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
- 1997
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, uncovers the secret, hidden world of espionage activities within the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode looks at the history of this agency, from the days of the Cold War and heavy spy activity on the Soviet Union to the CIA's involvement in the Vietnam War. In more contemporary times, scandals have rocked the CIA, including the Iran-Contra debacle and the Aldrich Ames case where Ames sold classified information to the Soviet Union in exchange for millions of dollars. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with some former and present CIA employees who talk about what really goes on behind the scenes. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- The 20th Century with Mike Wallace: Assassination and Aftermath - Death of JFK and the Warren Report
- 1997
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, scrutinizes the details, questions, and facts of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode features footage from CBS archives, in addition to the famous Zapruder home movie footage. Wallace takes a look at some of the most unanswered questions of this infamous day in history: did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone; did bullets come from other directions; is it possible that the CIA or the Mob ordered a hit on President Kennedy? Reporters and other witnesses of this tragic day in November, 1963, talk about their experiences of the day and what they remember happening. 20th Century With Mike Wallace also covers, in close detail, the evidence and data of the assassination in the controversial Warren Report. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1997
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, takes a look at the role of women throughout the history of the United States armed forces. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode looks at females in the military from World War I to the Persian Gulf War, examining how their roles have changed through the years. Mike Wallace weighs both sides of this issue, from the proponents of women playing a more active role in the military to the new problems created, such as the Navy Tailhook scandal. Interviews with Air Force Major General Jeanne Holm and Army Colonel David Hackworth offer insight on the obstacles women have to overcome and the future of women in the military. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1997
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, examines the role of guns in American society from the times of the Revolutionary War to the last 20th century. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode spans the history of guns from the first types of rifles to the 1930s, when prohibition and the rise of mobsters made machine guns popular, to the more modern era of the handgun. 20th Century with Mike Wallace explores the role of the National Rifle Association (NRA) in the United States and the various forms of gun legislation that have been introduced throughout history, including the "machine gun act" of 1934 to the Brady Bill of 1993. Some of the most infamous cases of gun violence are also studied, including the shooting deaths of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, and John Lennon. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1997
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, provides an in-depth study of the role gambling has played in American culture over the past centuries. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode looks at the history of gambling, from the colonists to the scandal of the 18th century that put a temporary end to gaming. With the rise of legalized gambling communities like Las Vegas and Atlantic City in the mid-20th century, a sudden resurgence of gambling arose in the country. Since gambling is a 550-billion-dollar industry in the United States, everyone wanted to capitalize. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with some gaming insiders who say that the government is by far the biggest profit-maker of legalized gambling. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1997
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, studies the historical and recent United States involvement in the Middle East and determines if that region of the world will ever be at peace. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode begins around the time of the late '70s, when the death of the Shah of Iran threw that area into continual turmoil. Since then, the Middle East has seen hostage situations, hijackings, the Persian Gulf War of 1990, and the U.S.S. Stark tragedy. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features talks with some of the most knowledgeable people on Middle Eastern activities, including scholar and historian Fouad Ajami and retired Marine General George Crist, who personally witnessed some of the later horrifying events in this region. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1997
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 documents the history of mistakes, errors, and overall failings of the United States military. This episode questions the early mistakes of the armed forces, such as the lack of more early warning for the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. Mistakes that come under fire later in the century include the botched Iranian hostage rescue mission, and the Lebanon disaster where Marines were killed when their barracks were bombed. 20th Century With Mike Wallace uses CBS News footage to relive some of these awful events and provides commentary from reporters and military scholars who talk about what went wrong in each instance. Author Donald Kagen and Colonel David Hackworth examine the U.S. military's grave errors throughout the Korean and Vietnam Wars. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1997
