Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Mike Wallace

Role / Field:

Pioneering American broadcast journalist known for investigative interviews on 60 Minutes.

Born:

1918-05-09

Died:

2012-04-07

Century / Era:

1918s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Myron Leon Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American broadcast journalist, and television personality. Known for his investigative journalism, he interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers during his seven-decade career. He was one of the original correspondents featured on CBS news magazine program 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.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was the father of broadcast journalist Chris Wallace. Wallace interviewed many politicians, celebrities, and academics throughout his life. Wallace was born on May 9, 1918, in Brookline, Massachusetts, as one of four children to Russian Jewish parents Zina (also Sina; née Sharfman) and Friedan "Frank" Wallik, who had left their home shtetl around 1900. His maternal uncle was economist Isaiah Leo Sharfman. He identified as Jewish and claimed it was his ethnicity (instead of religion) throughout his life.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

His father was a grocer and insurance broker. Wallace attended Brookline High School, graduating in 1935. Wallace attended University of Michigan, at the encouragment of his uncle, who was chair of...

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Frequently Asked Questions about Mike Wallace