Jeff Fager’s Tribute to Morley Safer

Whatever Morley touched, he elevated. He took everything to a higher plane: in our personal relationships, in the games we played, in the dinners we shared, in the pranks we pulled, and in the stories we told.

He was an inspiration. He still is. When a line in a story is mediocre. When people are taking themselves too seriously. When a reporter is acting self-important. When someone does not appreciate how lucky we are. When there is not much laughter around. We should channel Morley to elevate us, as he did when he was with us every day.

He did so much for all of us at CBS. 60 Minutes had not truly found its way until Morley joined in the third year of the new program. He did it back then, too. He elevated 60 Minutes from the very beginning.

At that point in his career, he had already made a tremendous mark in Vietnam. All of his reporting stood out. He was among the very few who lived up to the profile of the CBS gentleman correspondent set by the Murrow boys. They were scholarly, experienced, and classy. Don Hewitt loved all of that about him. He knew Morley would help dignify his new broadcast. What is amazing is not that Don wanted him, but that Morley said yes.

Why would he give up covering the world for Walter Cronkite’s Evening News, the most prestigious position in broadcast journalism, to join a broadcast that aired only twice a month, attracted a tiny audience compared to Cronkite, and went up against the most-watched show in America, Marcus Welby, M.D.? That television season, 1970-1971, 60 Minutes finished 100th out of 102 programs in America.

One reason was Don Hewitt. Another was the chance to do longer stories. Another was Joe Wershba, a highly regarded, humble producer who had worked with Fred Friendly and Ed Murrow for years. Don had brought Joe to 60 Minutes for the same reason: to elevate his fledgling broadcast.

Joe Wershba died five years ago. I will never forget Morley’s eulogy. And it seems fitting to hear some of it today, because it is nice to hear Morley’s words and imagine his voice. I believe what Morley said about Joe resembles how many of us feel about Morley. He started by referring to Joe as a mensch:

"It's a short word that carries a ton of weight. It means much more than 'gentleman.' Add to it honor, integrity, acceptance of responsibility, and wrapped around those qualities, a decorous demeanor that could seduce the most reluctant scoundrels to board that merry ship that Don Hewitt launched forty-odd years ago."

You can hear Morley in those words. They are beautifully written and meaningful.

When Morley said yes and agreed to join 60 Minutes, he had it put in his contract that he could go back to London when the show was canceled. But there were moments when he regretted it, especially because of his new nightmare named Mike Wallace.

He told me it took him two or three years to get used to his circumstances, particularly because Mike started stealing stories from him. Morley had not encountered that kind of internal competition before.

Eventually, Morley adjusted. He learned not to take it personally, because it really was not personal with Mike, and accepted that he would win some and lose some. Then he figured out something that had a huge impact on broadcast journalism. He invented the Morley Safer piece, and he had it all to himself. Beautifully written adventures, profiles, and whimsical tales about anything he wanted to cover. "The Last Train to Istanbul" was among the first, the classic Morley Safer–John Tiffin adventure on the Orient Express that included this part, delivered on camera:

"Just imagine, the porter has stowed your bags, the champagne is chilling nicely, and the Burgundian chef has prepared a light supper of oysters and stuffed partridge. And ahead of you lie 1,800 miles and three days to Istanbul, three days of gourmet dining and deep concern for your comfort."

Nobody could steal it from him because nobody knew how to do it, and nobody could write like that.

Tiffin loved being on the road with Morley. We all did. David Browning has one of the better road stories.

"We were at the Spokane airport waiting for an early morning flight to LA. The TSA guy says to Morley, 'Aren't you Harry Reasoner?' Morley says, 'No, I am not.' TSA guy says, 'Sure you are, I just saw you on 60 Minutes last Sunday.' Morley says, 'Sir, Harry Reasoner has been dead for 15 years.'

They get to LA on an elevator for an interview. A woman next to Morley does a double-take. 'Aren't you Ed Bradley?' Without losing a beat, Morley says, 'No, ma'am. I am Harry Reasoner.' The woman says, 'Harry Reasoner, of course, I saw you on 60 Minutes Sunday night.'"