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CNN Newsnight Aaron Brown

Deadly Suicide Bombing in Israel; Mr. Television Milton Berle Dies

Aired March 27, 2002 - 22:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CONNIE CHUNG, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening. I'm Connie Chung, sitting in for Aaron Brown who is on vacation.

It is one of the four questions of Passover, and today it seemed to take on even more significance. Why is this night different from all other nights? Tonight it is different for all of us, Jews and non-Jews alike, because the violence today in Israel was nothing short of breath-taking and horrifying. It was early afternoon when we first saw the pictures from Israel, one of the deadliest suicide attacks we've seen since the latest Palestinian uprising began 18 months ago.

It wasn't early afternoon in Israel. The explosion north of Tel Aviv happened after sundown, just as Israelis gathered in a hotel to celebrate the Passover seder. And just as Arab leaders were gathered in Beirut for the Arab league summit where there had been some hope weeks back that a peace plan could at least be addressed.

One New York Rabbi was brutally honest today when asked what he thought of the situation. Can the Palestinians and Israelis live together in peace? "It's intrinsically impossible," he said. Well, we hope he's wrong.

And, tonight, we will spend much of the program looking at what happened and how the world is reacting. Israel dominates the whip tonight, and we begin with John Vause in Jerusalem. Good evening, John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Connie. Nineteen people killed by a suicide bomber at a hotel in the seaside town of Netanya. Among hundreds of guests to mark the start the Jewish Passover. The militant group, Hamas said they did it. Regardless, the Israelis say Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority are to be blamed -- Connie.

CHUNG: Thank you, John.

The reaction at the White House: Kelly Wallace is on that tonight -- Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, to you, Connie. You know, the day started out with President Bush sounding up beat, saying his Middle East envoy was making very good progress. But things changed dramatically as Mr. Bush learned aboard Air Force One of the deadly suicide attack. The president then swiftly condemned the violence and placed the responsibility for ending the terror squarely on the soldiers of the Palestinian leader -- Connie?

CHUNG: Thank you, Kelly.

CHUNG: And the loss today of a TV legend. Frank Buckley in Los Angeles tonight -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Connie, they called him Mr. Television. Milton Berle, the great comedian and performer who show business career spanned nearly nine decades is dead tonight at the age of 93. A publicist says he died in his sleep, he had been diagnosed with colon cancer a year ago. He will be remembered as a giant when they write the history of television -- Connie.

CHUNG: We'll be back with all of you in just a moment. We'll spend quite a bit of time remembering Uncle Miltie tonight. In this day and age, Milton Berle truly deserves the title TV legend, he was Mr. Television. That was his nickname, we'll talk with Mickey Rooney who knew him well, and show some of the classic moments of Milton Berle's "Texaco Star Theater."

We begin in Israel with what the government there is calling the Passover massacre. The pictures have become alarmingly familiar to us: People running, ambulances racing to the scene, the stretchers pulling out the dead and the injured. But today's suicide bombing in a hotel dining room north of Tel Aviv stands apart from the others. It was one of the most lethal attacks in an uprising that's killed more than 1,500 people on both sides. And the symbolism was stark, killing Israelis as they marked Passover, one of their most holy, sacred holy holidays. Someone on the scene described the bombing this way: suddenly, it was hell.

Again, here's John Vause in Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE (voice-over): Inside the hotel's banquet room, the aftermath from one of the deadliest attacks in 18 months of fighting. The suicide bomber, said to be from the Islamic militant group, Hamas, walked past hotel security, then ran to the dining room where he blew himself up.

At the time of the blast, guests were crowded in the lobby, arriving for seder, the meal which celebrates the start of Jewish Passover. Alongside the dead, more than 100 wounded, treated on sidewalks. Others, rushed to hospital. Dozens are listed in a serious condition.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a terror attack. This is a murderer who killed here children, who killed women, all people.

VAUSE: The Palestinian Authority has condemned this attack, saying it was designed to undermine U.S. sponsored cease-fire talks, as well as the Arab summit in Beirut. But Hamas leaders remained defiant. USAMA HARMDAN, HAMAS: This is a trial to talk -- to send a letter, a message, for all the world that we are trying to fight for our own freedom against a terrorist government in Israel led by Sharon.

VAUSE: Israel says Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat must bare the ultimate responsibility, because he's failed to crackdown on militants.

GIDEO MEIR, ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: We will have to decide what the right response will be, because it is the obligation of the Israeli government to protect its people.

