Harry Reasoner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harry Reasoner
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Harry Reasoner, 1974
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| Born | April 17, 1923 Dakota City, Iowa, U.S.
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| Died | August 6, 1991 (aged 68) |
| Education | Stanford University University of Minnesota |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Years active | 1946–1991 |
| Spouse(s) |
Kathleen Carroll Reasoner
(m. 1946; death 1986)Lois Harriett Weber
(m. 1988–1991) |
| Children | 7 |
Harry Reasoner (April 17, 1923 – August 6, 1991) was a well-known American journalist. He worked for CBS and ABC News. People knew him for his clever use of words as a TV commentator. He was also one of the first hosts of the famous news show 60 Minutes. He hosted 60 Minutes from 1968 to 1970, and again from 1978 to 1991.
During his career, Harry Reasoner won three Emmy Awards and a George Foster Peabody Award in 1967. These awards recognize excellence in television and radio.
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Early Life and Education
Harry Reasoner was born in Dakota City, Iowa. His parents, Eunice and Harry Ray Reasoner, taught him to read before he even started school. This helped him develop a wide vocabulary from a young age.
He went to West High School in Minneapolis. There, he became very interested in journalism. After high school, he studied journalism at Stanford University and the University of Minnesota. He later received a journalism degree from the University of Minnesota in 1989, when he was 66 years old.
Reasoner served in the United States Army during World War II. After the war, he continued his journalism career at The Minneapolis Times newspaper. He also wrote a novel called Tell Me About Women, which was published in 1946.
Starting His Journalism Career
After working in radio for CBS in 1948, Reasoner worked for the United States Information Agency in the Philippines. When he came back to the U.S., he started working in television at station KEYD in Minneapolis.
In 1956, Reasoner joined CBS News in New York City. He became a commentator and news narrator. He also hosted a morning news program called Calendar from 1961 to 1963.
Reporting on the JFK Assassination
Harry Reasoner played a key role in covering the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. He helped report the news alongside Walter Cronkite and Charles Collingwood.
Reasoner reported on President Kennedy's body arriving in Washington, D.C.. He also shared details about Lee Harvey Oswald, who was accused of killing a Dallas police officer. Later, Oswald was accused of killing the president.
Two days later, while Reasoner was anchoring the news, Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby. This happened live on TV as Oswald was being moved in the Dallas City Jail. Reasoner showed the tape of the shooting again so viewers could see what happened.
60 Minutes and Beyond
In 1968, Harry Reasoner teamed up with Mike Wallace to start 60 Minutes. This was a brand-new newsmagazine TV series. On 60 Minutes, Reasoner often worked with producer and writer Andy Rooney. Rooney later became a famous contributor to the show.
Moving to ABC and Back to CBS
In November 1970, Reasoner left CBS to join ABC. He became an anchor for the network's evening newscast, ABC Evening News. He anchored the news with Howard K. Smith until 1975.
In 1976, ABC paired Reasoner with a new co-anchor, Barbara Walters. She was a well-known host from Today Show. Reasoner and Walters did not have a close working relationship. Reasoner preferred to anchor the news by himself and was not comfortable sharing the spotlight.
After two years of co-anchoring with Walters, Reasoner left ABC in July 1978. He returned to CBS that fall and resumed his role on 60 Minutes. He stayed with 60 Minutes until he retired on May 19, 1991.
Personal Life and Family
Harry Reasoner was married twice. His first wife was Kathleen Carroll Reasoner. They were married for 35 years until she passed away in 1986. He then married Lois Harriett Weber in 1988.
He had seven children from his first marriage: Harry Stuart, Ann, Elizabeth, Jane, Mary Ray, Ellen, and Jonathan. He also had six grandchildren.
Death
Harry Reasoner passed away on August 6, 1991, just three months after he retired. He died from a health issue in his brain that resulted from a fall at his home in Westport, Connecticut. He is buried at Union Cemetery in Humboldt, Iowa.
