Chris Wallace: Spouse, Children, Parents, Siblings, Career & More

Chris Wallace is one of the most recognizable names in American television journalism. Over a career spanning roughly six decades, he has worked for NBC, ABC, Fox News, and CNN, interviewed presidents and world leaders, moderated presidential debates, and won some of the most prestigious awards in broadcast journalism.

He is also the son of legendary 60 Minutes journalist Mike Wallace, although Chris has said that his stepfather, former CBS News president Bill Leonard, had a particularly important influence on his life.

Quick Facts About Chris Wallace

●      Full name: Christopher Wallace

●      Born: October 12, 1947

●      Age: 78

●      Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

●      Nationality: American

●      Profession: Journalist, television host, and author

●      Education: Harvard University

●      Father: Mike Wallace

●      Mother: Norma Kaphan

●      Stepfather: Bill Leonard

●      Sibling: Peter Wallace

●      First wife: Elizabeth Farrell

●      Current wife: Lorraine Smothers Wallace

●      Marriages: Two

●      Children: Four biological children

●      Stepchildren: Two

●      Major networks: NBC, ABC, Fox News, CNN

●      Fox News program: Fox News Sunday

●      CNN programs: Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?, The Chris Wallace Show

●      Years at Fox News: 2003–2021

●      CNN: 2022–2024

●      Awards: Three Emmys, Peabody, duPont-Columbia Silver Baton and others

How Old Is Chris Wallace?

Chris Wallace was born on October 12, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois.

●      He is 78 years old.

Wallace was born on Columbus Day, which helped inspire his parents to give him the name Christopher, according to a Harvard Magazine profile.

He grew up in a family closely connected to American broadcasting. His biological father was already pursuing a career in radio and television, while his mother later married another prominent CBS journalist.

Who Are Chris Wallace's Parents?

Chris Wallace's biological parents were Mike Wallace and Norma Kaphan.

His father, Mike Wallace, became one of the most famous television interviewers in American history through his work on CBS's 60 Minutes.

His mother, Norma Kaphan, was Mike Wallace's first wife. The couple married in 1940 and had two sons, Peter and Chris, before divorcing.

Chris's parents divorced when he was approximately one year old.

As a result, Chris did not have a close relationship with his father during his earliest childhood.

Who Was Chris Wallace's Father, Mike Wallace?

Mike Wallace (1918–2012) was a pioneering American television journalist and one of the original correspondents on CBS's 60 Minutes.

Born Myron Leon Wallace, he became famous for his aggressive interviewing style and his willingness to confront powerful political figures, celebrities, and business leaders.

Mike Wallace's journalism career influenced his son's career enormously, although Chris did not simply follow his father's professional path.

The two initially had a distant relationship, but they became much closer when Chris was a teenager.

Who Was Chris Wallace's Stepfather?

Chris Wallace was raised largely by his mother and his stepfather, Bill Leonard.

Leonard was himself a major figure in American broadcast journalism. He worked for CBS News and eventually became president of CBS News from 1979 to 1982.

Wallace has described Leonard as the single most important person in his life.

Leonard also helped introduce Wallace to political journalism at a young age. He hired the teenage Wallace as an assistant to Walter Cronkite during the 1964 Republican National Convention.

That experience gave Wallace an early look at how major political journalism worked.

Did Chris Wallace Have Any Siblings?

Yes.

Chris Wallace had one older brother, Peter Wallace.

Peter was born in 1942 and died in 1962 at the age of 19 following a mountain-climbing accident in Greece.

Peter's death had a profound effect on Chris's relationship with his father.

According to Harvard Magazine, Chris reconnected with Mike Wallace at Peter's funeral. The father and son subsequently developed a relationship that continued for the rest of Mike Wallace's life.

Therefore, Chris Wallace's only biological sibling was his older brother Peter.

Education

Wallace attended the Hotchkiss School, a private boarding school in Connecticut.

He subsequently attended Harvard University, where he became involved in student journalism.

At Harvard, Wallace worked at WHRB, the university's student radio station.

His early reporting included coverage of the 1969 occupation of University Hall. During the incident, police arrested Wallace along with demonstrators.