VAUSE: With little doubt, there will be a Israeli military response. It now remains to be seen what blow has been dealt to U.S. efforts for peace talks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Connie, this is the latest in series attacks on civilians. In the past Israel typically responded with military action against the Palestinians. But says it has shown restraint during the recent round of U.S.-brokered cease-fire talks. But those talks have faltered with Israelis demanding Yasser Arafat make a public stand against terrorists. Mr. Arafat has refused to do so -- Connie.

CHUNG: John, have you been able to find out anything about the bomber?

VAUSE: Connie, what we know is that he was -- he is a 25-year- old former hotel worker. We know that when he approached that hotel, the Palms Hotel in Netanya, he was well-dressed, he was carrying a suitcase, he's from the Palestinian refugee town of Tulkaram (ph), and that is where the focus could be of any military response from Israel.

CHUNG: All right. Thank you, John Vause.

It is early morning in the Israeli town where that suicide bombing took place. CNN producer Pierre Klochendler (ph) is there for us. Pierre, what's happening there in Netayna right now?

PIERRE KLOCHENDLER, CNN PRODUCER: Good evening, Connie.

Right now in Netanya, the town is sleeping, trying to ease the pain of what's happening. Just behind me, I was there a few moments ago. And they just finished the gruesome task of cleaning up the place inside. The ceiling is collapsed partly, electrical wires are hanging, water pipes have blown up due to the blast, the huge blast that occurred about eight hours ago when the suicide bomber blew himself up while 227 people were seated inside, gathering families around tables, ready to start the prayers to open the Passover periods in Israel.

Nineteen bodies have been collected from the scene. The police is now trying to identify the bodies, it's a very gruesome task. And the place, just behind me, has just been left abandoned as it is. Pools of blood on the floor, on the dance floor where most of the bodies were ejected because of the effect of blast -- Connie.

CHUNG: Pierre, tell me the damage was so extensive, how big do officials think the bomb was?

KLOCHENDLER: The police thinks that the bomb was a medium-sized bomb, wrapped up around the body of the suicide bomber. But the effect was devastating because it was an indoor place. Usually when suicide bombers strike in the heart of cities, in the streets, the effect is less devastating because the blast, the shock effect can spread all over and not be contained inside a hole like here. Here, because it was inside a hole, the shock was retained and contained inside it, and the effect was devastating.

CHUNG: All right. Thank you, Pierre Klochendler.

Today's attack was, of course, directed at Israelis. But it was also an indirect attack on the U.S., and its efforts to stop the violence. The Bush administration, fair to say, had been hesitant to throw its prestige into trying to end the conflict. The staggering violence of the past six months pushed the White House to get involved. Earlier today, the president said U.S. Envoy General Anthony Zinni was making -- quote -- "very good progress." A suicide bomber would prove him wrong just hours later -- Kelly Wallace reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE (voice-over): In Atlanta, an outraged President Bush sent a tough message to Yasser Arafat.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This callous, this cold-blooded killing, it must stop. I condemn it in the most strongest terms. I call upon Mr. Arafat and the Palestinian Authority to do everything in their power to stop the terrorist killing.

WALLACE: And the president's secretary of state issued specific demands.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: This is the time for Chairman Arafat to get on television, to get on radio, to speak to his people to tell them they that they are destroying their own desire and vision.

WALLACE: Even after the latest deadly suicide bombing, the president's focus remains on special envoy Anthony Zinni's cease-fire negotiations. This after a series of setbacks for the administration's stepped up engagement strategy.

Here's how the White House hoped things would go: Zinni brokers a cease-fire between the Israelis and Palestinians. Then, Vice President Cheney holds the highest level U.S. meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. That meeting would then give cover to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to allow Arafat to travel to the Arab League summit in Beirut. But, none of that happened, and with Arafat still in Ramallah, questions in the Arab world about U.S. influence and credibility. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They say, if the U.S. can not deliver, even a logistical issue, having Arafat attend the summit, having a summit being successful, then how can one expect the U.S. to deliver on more important issues?

WALLACE: Now, the most deadly suicide attacks in weeks casting more doubt on the cease-fire talks, and raising the stakes for the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And CNN has learned that U.S. diplomats in Israel are communicating with Arafat, conveying President Bush's and Secretary Powell's demands. And Secretary Powell said today that General Zinni will remain in the region trying to broker a cease-fire. Analysts throughout the day said it is critical that the Bush White House remain engaged. And one senior administration official said tonight it is too important not to -- Connie.

