Lesley Stahl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lesley Stahl
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Stahl in 2025
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| Born | December 16, 1941 Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Education | Wheaton College (BA) |
| Occupation | News reporter |
| Years active | 1971–present |
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Notable credit(s)
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Face the Nation moderator (1983–1991) America Tonight Anchor (1990–1991) 60 Minutes Correspondent (1991–present) 48 Hours Host (2002–2004) |
| Spouse(s) |
Jeffrey Gordon
(m. 1964; div. 1967) Aaron Latham
(m. 1977; died 2022) |
| Children | 1 |
Lesley Rene Stahl (born December 16, 1941) is a famous American television journalist. She has worked for CBS News for most of her career, starting as a producer in 1971. Since 1991, she has been a reporter for the popular CBS news show 60 Minutes.
Stahl is known for her investigative reporting and her award-winning stories from around the world. She has won many awards for her work, including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award in 2003.
Before joining 60 Minutes, Stahl was a White House correspondent for CBS News. She was the first woman to have this job. She reported on presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush. Her stories were often seen on the CBS Evening News.
From 1983 to 1991, she was the host of Face the Nation, a Sunday morning show where she interviewed world leaders like Margaret Thatcher and Boris Yeltsin.
Contents
Early Life and School
Lesley Stahl was born in 1941 into a Jewish family in Lynn, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. She grew up in the nearby town of Swampscott. Her father, Louis E. Stahl, was an executive at a food company.
She went to Wheaton College in Massachusetts. She was an excellent student and graduated with a degree in history.
A Career in Journalism
For over 50 years, Stahl has reported on some of the most important events in American history. These include the Watergate scandal in the 1970s, the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan, and the 1991 Gulf War.
She has also reported on meetings between U.S. and Russian leaders and major political events in the United States. In her work, she has investigated many serious topics, such as the treatment of children in Iraq under Saddam Hussein and conditions at Guantánamo Bay.
Getting Started in the 1970s
Stahl started her TV career at a local station in Boston. She joined CBS News in 1971 and became a correspondent in 1974. Stahl later said that CBS hired her because the government required TV networks to hire more women and minorities.
Her big break came when she covered the Watergate scandal. This was a major political scandal that led to President Richard Nixon's resignation. Because many other reporters were busy covering the presidential election, Stahl was assigned to the story.
She got her first big scoop by being the only TV reporter to get pictures of the men who broke into the Watergate building. This made her a hero at the news station.
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Reporting from the White House in the 1980s
From 1983 to 1991, Stahl was the host of the news show Face the Nation. She also became a White House correspondent, reporting on the daily activities of three presidents: Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush.
She was known for breaking big news stories. For example, at the 1980 Republican Convention, she was the first to report that George H. W. Bush would be Ronald Reagan's vice-presidential nominee.
New Roles in the 1990s
In 1991, Stahl joined the famous news show 60 Minutes, where she still works today.
In 1998, she made a guest appearance as herself on the TV show Frasier.
Stahl has also written two books. Her first book, Reporting Live, was published in 1999. In it, she wrote about her amazing experiences, including a trip to Rwanda to see mountain gorillas. She described it as one of the best days of her life. She wrote:
What I decided that day with the gorillas in Rwanda was that the best day of your life may not have happened yet. No matter what you think.
Investigative Work in the 2000s
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From 2002 to 2004, Stahl hosted the show 48 Hours Investigates. In 2002, former Vice President Al Gore told Stahl on 60 Minutes that he would not run for president in 2004, which was a major news story.
In 2007, she had a memorable interview with the president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy. He became upset with her questions about his wife and ended the interview early, calling it "stupid."
Recent Work in the 2010s and 2020s
In 2014, Stahl was a reporter for Years of Living Dangerously, a documentary series about climate change. In 2016, she published her second book, Becoming Grandma, about her experiences as a grandparent.
During the 2020 presidential election, Stahl interviewed President Donald Trump for 60 Minutes. The interview was cut short by the president, who later released the full video online before it aired on TV.
In 2021, a 60 Minutes report by Stahl on healthcare for transgender youth received criticism from some advocacy groups.
Career Timeline
- September 1983–May 1991: Face the Nation moderator
- October 1990–March 1991: America Tonight anchor
- March 1991–present: 60 Minutes correspondent
- October 2002–December 2004: 48 Hours host
Personal Life
In 1977, Stahl married author Aaron Latham. They have one daughter. Latham passed away in July 2022.
In May 2020, Stahl announced on 60 Minutes that she had been hospitalized with COVID-19 but had recovered.
Awards and Honors
Stahl has won 13 News & Documentary Emmy Awards, including one for Lifetime Achievement. Some of her other major awards include:
- 1996 - The Fred Friendly First Amendment Award
- 1996 - Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Silver Baton for a report on the suffering of Iraqi children.
- 2004 - Gerald Loeb Award for a story on business journalism.
- 2013 - The Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence in Television.
- 2015 - The Paul White Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Radio Television Digital News Association.
- 2021 - Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism.
Filmography
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa as Newscaster (voice)
- Frasier: "Desperately Seeking Closure" as herself
- Marcel the Shell with Shoes On as herself
- Transformers: Rise of the Beasts as herself
See also
In Spanish: Lesley Stahl para niños
- New Yorkers in journalism