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, delves deep into the heart of crimes committed by teens or preteens. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode reexamines some of the most infamous kid-committed crimes in recent years that occurred not only in the big cities, but also in the small towns and suburbs. Criminologist Dr. James Fax talks about his research into the crimes of children and how the tendency of minors to become criminals is continually on the rise. Dr. Fax also speaks about some of the contributing factors that lead children and teenagers into the world of violent crimes. 20th Century With Mike Wallace also features interviews with law enforcement professionals and even some of the parents of these criminal kids, who share their views about what went wrong. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1997
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, takes a close look at the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode examines that day in 1995 from all angles: the men responsible, the emotional impact on America, and the sorrow over the 168 people killed and hundreds more injured. At first, it was thought that it was foreign terrorists, because the idea that this was a plot conceived and carried out by Americans was too unbearable to believe. 20th Century With Mike Wallace examines the lives and mentalities of the two men most notably held accountable for the bombing: Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. Law enforcement officials discuss how these two men did not work alone and sociologists speculate about the impact of this tragedy on the country. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1997
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, takes a look at the history of mass afflictions. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode heads back to the time of the 1918 influenza epidemic that killed millions of people around the world. In more modern times, AIDS and other deadly viruses have surfaced and caused a spree of deaths. 20th Century With Mike Wallace examines how the continual destruction of the rain forests around the world is allowing some of these mysterious viruses to escape out into the open, such as the deadly Ebola virus. Medical experts talk about the spread of AIDS and how many people think the reason there has been no cure is because of the slow response from the government in the beginning of the 1980s, when AIDS was first diagnosed. ~ 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
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, explores the events of the Tet offensive of 1968 in Vietnam and other issues that were plaguing the U.S. around the same time. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode focuses on how the Tet offensive changed the way Americans at home saw the war in Southeast Asia. That change led to an increase in antiwar marches and protests, leading to more violence on both the home front and in Vietnam. 20th Century With Mike Wallace closely studies the events of the spring of 1968 and analyzes how even though the Tet offensive was a victory for the U.S./South Vietnamese side, the propaganda made it look like a drastic, horrific defeat. There are interviews with people who were in Vietnam at the time of the Tet offensive and they offer their firsthand views of these events. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, gives an up-close examination of the past, present, and future of war crimes and how the criminals are brought to justice. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode uses the Nuremberg trial of war crimes committed by the Nazis during World War II as the basis for this study. From the time of that historic trial, how has the punishment of war criminals changed? 20th Century With Mike Wallace tries to answer that question by talking to historians and lawyers, including Nuremberg prosecutor Benjamin Ferencz. There is a look at how the impact of the Nuremberg case affected the cases of Adolf Eichmann and Klaus Barbie, two alleged war criminals. There is also a study of the case of John Demjanjuk, an auto worker who was convicted of Nazi activities. He later proved his innocence. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, goes behind-the-scenes of some of the most illicit and high-profile scandals that have rocked Washington. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode goes beyond the scandals of the Oval Office to the dalliances of politicians, political candidates, and other figures in Washington, D.C., public life. The stories covered included the affair of Wilber Mills, former Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, with a stripper; the scandal that rocked the life of Vice President Spiro Agnew; and the sex scandal involving presidential candidate Gary Hart. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with media personnel and governmental officials who talk about the effect and the impact these scandals have on the persons involved and on politics as a whole. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, explores the moral, ethical, and physical responsibilities of life and the right to either live it or take it away. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode looks closely at the case of coma patient Karen Ann Quinlan, whose parents fought for her to be removed from life support. 20th Century With Mike Wallace talks with Daniel Callahan, an ethicist from the Hastings Center of New York, and Susan Mascitelli, head of patient advocacy for New York Hospital. Both of these experts share their personal and professional views on the subject of life and whose responsibility it is to take life. There is also a look at the work of Dr. Jack Kevorkian and the pros and cons of how he assists with the suicide of the terminally ill. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, delves deep into the trial of O.J. Simpson, who was charged with murdering his ex-wife and her lover. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode features interviews with some of the firsthand participants in this messy, long court case, including defense attorney Barry Scheck, who talks about how he built the case for Simpson. Scheck talks about how race became one of the leading factors of the case, in addition to the ineptitude of the Los Angeles Police Department, specifically Officer Mark Fuhrman. 20th Century With Mike Wallace also interviews writer Jeffrey Toobin, who covered the entire trial for The New Yorker and Paul Witteman, a writer for Sports Illustrated, who covered Simpson during his illustrious football career. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