CHUNG: Kelly, what led the president to be so positive earlier?

WALLACE: Well, apparently the president received a briefing this morning, including a report from General Zinni from the region in which General Zinni was reporting great progress, saying that he was achieving some progress, getting the Israelis and Palestinians closer than ever before to a cease-fire. So that led the president when he was in South Carolina to say that there was progress, he was hopeful they could achieve a cease-fire. Obviously, then learned about the violence in Middle East, and then took a different tone. But still, Connie, U.S. officials are still holding out hope that they could still get progress between the two sides. But clearly, it's an open question what impact the suicide attack will have in the two sides -- Connie.

CHUNG: All right. Thank you very much, Kelly.

The hope for any sort of progress on peace was already dismal going into the meeting of the Arab League in Beirut. But as one White House official put it today, there is no such thing as Arab unity. The hope faded even more after the bloodshed.

Christiane Amanpour is in Beirut.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Connie, the attack in Israel has obviously cast a pall over the opening session of the Arab League session here in Beirut. There was reaction almost immediately afterwards, one from a Hamas official based here in Beirut. And, as you know, Hamas has claimed responsibility for the suicide attack. This official saying that those attacks, those kinds of attacks would continue as long as the race Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands continue.

Afterwards, though, we spoke to Nabil Sha'ath (ph), senior member of the Palestinian Authority, and a senior member of Palestinian delegation to the Arab League summit. He said that he and Chairman Arafat of the Palestinian Authority again condemned all attacks against Israeli civilians, all those kinds of attacks. They say they always condemn, and particularly they say at a time of holidays in Israel, the beginning of the Passover holiday. So he was very clear that they condemn this attack. But also went on to complain, in his words, that Yasser Arafat has been left virtually powerless to do much about arresting these people who are making the attacks, because he's saying the Israelis over the last few months have pretty much destroyed all Palestinian Authority's security buildings, vehicles and methods of transportation and the like.

So they are quite concerned about these attacks, but saying that they need some kind of relief and release from these states of seize they say they're under in order to be able to properly bring the violence under control.

Now this attack came on an already chaotic opening day of the summit here. It was a day which was marked not by a show of Arab unity, as the leaders had called for, but rather about some division within the ranks, here, certainly in terms of who was coming. Both the president of Egypt and the king of Jordan, the two countries who have made peace with Israel did not show up at the last minute they canceled their appearance here, then Yasser Arafat, who was scheduled to address the conference here live by satellite from his position in Ramallah, the plug was pulled at the last minute on his appearance. Then the Palestinian delegation walked out. That issue seems to have been resolved. The Palestinians will come back on Thursday, the opening day -- rather the closing day of this summit.

But on the substantive issue, all the leaders here are telling us that the Saudi Arabian peace initiative will be endorsed. And that is in broad terms offering normalization, full recognition, end of the conflict, recognition of Israel's right to exist in return for Israel's withdrawal to the 1967 borders. That they say, will be endorsed in the final communication. Arabs saying that they have for the first time, as a whole block, now taken a yes vote on peace, taken the strategic decision for peace in return for withdrawal from the occupied land.

We'll wait and see jut exactly how it will turn out tomorrow, but that's what we're expecting -- Connie.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHUNG: Christiane Amanpour.

Coming up next, a journalist who recently sat down with the Israeli prime minister. Lally Weymouth of "Newsweek. "

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHUNG: There's no question that Israel will respond to the attack today. The questions are how, when and where? The answers rest with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The latest issue of "Newsweek" includes an interview with Mr. Sharon. And, joining us now, the journalist who conducted that interview, Lally Weymouth. Thank you, for being with us.

LALLY WEYMOUTH, "NEWSWEEK": Thank you for having me.

CHUNG: It is a given, isn't it that Israel will retaliate?

WEYMOUTH: I think that Israel has to make a choice. It's a terrible place to be right now, because everybody wants to be do something, they either want to build a wall and separate from the Arabs or attack the infrastructure of terror that Arafat has built up.

CHUNG: So your best estimate after having talked with Sharon will the attack come soon? Will the attack come quickly or later?

