Leonard Lopate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leonard Lopate
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Lopate in 2008
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| Born | September 23, 1940 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
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| Died | August 5, 2025 (aged 84) Brooklyn, New York, U.S
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| Career | |
| Show | Leonard Lopate at Large |
| Station(s) | WBAI WHDD |
| Show | The Leonard Lopate Show |
| Station(s) | WNYC |
| Style | Talk show host |
| Country | United States |
Leonard Lopate (born September 23, 1940 – died August 5, 2025) was a well-known American radio personality. He hosted popular radio talk shows where he interviewed many interesting people. His most famous shows were The Leonard Lopate Show on WNYC and Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI. He started his radio career at WKCR, a college radio station, before moving to bigger stations. Leonard Lopate passed away in 2025 when he was 84 years old.
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Leonard Lopate's Journey to Radio
Leonard Lopate was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1940. He grew up in a neighborhood called Williamsburg. Before becoming a radio host, he studied art at Brooklyn College and Hunter College. He even trained as a painter. For about 15 years, he worked in advertising.
In 1977, Leonard got an exciting chance to host his very first talk show on a radio station called WBAI. What started as a new experience soon became his main passion and career.
One of his longest-running shows on WBAI was Round Midnight. This was a weekly show that aired late at night. On Round Midnight, Leonard interviewed guests and talked about many different topics. Listeners could also call in and share their thoughts. This show was popular through the mid-1980s.
After Round Midnight, Leonard moved to WNYC-FM. There, he hosted a midday talk show with another experienced radio host, Pegeen Fitzgerald. This show later grew into The Leonard Lopate Show, which became very famous.
Leonard Lopate also often appeared at places like the 92nd Street Y. He would interview famous people and lead discussions there. He also hosted talks at other important places like the Brooklyn Academy of Music and various libraries. He even helped create discussions about books for a writers' group called PEN International.
The Famous Leonard Lopate Show
The Leonard Lopate Show was a very popular program on WNYC radio. It aired every weekday from noon to 2 PM until December 2017. If you missed an episode, you could listen to parts of the show later as podcasts online.
This show was so good that it even won a Peabody Award. A Peabody Award is a very special prize given to excellent radio and television programs. On the show, Leonard usually conducted four interviews. Each interview lasted between 20 and 40 minutes. He covered a huge variety of subjects. These included current events, history, books, and different types of art like jazz and gospel music. He also talked about food, wine, and science. He even won three James Beard Awards for his work on food topics. These awards are like the "Oscars" for the food world!
Many of his guests were authors who had just released new books. Leonard interviewed all sorts of interesting people. He spoke with politicians, poets, painters, writers, filmmakers, actors, and dancers. He also interviewed many winners of the Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize. These are some of the highest honors people can receive for their work. He often talked with people involved in New York City theater productions.
Special Segments: "Please Explain" and "Underreported"
Leonard Lopate added two special parts to his show. One was called "Please Explain." In this segment, he invited experts to talk about many different topics. These topics were often things people were curious about, even if they weren't related to a new book or movie. For example, in 2006, he explored subjects like nanotechnology (tiny technology) and meditation (a way to calm your mind).
The other special segment was called "Underreported." Here, Leonard would discuss important political and social issues. He focused on topics that he felt had not been covered enough by other news outlets. This helped listeners learn more about less-discussed but important subjects.
In 2005, when the show celebrated its twentieth anniversary, famous journalist Tom Brokaw interviewed Leonard. They talked about how the show started, what Leonard hoped to achieve, and his unique interviewing style. Before it was called The Leonard Lopate Show, it was known as New York & Company.
Leonard Lopate at Large
After The Leonard Lopate Show ended, Leonard returned to radio on July 16, 2018. He became the host of a new show called Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI. He said he wanted to continue his interviews and discussions just as he had before. Leonard Lopate hosted this show until he passed away.
Leonard Lopate's Family and Passing
Leonard Lopate had a younger brother named Phillip Lopate, who is a writer. Their mother, Frances Lopate, was an actor. She was known for her acting roles, including a famous commercial for Alka Seltzer. Phillip Lopate even wrote a book about their mother called A Mother's Tale. Leonard and Phillip talked about their mother on Leonard's radio show in 2017.
Leonard Lopate was married twice during his life.
Leonard Lopate passed away on August 5, 2025, at his home in Brooklyn. He was 84 years old and had been living with ALS, a serious health condition.
