Alistair Cooke
a.spencer3
Letters From America.
Since one of this ng's problems seems to be attempting to understand each
other - :-)) - how was he regarded in the US?
He certainly seemed to 'translate' the US to us very realistically (and
entertainingly).
Surreyman
Andrew Chaplin
Well enough[1], although I don't know that any but U.S. ex-pat
communities ever listened to LfA. I found he was a good way to stay in
touch with the currents of U.S. politics when I was in the Middle
East, and I would get up at odd hours of the night after my return to
Canada to listen to him on short wave.
[1] He was lovingly parodied by the Children's Television Workshop
with the Cookie Monster in the role of Alistair Cookie as the host of
"Monsterpiece Theater".
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)
D. Spencer Hines
Apparently a vanishing breed.
It's a pity you pogues can't seem to produce any like him on the public
airwaves today ---- certainly not on USENET.
There is not a single Brit who posts regularly in either of these
newsgroups who can hold a candle to him in erudition, savoir-faire,
culture, political realism, articulation and sensibility.
And that's a problem.
Use him as a model and shape up Britannici and Britannicae.
'Nuff Said....
D. Spencer Hines
Lux et Veritas et Libertas
Vires et Honor
ArtKramr
>From: "a.spencer3" a.spe...@ntlworld.com
>Date: 3/30/04 3:46 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <H4dac.73$qI1.63@newsfe1-win>
He was very highly respected and quite popular here.
Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer
William Black
"D. Spencer Hines" <D_Spenc...@usa.yale.edu> wrote in message
news:29eac.2$Ka4...@eagle.america.net...
> A Real Brit.
A US citizen actually.
--
William Black
------------------
Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords
is no basis for a system of government
JJS
<a.spe...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
He was well respected although most only knew him as the host
of Masterpiece Theater. On occasion years ago he would do
a special program on his views of America. I enjoyed his humor
and decidedly odd (British) ) view of America. First Peter Ustinov
and now Alistar Cook gone. It零 a sad week.
Joe
D. Spencer Hines
British born -- but sensible enough to emigrate to America, finish his
education and become a United States Citizen.
DSH
"William Black" <black_...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c4c585$os6$1...@news.freedom2surf.net...
Martin Reboul
"D. Spencer Hines" <D_Spenc...@usa.yale.edu> wrote in message
news:29eac.2$Ka4...@eagle.america.net...
>
> Apparently a vanishing breed.
>
> It's a pity you pogues can't seem to produce any like him on the public
> airwaves today ---- certainly not on USENET.
>
> There is not a single Brit who posts regularly in either of these
> newsgroups who can hold a candle to him in erudition, savoir-faire,
> culture, political realism, articulation and sensibility.
Peter Ustinov could have given him a run for his money I reckon? Both sadly
missed (his Nero can never be surpassed, good though Christopher Biggins was)
Dinner with the two of them would have been a wonderful thing, sadly, not this
time round. However, now Peter Cook, Willie Rushton, Oscar Wilde and Sir
Winston Churchill could possibly join us, with Oliver Reed and WC Fields to
add some specific gravity.
It will have to wait :¬(
Sniffle
Martin
ArtKramr
>From: "Martin Reboul" mar...@SPAMFUKreboul1471.freeserve.co.uk
>Date: 3/30/04 9:24 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <c4cafj$3ur$1...@news7.svr.pol.co.uk>
I met was lucky enough to have met Alistair Cooke on the last run of the
supertrain "The 20th Century limited". And I met Peter Ustinov at a cocktail
party on Majorca at Las Palmas.. Both memorable experiences indeed.
Andrew Chaplin
news:20040330092927...@mb-m01.aol.com...
>
> He was very highly respected and quite popular here.
I gathered that, but was he known as other than a television presenter to
the public? I got the impression that he was known primarily for his erudite
introductions to such things as "Brideshead Revistited" and "Danger UXB",
and not for his journalism. Did his report of the shooting of Bobby Kennedy
get him the profile as a newsman that Robin MacNeil's report of JFK's
assassination in Dallas got him?
Paul J Gans
>and now Alistar Cook gone. It?s a sad week.
I agree with Joe. Masterpiece Theater was his American
venue for years. And it was seen only on Public (i.e.
socialist) TV.
So I think that the bulk of Americans only knew of him
by accident or rumor... :-)
He will be missed.
---- Paul J. Gans
Paul J Gans
>Peter Ustinov could have given him a run for his money I reckon? Both sadly
>missed (his Nero can never be surpassed, good though Christopher Biggins was)
>Dinner with the two of them would have been a wonderful thing, sadly, not this
>time round. However, now Peter Cook, Willie Rushton, Oscar Wilde and Sir
>Winston Churchill could possibly join us, with Oliver Reed and WC Fields to
>add some specific gravity.
>It will have to wait :?(
> Sniffle
> Martin
Well said, Martin.
---- Paul J. Gans
Julian Richards
I met a man who worked in TV and he heard Ustinov and David Niven
reminiscing about their wartime experiences (SOE). He said that he
wouldn't want to meet either of them in a dark alley.
I once saw Ustinov doing a TV interview for a German TV channel,
speaking German like a native.
--
Julian Richards
medieval "at" richardsuk.f9.co.uk
Usenet is how from the comfort of your own living room, you can converse
with people that you would never want in your house.
