Harry Reasoner (April 17, 1923 - August 6, 1991) was an American journalist known for his use of language as a television commentator.

Born in Dakota City, Iowa, Reasoner studied journalism at Stanford University and the University of Minnesota. He served in World War II, coming home later to resume his career with the Minneapolis Times.

After going to radio with CBS in 1948, Reasoner worked for the United States Information Agency in the Philippines. After his return stateside, he went into television working at a telelvision station in Minneapolis and later moved to New York.

While in New York, Reasoner hosted a morning news program called Calendar on top of doing commentator and special news narration duties.

Reasoner's greatest contribution to television news reporting came in 1968, when he teamed up with Mike Wallace to begin the 60 Minutes newsmagazine series. Reasoner was at ABC for most of the 1970s, but returned in 1978 and remained at CBS until he retired in May 1991.

Reasoner passed away three months later at the age of 68 from a blood clot in the brain received from a fall at his home in Westport, Connecticut. He is interred at Union Cemetery in Humboldt, Iowa.

External links

• Harry Reasoner's entry in the Des Moines Register "Famous Iowans" section
• A Harry Reasoner commentary from 1971