WEYMOUTH: Well, what he said to me in the interview was that an attack would work. But that you to take account the repercussions of the attack could said. That the attack could spread, that Hezbollah is stationed on Israel's northern border. And that it could escalate into a wider war. So he made it very clear, that He was trying to reach a cease-fire with Arafat, which clearly exploded tonight I would say in the bombing.

CHUNG: In the interview with you, he said he would go directly to Beirut and talk to the Arabs, was he just posturing or was he sincere?

WEYMOUTH: No. I think he was sincere. I think it was -- I was amazed, actually, and it was the headlines in Israel. Are you going to let Arafat go to Beirut? He said, I don't know about that but I would like to go to Beirut to talk to the Arabs, and I have asked the Americans to arrange it. And I think his point was if you're going to talk to the Saudi Arabians who've propose a new peace plan, you have to talk to them directly.

CHUNG: I don't know if you saw. Did you say the Hamas representative on CNN?

WEYMOUTH: Yes, I did.

CHUNG: To me it was just extraordinary to see a Hamas representative come up not only claim responsible, but defend the action.

WEYMOUTH: I think it's horrifying, I think your pictures were absolutely gruesome of the seder table set in the hotel and little bits of glass and plate left on the table. And then this Hamas gentleman coming on and saying that they've killed all these innocent people.

I think if you think about it, no population has ever been targeted like Israel by suicide bombers. Civilians, after all is what they're going after, not military targets. The streets of Jerusalem are empty, I can report to you. The coffee shops are empty, there are only armed guards outside, because there are constant bombings and explosions where kids are killed.

CHUNG: Tell me, does this latest act of terrorism basically prevent U.S. Envoy Zinni from succeeding in any way?

WEYMOUTH: Well, I think that Zinni should think twice about his mission, and maybe the administration should, too. Because after all, I think after the World Trade Center and 9/11, America committed itself to fighting a war on terror. I really have a hard time understanding how you can fight a war on terror, but at the same time have the vice president of the United States meeting with the king of terror Mr. Arafat, who we've just seen his work on CNN, tonight, blow up a hotel, blow up coffee shops, and these forces are under his control. He could stop it, he doesn't want to stop it, he is putting pressure on Israel. And he thinks that he'll gain more and more. And he might be right.

But I think the United States should stand by Israel.

CHUNG: So what should the United States do in terms of its peace effort?

WEYMOUTH: Well, I don't think you could say there's a moral equivalence here. You can't say it's on the one hand, on the other hand and we need to just get these two guys together. Israel made a very generous offer under Prime Minister Barak. They offered 97 percent of the West Bank and Gaza to the Palestinian Authority. And it was very encouraging, it was almost -- President Clinton and Ehud Barak almost arrived at a peace deal, but Arafat said no. And he turned to terror and he has never stopped since he turned to terror and started this intifada.

CHUNG: Well, let's look at the proposal now that the Saudis have proposed. Israel will not, I mean Sharon told you, Israel will not go back to the '67 borders?

WEYMOUTH: That's correct. On the other hand, Israel agreed to give up 97 percent of the West Bank, Gaza, three-quarters of East Jerusalem and large parts of the Jordan Valley in the Barak-Clinton offer. So it's not -- I don't think you can say that it's not that Israel hasn't tried and hasn't walked the last mile for peace, because Barak lost his office by trying. He was disposed as prime minute.

CHUNG: Would you say that Israel is in actually the worse position in terms of these attacks, in terms of the war than its ever been in generations?

WEYMOUTH: Well, I never thought to see the day when, even I asked the prime minister, have you seen harder times? And he said, well, of course he was wounded in the war of independence in 1948 when Israel -- the Arab countries attacked Israel, and had to fight for independence and it won, of course. And Many Israelis of course were wounded.

But he said he never expected to see Jerusalem under seige again. And I think that's what many people feel. I was there in November, the change is monumental. Streets are empty, I can not describe to you, it's like a ghost town. People are too scared to even go out, to go shopping.

CHUNG: The question is then, can Israel survive?

WEYMOUTH: Yes, I think it can survive. It's going to be very difficult, it is very difficult to oppose suicide bombers, Connie.

CHUNG: Yes. Well, Lally Weymouth we appreciate you coming in.

WEYMOUTH: Well, thank you for having me.

CHUNG: It was an extraordinary moment that you got this interview with Ariel Sharon. I don't think he has spoken to anyone.

WEYMOUTH: It was fascinating. And I spent three hours with him at his farm, the night after there was another big bombing last Thursday when I was in Israel and more people were killed.

