Alistair Cooke

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Alistair Cooke

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Alistair Cooke 1908-2004, Anglo-American journalist, b. Salford, England, as Alfred Cooke; grad. Cambridge, 1930, where he officially adopted the name Alistair. Cooke became famous in Britain for interpreting American life and culture to a British audience and in America, as the epitome of the elegantly urbane English gentleman, for hosting several popular television programs. He did postgraduate studies at Yale and Harvard (1932-34) and in summer traveled throughout the country. Returning to England (1934), he worked in radio as a British Broadcasting Corp. film critic and the National Broadcasting Co.'s London correspondent. Back (1937) in the United States as a BBC commentator and a writer for the London Times, he settled in New York City and became (1941) an American citizen.

As a correspondent for the Manchester Guardian (1945-73), Cooke also became known for his long-running weekly BBC broadcast, Letter from America (1946-2004). His U.S. reputation and visibility soared when he hosted commercial television's pioneering cultural magazine Omnibus (1952-61), the BBC's historical series America (1972-73), and public television's Masterpiece Theater (1971-1992). His numerous books include biographies, adaptations of his Letters pieces, Generation on Trial: U.S.A. v. Alger Hiss (1950), the best seller Alistair Cooke's America (1973; adapted from the series), and America Observed (1988).

Bibliography: See his The American Home Front, 1941-1942 (2006); biography by N. Clarke (2000).

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Cooke, (Alfred) Alistair

The Oxford Companion to American Literature | 1995 | | © The Oxford Companion to American Literature 1995, originally published by Oxford University Press 1995. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Cooke, [Alfred] Alistair (1908–2004), British commentator on the U.S., after graduation from Cambridge and a Commonwealth Fellowship at Yale and Harvard, began his career of writing on American affairs, notably for The Manchester Guardian (1948–72). He early took American citizenship and his books on American subjects include Douglas Fairbanks (1940); A Generation on Trial (1950), about the Alger Hiss case; One Man's America (1952); Christmas Eve (1952); A Commencement Address (1954); Talk About America (1968), selections from his BBC broadcasts; Alistair Cooke's America (1973), based on a television series; and The Patient Has the Floor (1986), a collection of speeches.

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James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Cooke, (Alfred) Alistair." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2010 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Cooke, (Alfred) Alistair." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2010). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-CookeAlfredAlistair.html

James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Cooke, (Alfred) Alistair." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Retrieved February 10, 2010 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-CookeAlfredAlistair.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Free Article ALISTAIR COOKE: AMBASSADOR ON AIR.
Magazine article from: Contemporary Review; 4/1/2000
Free Article Alistair Cooke, R.I.P.(Obituary)
Magazine article from: National Review; 4/19/2004
Free Article Cooke, Alistair. The American home front; 1941-1942.(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
Magazine article from: Kliatt; 9/1/2006

Facts and information from other sites

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

Alistair Cooke: The Biography.(Review)
Magazine article from: Quadrant; 10/1/2000; ; 700+ words ; Alistair Cooke: The Biography, by Nick Clarke; Weidenfeld...American reading the Gettysburg Address." Alistair Cooke's own merits are obviously great...journalism circuitously. For years Alistair Cooke the supreme feature-writer entertained...
Alistair Cooke, host of 'Masterpiece Theatre'
Newspaper article from: The Record (Bergen County, NJ); 3/31/2004; ; 700+ words ; ...Record (Bergen County, NJ) 03-31-2004 Alistair Cooke, host of 'Masterpiece Theatre' -- U.K...Star B. Two Star P. One Star B Biographical: ALISTAIR COOKE NEW YORK - Alistair Cooke, the quintessentially urbane host of television...
Interview: Alistair Cooke discusses his experiences in America that have been source of his BBC radio program for 53 years
Transcript from: NPR Weekend Edition - Sunday; 10/2/1999; ; 700+ words ; 00-00-0000 Interview: Alistair Cooke discusses his experiences in America...Theatre" theme) Mr. ALISTAIR COOKE (Host, "Masterpiece...quot;): Good evening. I'm Alistair Cooke. Tonight, "Masterpiece...
Alistair Cooke's eloquence spoke volumes.
Newspaper article from: Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, OH); 4/1/2004; 700+ words ; ...30, the elegant and eloquent Alistair Cooke died at the age of 95. Cooke...America" (also known as "Alistair Cooke's America"), a series about...want to be the man who succeeded Alistair Cooke, but the man who succeeded the...
Alistair Cooke's last `Masterpiece'
Newspaper article from: The Boston Globe; 11/29/1992; ; 700+ words ; ...television history, we come to praise Alistair Cooke. Not to bury him. Tonight on...The honor of working with Alistair Cooke over the years," lauds Masterpiece...tributes to Cooke will air on "The Alistair Cooke Salute," which 'GBH is putting...
Alistair Cooke's eloquence spoke volumes.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service; 4/1/2004; ; 700+ words ; ...30, the elegant and eloquent Alistair Cooke died at the age of 95. Cooke...America" (also known as "Alistair Cooke's America"), a series about...want to be the man who succeeded Alistair Cooke, but the man who succeeded the...
ALISTAIR COOKE, 95; HIS WARM, ASSURING VOICE HELPED EXPLAIN, DEFINE 20TH CENTURY
Newspaper article from: The Boston Globe; 3/31/2004; ; 700+ words ; Alistair Cooke, whose suavely assured manner made...released a jazz LP, "An Evening with Alistair Cooke at the Piano." He published more than...Cooke's Guardian reporting, "When Alistair Cooke reports on American politics, I am...
Alistair Cooke: the stately pundit from America
Newspaper article from: Evening Standard - London; 11/15/1999; ; 700+ words ; ALISTAIR COOKE: The Biography by Nick Clarke (Weidenfeld...MEMORIES OF THE GREAT AND THE GOOD by Alistair Cooke (Pavilion, 16.99) FOR more than 50 years Alistair Cooke has put the "Gud" in "Gud Morning...
Legendary Broadcaster Alistair Cooke Dies
News Wire article from: AP Online; 3/30/2004; ; 700+ words ; ...LONDON Journalist and broadcaster Alistair Cooke in this 1979 file photo. Cooke...He was 95. (AP Photo/PA) Alistair Cooke, the broadcaster who epitomized...and, having changed his name to Alistair, Cooke joined the BBC in 1934 as a film...
BROADCASTER ALISTAIR COOKE DIES AT 95
News Wire article from: United Press International; 3/30/2004; 682 words ; ...International 03-30-2004 Broadcaster Alistair Cooke dies at 95 NEW YORK, Mar 30...International via COMTEX) -- Alistair Cooke, the veteran BBC broadcaster...for a best-selling book, "Alistair Cooke's America," which sold more...

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