Sad news today for the journalism world as Mike Wallace passed away at the age of 93. He will best remembered as one of the toughest men on television as he interviewed crooks and saints alike on 60 Minutes.
CBS News has a lovely write up on Wallace detailing all of his accomplishments throughout the years. It turns out that throughout his career, Wallace interviewed the likes of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., the Reagans, John F. Kennedy and others. He was known for asking the tough questions that nobody else would even touch. He even at one point asked famed mobster Mickey Cohen how many people had he killed.
All of this is to say that Wallace was a legend in journalism. He has influenced legions of aspiring journalists to not just find the story, but ask the tough questions that need to be answered. Even though he retired in 2006, the journalism world, and the world at large, are a lesser place without him.
Here are some of our favorite times with Wallace:
His famous interview with Louis Farrakhan:
An interview with opera singer Maria Callas:
Wallace also interviewed Dale Earnhardt Jr. in one of the most interesting interviews of a NASCAR driver:
For more Mike Wallace goodness, check out this archive of his interviews from 1957-58. There’s a lot of really awesome interviews in there with people like Salvador Dali and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Twitter has also reacted to the news with tweets of remembrance:
Tough questions are being asked in Heaven today. RIP Mike Wallace
RIP Mike Wallace. 1918-2012. A television original.
An incredible life, immeasurable influence on journalism. RT @brianstelter: Legendary CBS newsman Mike Wallace has died. He was 93.
Just learned that CBS’ “60 Minute” host Mike Wallace has passed. We’ve lost a legend today.
RT @lizzwinstead: I feel sad about Mike Wallace. // Yeah…me too. Everytime we lose one of our prized “real” journalists, I feel a loss.
RIP Mike Wallace — The last best journalist who never had a twitter account. As far as I can tell, anyway.
Mike Wallace has died on the same date (Apr 7) that David Frost was born. Frost was interviewed by Wallace in lead up to Nixon interview
Amen to that RT @Gerbalaya 93 years is a pretty good life. Mike Wallace was one of the titans of the news industry. True legend
whose gonna say “and I’m Mike Wallace” 🙁 RIP Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace may you rest in peace. You made Sunday Nights memorable. If I close my eyes I can hear the stopwatch forever.
#legend
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