He was allowed one phone call from jail and used it to file a report for WHRB, signing off as Chris Wallace reporting from custody.

Wallace graduated from Harvard in 1969.

How Did Chris Wallace Start His Journalism Career?

Interestingly, Wallace's first professional journalism experience was not immediately in television.

After Harvard, he worked for The Boston Globe.

He eventually became convinced that television was where he wanted to build his career.

His early television career included work at WBBM-TV in Chicago, before he joined NBC News.

Chris Wallace at NBC News

Wallace joined NBC News in the 1970s and quickly established himself as a serious political reporter.

He eventually became NBC's chief White House correspondent.

During his NBC years, he covered presidential politics and major national stories.

He also became the host of Meet the Press.

This was a significant achievement because Wallace later became the only journalist to have hosted both Meet the Press and another major Sunday political talk program, Fox News Sunday. CNN has highlighted this unusual distinction in its biography of Wallace.

Wallace also anchored the Sunday edition of NBC Nightly News.

Chris Wallace at ABC News

In 1989, Wallace moved from NBC to ABC News.

He spent approximately 14 years at ABC.

During that period, he served as chief correspondent for Primetime Thursday and became a substitute host for Nightline.

His ABC years helped establish him as a major television interviewer.

He covered politics, national affairs and major news events before making another major career move in 2003.

Chris Wallace at Fox News

In 2003, Wallace joined Fox News.

He became the anchor of Fox News Sunday, replacing Tony Snow.

Wallace remained at Fox for 18 years, making him one of the longest-serving hosts of a major American Sunday political program.

His interviewing style became particularly well known during this period.

He frequently pressed politicians and public figures with follow-up questions rather than simply accepting their initial answers.

Chris Wallace and Presidential Debates

One of Wallace's most important professional accomplishments came when he became a presidential debate moderator.

In 2015, he co-moderated the first Republican presidential debate of the 2016 election cycle.

In 2016, he became the first Fox News journalist to moderate a general-election presidential debate.

He later moderated the first presidential debate of the 2020 election season between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

That 2020 debate became one of the most discussed presidential debates in recent American political history.

Chris Wallace's Interviews

During his career, Wallace has interviewed numerous prominent figures.

His interview subjects have included:

●      U.S. presidents

●      Presidential candidates

●      World leaders

●      Business executives

●      Actors

●      Musicians

●      Authors

●      Political activists

●      Sports figures

CNN noted that during his Fox News years, he interviewed major U.S. and international leaders and covered virtually every major political event.

His interviewing approach has frequently been described as direct and persistent.

When Did Chris Wallace Leave Fox News?

Wallace announced his departure from Fox News in December 2021, after 18 years with the network.

His final episode of Fox News Sunday aired in December 2021.

He explained that he wanted to try something new and explore subjects beyond politics.

CBS News reported that Wallace said he wanted to move beyond politics to explore areas such as entertainment, sports, business and culture.

His next destination was CNN.

Chris Wallace at CNN

Wallace joined CNN in January 2022.

The original plan was for him to become a major personality on CNN+, the company's new streaming service.

However, CNN+ was shut down shortly after its launch.

CNN subsequently developed other programs around Wallace.

One of them was Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?, a long-form interview program that featured conversations with political figures, celebrities, business leaders and other public personalities.

He also became host of The Chris Wallace Show, a Saturday morning CNN program featuring journalists and commentators discussing major stories.

Why Did Chris Wallace Leave CNN?

Wallace left CNN in November 2024, after three years with the network.

His departure was described as amicable.

Rather than immediately retiring, Wallace said he wanted to explore the rapidly changing media landscape, particularly independent streaming and podcasting.

CNN CEO Mark Thompson praised Wallace as one of the most respected political journalists in the business.

Wallace also made clear that he did not consider himself retired.

He said that his father, Mike Wallace, continued working into his late 80s and that he still had the energy and curiosity to keep working.

What Is Chris Wallace Doing Now?

Following his departure from CNN, Wallace has been exploring opportunities outside traditional network television, particularly in streaming, podcasting and independent media.

