American TV personality, hard-boiled investigative reporter for TV’s legendary “60 Minutes.” His TV credits include being announcer and master-of-ceremonies of the quiz-show “Who Pays?”
He was born to an insurance-broker father, Frank, and mother, Zina, both Russian immigrants. Raised in Brookline, Massachusetts, he was voted “Most Prominent Boy” in high school. Captain of the tennis team, he worked as sports editor of the school paper and competed as a serious debater while planning to become a lawyer.
Wallace first became well known with “The Big Surprise,” quiz show and reached fame with his “Mike Wallace Interviews.” As a correspondent for the “60 Minutes” series, he also has received two Emmys, in 1971 and 1972.
On 10 August 2004, Wallace was brought to a New York City police station in handcuffs but was released after being issued a summons citing him with disorderly conduct. The incident occurred as he was leaving a restaurant and saw two city inspectors talking with Wallace’s limousine driver who reportedly was double-parked. Wallace gave the inspectors a piece of his mind, acting “overly assertive and disrespectful” and allegedly interfering with their ability to perform their duties. Wallace said he wondered why anyone thought that, at age 86, he could be a threat.
On 14 March 2006, the 87-year old journalist announced his retirement from “60 Minutes.” The President of CBS said that while Wallace had made the decision to give up his regular duties, the journalist would be “Correspondent Emeritus,” working on occasional news stories.
Mike Wallace died at his residence in New Canaan, Connecticut from natural causes at 8 p.m. on 7 April 2012 at the age of 93.
Link to Wikipedia biography