Larry Mantle Host, AirTalk
- Phone: (626) 583-5161
Larry Mantle has been the host of AirTalk on KPCC since April 1st, 1985. It is now the longest continuously running daily talk program in the Los Angeles radio market. Mantle also hosts the movie review and interview program FilmWeek on AirTalk, heard every Friday at 11:00 a.m. on KPCC.
A fourth-generation Angeleno, Larry has interviewed thousands of prominent guests on an extraordinary array of topics, and received many journalistic awards in the process. Larry grew up in southwest Los Angeles, Inglewood, and Hollywood. He's a graduate of Hollywood High School and Vanguard University of Southern California. Larry and his wife Kristen are the parents of Desmond.
Stories by Larry Mantle
Bob O'Rourke (1939-2011)
I lost a good friend yesterday – a man I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for 25 years—longtime VP of Public Relations for Caltech, Bob O’Rourke. Bob was not only a dedicated booster of Caltech; he was always working to connect people he knew when their interests intersected.
When best laid plans go potluck
Tuesday morning on “AirTalk,” one of our planned segments completely fell apart just a few minutes before airtime. Though that’s not unheard of, fortunately, it’s fairly rare.
A music lover's dream
That’s what I experienced last week at the historic recording stage at Sony Pictures in Culver City. The stage was where musical soundtracks for numerous classic MGM films were recorded, including “The Wizard of Oz.
A powerless couple of days
Two of our four “AirTalk” producers, and our technical director, were still without power in their homes Friday morning, after Wednesday night’s historically high winds hit parts of the Southland.
Believing the unbelievable
Tuesday morning on “AirTalk,” we reported on GOP Presidential candidate Herman Cain’s conference call with aides in which he seemed to pave the way toward dropping out of the race.
It's especially important to give thanks in difficult times
This Thanksgiving season couldn’t come at a better time, as our government drives us to fury and our economy drives us to…well, name your coping mechanism. This is the most negativity I’ve sensed from the American public in my adult lifetime.
Where does Occupy go from here?
At least for now, there won’t be any tents at the park where Occupy Wall Street has been protesting for two months. Other sites are being considered, but it’s not clear what form the protests will now take.
The power of mental images
Monday morning on “AirTalk,” we opened with the non-detailed allegations by three unidentified women that GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain had sexually harassed them during the time he headed the National Restaurant Association trade and lobbying group.
Internet dependency
If you’re like me, you’ve asked yourself many times how we functioned before the Internet. It’s true that some things were better before we became tethered to the online world.
What social safety net would Jesus construct?
That’s the gist of a conversation we’re planning for Tuesday morning’s "AirTalk." As a former Biblical Studies major in college (before getting my degree in psychology), I’m particularly interested in this topic.
Jerry West opens up on "AirTalk"
I wasn’t a child who actively looked for heroes. I was enamored enough with my parents and friends that I didn’t feel the need to put my hopes and dreams onto a public figure.
What will we miss without Steve Jobs?
The strong and in-depth response to Jobs’ death isn’t surprising, but the emotions elicited by his passing are stronger than I expected.
The Klitschko brothers visit KPCC
This afternoon we welcomed heavyweight boxing champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko to our studios for an interview to be aired in a few weeks. The brothers are doing interviews in advance of the opening of the new documentary, Klitschko, which features the back-story of how the pair became the first brothers to ever simultaneously capture all the heavyweight titles available.
The battle between humans and computers at the heart of "Moneyball"
As a sports fan, I’m always glad for movies and books that relate the intricacies of professional sports. My interest began in the 1970s with Jim Bouton’s inside-the-locker-room classic, Ball Four.
Criminal charges in the death of homeless Fullerton resident Kelly Thomas
Orange County D. A. Tony Rackauckas took the big step of filing second-degree murder charges against one of the officers involved in the beating death of homeless Fullerton resident Kelly Thomas.
