Walter Cronkite

Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr.—yeah, that guy—kicked things off in Saint Joseph, Missouri, as the only kid in the family. His mom, Helen Lena (Fritsche), and his dad, a doctor also named Walter, probably had no idea their son would go on to be “the most trusted man in America.” Cronkite’s early days? He hustled with newspapers, the old-school kind, when people still got ink on their hands. Then World War II hit, and instead of ducking for cover, Cronkite jumped right into the action as a reporter. He was the sort of journalist who’d chase a story straight into the chaos, no questions asked—kind of wild, honestly. By 1950, Cronkite was officially a journalist, but honestly, he’d already been living that life for years. In ’62, CBS News snagged him. That’s when things really took off—Cronkite’s voice became the soundtrack to every major event, from moon landings to presidential drama. People didn’t just watch him; they trusted him. For almost two decades, he was basically America’s dad on TV, cool under pressure, but never boring. When he finally retired in 1981, you’d think he’d chill out, right? Nope. Cronkite stayed busy, popping up here and there, never really disappearing from the scene. He kept that legendary streak alive until July 17, 2009, when he died in New York City at 92. Ninety-two years—what a run.