About
"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.'"
In his nearly three-hour 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.
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
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
Daniel Schorr on covering Nikita Khrushchev's trip to the United States in 1959 for Eyewitness to History
Face the Nation
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
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"
Daniel Schorr on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy
Topics
1939-40 World's Fair
Daniel Schorr on seeing television at the 1939 World's Fair
Cold War
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
Daniel Schorr on the Pike Report, and on leaving CBS News for the final time
Historic Events and Social Change
Daniel Schorr on seeing television at the 1939 World's Fair
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
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
Hollywood Blacklist
Daniel Schorr on covering the McCarthy hearings
Daniel Schorr on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy
Industry Crossroads
Daniel Schorr on covering the McCarthy hearings
Daniel Schorr on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy
John F. Kennedy
Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany
Network Creation
Daniel Schorr on working for CNN at the creation of the network by Ted Turner
Richard M. Nixon
Daniel Schorr on covering Richard M. Nixon, and on being on Nixon's "enemies list"
Daniel Schorr on being investigated by the FBI at the behest of the Nixon administration
Daniel Schorr on covering Watergate, and on the end of his career with CBS News
Television and the Presidency
Daniel Schorr on covering Richard M. Nixon, and on being on Nixon's "enemies list"
Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany
Daniel Schorr on being investigated by the FBI at the behest of the Nixon administration
Daniel Schorr on covering Watergate, and on the end of his career with CBS News
Daniel Schorr on the Pike Report, and on leaving CBS News for the final time
Television Industry
Daniel Schorr on covering the McCarthy hearings
Daniel Schorr on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy
Daniel Schorr on working for CNN at the creation of the network by Ted Turner
War
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
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
World War II
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
Genres
News and Documentary
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 doing a CBS documentary on East Germany, and on clashing with William S. Paley
Daniel Schorr on covering various stories for CBS News
Daniel Schorr on covering Watergate and other stories for various CBS News programs
People
John F. Kennedy
Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany
Nikita Khrushchev
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
Sig Mickelson
Daniel Schorr on working with Sig Mickelson
Edward R. Murrow
Daniel Schorr on going to work for Edward R. Murrow after being turned down by "The New York Times"
Daniel Schorr on working with Edward R. Murrow
Daniel Schorr on going to Moscow for CBS News in 1955, and on getting in with Edward R. Murrow
Richard M. Nixon
Daniel Schorr on covering Richard M. Nixon, and on being on Nixon's "enemies list"
Daniel Schorr on being investigated by the FBI at the behest of the Nixon administration
William S. Paley
Daniel Schorr on doing a CBS documentary on East Germany, and on clashing with William S. Paley
Daniel Schorr on his contentious relationship with William S. Paley
Richard S. Salant
Daniel Schorr on Richard S. Salant
Ted Turner
Daniel Schorr on working for CNN at the creation of the network by Ted Turner