Don Hewitt, the legendary television news pioneer who created "60 Minutes" and spanned Edward R. Murrow to Walter Cronkite to Mike Wallace, died this morning at the age of 86.
For you Philistines who don't know Hewitt, here are ten reasons you should know him:
10.) He originated cue cards for news readers.
9.) He was the first to superimpose words on a television screen for a news show.
8.) Hewitt was producer for the famous Kennedy/Nixon debate in 1960. He urged Nixon to apply makeup. Nixon refused. The rest is history.
7.) Would infuriate journalists, such as Mike Wallace, who often accused Hewitt of gutting his pieces during the editing process: "C'mon Don, you're gutting the piece!"
6.) As executive producer, it was Hewitt's call as to what pieces aired weekly on 60 Minutes.
5.) Was mentioned in movies such as Good Night and Good Luck and The Insider, which painted an unflattering portrait of Hewitt as caving to CBS lawyers.
4.) During Hewitt's run, "60 Minutes" won an incredible 73 Emmy Awards, 13 Dupont /Columbia University Awards and 9 Peabodies. Damn.
3.) His coverage not only freed innocent people from prison but laws were actually changed.
2.) Under Hewitt's watch, "60 Minutes" was the top-rated show an amazing four times.
1.) Like Johnny Carson and Les Paul, I hope you got a chance to see Hewitt's work because we won't ever see another like him.
CBS News announced shorty after Hewitt's passing, that this Sunday's "60 Minutes" will devote the entire hour to Hewitt's life and legacy. I think he's earned it.
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