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
- 1951
Spike Jones makes his first TV appearance on this episode of The Colgate Comedy Hour. A young Mike Wallace also appears as an announcer. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Spike Jones
The meteoric popularity of Arthur Godfrey was allegedly the basis of the 1957 drama Face in the Crowd. Andy Griffith makes a spectacular film debut as Lonesome Rhodes, a philosophical country-western singer discovered in a tanktown jail by television talent coordinator Patricia Neal and her assistant Walter Matthau. They decide that Rhodes is worthy of a TV guest spot, the result being that the gangly, aw-shucks entertainer becomes an overnight sensation. As he ascends to stardom, Rhodes attracts fans, sponsors and endorsements by the carload, and soon he is the most powerful and influential entertainer on the airwaves. Beloved by his audience, Rhodes reveals himself to his intimates as a scheming, power-hungry manipulator, with Machiavellian political aspirations. He uses everyone around him, coldly discarding anyone who might impede his climb to the top (one such victim is sexy baton-twirler Lee Remick, likewise making her film debut). Just when it seems that there's no stopping Rhodes' megalomania, his mentor and ex-lover Neal exposes this Idol of Millions as the rat that he is. She arranges to switch on the audio during the closing credits of Rhodes' TV program, allowing the whole nation to hear the grinning, waving Rhodes characterize them as "suckers" and "stupid idiots." Instantly, Rhodes' popularity rating plummets to zero. As he drunkenly wanders around his penthouse apartment, still not fully comprehending what has happened to him, Rhodes is deserted by the very associates who, hours earlier, were willing to ask "how high?" when he yelled "jump". Written by Budd Schulberg, Face in the Crowd was not a success, possibly because it hit so close to home with idol-worshipping TV fans. Its reputation has grown in the intervening years, not only because of its value as a film but because of the novelty of seeing the traditionally easygoing Andy Griffith as so vicious and manipulative a character as Lonesome Rhodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andy Griffith, Patricia Neal, (more)
- 1963
A review of Marilyn Monroe's life is provided. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1981
Vietnam: Chronicle of a War is a documentary which maps the stages of the United States' military involvement in the Vietnam War. Produced by CBS News, the program features historic wartime footage and interviews with key political players. Walter Cronkite narrates. News legends Charles Collingwood, Charles Kuralt, Dan Rather, Morley Safer, Eric Sevareid, and others contribute reports. ~ Betsy Boyd, All Movie Guide
- 1984
This video features five investigative stories from the award-winning television news magazine. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- 1986
This business presentation features a variety of interviewers that are grilled about their techniques in this program. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1992
This CBS News documentary focuses on analyzing and proving the validity of new information that has emerged about the Watergate burglary and cover-up. Hosted by veteran CBS News anchor Mike Wallace, the viewer gets a detailed, factual investigation of the circumstances that led to the downfall of an entire presidential administration and its commander in chief. Featured are rare interviews with many key players in the Watergate scandal and in-depth commentary from Wallace about the events and the motives behind the individuals involved. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Former Alf regular Max Wright appears as an author to whom Murphy (Candice Bergen) has granted authorization to write her biography. Once the deal is signed, Murphy begins to fret over what her friends and colleagues will say about her when interviewed for the upcoming book. This results in an "all-star nightmare" for our heroine, featuring a number of real-life politicians and journalists--including virtually the entire cast of 60 Minutes! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
- Add Edward R. Murrow: The Best of "See it Now" to QueueAdd Edward R. Murrow: The Best of "See it Now" to top of Queue
Edward R Murrow and his way of reporting news still looms large over the landscape of television journalism. This program presents the best of his lauded television program See It Now, including the famous episode where Murrow took on Joseph McCarthy and called him to task when no one else would. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, goes inside the world of air travel and two premeditated attacks that left the airline world scarred forever. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode looks at the deadly bombing of KAL flight 007 where the Russians shot down a plane that accidentally veered into Soviet airspace. The other air disaster explored is the Lockerbie, Scotland plane crash, where Muslim terrorists planted a bomb in the luggage compartment of a Pan Am 747 headed for America. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with aeronautic experts and federal officials who discuss the ramifications of these two disasters on the entire airline industry. Even though air travel is still the safest in the world, these two incidents shook the world, and forced airlines to learn from their mistakes. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, examines the similarities between the hippie culture of the 1960s with the rise in the cult culture in the 1970s and 1980s. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode heads back to the time of "make love not war" and looks at how the culture of those free-spirited times corresponds with the messages of some of the subsequent cults. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with some former and current cult members who share their reasons for joining a cult and how the cults compared with the hippie culture. Also, reporters and governmental officials discuss the rise in the cult culture and what is happening to try and prevent other cult-related incidents like the mass suicide at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, TX. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, delves deep into the heart of the motives and psychology behind some of the most notorious serial killers of the 20th century. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode explores the cases and the minds of a variety of different serials killers, including cult leader Charles Manson, who gathered a "family" of people to help him commit murders. 