The Alistair Cooke Collection at Boston University
Thanks to his duties as host of the cultural programs Omnibus and Masterpiece Theatre, Alistair Cooke (1908 - 2004) came to be seen as an arbiter of highbrow arts and entertainment for many Americans and, as such, he became a television icon. Yet he was much more than just an erudite broadcaster; over a long and distinguished career, he proved to be a consummate journalist and an insightful social historian. For more than a quarter century, Cooke was the United States correspondent for the British newspaper the Guardian or the Manchester Guardian as it was formerly known. In addition, he filed a weekly "Letter from America" on BBC radio, a 15-minute broadcast. He received numerous accolades and honors in his lifetime, including three Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award for International Reporting, and several honorary degrees. In 1973, Cooke was made a Knight Commander, Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.
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