The Mike Wallace Interview

Ahead of what would have been his 99th birthday, we close out Black History Month with a rare interview featuring Harry Belafonte in conversation with Mike Wallace. Belafonte reflects on his rise from Harlem to international fame and explains why his success strengthened his commitment to the Civil Rights Movement. He discusses discrimination, racial pride, nonviolent resistance, the NAACP, and his admiration for Martin Luther King Jr.

In honor of Black History Month, this 1961 interview features Dick Gregory in conversation with Mike Wallace as his national career takes off. Promoting Dick Gregory in Living Black and White, Gregory discusses segregation, civil rights sit-ins, the Ku Klux Klan, growing up in St. Louis, and how he turned racial injustice into sharp political satire that reshaped American comedy

In honor of Black History Month, this 1961 television interview features Diahann Carroll in conversation with Mike Wallace at a pivotal moment in her career. Promoting Paris Blues, Carroll challenges Hollywood and Broadway's racial barriers, discusses auditioning for My Fair Lady, and critiques the stereotypes limiting Black actresses.

In honor of Black History Month, this episode presents a rare two-part television interview with Martin Luther King Jr, recorded at a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. In conversation with Mike Wallace, Dr. King explains the moral case for nonviolent direct action, the difference between just and unjust laws, and the role of conscience in civil disobedience. He addresses the relationship between the SCLC and the NAACP, critiques federal complicity in segregation, and reflects on the personal cost of becoming a national symbol. Clear, rigorous, and deeply human, this interview captures Dr. King as both a movement leader and a man thinking through history as it unfolds.

Henny Youngman joins Mike Wallace for a classic television portrait exploring comedy, craft, and career. Youngman discusses his devotion to short jokes, how comedians buy and trade material, and why he turned down major opportunities that did not feel right.

In this rare interview, Sammy Davis Jr. speaks with Mike Wallace about fame, race, and life as a Black entertainer in mid-century America. Davis discusses social acceptance, friendship, his decision to convert to Judaism, and the personal cost of success while confronting discrimination on and offstage. A revealing conversation that captures the complexity of one of the most influential performers in American entertainment history.

In part two of Mike Wallace's conversation with Steve Allen, the focus shifts from career battles to inner life. Allen reflects on self doubt, ego, money, faith, and the tension between comedy and moral seriousness, while responding candidly to criticism from peers like Jack Parr. 

In this wide-ranging television portrait, Mike Wallace sits down with Steve Allen to talk candidly about fame, censorship, and the cost of speaking his mind. Allen reflects on his time shaping early television, running The Tonight Show, and the behind-the-scenes pressures that ultimately pushed him away from a regular series.

In this rare Mike Wallace interview, captured at an early transitional moment in her career, Carol Burnett reflects on her rapid rise from UCLA student to Broadway star in Once Upon a Mattress and a breakout television comedian. She discusses finding her voice, spoofing "types" rather than individuals, and why she never viewed herself as an irreverent comic.

Mel describes his start being a funny man, explains why his type of comedy is dead, what he watches on tv and describes a typical dad character on TV. He also describes how he writes and why he loves to entertain. 

In honor of his 100th birthday, we look back at Dick Van Dyke's conversation with Mike Wallace at a pivotal point in his career. They about ambition, frustration, and the realities of show business. He reflects on creative compromise, the pull between artistic fulfillment and financial security, and how success can arrive in unexpected ways.