A 2025 report also identified Wallace as a senior adviser for news and media investments at RedBird Capital Partners, where he was advising on news and media matters.

This represents a different stage of his career: instead of being tied to one network's daily schedule, Wallace has more freedom to pursue interviews, commentary and media projects.

Who Is Chris Wallace's Wife?

Chris Wallace's wife is Lorraine Smothers Wallace.

The couple married in 1997.

Lorraine was previously married to comedian Dick Smothers and brought two children from that marriage into the relationship.

Lorraine is also known as a cookbook author.

Her book Mr. Sunday's Soups was inspired partly by the family's tradition of gathering around meals. Chris Wallace wrote the foreword and discussed their blended family in the book.

Who Was Chris Wallace's First Wife?

Before marrying Lorraine, Chris Wallace was married to Elizabeth Farrell.

The couple married in 1973 and had four children together.

Their children are:

●      Peter

●      Megan

●      Catherine

●      Andrew

The marriage eventually ended in divorce.

How Many Children Does Chris Wallace Have?

Chris Wallace has four biological children from his first marriage to Elizabeth Farrell.

They are:

Peter Wallace

Peter is Chris Wallace's eldest son.

He has children of his own, making Chris Wallace a grandfather.

Megan Wallace

Megan is Chris Wallace's daughter.

She also has children.

Catherine Wallace

Catherine is another of Wallace's daughters.

Andrew Wallace

Andrew is Chris Wallace's youngest biological child.

He also has children.

Public sources have generally kept Wallace's children's personal lives relatively private, so there is considerably less publicly documented information about their careers than there is about their famous father.

Does Chris Wallace Have Stepchildren?

Yes.

When Chris Wallace married Lorraine Smothers in 1997, the marriage created a blended family.

Lorraine had two children from her previous marriage to Dick Smothers:

●      Sarah Smothers

●      Remick Smothers

Thus, Chris and Lorraine's blended family consists of six children in total—four from Chris's previous marriage and two from Lorraine's.

How Many Grandchildren Does Chris Wallace Have?

Chris Wallace has several grandchildren through his four biological children.

His son Peter, for example, has three children, while his daughter Megan has two. His son Andrew has also reportedly had children.

Because the family generally maintains its privacy, there is not a consistently updated authoritative public record of the total number of grandchildren.

Chris Wallace's Relationship With His Father

Chris Wallace's relationship with Mike Wallace is one of the most interesting parts of his biography.

Although they shared a profession and eventually became close, Chris did not grow up with his father.

Mike and Norma divorced when Chris was about one year old, and Chris was primarily raised by his mother and stepfather Bill Leonard.

Chris told Harvard Magazine that Leonard was the person who had the greatest influence on him.

His relationship with Mike changed after Peter Wallace died in 1962.

At Peter's funeral, Chris and Mike reconnected, and their relationship became much closer.

Was Chris Wallace Influenced by Mike Wallace?

Absolutely.

The similarities between the two journalists are difficult to miss.

Both became famous for interviewing powerful people and asking difficult questions.

However, Chris has consistently distinguished his own style from his father's.

Mike Wallace was known for an especially confrontational style, whereas Chris developed a reputation for persistent but generally controlled questioning.

Chris's career also took him across several different networks, while Mike became most closely associated with CBS and 60 Minutes.

Chris Wallace's Books

Wallace is also a bestselling author.

His books include:

Countdown 1945

Published in 2020, Countdown 1945 examines the events leading up to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

Countdown bin Laden

Wallace co-authored Countdown bin Laden: The Untold Story of the 247-Day Hunt to Bring the Mastermind of 9/11 to Justice.

The book examines the search for Osama bin Laden and the operation that ultimately killed him.

Countdown 1960

Wallace later turned his attention to the 1960 presidential election in Countdown 1960: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of the 312 Days That Changed American Politics Forever.

His books combine political history with interviews and behind-the-scenes reporting.

CNN has described Countdown bin Laden and Countdown 1945 as New York Times bestsellers.

Chris Wallace's Awards

Wallace has received numerous major journalism awards throughout his career.

