Walter Cronkite

 

Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. was an American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years. During the heyday of CBS News in the 60's and 70's, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll. Although he reported many events from 1937 to 1981, including the bombing in WWI, the Nuremberg trials, combat in the Vietnam War, the death of President John F. Kennedy, Watergate, and the Iran Hostage Crisis, he was known for extensive TV coverage of the US Space program, from Project Mercury to the Moon landings, to the Space Shuttle. He was the only non-NASA recipient of a Moon-rock award.The Beatles' first American TV broadcast was with Walter Cronkite. Walter was born in St. Joseph, Missouri and grew up in Kansas City, Mo. He attended college in Texas where he worked at the Daily Texan. He dropped out of college and met his future wife, Mary Elizabeth Maxwell while working as a sports announcer in KC. In Kansas City he joined the United Press and became one of the top reporters in WWII, covering battles in North Africa and Europe. After the war, he covered the Nuremberg trials and served as the United Press main reporter in Moscow for two years. In 1950 he began working for CBS News and through a series of affiliates and jobs he ended up hosting the program You Are There from 1953 to 1957. In 1962 Cronkite succeeded Douglas Edwards as anchorman of the CBS Evening News and thus began his journey to becoming an American icon. He retired in1980 leaving Dan Rather to fill his position. He continued to broadcast occasionally as a special correspondent for CBS, CNN and NPR into the 21st Century. He did voice-overs, documentaries and was somewhat of a political activist. He was married for nearly 65 years to Mary "Betsy" Maxwell and they had three children. At the time of his death he was "keeping company" with opera singer, Joanna Simon. He was an avid sailor and an aspiring sports car racer. Despite denials of his illness he died at his home in New York city at the age of 92.