He attributes his diverse, and long, career to his religious faith, a passion for what he does, and what he describes as the unconditional love and support from his family, friends, and colleagues throughout the years.
During the 1960s, Coney Island was a unified neighborhood and children didn't run out of things to do in the neighborhood, he said.
"There were so many activates that children were a part of. There were three movie theaters, a bowling alley, a florist, and two bakeries. But times have changed because many parents are scared when children leave their sight because there is so much street violence and high usage of drugs now."
King found his talents at the age of five. He was fascinated with art, theater, and puppets. He used to make paper mache puppets in after-school programs, and he would pretend to have his own radio and television show with his two older brothers and younger sister.
"At first I didn't know I was setting a path for my career, because one thing led to another and I just kept going and going," said King. "Then my parents used to watch us individually because they knew that each of us had our own talents. I’m just thankful that my parents let me pursue my dreams.”
In his pre-teens King started writing poetry, and his English teacher, Dr. Daisy Aldan and Owen Dodson inspired him to write. He says that even though he usually wrote assigned essays, his teacher also gave the opportunity to write poetry and he developed a love for it. Dylan Thomas, Smokey Robinson, James Baldwin, Curtis Mayfield, and the Romantics inspired him as well.
"Owen was like a walking encyclopedia on theater, art, and literature, and he knew his stuff and he has been around," said King. "I think it was one of those golden opportunities for me- to be sharing my work with him, talking to him and getting affirmation from one of the village elders."
King continued to flourish as an artist when he received professional training from the High School of Arts and Design and Cooper Union School of Art. Cooper Union is a difficult school to get into because only 60 students are chosen out of hundreds of applicants.
"Cooper Union was quite an experience because the whole ambience was amazing. I was at Cooper Union when it was going through a great transition because the school had just come out of the ’60s,” said King. “I consider that school to be a village -- the classes are small and if I didn't know everybody by their first name, I knew their faces. You got to know your professors and they got to know you, too."
King's schooling wasn't finished yet. He received theatrical training from performers Brother Jonathan and Geraldine Fitzgerald, founding members of the Everyman Street Theatre Co. of Brooklyn. In the late 1970s, King joined the Brewery Troupe, founded by Brad Brewer, and he was principal puppeteer, performer, and artistic consultant. For the next 25 years he was puppeteering, acting, maintaining puppets, creating new characters, building sets, and developing scripts.
"When Brad came into the picture, I knew that this was really what I was going to do. I tell people that when I met Brad it was an act of God. It was, and twenty-five years later I'm still doing it."
King did voice-overs for Fast Eddie, one of the lead singers in the Brewery Troupe's musical group, the legendary Crowtations.
"When kids see me they expect me to be Fast Eddie,” he said. “It's interesting to be in that kind of a place because Fast Eddie is an extension of myself. If kids are so fixed into believing that, then I think I've done half of my job."
