
Long before Larry King’s suspenders hit the auction block, they turned heads in St. Louis. The Larry King Collection, set for auction by Julien’s on Aug. 12, features nearly 400 artifacts from the broadcaster’s six-decade career — including signed letters from presidents, artwork from celebrity friends like Frank Sinatra and, of course, those iconic suspenders.
But before they became museum pieces, they made a lasting impression right here in the Gateway City.
A standing ovation at Temple Emanuel
In the Sept. 28, 1994 edition of the Jewish Light, Larry King’s visit to Temple Emanuel was described as both intimate and electric. That night, as part of his national book tour for “Tell It to the King,” the CNN legend did what he did best: talk and listen.
He delivered a mix of anecdotes, off-the-cuff reflections and just enough celebrity gossip to make it all feel like a live broadcast — except with better seating. King spoke about everyone from Sinatra to Perot, from network politics to the awkward joys of live radio. It wasn’t just a talk; it was a performance, one that landed squarely in the wheelhouse of a Jewish crowd who’d grown up with his voice on the air.
King on identity, guilt and being “always Jewish”
As King later shared in the Nov. 16, 1994, edition of the Jewish Light, his Jewish identity was never in question, even if his observance waxed and waned. “I may not go to temple every week,” he said, “but I know who I am.” He described himself as a “secular Jew with a Talmudic guilt complex,” admitting with a laugh that it helped him relate to just about anyone he interviewed.
King didn’t just speak about being Jewish — he lived it conversationally, weaving it into interviews with presidents and pop stars alike. That candid self-awareness made him approachable in a way few broadcast giants ever manage.
The suspenders that launched a thousand interviews
Julien’s is offering two sets of King’s trademark suspenders from the 1990s. If you were alive and watching CNN during those years, you remember the look: thick-rimmed glasses, shirt sleeves rolled, suspenders snapped tight and a guest across the desk trying to keep up.
Those suspenders weren’t just fashion — they were armor. And during that 1994 stop in St. Louis, he wore them just like he did on TV: as part of a larger truth. Larry King was always himself. St. Louis saw that up close.
Legacy up for bid but never up for question
As part of The Larry King Collection, King’s life in broadcasting comes full circle — not just in his interviews but in his memorabilia. From a jelly bean self-portrait to awards from the Friars Club, from signed baseballs to handwritten notes from presidents, this auction is a masterclass in what it means to matter over time to so many.
As Margaret Barrett of Julien’s Auctions put it, “This collection offers a window into his brilliance… and his generous spirit.” And for those of us in St. Louis who shared a room with him — just once, just for an evening — we already knew that.