THIS MESSAGE WAS POSTED FROM SOC.HISTORY.MEDIEVAL
Paul J Gans
>>Subject: Re: Alistair Cooke
>>From: "Martin Reboul" mar...@SPAMFUKreboul1471.freeserve.co.uk
>>Date: 3/30/04 9:24 AM Pacific Standard Time
>>Message-id: <c4cafj$3ur$1...@news7.svr.pol.co.uk>
>>
>>
>>"D. Spencer Hines" <D_Spenc...@usa.yale.edu> wrote in message
>>news:29eac.2$Ka4...@eagle.america.net...
>>> A Real Brit.
>>>
>>> Apparently a vanishing breed.
>>>
>>> It's a pity you pogues can't seem to produce any like him on the public
>>> airwaves today ---- certainly not on USENET.
>>>
>>> There is not a single Brit who posts regularly in either of these
>>> newsgroups who can hold a candle to him in erudition, savoir-faire,
>>> culture, political realism, articulation and sensibility.
>>
>>Peter Ustinov could have given him a run for his money I reckon? Both sadly
>>missed (his Nero can never be surpassed, good though Christopher Biggins was)
>>Dinner with the two of them would have been a wonderful thing, sadly, not
>>this
>>time round. However, now Peter Cook, Willie Rushton, Oscar Wilde and Sir
>>Winston Churchill could possibly join us, with Oliver Reed and WC Fields to
>>add some specific gravity.
>>
>> Sniffle
>> Martin
>>
>>
>I met was lucky enough to have met Alistair Cooke on the last run of the
>supertrain "The 20th Century limited". And I met Peter Ustinov at a cocktail
>party on Majorca at Las Palmas.. Both memorable experiences indeed.
Art, you are a walking history of the last half of the 20th
century.
Get your pen in hand and start writing.
Seriously.
----- Paul J. Gans
ArtKramr
>From: Paul J Gans ga...@panix.com
>Date: 3/30/04 6:31 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <c4dai8$gmf$1...@reader1.panix.com>
I'm still working on my website. 50,000 hits by tomorrow. Who'd a thunk it?
Paul J Gans
>"ArtKramr" <artk...@aol.com> wrote in message
>news:20040330092927...@mb-m01.aol.com...
>>
>> He was very highly respected and quite popular here.
>I gathered that, but was he known as other than a television presenter to
>the public? I got the impression that he was known primarily for his erudite
>introductions to such things as "Brideshead Revistited" and "Danger UXB",
>and not for his journalism. Did his report of the shooting of Bobby Kennedy
>get him the profile as a newsman that Robin MacNeil's report of JFK's
>assassination in Dallas got him?
As you know, evesdropping, so to speak on our TV, the Public
Broadcasting Network he appeared on was *not* widely viewed.
So his public was primarily the folks who sought it out.
Among them he was very well known. Since most read both books
and newspapers, his other activities were well-known too. But
I don't believe that his reporting on America was on the air
here -- certainly it was not at hours I could listen to it.
When there are major news events, such as the shooting of
Bobby Kennedy, folks mainly turn to CNN or one of the other
major networks. So Cooke lost out here on that score.
But I know folks who watched "Masterpiece Theater" religiously
only because of him.
And he did, on occasion, do TV specials that certainly were
special.
---- Paul J. Gans
D. Spencer Hines
Gans The Historical Illiterate strikes again.
CNN didn't even EXIST when Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968.
DSH
"Paul J Gans" <ga...@panix.com> wrote in message
news:c4dcbt$h91$1...@reader1.panix.com...
| ...When there are major news events, such as the shooting of
| Bobby Kennedy, folks mainly turn to CNN or one of the other
| major networks. So Cooke lost out here on that score....
a.spencer3
Julian Richards <s...@sig.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bnoj60dp9pr3cb6je...@4ax.com...
but with a lot of other bits thrown in - except English! He was simply
brought up and educated here. Certainly spoke English far more effectively
than most, too!
Surreyman
a.spencer3
So you're illiterate, as well.
Surreyman
William Black
"a.spencer3" <a.spe...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:X9zac.45$g96.23@newsfe1-win...
> I met a man who worked in TV and he heard Ustinov and David Niven
> reminiscing about their wartime experiences (SOE). He said that he
> wouldn't want to meet either of them in a dark alley.
Niven was 'Green Slime' in WWII. That lot wouldn't have touched SOE with a
barge pole, far too amateurish and far too fond of loud bangs without a
warning.
a.spencer3
>
> "a.spencer3" <a.spe...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
> news:X9zac.45$g96.23@newsfe1-win...
>
> > I met a man who worked in TV and he heard Ustinov and David Niven
> > reminiscing about their wartime experiences (SOE). He said that he
> > wouldn't want to meet either of them in a dark alley.
No I didn't!
Surreyman
raymond o'hara
"Paul J Gans" <
> >> He was very highly respected and quite popular here.
>
>
> As you know, evesdropping, so to speak on our TV, the Public
> Broadcasting Network he appeared on was *not* widely viewed.
stop your elitist crap paul , you damn well know that the pbs is highly
watched and has good ratings . alistair cooke was easily recognized by the
majority of the american public .
Don Aitken
wrote:
It is a pity America never got to hear "Letter From America". There
are some highlights - including one of his pieces on Watergate -
available (RealPlayer required) via
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/letter_from_america/default.stm
--
Don Aitken
Mail to the addresses given in the headers is no longer being
read. To mail me, substitute "clara.co.uk" for "freeuk.com".
Julian Richards
The gentleman was an acquaintance of the family whilst on holiday in
northern Italy many years ago. He also had some very scurrilous tales
about Yehudi Menuhin.