Daniel Schorr

News Correspondent
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About
About this interview

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.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"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.'"

People Talking About ...
Daniel Schorr
Highlights
Daniel Schorr on working with Edward R. Murrow
03:08
Daniel Schorr on being investigated by the FBI at the behest of the Nixon administration
03:23
Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany
04:21
Daniel Schorr on interviewing Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow on Face the Nation
07:33
Daniel Schorr on reporting for NPR
00:47
Daniel Schorr on how he would like to be remembered
01:06
Full Interview

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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
02:18
Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany
04:21

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
04:10

Face the Nation

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Daniel Schorr on interviewing Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow on Face the Nation
07:33
Daniel Schorr on how CBS News portrayed Nikita Khrushchev, and on negotiating his Face the Nation interview
03:36

See It Now

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Daniel Schorr on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy
01:22

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
01:22
Topics

1939-40 World's Fair

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Daniel Schorr on seeing television at the 1939 World's Fair
01:41

Cold War

View Topic
Daniel Schorr on going to Moscow for CBS News in 1955, and on getting in with Edward R. Murrow
07:46
Daniel Schorr on interviewing Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow on Face the Nation
07:33
Daniel Schorr on covering Nikita Khrushchev's trip to the United States in 1959 for Eyewitness to History
04:10
Daniel Schorr on how CBS News portrayed Nikita Khrushchev, and on negotiating his Face the Nation interview
03:36
Daniel Schorr on being expelled by Moscow by the KGB, and on covering various stories for CBS News
02:18
Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany
04:21
Daniel Schorr on covering various stories in Eastern Europe in the early 1960s
05:42
Daniel Schorr on doing a CBS documentary on East Germany, and on clashing with William S. Paley
06:43

Gerald Ford

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Daniel Schorr on the Pike Report, and on leaving CBS News for the final time
07:03

Historic Events and Social Change

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Daniel Schorr on seeing television at the 1939 World's Fair
01:41
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
01:45
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
05:11
Daniel Schorr on going to Moscow for CBS News in 1955, and on getting in with Edward R. Murrow
07:46
Daniel Schorr on interviewing Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow on Face the Nation
07:33
Daniel Schorr on covering Nikita Khrushchev's trip to the United States in 1959 for Eyewitness to History
04:10
Daniel Schorr on how CBS News portrayed Nikita Khrushchev, and on negotiating his Face the Nation interview
03:36
Daniel Schorr on being expelled by Moscow by the KGB, and on covering various stories for CBS News
02:18
Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany
04:21
Daniel Schorr on covering various stories in Eastern Europe in the early 1960s
05:42
Daniel Schorr on doing a CBS documentary on East Germany, and on clashing with William S. Paley
06:43

Hollywood Blacklist

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Daniel Schorr on covering the McCarthy hearings
05:08
Daniel Schorr on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy
01:22

Industry Crossroads

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Daniel Schorr on covering the McCarthy hearings
05:08
Daniel Schorr on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy
01:22

John F. Kennedy

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Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany
02:25

Network Creation

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Daniel Schorr on working for CNN at the creation of the network by Ted Turner
06:00

Richard M. Nixon

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Daniel Schorr on covering Richard M. Nixon, and on being on Nixon's "enemies list"
05:11
Daniel Schorr on being investigated by the FBI at the behest of the Nixon administration
03:23
Daniel Schorr on covering Watergate, and on the end of his career with CBS News
07:55

Television Industry

View Topic
Daniel Schorr on covering the McCarthy hearings
05:08
Daniel Schorr on Edward R. Murrow's See it Now commentary on Senator Joseph McCarthy
01:22
Daniel Schorr on working for CNN at the creation of the network by Ted Turner
06:00

Television and the Presidency

View Topic
Daniel Schorr on covering Richard M. Nixon, and on being on Nixon's "enemies list"
05:11
Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany
02:25
Daniel Schorr on being investigated by the FBI at the behest of the Nixon administration
03:23
Daniel Schorr on covering Watergate, and on the end of his career with CBS News
07:55
Daniel Schorr on the Pike Report, and on leaving CBS News for the final time
07:02

War

View Topic
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
01:45
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
05:11
Daniel Schorr on going to Moscow for CBS News in 1955, and on getting in with Edward R. Murrow
07:46
Daniel Schorr on interviewing Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow on Face the Nation
07:33
Daniel Schorr on covering Nikita Khrushchev's trip to the United States in 1959 for Eyewitness to History
04:10
Daniel Schorr on how CBS News portrayed Nikita Khrushchev, and on negotiating his Face the Nation interview
03:36
Daniel Schorr on being expelled by Moscow by the KGB, and on covering various stories for CBS News
02:18
Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany
04:21
Daniel Schorr on covering various stories in Eastern Europe in the early 1960s
05:42
Daniel Schorr on doing a CBS documentary on East Germany, and on clashing with William S. Paley
06:43

World War II

View Topic
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
01:45
Daniel Schorr on his experiences during World War II
05:11
Genres

News and Documentary

View Genre
Daniel Schorr on interviewing Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow on Face the Nation
08:33
Daniel Schorr on covering Nikita Khrushchev's trip to the United States in 1959 for Eyewitness to History
04:10
Daniel Schorr on how CBS News portrayed Nikita Khrushchev, and on negotiating his Face the Nation interview
03:36
Daniel Schorr on doing a CBS documentary on East Germany, and on clashing with William S. Paley
06:43
Daniel Schorr on covering various stories for CBS News
29:10
Daniel Schorr on covering Watergate and other stories for various CBS News programs
27:19
People

Edward R. Murrow

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Daniel Schorr on going to work for Edward R. Murrow after being turned down by "The New York Times"
03:32
Daniel Schorr on working with Edward R. Murrow
03:08
Daniel Schorr on going to Moscow for CBS News in 1955, and on getting in with Edward R. Murrow
07:46

John F. Kennedy

View Person Page
Daniel Schorr on covering the construction of the Berlin Wall for CBS News, and John F. Kennedy's visit to Germany
02:25

Nikita Khrushchev

View Person Page
Daniel Schorr on interviewing Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow on Face the Nation
05:14
Daniel Schorr on covering Nikita Khrushchev's trip to the United States in 1959 for Eyewitness to History
04:10
Daniel Schorr on how CBS News portrayed Nikita Khrushchev, and on negotiating his Face the Nation interview
03:36

Richard M. Nixon

View Person Page
Daniel Schorr on covering Richard M. Nixon, and on being on Nixon's "enemies list"
05:11
Daniel Schorr on being investigated by the FBI at the behest of the Nixon administration
03:23

Richard S. Salant

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Daniel Schorr on Richard S. Salant
01:01

Sig Mickelson

View Interview Page
Daniel Schorr on working with Sig Mickelson
03:19

Ted Turner

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Daniel Schorr on working for CNN at the creation of the network by Ted Turner
06:00

William S. Paley

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Daniel Schorr on doing a CBS documentary on East Germany, and on clashing with William S. Paley
06:43
Daniel Schorr on his contentious relationship with William S. Paley
05:05

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