Mike Wallace Movies
Forever associated with the 60 Minutes Sunday-night news magazine on CBS -- which he anchored for an astonishing 38 years (1968-2006) -- Mike Wallace became synonymous with on-air trustworthiness and reliability, and the nation's preeminent guide to outstanding, documentary-style probes of contemporary issues and global phenomena. Born May 9, 1918, in the posh Boston suburb of Brookline, MA, Wallace attended the University of Michigan as a young man, and later accepted a job as announcer at WOOD-AM radio in nearby Grand Rapids (in 1939). Wallace segued from this into a stint manning radio commercials and announcing serialized radio dramas at stations in Detroit and Chicago. Within a decade, Wallace leapt into the then-nascent medium of television with full abandon, working in any and every capacity allowed him, including dramatic roles, game shows, and the occasional assignment hosting a talk show, such as the now-forgotten Mike and Buff.In 1963, Wallace grew sick of non-news interests and reported to CBS News president Richard Salent, asserting that he had "sanitized" himself of all television matters unconnected to nonfiction reportage. Salent allegedly hired Wallace with a 65-percent pay deduction, but the burgeoning newsman persisted, and in time received title credit on the CBS morning news broadcasts; The CBS Morning News With Mike Wallace ran from 1963 through 1966 and garnered enormous popularity. But Wallace's greatest legacy was still at least two years away. On Tuesday evening, September 24, 1968, 60 Minutes premiered at 10:00 p.m., with Wallace as its chief anchor and Harry Reasoner as his co-host. According to Broadcasting magazine, the format itself developed out of Night Beat, a local talk program hosted by Wallace in 1956, in which he had exhibited a trademark "adversarial style" of journalism. 60 Minutes producers' strategy involved counterbalancing this aggression with Reasoner's genial "nice guy" approach. The plan worked, and the program's ratings shot up to astronomical levels, qualifying it as nothing less than a national phenomenon. As noted, Wallace remained on 60 Minutes for decades, but even after he retired, he returned from time to time to man periodic interviews.
In addition to his role on 60 Minutes, Wallace occasionally dabbled in acting, with a cameo in Elia Kazan's shattering indictment of television, A Face in the Crowd (1957), as well as a humorous 1993 guest appearance on Murphy Brown (a series that a number of his colleagues also appeared on). Wallace hosted the popular documentary series The 20th Century With Mike Wallace (1994-2000), which investigated everything from the Gulf War to celebrity murders to gun control and hurricanes. He also appears as an interviewee in the documentaries Vietnam: Chronicle of a War (1981) and Watergate: The Secret Story (1992). ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Between 1939 and 1959, Toots Shor ran what was debatably the most famous saloon in America. The son of a poor family in South Philadelphia, Shor was a blustery, larger-than-life character who came to New York City in 1930 and soon landed a job as a bouncer in a mob-run speakeasy. Shor had smarts, charm, and nerve, and he soon made plenty of contacts in the liquor trade as well as befriending habitués of Manhattan nightlife. In 1939, Shor opened a bar and restaurant, simply named "Toots Shor's," and it didn't take it long for it to become the Big Apple's most celebrated watering hole, where Broadway stars, sports legends, political bigwigs, and social climbers were frequent customers but anyone with the price of a drink was welcome to belly up to the bar (among the regulars: Frank Sinatra, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Gleason, Frank Gifford, Earl Warren, and Frank Costello). While "Toots Shor's" was one of New York's most legendary nightspots, Shor sold the business in 1959, and while he opened a new bar two years later (after running through the million dollars he made from the deal), his style of saloon was falling out of fashion with the arrival of the 1960s, and the free-spending Toots died broke in 1977, six years after his last bar went under. Shor's granddaughter, documentary filmmaker Kristi Jacobson, pays tribute to the man and the era personified by his saloon in Toots, which features interviews with family and friends (including Lauren Bacall, Walter Cronkite, Yogi Berra, Pete Hamill, Mike Wallace, and Whitey Ford) as well as rare recordings of Toots telling his own remarkable story. Also known as Toots Shor: Bigger Than Life, Toots received its world premiere at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival -- appropriately enough, in downtown New York. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Gifford, Walter Cronkite, (more)
- 2003
Ever since the 20th anniversary of the CBS news magazine 60 Minutes in 1988, it has been the network's policy to issue, at five-year intervals, a retrospective of the program's most memorable moments. The 2003 edition, 35 Years and 60 Minutes, is like its predecessors, a fascinating mosaic of filmed and taped excerpts from past 60 Minutes installments. Hosted by the indefatigable Mike Wallace, the special is divided into four segments: "Superstars and Celebrities" (Bette Davis, Charles Schulz, Jackie Gleason, Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman, and virtually all presidents from Nixon to George W. Bush); "Asking Tough Questions" (featuring the surprise and outrage of the rich and famous as they are confronted with questions they either can't or don't want to answer); "Crooks and Con Men" (the liars, mountebanks, corrupt officials, and foreign despots who make life so interesting); and, inevitably, "Andy Rooney: Happy 35th Birthday" (Didja ever notice that Andy Rooney never really said "Didja ever notice?"). While many of the clips seen in this special had done yeoman duty in earlier retrospectives, some of the highlights in 35 Years and 60 Minutes are shown for the first time in -- well, in nearly 35 years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Wallace, Ed Bradley, (more)
- 2000