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 delves into the destruction and lasting devastation of the Midwest floods of 1993. This episode uses extensive CBS News footage to reexamine the events of these horrific months, when many families were uprooted from their homes and many towns along the Mississippi River were destroyed. Wallace and other CBS News correspondents interview people who survived these floods and lost thousands of dollars of property. 20th Century With Mike Wallace heads to the town of Valmeyer, IL, where the entire city had to be rebuilt on higher ground. There is also a look at how the disaster of these rising waters changed policies and legislation of disaster relief for flood damage. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, looks at the heated battle between the press and the armed forces. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode relates both sides of the conflict between these two groups, starting with newspaper coverage of World War I. With the coverage of the two World Wars, journalists and the military worked together, with the papers not printing what the military wanted withheld from public record. Beginning with Vietnam, the relations between the press and the military heated up, as press coverage included everything, even information the military wanted kept secret from the American public. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with both top-level journalists, including Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, and Morley Safer, and top military personnel, including Generals Norman Schwarzkopf and George Crist. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, goes behind the scenes of the 1971 riot at Attica State Penitentiary in New York State, one of the most violent and deadly prison riots in history. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode begins by telling how the riot began and leads into the drastic steps that then-governor Nelson Rockefeller took in controlling the prisoners. Instead of trying to find a peaceful solution to this crisis, Rockefeller ordered the prison to be attacked, in order to regain control. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with some of the people who were there to witness the horror, including writer Tom Wicker, who was part of the Attica Observers Committee and a journalist for the New York Times. Wicker later wrote a book about this tragedy, called A Time to Die. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This program is part of a series narrated by journalist Mike Wallace that examines the history of American involvement in the Vietnam War. In this episode, Wallace talks with some Vietnam War veterans about their experiences with guerilla warfare, and their feelings about public reaction to the war. Archival footage, photographs, and journals are used to illustrate the events of the war that divided a nation. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, examines the state of America's past and present relations with Latin America. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode gives the background of some of the most prominent U.S. involvements in Latin America, including the construction of the Panama Canal in 1914. Since this time, the U.S. has continued to involve itself in the politics of Latin American countries, under the claim that American interests are at jeopardy and need to be preserved. Some of the more recent examples of U.S. involvement in Latin America have come under fire for being less a protection of American interests and rather more an act of a powerful, forceful nation. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with Dr. Robert A. Pastor of the Carter Center in Atlanta, who has helped in negotiations with Latin American leaders in the past. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, goes behind-the-scenes inside the world of televangelists. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode looks at the origins of televangelism, from the early days of religious evangelists speaking on radio and television, to more contemporary times. In recent years, televangelists have been marked with scandals that made people question the dedication of their service to religion and God. 20th Century With Mike Wallace talks with Jeffrey Hadden, author of Prime Time Preachers, and Cal Thomas, a conservative writer, who share diverse insights on the impact and business of televangelism. There are also interviews with some of the most prominent televangelists themselves, including Oral Roberts, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Robert Schuller, and Jimmy Swaggart. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, explores the advent of the media and television coverage shown around the world. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode highlights some of the most publicly watched media events of the past years. There is footage from the Bronco chase with O.J. Simpson, the mass suicide at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, TX, and the Los Angeles riots. All of these events were news on their own merits, but their broadcast on worldwide televisions brought much more publicity and even spectacle to these events. 20th Century With Mike Wallace uses footage to document many of the most-watched news stories in recent decades, including the coverage of the Persian Gulf War, a war that was waged right on TV screens. There is also an interview with CBS News anchorman Dan Rather who adds his insights to these news stories. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, examines the history, present and future, of cancer and the search for a cure. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode explores the "war on cancer" that President Nixon declared during his term in office, stating that he was determined to find a cure within five years. That time came and went and still a true cure for cancer has not been found. Modern developments such as new drugs and new forms of treatments are available, but they do not prevent or stop cancer, they just sometimes work to heed the disease's progress. However, some technological advancements have improved the rate of early detection of cancer. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features interviews with doctors and other scientists who talk about the possibility for a cure in the future. ~ Cecilia Cygnar, All Movie Guide
