Alistair Cooke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alistair Cooke
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Cooke during an interview in 1974
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| Born |
Alfred Cooke
20 November 1908 Salford, Lancashire, England
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| Died | 30 March 2004 (aged 95) New York City, U.S.
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| Citizenship | United Kingdom (1908-1941) United States (1941-2004) |
| Alma mater | Jesus College, Cambridge Yale University Harvard University |
| Occupation | Journalist, broadcaster |
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Notable credit(s)
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Letter from America America: A Personal History of the United States |
| Spouse(s) | Ruth Emerson (1934–1944) Jane White Hawkes (1946–2004) |
| Children | 2, including John Byrne Cooke |
Alistair Cooke KBE (born Alfred Cooke; 20 November 1908 – 30 March 2004) was a famous British-American writer and broadcaster. He spent most of his career in the United States. He was well known for his radio show Letter from America and for hosting the TV show Masterpiece Theatre on PBS. He hosted Masterpiece Theatre for 22 years, from 1971 to 1992. He continued his radio show until shortly before he passed away.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alistair Cooke was born Alfred Cooke on November 20, 1908, in Salford, Lancashire, England. His father, Samuel Cooke, was a metalsmith and a lay preacher for the Methodist church. His mother, Mary Elizabeth (Byrne), came from an Irish Protestant family.
He went to Blackpool Grammar School. Later, he earned a scholarship to Jesus College, Cambridge, where he studied English. He loved the arts and was involved in many creative activities. He was the editor of a magazine called Granta. He also started Cambridge's first theater group that allowed both men and women to join, called the Mummers.
In 1930, when he was 22 years old, Alfred Cooke changed his name to Alistair Cooke.
A Career in Media
Starting in Broadcasting
Alistair Cooke first visited the United States in 1932. He had a special fellowship that allowed him to study at Yale and Harvard universities. While there, he also used his acting and music skills, even visiting Hollywood.
When he returned to Britain, he heard that the BBC needed a new film critic. Cooke quickly applied and got the job. He started his first BBC broadcast on October 8, 1934. He told his listeners he was a critic who wanted to help people find interesting films.
Cooke also worked as the London reporter for NBC, an American radio network. Every week, he recorded a 15-minute radio show called London Letter. This show told American listeners about life in Britain. In 1936, he reported a lot on the Edward VIII abdication crisis, speaking many times a day to listeners across the United States.
Moving to America
In 1937, Cooke moved to the United States. He became a U.S. citizen on December 1, 1941, just before Pearl Harbor was attacked. After moving, he suggested to the BBC that he could do a similar show for British listeners about life in America. This idea became Mainly About Manhattan, which started in 1938.
During World War II, Cooke traveled across the United States. He recorded how ordinary Americans lived and reacted to the war. His writings from this time were later published as a book.
The first American Letter radio show for British listeners aired on March 24, 1946. This show later became known as Letter from America in 1950. It became very popular and was broadcast not only in Britain but also in many other countries around the world by the BBC World Service. The show ran for 58 years, with 2,869 episodes, ending in March 2004, shortly before Cooke's death. It was the longest-running speech radio show in the world.
Working as a Journalist
In 1947, Cooke became a reporter for The Guardian newspaper. He worked there until 1972. He reported on many important events. For example, he covered the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which was started by Rosa Parks and led by Martin Luther King. He also witnessed the events after Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968.
Hosting Omnibus and Masterpiece Theatre
In 1952, Cooke became the host of CBS's Omnibus. This was the first TV show on a commercial network in the U.S. that focused on the arts. Famous people like Gene Kelly and Leonard Bernstein appeared on the show.
In 1971, he became the host of Masterpiece Theatre on PBS. This show presented high-quality British television programs to American audiences. He hosted it for 22 years, becoming very popular in the United States. Many parodies were made of him, including "Alistair Cookie" on Sesame Street.
Cooke also created a 13-part TV series called America: A Personal History of the United States in 1972. This series was about the history of the United States. It was very successful in both the UK and the US. He even gave a speech to the United States Congress as part of their 200th birthday celebrations.
Later Years and Passing
On March 2, 2004, at 95 years old, Alistair Cooke announced his retirement from Letter from America. He had been advised by his doctors to stop working.
Alistair Cooke passed away on March 30, 2004, at his home in New York City. He had been ill with heart disease, but his cause of death was lung cancer. His family scattered his ashes in Central Park.
Personal Life
Family
Alistair Cooke married Ruth Emerson in 1934. They had a son named John Byrne Cooke, who was born in 1940. They divorced in 1944.
In 1946, he married Jane White Hawkes, who was a portrait painter. They had a daughter named Susan, born in 1949.
Interests
Cooke started playing golf when he was in his mid-fifties. He loved the game very much, even though he never became a professional player. He often talked about golf on his Letter from America show. He became good friends with many famous golfers, including Jack Nicklaus.
Awards and Recognition
In 1973, Alistair Cooke received an honorary knighthood (KBE) from the British government. This award was for his "outstanding contribution to Anglo-American mutual understanding." Since he had become a U.S. citizen, he could not be called "Sir Alistair."
After Alistair Cooke's death, the Fulbright Alistair Cooke Award in Journalism was created. This award helps students from the United Kingdom study in the United States, and Americans study in the United Kingdom, honoring his life and career.
Media
- America: A Personal History of the United States is available on DVD. It includes extra features where Cooke talks about his life.
- An Evening With Alistair Cooke at the Piano is an LP record first released in 1955. On this album, Cooke plays jazz songs on the piano and talks about his life in America.
See also
In Spanish: Alfred Alistair Cooke para niños