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, takes a look inside the world of childcare and nannies. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode explores how the rise of working women created an intense need for places and people to care for their children. The phenomenon of daycare and at-home nannies formally was one for only the rich, but now middle-class working mothers are finding outside caregivers. 20th Century With Mike Wallace tells the story of how British nanny Louise Woodward changed the entire scope of childcare, after she was accused of killing the child placed in her care. Since this murder trial, parents have resorted to extensive interviewing and even hidden cameras to monitor their nannies. Interviews with child psychologists reveal how non-parent childcare affects the long-term progress of the child. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, heads inside the White House to closely examine the near impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode discusses how this event in 1998 marked the first time in over 100 years that a sitting president was nearly impeached by the House of Representatives. In addition to being a worldwide public spectacle, President Clinton's near impeachment led to the Republican Party losing five seats in Congress in the 1998 elections. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with some political insiders, including Representative Charles Rangel and Representative Barney Frank. There is also CBS News footage of media coverage of this very public political fiasco, including footage of key players Linda Tripp and Monica Lewinsky. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, examines the extent of the risks of bioterrorism Saddam Hussein carried out during the Persian Gulf War. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode features interviews with military experts including William Arkin, General Bernard Trainor, and Ambassador Richard Butler. There are also talks with U.N. inspectors who speak about the consequences and findings that were uncovered after the war had ended. 20th Century With Mike Wallace cites examples of these Iraqi threats with CBS News footage that shows both biological and chemical weapons. This episode also covers the disappointment of the U.S. military, after the Patriot missile failed to intercept an Iraqi SCUD missile that hit a U.S. barracks in Saudi Arabia. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, goes behind-the-scenes of the Persian Gulf War to secret stories the press did not cover. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode takes a look at how the war ended, which was contrary to what General Norman Schwarzkopf wanted. There is also a study of a close call when Iraqi troops almost surprised the U.S. military on the Saudi Arabian border. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features an interview with retired Marine Corps General Bernard Trainor, who discusses and examines some of the mistakes and problems the American forces encountered while fighting the Iraqi troops, including the frequent failure of the "smart" bombs. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, examines what can happen when modern advancements in technology go drastically wrong. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode focuses on some of the major technological debacles in modern times. Experts study what went wrong in the nuclear disasters at both Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. The Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal, India, and the disaster at a chemical plant in Seveso, Italy, are also explored as to what could have caused these tragic failures. As technology advances and progresses to more sophisticated forms, 20th Century With Mike Wallace asks experts whether these serious accidents will continue to occur, and if there is anything that can be done to prevent or predict similar accidents in the future. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, goes behind-the-scenes for an inside look at the Independent Counsel Law, giving birth to the position of special prosecutor. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode examines how after the Watergate chaos, Congress was looking for a way to prevent another fiasco like that from ever happening again. They passed the Independent Counsel Law in 1978, a law that created a non-political prosecutor position to investigate alleged illegal behavior within the Executive Branch. However, this law took a beating with the work of Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr in the Whitewater and President Clinton impeachment scandal because Starr abused his power. 20th Century With Mike Wallace looks at how Congress decided not to renew this law as a result of Starr's actions. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, explores the radical weather patterns and occurrences from the year 1999. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode uses footage from the CBS News to examine the deadly changes in the weather around the world, including hurricanes in November and tornadoes in January. Wallace talks to noted weather experts David Rind from NASA and Michael Oppenheimer from the Environmental Defense Fund to see what they have to say about these unusual weather conditions. These two scientists talk about the effects of natural phenomenon, such as the Greenhouse Factor and El Nino, in the world's weather conditions and whether these phenomena had anything to do with the record-breaking weather conditions of 1999. Wallace and the experts also speculate about the weather patterns for the future and if these extreme and varying conditions will continue. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, takes a look at the recent events that have put police officers in the negative spotlight. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode uses examples such as the notorious Rodney King police brutality case in Los Angeles as the starting point for the downfall of police forces. Since the highly publicized King beating, Los Angeles and police forces around the country have found themselves entwined in a mess of public scandals, many often racially based. 20th Century With Mike Wallace interviews many legal experts, law enforcement professionals, and sociologists who talk about the role of the police officer in today's society. Other cases that shook the public's distrust of the police, such as the Amadou Diallo case, are also covered and analyzed by the experts. