Though he is best known as the 25-year-plus correspondent of CBS's 60 Minutes (and as such, an icon of the American media), African-American broadcaster Ed Bradley made a handful of minor contributions outside of the newsmagazine format, to feature films, music specials, and even the occasional sitcom.
Born in Philadelphia, Bradley debuted on 60 Minutes in 1981 (replacing Dan Rather). He took his cinematic bow in 1987, when he played a military private in Rick Rosenthal's family-friendly drama Russkies, about a bunch of children who discover a washed-up Russian sailor on a nearby shore. Two years later, Bradley -- also an accomplished musician -- contributed a performance of "Sixty Minute Man" to the concert film The Neville Brothers: Tell It Like It Is. He cameo'd as himself on a 1993 episode of Murphy Brown ("All the Life That's Fit to Print"), and hosted the 2001 documentary Ennis' Gift, about the life and accomplishments of Ennis William Cosby.
In addition to this work, Bradley appears on a number of best-of video compilations that highlight his 60 Minutes efforts. These include Best of 60 Minutes, Vol. 1 (1984), Best of 60 Minutes, Vol. 2 (1984), CBS: The First 50 Years (1998), and 35 Years and 60 Minutes (2003).
Ed Bradley died of leukemia in his home of New York, NY, on November 9, 2006, five months after his 65th birthday.