20th Century With Mike Wallace also looks at the cases of Atlanta killer Wayne Williams, Chicago killer John Wayne Gacy, and Henry Lee Lucas, among others. Former FBI agent Robert Ressler talks about his experiences with the mentality of serial killers and how the best techniques are used to bring these psychopaths to justice. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, delves into the history and impact of AIDS on American culture. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode first looks back at the attitudes of the 1960s, when "free love" was the typical mindset. The advent of the birth control pill only increased the impact of the sexual revolution. 20th Century With Mike Wallace has New York Times columnist and novelist Anna Quindlen lending her insights on this era of "make love not war." Sex experts Masters and Johnson add their own views of the sexual situation of the 1970s and 1980s, including how the openness of the hippie generation helped homosexuals to come out of the closet. The impact of AIDS changed these sexual freedoms, especially as famous people began admitting they were HIV-positive, including Rock Hudson and Magic Johnson. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1995
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 goes inside what really happened aboard the Apollo 13 spacecraft. This episode features interviews with NASA experts who talk about what happened on that near-disastrous flight in 1970 when the onboard oxygen tank exploded. That explosion put the lives of the astronauts in extreme jeopardy, leaving them exposed to high levels of carbon dioxide and the freezing temperatures of space. 20th Century With Mike Wallace includes talks with some of the men who were personally involved with this near-tragedy, including Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell and another Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise, who speaks firsthand about what it was like in that spacecraft. Gene Kranz, former NASA flight director, also talks about what his experiences were during that event and how he worked from the ground to save the crew in space. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1995
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, goes inside the science of earthquakes and looks at the preparedness of California to deal with these tremendous forces of nature. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode keys on two earthquakes that happened in the latter part of the 20th century: the 1989 quake in San Francisco and the 1994 quake in Los Angeles. 20th Century With Mike Wallace compares both of these Californian earthquakes with other worldwide quakes of the same strength. Quakes in Japan, Mexico, and Armenia that were almost as strong as the two in California left thousands dead, whereas both California quakes resulted in only 128 dead between both. Architects and engineers talk about some of the building improvements used in California structures that helped both cities keep the causalities down. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1995
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, heads inside the eye of the hurricane to analyze the how and why of this deadly force of Mother Nature. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode uses CBS News footage to recapture some of the most destructive hurricanes in history, including Edward R. Murrow's coverage of Hurricane Carol in 1954 and 1989's Hurricane Hugo in Charleston, SC. There is specific attention given to the devastation of 1992's Hurricane Andrew, which hit the Florida coast and became the most costly natural disaster in history. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with survivors of hurricanes and with weather experts who predict what can be done to prevent these massive storms from repeating the same type of damage and destruction resulting from Andrew. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1995
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, studies the role of the first lady in American society by looking at some of the most influential Presidential wives of the 20th century. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode goes deep into the lives, duties, and marriages of Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Truman, Mamie Eisenhower Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Lady Bird Johnson, Rosalynn Carter, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, and Hillary Rodham Clinton. From the influence they had on the American public while their husbands were in office to the lasting legacy they left in the years since, this is a true in-depth study of these famous first ladies. 20th Century With Mike Wallace also features extensive CBS News archive footage of these women and interviews with noted historian and first lady scholar Doris Kearns Goodwin. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1995
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, explores the papacy of John Paul II, who was elected Pope in 1978. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode looks at how the first non-Italian Pope in history has coped with his years in office and how he has coped with the changes in the world and in the Catholic Church. 20th Century With Mike Wallace heads inside the world of the Vatican with exclusive CBS News footage of some of the major milestones occurring over the course of his years as Pope. Interviews with some of the journalists who have covered and followed Pope John Paul II through the years reveal a more personal side to this very holy and public figure. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, depicts how the mess of the Vietnam War began, from the days before the fighting started. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode begins with the conflict in French Indochina shortly after the end of World War II and leads up to the time when the U.S. sent vast amounts of troops to Southeast Asia. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features an interview with former Associated Press Bureau Chief in Saigon Malcolm Brown, who was right there to witness the increasing tensions between the North and South Vietnamese and the U.S. officials who came to monitor the situation. There is also an interview with historian George C. Herring, who has written many books on the Vietnam War years, specifically on the U.S. policies that led to the war. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