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, examines the state of espionage activities in the United States by looking at two specific events. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode documents how two spy-related foul-ups have damaged the reputation and future of American espionage. The first incident is the U-2 spy plane that was shot down over the Soviet Union. This event occurred during the years of the tense Cold War relations between the U.S. and the Soviets, and dragged on for over two years until the pilot of the U-2 plane, Francis Gary Powers, was brought back to America in exchange for Soviet spy Abel Rudolph's return to his homeland. The second event 20th Century With Mike Wallace looks at is the mistaken U.S. attack of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. Relations between the U.S. and China are still marred by this event. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, investigates the history and the current state of religion and spirituality in public schools. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode takes a look at the famous Scopes trial of 1925, where lawyers William Jennings Bryant and Clarence Seward Darrow fought the pros and cons of teaching Darwin's theory of evolution to students. In more recent years, the battle continues to rage as parents, teachers, and lawmakers all have very strong yet diverse opinions on this subject. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with some legal experts, advocates of both sides, and scholars who discuss the merits of all sides of this issue. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, looks at some of the most brave and famous rescues throughout history. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode begins with the story of the Andrea Doria, which was rammed by another ship off the coast of Nantucket. Over 1,600 people were saved through the efforts of people on passing ships. The next rescue tale is the heroic story of a hostage situation that was resolved quickly with the help of Israeli troops raiding the terrorists and putting an end to the hijacking. The next rescue involves Air Force Captain Scott O'Grady and his days in enemy territory after being shot down over Serbia. The final story recalls the rescue of Jessica McClure, who was trapped in an 18-inch well pipe for over 58 hours until rescue workers saved her. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1999
The "Big Apple" has a colorful, influential, and, at times, tragic history that spans nearly four hundred years. This is the first episode in the epic PBS documentary series about the most populous city in the United States. Originally christened "New Amsterdam" by its Dutch founders, the city is shown in this program to have been a center of commerce from its inception. When the British took over, they gave it the name by which the world knows the city to this day. The first installment of American Experience: New York takes the story as far as the early years of the bustling 19th century, by which time New York belonged to the fledgling United States. Highlights include archival paintings and engravings, as well as commentary by numerous guests including historian Thomas Bender, novelist Caleb Carr (The Alienist), New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and award-winning novelist E.L. Doctorow. Other features include dramatic readings by some of the guests. Directed by Ric Burns and narrated by David Ogden Stiers. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Ogden Stiers
- 1999
It was the fire that sparked reform; after 146 people -- mostly women and girls -- died in the ferocious 1911 blaze that gutted the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, it was discovered that the exits had been locked by the management to prevent theft by the workers. At the time, there were no fire laws in the city, and few laws protecting workers. As this fourth episode in the PBS documentary series about New York reveals, citizen anger at the tragedy led to public hearings and a state commission recommending safety reforms such as automatic sprinklers in buildings over seven stories high, more frequent fire inspections, and a shorter, 54-hour week for women. Also covered in this episode is the fledgling motion picture industry led by companies such as Biograph, for which D.W. Griffith shot hundreds of short films; the continued problem of overcrowded slums, a blight exacerbated by the arrival of 10 million new immigrants in just a couple of decades; and the building of modern urban emblems: the subway system and skyscrapers. Highlights include archival motion picture footage, period photographs, archival paintings, and engravings, as well as commentary by numerous guests including Academy award-winning director Martin Scorcese; Ruth J. Abram, founder of the Lower East Side Tenement Museum; novelist Caleb Carr (The Alienist); architect Robert A. M. Stern; writer Jean Strouse; and historian John Kuo Wei Tchen. Other features include dramatic readings by guests including Robert Sean Leonard, Frances Sternhagen, Eli Wallach, and George Plimpton. Directed by Ric Burns and narrated by David Ogden Stiers. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Ogden Stiers
- 1999
With the Civil War settled, New York could focus solely on the business of business and getting rich. Central Park finally became a true park instead of a shantytown, and "Boss Tweed" ran the city like his own private fiefdom, ultimately leading to the rise of righteous reformers such as Theodore Roosevelt. This is the third episode of the epic PBS documentary series about the "Big Apple." Topics covered include the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. The program takes the story of New York to the last years of the 19th century, a time when the city expanded well beyond the confines of Manhattan Island. Highlights include period photographs, archival paintings, and engravings, as well as commentary by numerous guests including Ruth J. Abram, founder of the Lower East Side Tenement Museum; novelist Caleb Carr (The Alienist), architect Robert A. M. Stern; writer Jean Strouse; and historian John Kuo Wei Tchen. Other features include dramatic readings by guests including Frances Sternhagen, Eli Wallach, and George Plimpton. Directed by Ric Burns and narrated by David Ogden Stiers. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1999
