Harry Reasoner Papers, 1944-1999

Biographical Note

American journalist Harry Reasoner (1923-1991) was born in Dakota City, Iowa to Harry Ray Reasoner and Eunice Nicholl. In 1939, Reasoner was left to raise himself at age sixteen after his father died from a fall and his mother’s passing just a few years prior. He studied journalism at Stanford University and the University of Minnesota. While serving in World War II, he began writing his first novel entitled Tell Me About Women, published in 1946. His other publications include: The Reasoner Report (1966), The World Today (1975), and Before the Colors Fade (1981).

In 1956, Reasoner began working for CBS News, where he would spend the majority of his career. During 1961, the station asked him to co-host the weekday news program, Calendar, with Mary Fickett until its final air in 1963. He hosted 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace in 1968, leaving in 1970 to work as an anchor for the ABC Evening News, first with Howard K. Smith and later with Barbara Walters in 1976. Reasoner, however, rejoined 60 Minutes in 1978 after returning to CBS, remaining at both until his retirement in 1991.

Sources:

McKeever, Stuart A. “Going Home.”

Severo, Richard. “Harry Reasoner, 68, Newscaster Known for His Fry Wit, Is Dead.” The New York Times. August 7, 1991. Accessed November 4, 2011.

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Scope and Contents

Correspondence, news reports, financial records, publications, transcripts, photographs, audio and videocassettes, 16 mm motion picture film, newspaper clippings, and an FBI File comprise the Harry Reasoner Papers, 1944-1999, documenting his career as an American journalist and author.

Correspondence is composed of both professional and personal letters written during the 1960s-1990s, and include ones penned in November 1970 by Lyndon Baines Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, and Richard Nixon in congratulation for Reasoner’s career move from CBS to ABC. Several news reports from CBS and ABC, including Nixon’s resignation and Ford’s swearing-in. Financial records concern documents from Reasoner and Associates, Inc. (1988), as well as expense notebooks (1966-1968). Publications are comprised of works authored by Reasoner and several others, including twenty-one copies of Before the Colors Fade, in addition to edited drafts, and book reviews of the same. Transcripts are from several news broadcasts (1964-1991), including 60 minutes, the Reasoner Reports, ABC news essay, and CBS News Special Reports. Photographs (1959-1974) include photo albums and autographed images of Reasoner. Videocassettes capture a number of news broadcasts, but are primarily of 60 Minutes from the 1980s. Audiocassettes record the GOP National Convention (June 26, 1944), Charles Collingwood’s memorial service (October 9, 1985), and interviews (1985-1999) used by Douglass Daniel for writing his biography on Reasoner. Interviews include family members and several individuals in the news industry, such as Walter Cronkite, Mike Wallace, Dan Rather, and Andy Rooney. 16mm motion picture film reels are of the Reasoner Reports and 60 Minutes from the 1970s, as well as Calendars from 1963. The collection also includes a Photostat of an FBI file on Reasoner.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Use of audio material by appointment only; please contact sound archivist for more information.

Use of video material by appointment only; please contact repository for more information.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Harry Reasoner Papers, 1944-1999, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Archives staff. Subsequent revisions were made by Maria Soscia November 2011.

This collection contains unprocessed materials.

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Detailed Description of the Papers

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