Dan Rather
Birth Name:
Daniel Irvin Rather
Birth Place:
Wharton, Texas, United States
Profession
Producer, Actor, Writer
Fast Facts
- Earned his first Peabody Award in 1975
- After earning a journalism degree from Sam Houston State University, he would briefly attend the South Texas College of Law
- Following his retirement from the "CBS Evening News" in 2005, he would sue his former employer for breach of contract to the tune of $70 million, stating that he was wrongly fired following the botched "Killian document" incident of 2004
- Began his career with the Associated Press in 1950 and would later write for the United Press as well as the Houston Chronicle
- Quote: "We've shared a lot in the 24 years we've been meeting here and before I say good night, I need to say thank you․ Thank you to all of you who have let us into your homes night after night․ It has been a privilege and one never taken lightly․"
- Quote: "For me, the sense of freedom and exhilaration and accomplishment I get from coming to work every day is unimaginable․"
- Quote: "I can't remember a time when I didn't want to be a reporter․"
- Transitioned to television by 1959, earning his first on-screen credits with KTRK in Houston
- Became a network correspondent after gaining recognition for covering Hurricane Carla in Galveston in 1961
- Received national attention for his coverage of President Kennedy's assassination in 1963
- Named the CBS White House correspondent in 1964 and would begin to travel overseas for his work
- Took over the hosting duties of "The CBS Evening News" in 1981 following the retirement of Walter Cronkite
- Once worked as the play-by-play announcer for the University of Houston and Sam Houston State's football teams
- Served in the Marine Corps, but was discharged due to preexisting medical conditions
Awards
- 1998Emmy - General Coverage of a Single Breaking News Story - Segments:Nominated
- 2000Emmy - Outstanding Interview/Interviewers:Nominated
- 2001Emmy - Outstanding Interview/Interviewer:Nominated
- 2002Emmy - Outstanding Coverage of a Continuing News Story - Long Form:Nominated
- 2002Emmy - Outstanding Informational Programming - Long Form:Nominated
- 2007Emmy - Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story - Long Form:Nominated
- 2008Emmy - Outstanding Investigative Journalism in a News Magazine:Nominated
- 2010Emmy - Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story in a News Magazine:Nominated
- 2010Emmy - Outstanding Business and Economic Reporting in a News Magazine:Winner
- 2011Emmy - Outstanding Investigative Journalism in a News Magazine:Nominated
- 2011Emmy - Outstanding Business and Economic Reporting in a News Magazine:Nominated
- 2011Emmy - Outstanding Business and Economic Reporting in a News Magazine:Winner
- 2012Emmy - Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story in a News Magazine:Nominated
- 2012Emmy - Outstanding Investigative Journalism - Long Form:Nominated
- 2013Emmy - Outstanding Investigative Journalism in a News Magazine:Nominated
- 2014Emmy - Outstanding Feature Story in a News Magazine:Nominated
- 2019Audience Award - International Documentary Competition:Winner
- 2021Emmy - Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary:Nominated