CHUNG: But way, by the way, he's being attacked from the right and from the left. What about his survival?

WEYMOUTH: Well, I think that's under question. And I think that on the right you have Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu saying we should go to war, and so and so forth in the territories. And he may be right. And I'm sure Sharon is thinking about this, too. The question is will it succeed. On the left you have a lot of people saying we should separate, and build a wall from the Palestinians and never see them again.

Now, Sharon said that's a slogan, it won't work, you could shoot rockets over a wall. It's a very difficult situation, and we'll have to see what happens.

CHUNG: All right. Thank you, Lally Weymouth.

WEYMOUTH: Thank you, Connie.

CHUNG: Ahead on NEWSNIGHT, more death and destruction. This time, it is not man-made. A report from Afghanistan, coping with the aftermath of a massive earthquake.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHUNG: There was troubling news today for Americans travelling to Italy. The U.S. embassy in Rome warned that Americans could be the targets of terrorist attacks in four Italian cities over the Easter weekend. Embassy officials said they had credible information that extremist groups may be aiming for Americans in Venice, Florence, Milan and Verona on Sunday. Americans are urged to be alert and avoid large crowds.

On now to Afghanistan, where the country is still reeling from an earthquake that killed at least 1,800 people and left tens of thousands homeless. It could not have come at a worse time for interim leader Hamid Karzai, trying to keep rival factions in line, trying to rebuild a shattered economy. The government has said it will devote $600,000 to relief, working out to less than $50 for people who've lost everything. Their story tonight from CNN's Walter Rodgers. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A grieving Afghan woman cries out my son, my only son, the apple of my eye. In the decimated villages of northern Afghanistan, scenes like this are repeated over and over. Thousands of homeless now live out of doors, the lucky ones have tents from relief agencies.

But it is more than damaged homes that keep them out of doors, it is the aftershocks. They continue to violently hammer villages, reshuffling the rubble triggering dangerous landslide. And after every aftershock, dust plumes rise like an evil genie. Arising from the earth, a wall collapsed on this boy's head.

"My brothers were inside the house," he said. "One of them was killed."

This blind man felt the earth shake, and shooed his two small children out of the house which collapsed on him. Neighbors dug him out.

Fathers are still bringing injured children out of mountain villages on the only transport available, the lucky ones find rescue teams.

MOHAMMED EDRICE RAHMANI, INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE: It's definitely very bad. It's my first time in my life that I've seen such a serious earthquake in this country.

RODGERS: If the injured reach government outposts they are put aboard helicopters. This boy appeared to have two broken legs untreated for 48 hours. He rolled his tongue and licked his lips as if he had no water. It is Afghanistan's terrain that makes it so difficult to get any relief supplies to the hardest hit areas. In developed countries, heavy equipment helps dig out the living and the dead. In Afghanistan, it is all done by hand.

The country's interim leader promised earthquake victims the government will help them rebuild. And he said some help is trickling in.

HAMID KARZAI, INTERIM AFGHAN LEADER: The international community's helping, everybody's helping. It is very bad.

RODGER: In the not too distant future, relief workers will decide there are no more survivors under this rubble and the world will soon forget the Nahareen earthquake.

(on camera): Then comes the really hard part, when the living must try to reconstruct their lives out of next to nothing.

(voice-over): Some will certainly try to rebuild here. Others, however, are loading all they have on horses and mules and moving away. They say this area just has too many earthquakes.

Walter Rodgers, CNN, Nahareen, northern Afghanistan. (END VIDEOTAPE)

CHUNG: Coming up, remembering Mr. Television.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHUNG: Mr. Television died today. Milton Berle, who was called Uncle Miltie by millions of Americans, was the first big star of television. Every comedian, every variety show, every TV sitcom that would follow owes a debt of gratitude to what Mr. Berle helped create.

Here's CNN's Frank Buckley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Milton Berle!

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mr. Television, Uncle Miltie, whatever you called him, you laughed. He invented variety television when he came on the air in 1948, when TV was a new thing. He was so good at it that Americans bought TV's by the millions just to watch Milton Berle on the Texaco Star Theater.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please don't call me between 8:00 and 9:00 because tonight is Tuesday and you know what that means. That's right, Uncle Miltie's on again.

BUCKLEY: At the height of his popularity, he had the hottest stars of the day on his show. Four out of every five TV sets in America tuned in on Tuesdays to see the funny man, his guests, his gags.

