Posted on 03/30/2004 6:26:52 AM PST by areafiftyone
(1010 WINS) (NEW YORK) (London) -- Alistair Cooke, the broadcaster who epitomized highbrow television as host of ``Masterpiece Theater'' and whose ``Letter from America'' was a radio fixture in Britain for 58 years, has died. He was 95.
The B-B-C says Cooke died at his home in New York at midnight. No cause of death was given, but Cooke had retired earlier this month because of heart disease.
Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed sadness at the veteran broadcaster's death, saying he was one of the greatest broadcasters of all time.
``Letter from America,'' which was carried on the BBC World Service and on Radio Four in Britain, started in 1946, and was originally scheduled to run 13 weeks. The BBC announced Cooke's retirement on March Second.
Born Alfred Cooke in Salford in northern England in 1908, he earned an honors degree in English from Cambridge University. In 1932 he came to the United States to study at Yale University.
He was host of the ``Omnibus'' television program in the United States from 1952 to 1961, and presented ``Masterpiece Theater'' on the PBS network from 1971 to 1992.
He received four Emmy awards, three George Foster Peabody awards for broadcasting, and he was made an honorary Knight Commander, Order of the British Empire. It was an honorary award because Cooke, the consummate Englishman, had become a U-S citizen in 1941.
Well anyone outside his circle of leftist snobs knew then as anyone who can read knows now, Joe McCarthy was right on most things and Eugene led the takeover that made the traditional, patriotic Democrat Party into dem Rats. Good bye.
For those who haven't read it already, check out Cooke's "Peace for our time."
I bet it's gonna be Jan Berry of the Jan & Dean duo!
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