His honors include:

●      Three Emmy Awards

●      Peabody Award

●      George Polk Award

●      duPont-Columbia Silver Baton

●      Sol Taishoff Award for Broadcast Journalism

●      Paul White Award

●      Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism

●      ICFJ Founders Award for Excellence in Journalism

CNN reported that Wallace has won essentially every major broadcast-news award for his reporting.

In 2020, he received the Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism.

Chris Wallace's Political Reputation

Although Wallace has spent much of his career covering politics, he has generally presented himself as an interviewer rather than a political advocate.

His career across NBC, ABC, Fox News and CNN has also meant that he has worked in news organizations with very different audiences and editorial cultures.

His reputation has largely been built on his interviewing technique: asking direct questions, challenging incomplete answers and attempting to make interviewees explain their positions.

Conclusion

Chris Wallace's biography is unusual even by the standards of American television journalism. He was born into a broadcasting family, but his path was shaped as much by his stepfather, Bill Leonard, as by his famous biological father, Mike Wallace.

His career has taken him through nearly every major American television news organization. He worked at NBC News and ABC News, became the longtime host of Fox News Sunday, moderated presidential debates, and later joined CNN for a new generation of interview and discussion programs.

His personal life has also centered on family. Wallace has four biological children from his first marriage to Elizabeth Farrell and became part of a blended family with Lorraine Smothers, who had two children of her own.

Perhaps the most interesting part of his story is that, despite being the son of one of America's most famous journalists, Wallace developed his own identity in the industry. His departure from CNN in 2024 did not signal the end of his career. Instead, he indicated that he wanted to explore streaming, podcasting, and other independent forms of journalism—a fitting next chapter for a journalist whose career has repeatedly adapted to changes in the media landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What has happened to Chris Wallace?

Chris Wallace left CNN in November 2024 after choosing not to renew his three-year contract. Before CNN, he spent 18 years at Fox News as the host of Fox News Sunday. At CNN, he hosted Who's Talking to Chris Wallace? and The Chris Wallace Show. After leaving CNN, Wallace said he planned to pursue opportunities in streaming and podcasting.

2. What is Chris Wallace doing today?

Chris Wallace is continuing his career through independent media and advisory work rather than anchoring a regular CNN or Fox News program. In 2026, he was reported to be a senior adviser to RedBird Capital Partners, while also remaining active in journalism and media commentary. He recently wrote about the proposed Paramount Skydance–Warner Bros. Discovery deal and defended press freedom and editorial independence.

3. Is Chris Wallace a Republican?

No. Chris Wallace is not a registered Republican. He has been registered as a Democrat, although he has said that his registration was partly practical because Democrats dominated Washington, D.C., politics and that he has voted for candidates from both major parties. His political registration does not necessarily mean that he identifies with all Democratic positions.

4. How many times has Chris Wallace been married?

Chris Wallace has been married twice. He married Elizabeth Farrell in 1973, and they had four children together. He married his second wife, Lorraine Smothers, in 1997, and they remain married. Lorraine Smothers was previously married to comedian Dick Smothers.

5. Did Chris Wallace have a brother?

Yes. His older brother Peter Wallace died in 1962 at age 19 following a mountain-climbing accident in Greece.

6. Who raised Chris Wallace?

After his parents divorced when he was about one, Chris was raised primarily by his mother and his stepfather, Bill Leonard, who later became president of CBS News. Wallace has described Leonard as the most important influence in his life.

7. Is Chris Wallace still at CNN?

No. Wallace left CNN in November 2024 after three years at the network. He said he wanted to explore opportunities in independent media, including streaming and podcasting.

8. Is Chris Wallace retired?

Not in the conventional sense. When he left CNN, Wallace explicitly indicated that he was not ready to retire and wanted to continue working in journalism and media.

9. What is Chris Wallace famous for?

He is best known for his long career as a political journalist, particularly his 18 years as host of Fox News Sunday, his work at NBC and ABC, his presidential-debate moderation, and his later interview programs at CNN.

10. Is Chris Wallace related to Mike Wallace?

Yes. Mike Wallace was his biological father. Chris and Mike initially had a distant relationship but became closer after the death of Chris's older brother Peter.