STEVE ALLEN, COMEDIAN: He didn't just enter, he burst on stage like a crazy animal let out of a cage. And you couldn't take your eyes off of him. And when he was in the scene with other people, you watched Milton.

BUCKLEY: He was famous for dressing in drag.

MILTON BERLE, COMEDIAN: Me? Berle, wear a gown? You must be kidding.

BUCKLEY: He made famous phrases, phrases still associated with TV, like:

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Make up!

BUCKLEY: All for a laugh.

BERLE: I think laughter is very imperative, And that's the important part of my life -- of making people laugh, so they can forget their problems. I don't care if it's for a minute or two or five minutes, it takes away the stress and the pressure. A good laugh is better than anything. BUCKLEY: He got into show business as a boy opposite Charlie Chaplin in "Tillie's Punctured Romance."

BERLE: That was me with Chaplin in the picture, where he slapped me. Never got a chance to slap him back, though.

BUCKLEY: He was a regular fixture on TV, even decades after "The Milton Berle Show" left NBC in 1956. He was a movie star in pictures like "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," but it's the early stuff they'll remember.

ROGER EBERT, FILM CRITIC: Milton Berle will be remembered as one of the great stars of the early days of television. In fact, the star who put television on the map even before Jackie Gleason, Lucille Ball and Ed Sullivan.

BUCKLEY: Tonight, in Hollywood, there are already flowers on Berle's star on the Walk of Fame. Fans, remembering Mr. Television.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was wonderful. And I will sorely miss him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He brought happiness into our lives, especially in children's lives.

BERLE: Every year brought a smile and a tear. And I've enjoyed every moment out here for your entertainment. If you're low...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY: Milton Berle tonight being remembered by fans and also by fellow performers who marvelled at his abilities. One note coming to us tonight from Bob and Dolores Hope, who said in their statement that he was a remarkable man and had A remarkable career. They note his 88 years in show business. The Hopes calling Berle a brilliant comedian, an accomplished actor, and a lifelong friend -- Connie.

CHUNG: Thank you, Frank.

Up next, the mad, mad, mad world of Milton Berle as seen by a friend, Mickey Rooney.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHUNG: There are probably as many stories about Milton Berle as there are stars in Hollywood. He performed with everybody. He gave countless singers, actors, and comedians their big break.

One of the many stars who shared the stage was Mickey Rooney, who himself is a Hollywood legend. Mr. Rooney joins us now from West Lake Village, California. Thank you so much for being with us, Mr. Rooney.

MICKEY ROONEY, FAMOUS ACTOR: Thank you, Connie. It's very nice to be here. I mean, we're saddened by it, but we're happy to be here on this special occasion.

CHUNG: Tell me, you were personal friends with Milton Berle, were you not?

ROONEY: Yes, for a long, long time. I was on his show, the Texaco Star Theatre about three or four times. And we were socially, we knew him. And he was a wonderful man. And anything for a laugh with Milton.

CHUNG: Well, didn't he roast you at the Friar's Club one year?

ROONEY: Yes, he did, along with Larry King from CNN. And Charlie Bronson was there and all of my friends. And we had a wonderful time. And he was hilarious. He always referred to me as Mickey. He always referred to me as Mickey, stand up. And I was standing.

CHUNG: I knew that was coming. How funny.

ROONEY: Yes.

CHUNG: Now Mickey, tell me your favorite Milton Berle story. And you don't have to be clean. Just kidding.

ROONEY: I've got news for you, Milton always worked. He never worked lascivious. He was a very class person. And he was everything that goes into Mr. Television. To tell one story, it's very tough, Connie. There are millions -- a million stories that you can tell about Milton Berle. Just that he was a great actor, not only a funny man. And I was proud to do "Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," Stanley Kramer's picture with him with he and Buddy Hackett and Dorothy Provine (ph) and my friend, Spencer Tracy. And...

CHUNG: So many more, right. Mr. Rooney...

ROONEY: I've got news for you.

CHUNG: Oh, tell me, how did you meet him? How did the two of you meet?

ROONEY: Well, we met when he invited me on his show. And we were -- we became fast friends. And we've been friends for a long, long, time, Connie.

CHUNG: I was thinking that since both of you...

ROONEY: And he loved Jan.

CHUNG: Oh, there she is. There's your wife, Jan.

JAN ROONEY, WIFE: Hi, Connie.