New York of the 19th century was already a haven of celebrities; showman P.T. Barnum's museum drew crowds on Broadway, and up the street the great photographer Mathew Brady stayed busy taking "likenesses" of the rich and famous. However, when British author Charles Dickens visited New York in 1842, the poverty and squalor he witnessed in New York appalled him; he noted that it was worse than any of London's. Indeed, as revealed in the second episode of this epic PBS documentary series, New York's rapid growth didn't come without a human cost. Gangs as bad or worse than any in the 20th century roamed the harsh tenement slums. Disparity between rich and poor, American-born and immigrant, culminated in the draft riots during the sweltering summer of July 1863. Angry over the unfairness of the newly instituted Civil War draft (rich men could buy their way out of the military), mobs of men, women, and children rampaged through the streets causing millions of dollars in damage. Several blacks got lynched during the riots, and federal troops had to be called back from the still-smoking battlefields of Gettysburg to restore the peace. Highlights include archival daguerreotypes, paintings, and engravings, as well as commentary by numerous guests including historian Thomas Bender, poet Allen Ginsberg, architect Robert A. M. Stern, and historian Gretchen Sullivan Sorin. Other features include dramatic readings by various people including Frances Sternhagen, Keith David, Spalding Gray, Philip Bosco, Eli Wallach, and George Plimpton. Directed by Ric Burns and narrated by David Ogden Stiers. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Ogden Stiers
- 1999
Calling Prohibition a "noble experiment," New York congressman Fiorello La Guardia then declared the law unenforceable. Throughout most of New York City, this was the correct assessment. This is the fifth episode of the epic PBS documentary series about the "Big Apple." Also covered in this program is the deportation of pacifist and anarchist Emma Goldman during the "Red Scare" of 1919; the horse-drawn wagon bombing of the Morgan Bank in 1920, which killed 30 people; the change of Harlem from a German-Jewish neighborhood to a mostly black one; the "Harlem Renaissance"; the "Jazz Age"; the rise of radio as entertainment; the invention of the Broadway musical; and the construction of the Empire State Building. Highlights include archival newsreel footage and photographs, as well as commentary from a variety of guests including historian David Levering Lewis, construction consultant Joel Silverman, architect Robert A.M. Stern, historian Ann Douglas, and historian Joshua Freeman. Directed by Ric Burns and narrated by David Ogden Stiers. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Ogden Stiers
- 1999
In this documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace takes a behind-the-scenes look at some recent problems with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, commonly known as NASA. This episode first looks at the history of the glory days of NASA and how the space agency has been criticized from the time of the moon landing to the era of space shuttle launches. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features an exclusive interview with former NASA head Dan Goldin, who discusses some of the agency's problems in depth. There are also interviews with some past and present NASA personnel who speculate about why NASA has seen more than its fair share of crises recently, both high up in space and on the ground in Congress. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1999
In this documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace takes an inside look into the most notorious and famous hate group in the world: the Ku Klux Klan. This episode depicts the history of the KKK, back to the times right after the Civil War during the reconstruction of the South, when the group mostly directed their hatred toward black Americans. In subsequent decades, the KKK has expanded its hatred to include Jewish people, Catholics, and immigrants. 20th Century With Mike Wallace uses CBS News footage to document the actions of this violent organization through the years. Interviews with Klan leaders William Joseph Simmons and David Duke reveal how the KKK has managed to survive throughout the 20th century, even though it has been heavily criticized for its promotion of hatred. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1999
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, explores the troubled history of the Elite Forces of the U.S. military. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode looks at how these special sections of the armed forces got off to a bad start during the years just prior to the Vietnam War. After that, the special operations branches have seen many embarrassing and public failures, including the botched raid to free the Iranian hostages. Since the combining of these forces under the U.S. Special Operations Command, these military groups have shown improvement in both their reputation and their value to America. After successes in Panama during Operation Just Cause, which removed General Noriega from power, their place in the military seems more secure. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1999
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, takes a look at why and how con men and women operate. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode explores everything from rigged auto accidents to obtain insurance money to intricate credit card scams. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features an interview with investigative reporter Chuck Whitlock who documents many of these con games in books he has written. He talks about the most inventive cons he has come across in his years of research. Law enforcement professionals also talk about how these swindles work and how the men and women who play these games get away with it, but eventually do get caught. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
