Alistair Cooke British-American journalist, television presenter Date of Birth: 20.11.1908 Country: USA

Biography of Alistair Cooke

Alistair Cooke was a British-American journalist and television presenter. He was born in 1908 in England, into a family of Methodist preachers. Initially named Alfred, he changed his name to Alistair at the age of 22. After completing his education at Blackpool Grammar School, Cooke became a student at Jesus College, where he earned a degree in English language.

During his time in college, Cooke developed an interest in the arts. He served as the editor of the literary magazine 'Granta' and joined a theater troupe. His career in journalism began as a correspondent for NBC, where he presented the weekly radio program 'London Letter' - a unique narrative about life in England for American radio listeners. In 1934, he started collaborating with the BBC as a radio critic. Cooke's passion extended beyond journalism, and he became a respected music critic and authored several books on the history of jazz.

In the late 1930s, Cooke moved to the United States as a young journalist and reporter for various British newspapers. He obtained American citizenship in 1941. Soon after, he proposed a American version of his British program - a distinctive 'reverse letter from London' - a show about life in America for a British audience. This marked the start of the long-running program 'Letter from America'. From 1946 onwards, Cooke meticulously typed the script for his show on his typewriter while residing in an apartment on the 15th floor overlooking Central Park.

Remarkably, the BBC initially commissioned Cooke for a series of 13 episodes, but the program went on to set a record in radio history - 'Letter from America' aired every week for 58 years. Lasting approximately 10 minutes, the show captivated audiences with its unpredictability and discussions on various issues of America, be it presidential elections, post-war history, the Watergate scandal, or the moon landing. Cooke also covered topics such as the assassination of the president, the Kennedy family, free lunches, the Vietnam War, movie stars, and writers. His calm and distinguished British voice endeared him to millions of radio listeners worldwide.

In addition to his radio work, Cooke served as a foreign correspondent for the 'Manchester Guardian' from 1947 to 1972 and also worked for 'The Times'. In 1952, he made appearances on CBS's 'Omnibus'. In the mid-1950s, Cooke developed a serious interest in golf, which led to numerous interesting and beneficial connections. In 1971, he became the host of 'Masterpiece Theatre' on PBS, a role he held for over two decades. This project brought him the greatest popularity in the United States. Cooke left the show in 1992. Among his television works, he is also known for the documentary series 'America', for which he served as the scriptwriter.

Throughout his life, Cooke authored several documentary books. He was married twice - first to Ruth Emerson from 1934 and then to Jane White Hawkes from 1946 until his death. Cooke lived to the age of 95 and passed away on March 30, 2004, in New York City from lung cancer. It is worth noting that he had an unhealthy heart at the time of his death. His ashes were given to his family and scattered in Central Park. Sadly, the remains of the journalist, along with those of a thousand others, fell into the hands of criminal doctors involved in illegal organ trade. However, the organ harvesting gang was eventually exposed and brought to justice.