RIP Mike Wallace

[Jack Bennest]

With Harry Reasoner on right



Myron Leon "Mike" Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, game show host, actor, and media personality. During his career, which spanned over sixty years, he interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers.

He was one of the original correspondents for CBS' 60 Minutes which debuted in 1968. Wallace retired as a regular full-time correspondent in 2006, but still appeared occasionally on the series until 2008.

Wallace's youngest son is journalist Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday.

[hagopian]

A real pro. Mr. Wallace and Mr. Rooney were nearly the last of their breed.

RIP, and thank you for years of Broadcast excellence.

[jon]

Wow, he almost made it to his 94th birthday. Amazing!

As recently as 20-25 years ago, he "looked so young" even to me, when I was a lot younger. You would never have convinced me that he was 34 years older than me.

Like him or hate him, there is no question that he was one of the best of a new breed/type of Reporter.

He began his career at WOOD (yes, those call letters really do exist) Radio in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he both read News and wrote the words that the regular announcers spoke. This was either during or just after his final year at the University of Michigan, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1939.

In less than a year, he was an announcer at well-respected WXYZ Radio in Detroit, but soon went freelance in Chicago Radio, before joining the Navy in 1943. His work was certainly not restricted to News, as he spent many years just after the War in Chicago announcing wrestling.