decades, made his living by understanding and revealing the human condition in others.
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