UT MD Anderson Pairs Franco Harris, Larry King in Las Vegas ‘Conversation’
MD Anderson News Release October 17, 2011
Inaugural Luncheon Nov. 4 at Encore Hotel to Benefit Prostate Cancer Research
MD Anderson News Release 10/17/11
Football legend Franco Harris and former CNN anchor Larry King team up for the inaugural A Conversation With a Living Legend® in Las Vegas, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Nov. 4 at the Encore Hotel. The luncheon, honoring Harris in an exclusive interview with King, benefits prostate cancer research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Since 1990, A Conversation With a Living Legend® has raised more than $14 million for research and patient care initiatives at MD Anderson through events in Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, San Antonio and Washington, D.C.
MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitor member Rosey Park and husband Ray of Cleveland, Ohio, are chairs of the Las Vegas event. Joining them on the host committee are Lovee and Bob Arum; Donna and Sheldon Cloobeck; Myra and Brian Greenspun; Parvin Modaber Jacobs, M.D.; Susan and Irwin Molasky; Elaine Newton; Elaine and Dan Park; Camille and Larry Ruvo; and Jane and Marc Schorr.
Major sponsors are Lovee and Bob Arum, Claude F. Kronk, A. Malachi Mixon III, The Park Foundation, Dan and Elaine Park and Piper Park and The Park Academy.
Franco Harris is well-known for his outstanding career in the National Football League, one so productive that it earned him a 1990 induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. During his 12 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Harris established many team and league records, played in nine Pro Bowls and led the Steelers’ charge to four Super Bowl victories. Harris was named MVP of Super Bowl IX. His “Immaculate Reception” in the final seconds of the 1972 American Football Conference playoff game against the Oakland Raiders is considered the greatest individual play in NFL history.
After retiring from football, Harris applied his college degree in food service and administration from Penn State and helped establish Super Bakery Inc.. Super Bakery promotes kids’ health and nutrition and sponsors many community programs such as the national MS Walk-a-Thon and The Greater Las Vegas After-School All-Stars. Harris served as the Chairman of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for eight years under Pennsylvania Gov. Robert P. Casey.
Among his numerous honors are the NFL Man of the Year, The American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award and the National Urban League’s Whitney M. Young Award. In 1997, he was honored as the National Multiple Sclerosis Volunteer of the Year. In October 2005, Penn State honored him as an Alumni Fellow, the highest honor conferred by the Penn State Alumni Association.
Larry King, dubbed the “master of the mic” by Time magazine, is one of the world’s most recognizable faces in broadcast. He changed the landscape of cable television with his highly rated talk show “Larry King Live” on CNN, where he spent 25 years hosting before hanging up his nightly suspenders this past December. He is currently hosting four prime time specials for CNN each year. As a domineering force in prime time news programming, King has done more than 50,000 interviews with news makers ranging from politicians and businessmen to celebrities and media moguls.
King is recipient of an Emmy Award, two Peabody Awards, 10 Cable ACE Awards and the prestigious Allen H. Neuharth Award for Excellence in Journalism. In addition, he has been inducted into five of the nation’s leading broadcasting halls of fame. His charitable works include the Larry King Cardiac Foundation, established in 1988 to provide funding for life saving cardiac procedures for those who otherwise couldn’t access due to limited means and no insurance. The organization has raised more than $15 million and provided procedures for more than 1,500 people.
For more information, call 866-262-9029 or email events@mdanderson.org.
10/17/2011