Daniel Schorr

News Correspondent

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his nearly three-hour Archive interview, Daniel Schorr (1916-2010) talks about his early years and education, where he began his career as a print journalist. He details his transition to radio, then television, working for CBS News in Moscow in the mid-1950s and Germany in the early 1960s. Schorr discusses his work on the acclaimed nonfiction series Face the Nation and Eyewitness to History. He also talks about his experiences covering the Nixon administration and its Watergate scandal (where he found himself on the Nixon "enemies" list), the beginnings of CNN, and his commentaries for NPR. Don Carleton conducted the interview on May 22, 2001 in Washington, DC.

"Bureau chief Bill Small was acting as my producer at the '72 Republican Convention. He said, 'Schorr, you are one son of a bitch and I wish I had a half a dozen sons of bitches like you working for me.'"

Interviewee(s)

Daniel Schorr

Highlights

Daniel Schorr on working with Edward R. Murrow

Daniel Schorr on being investigated by the FBI at the behest of the Nixon administration

Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany

Daniel Schorr on interviewing Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow on Face the Nation

Daniel Schorr on reporting for NPR

Daniel Schorr on how he would like to be remembered

Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early years and influences; on radio he listened to growing up, and movies and books he enjoyed; on deciding he wanted to be a journalist

On studying journalism, and on his early years in journalism; on seeing television at the 1939 World's Fair; on his experiences during World War II

Chapter 2

On his experiences during World War II; on his activities in journalism right after World War II; on going to work for Edward R. Murrow after being turned down by "The New York Times"

On his duties at CBS News (radio), and on radio news competing with television news; on covering the McCarthy hearings; on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy

Chapter 3

On going to Moscow for CBS News in 1955, and on getting in with Edward R. Murrow; on working with Edward R. Murrow

On his interactions with Sig Mickelson; on interviewing Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow on Face the Nation; on covering Nikita Khrushchev's trip to the United States in 1959 for Eyewitness to History; on how CBS News portrayed Nikita Khrushchev, and on negotiating his Face the Nation interview

Chapter 4

On being expelled by Moscow by the KGB, and on covering various stories for CBS News; on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany; on covering various stories in Eastern Europe in the early 1960s

On returning to America and covering various stories for CBS News in Washington, DC; on doing a CBS documentary on East Germany, and on clashing with William S. Paley; on covering Richard M. Nixon, and on being on Nixon's "enemies list"

Chapter 5

On being investigated by the FBI at the behest of the Nixon administration; on covering Watergate, and on the end of his career with CBS News; on Richard S. Salant

On William S. Paley; on reporting on Barry Goldwater; on the Pike Report, and on leaving CBS News for the final time

Chapter 6

On working for CNN at the creation of the network by Ted Turner; on reporting for NPR; on how he would like to be remembered

Shows

CBS News

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Daniel Schorr on being expelled by Moscow by the KGB, and on covering various stories for CBS News

Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany

Eyewitness to History

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Daniel Schorr on covering Nikita Khrushchev's trip to the United States in 1959 for Eyewitness to History

Face the Nation

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Daniel Schorr on interviewing Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow on Face the Nation

Daniel Schorr on how CBS News portrayed Nikita Khrushchev, and on negotiating his Face the Nation interview

See It Now

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Daniel Schorr on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy

See It Now: "A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy"

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Daniel Schorr on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy

Topics

1939-40 World's Fair

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Daniel Schorr on seeing television at the 1939 World's Fair

Cold War

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Daniel Schorr on going to Moscow for CBS News in 1955, and on getting in with Edward R. Murrow

Daniel Schorr on interviewing Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow on Face the Nation

Daniel Schorr on covering Nikita Khrushchev's trip to the United States in 1959 for Eyewitness to History

Daniel Schorr on how CBS News portrayed Nikita Khrushchev, and on negotiating his Face the Nation interview

Daniel Schorr on being expelled by Moscow by the KGB, and on covering various stories for CBS News

Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany

Daniel Schorr on covering various stories in Eastern Europe in the early 1960s

Daniel Schorr on doing a CBS documentary on East Germany, and on clashing with William S. Paley

Gerald Ford

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Daniel Schorr on the Pike Report, and on leaving CBS News for the final time

Historic Events and Social Change

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Daniel Schorr on seeing television at the 1939 World's Fair

Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II