ROONEY: Yes.

CHUNG: When was the last time you and Mickey spoke to Milton Berle, Jan?

J. ROONEY: Well, it was just few months ago. And we look forward to every call, because he kept us in stitches. ROONEY: That's right. He couldn't call you and just talk to you. He'd say, have you heard this one?

J. ROONEY: He had a million stories.

M. ROONEY: He'd always started the conversation "have you heard this one."

J. ROONEY: What a guy.

M. ROONEY:: And then he'd go. And you'd end up screaming.

CHUNG: Well, even when he was ill...

J. ROONEY: Class act.

CHUNG: Yes, he was. Even towards the end in the most recent months, he was quite ill. And yet, he did call up and he still had a positive attitude?

M, ROONEY: Oh, yes.

J. ROONEY: It was wonderful. Looks just like him.

M. ROONEY: It was just until recent weeks, of course, he was fine. And then it was a sad thing to know that he passed away.

J. ROONEY: And our hearts go out to his wife, Lorna, and all his family.

M. ROONEY: And his family and everything else. Believe me, the entertainment world is saddened by the greatness of Milton Berle's passing.

CHUNG: Tell me something. He always said that he loved to make people laugh so that they could forget about their problems. Did he do that for himself?

M. ROONEY: No, he did it for people. And he couldn't help from being funny. He was born funny. And when he worked with Chaplin, I mean, those days will never be forgotten. And he's just -- he's a wonderful man. He was a wonderful man. And he should be remembered always. It's a shame that the younger people today -- they should rerun the Milton Berle shows again somewhat to give people a laugh again.

J. ROONEY: That's for sure.

M. ROONEY: There's so many things to see on television today, but I think that -- well he was Mr. Television. He was the reason that television became a part of every day life.

J. ROONEY: That's right.

M. ROONEY: All over the world. CHUNG: You're so right, Mr. Rooney. I remember my parents used to let me stay up on Tuesday night to watch his program. What did he mean to television? I mean after all, didn't he basically invent the variety show?

M. ROONEY: I would say he did. Of course, and he'd have Red Skelton on it. And he had well, just about every young person around that could be there. And he helped so many people on their way. Berle, Berle, Berle. And they always refer -- he'd always call me and say, "This is Berled egg calling."

CHUNG: What did he say?

M. ROONEY: Berled egg.

CHUNG: Berle egg. I finally got it. I almost didn't get it, but I got it.

M. ROONEY: He's responsible for so many young comedians on their way to fortune and lasting harmony. And in these times, Connie, we're proud that we go around the country, my wife and I, doing our one man, one wife show.

J. ROONEY: And I think you do a couple Milton Berle jokes.

M. ROONEY: Yes, I think so.

CHUNG: Yes? OK, throw one at us.

M. ROONEY: Slip them in.

CHUNG: Yes, sure.

M. ROONEY: I think we're getting closer to home. How can tell? We're hitting more people.

CHUNG: Bada-bing. One more.

M. ROONEY: Now Connie, these are fast.

CHUNG: OK, I got it. Go ahead, one more. Throw one at me.

M. BERLE: I've been married so many times, I've got rice marks in my face. I've been married so many times, my ring finger's turned into a thumb.

CHUNG: All right. That's classic. Now tell me, do you remember the song...

J. ROONEY: Well, Milton Berle enlightened our lives.

CHUNG: Yes, absolutely. Do you remember the theme that was played at the end of every program when he said good night. Do you remember? It was -- was it near you?

M. ROONEY: I think it was part of -- yes, da, da, da, dumb, near you.

CHUNG: That's it.

M. ROONEY: And he'd always end his program, being near to the people. And I'm sure that he'll always be near to the people in the entertainment world tonight.

CHUNG: Absolutely. Well...

M. ROONEY: Yes and there never will be another Milton Berle.

J. ROONEY: No.

CHUNG: No. Thank you so much for being with us tonight. And thank you for remembering him for all of us. Thank you, Jan. Thank you, Mr. Rooney.

M. ROONEY: Thank you, Connie.

J. ROONEY: Thanks, Connie.

CHUNG: You take care.

