Cooke, Alistair (1908-2004), a British-born American journalist and broadcaster, became famous for his articulate and informed observations on United States society, culture, and history. These commentaries not only embraced the political scene in the United States but also demonstrated his comprehensive understanding of jazz and the American cinema. From 1971 to 1992, Cooke hosted the Public Broadcasting Service television series “Masterpiece Theatre,” on which he introduced British programs to American audiences.
Alfred Alistair Cooke was born on Nov. 20, 1908, in Manchester, England. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge University. After postgraduate study in the United States at Yale and Harvard universities during the early 1930’s, he became a Hollywood film scriptwriter. Returning to the United Kingdom, he worked as a film critic for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). This occupation drew him into journalism, and he became the London correspondent of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), a major U.S. radio network. In 1937, Cooke moved permanently to the United States, settling in New York City. From there, he reported and commented upon U.S. political and social affairs for BBC radio and for several British newspapers, including The Manchester Guardian. Cooke became a United States citizen in 1941.
From 1946 to 2004, the BBC broadcast “Letter from America,” a regular weekly 15-minute talk by Cooke that provided the BBC’s British and World Service listeners with perceptive insights into all aspects of American life. Collections of his radio talks were published in book form in One Man’s America (1952) and Talk About America (1968). Cooke also made a 13-part BBC television series, America (1972-1973), and a series of radio programs on American popular music and jazz. Cooke’s many books include Douglas Fairbanks: The Making of a Screen Actor (1940); Generation on Trial: U.S.A. v. Alger Hiss (1950); The Vintage Mencken (1955); Alistair Cooke’s America (1973), based on his television series; and The Americans (1977), a book written in collaboration with the photographer Robert Cameron. Cooke died on March 29, 2004.
