I first remember Mike Wallace as anchor of the CBS Morning News in the mid 60's. He described his stay on the morning broadcast "the two longest years of his life." Those of us who work in morning TV know what he's talking about.
Perhaps my favorite all time game show is "To Tell the Truth." A little known fact is Mike Wallace hosted the pilot. Back then, it was called "Nothing but the Truth."
Who can forget about the 60's TV series "Biography?" WPIX ran those episodes all the time, and it was a great way for a kid to learn history.
Richard Nixon wanted Mike Wallace to be his press secretary.
Mike Wallace made no secret of his demons. There were bouts of depression and a suicide attempt. He was deeply hurt by the loss of a son, due to a fall while hiking in Greece.
Mike Wallace re-invented himself over the years. He did radio shows, confrontational interviews, Broadway, game shows, and even commercials. CBS News frowned on the commercials, but Wallace managed to convince them he could be a serious journalist. CBS made the right call.
As one of the original "60 Minutes" correspondents, Mike Wallace could get so much out of a subject by his simple direct questions, like "why" and "really?" And when something struck him as preposterous, he would simple say, "Oh come on." It frequently got his subjects to reveal something new, and often, unintended.
Mike Wallace was fearless and had the guts of a burglar. 65 years in the business-- an amazing run, and one we'll be reading about for decades to come.
The story came first. Every young reporter wants to be Mike Wallace. There is no higher compliment.
CBS News colleague Morley Safer called Mike Wallace "the toughest man on television." He was right.
Mike Wallace was 93.