J. ROONEY: I love you.

CHUNG: All right, stay healthy. You look terrific. Next, the best of Mr. Television.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHUNG: Before we leave you tonight, a look back at Milton Berle. What you're about to see is grainy, in black and white, and by today's standards, pretty crude. But in 1948, it was pure magic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHORUS: Rhythm and Texaco. We work from Maine to Mexico. There's nothing like this Texaco of ours. So tonight is powerful, we'll while you with an hourful, of howls from a showerful of stars. With a merry Texaco man. Tonight, we may be show men. Tomorrow we'll be servicing your cars.

ANNOUNCER: And now ladies and gentlemen, introducing America's number one television star...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who is full of the devil every Tuesday night.

CHORUS: Milton Berle!

[APPLAUSE]

BERLE: You look the place I just came from.

[SINGING]

BERLE: Spin the tooth, I don't know what I'm talking about. I wish I would forget about it. I tell you when I forget a joke, we're in trouble.

I have been in television for over 10 years, I have seen many fads and many programs. I've seen them come and I've seen them go.

BERLE 2: I've seen you come, Berle. Why don't you go?

BERLE: Who are you?

BERLE 2: I'm you 10 years ago. I'm Uncle Miltie. Duh, duh, duh. Come on folks, laugh it up. Laugh it up.

BERLE: Are you in here for entertainment or revenge?

BERLE 2: And now ladies and germs, call you ladies and gentlemen, and you know what you are.

BERLE: I do not do stuff like that anymore. Today comedy is sophisticated.

BERLE 2: You must be kidding? I swear I'll kill you. I'll kill you a million times.

BERLE: Please don't applaud. It is an old building. And that's an old joke.

BERLE 2: Yeah, but the people love it. I was on the air 10 years ago, every week I'd have millions of people on the floor.

BERLE: Really? The kind of people who watch me have furniture.

BERLE 2: Oh, he made it funny. Folks, ain't he a doll, a doll, d-u-l-l, doll.

BERLE: Now look, you don't understand that people don't like raucous comedy. I'm smooth and I'm relaxed. I take lessons from Perry Como.

BERLE 2: I'm glad you took something for him. He took your show. You got a great delivery, you should be on a truck. Come on laugh it up, Berle, laugh it up. I'll give you a shot in the head. Laugh!

BERLE: You could stop making those remarks, I do all right. I know what the television public want today.

BERLE 2: You do? So do I. Coming Mr. Dylan.

BERLE: I am not talking about imitations, I'm talking about laughs.

BERLE 2: You're talking about them, Berle, but you're not getting any.

BERLE: Just look at you. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Walk in here before public. Look at the suit you're wearing. I'll bet you never got if pressed. BERLE 2: That's where I fooled you. The suit's pressed. My body's wrinkled.

BERLE: Oh, Uncle Miltie.

BERLE 2: Yeah, yeah.

BERLE: Oh, Uncle Miltie.

BERLE 2: How do you like this brand-new outfit, Mr. B?

BERLE: Must you wear those bulky clothes?

BERLE: They'll get better laughs than those.

BERLE: That went out of style in 1923.

BERLE 2: What I was wearing was always daring. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon copied me. Was my program a success when I slipped into a dress?

BERLE: Absolutely, Uncle Miltie.

BERLE 2: Positively, Mr. B.

BERLE: Now don't walk in front of me. Old bits that you used to do in that old show. Now don't do that. Now stand still, and don't do that. Stop with those bony bits. Today, you cannot insult the public's intelligence.

BERLE: Well, get off the stage and nobody will ever notice it.

BERLE 2: How about that, folks? How about that?

BERLE: I demand you stop with these insults. If I'm so bad, how come NBC signed me for 30 years? How come?

BERLE 2: They signed me, Berle. They got stuck with you.

BERLE: Now Uncle Miltie...

BERLE 2: Yeah, yeah.

BERLE: Now Uncle Miltie. There's brand-new form of comic on TV.

BERLE 2: What do you mean?

BERLE: No more blacking out a tooth, turning ankles is uncouth.

BERLE 2: Can I even -- and holler, wowie?

BERLE: But Uncle Miltie, but Uncle Miltie, there's one thing on which the both of us agree. Say no matter the style, we will try to make them smile, absolutely Uncle Miltie.

BERLE 2: Positively, Mr. B. BERLES: Oh yes, we both made a barrel of money. We may not always be funny, but we'll settle for half, to bring you a laugh side by side.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHUNG: Good night, Uncle Miltie.

For all of us at NEWSNIGHT, thank you for joining us. I'm Connie Chung. I'll see you again tomorrow night, sitting in again for Aaron Brown. Good night.

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