American Lit: Unit 1: the Beginnings

American Literature: The Beginnings
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American Lit: the Beginning; 42 pages; 14,524 words, many visuals


About the Historian; an Englishman writes and falls in love with America

Alistair Cooke, 1908-2004



"The Beginning": 42 pages, 14,355 words, many visuals
Biography:
Journalist
Broadcaster
Writer of Histories, “Alistair Cooke’s America”
Host, Masterpiece Theater, best of the BBC 1971-1992

Satirized by the Muppets, “Monsterpiece Theater,” with Cookie Monster playing Alistair Cooke



Masterpiece Theater:

Satires





Celebrity:
ž Important undergraduate at Cambridge, Jesus College. Graduate studies at Harvard and Yale
ž As a British journalist in America, he became friendly with celebrities
— Charlie Chaplin, best man at his first wedding
ž Son, John, Harvard grad., was road manager for Janis Joplin
ž Became an American citizen shortly before WWII
Education

ž In 1968, he was only yards away from Robert F. Kennedy when he was assassinated, witnessing the events which immediately followed
ž Masterpiece Theater, best of the BBC
— Monsterpiece Theater, Muppets with Cookie Monster
ž Saturday Night Live’s “Bad Conceptual Theater”

PBS: he helped legitimize Public Broadcasting System in America
ž In 1968, he was only yards away from Robert F. Kennedy when he was assassinated, witnessing the events which immediately followed
ž Masterpiece Theater, best of the BBC
— Monsterpiece Theater, Muppets with Cookie Monster
ž Saturday Night Live’s “Bad Conceptual Theater”

Letters to America: feature of Essays by Alistair Cooke
ž Classic: Groucho Marx
ž Last: predicted the fall of Geo. W. Bush

Death: national obituaries throughout the world
ž When Cooke died, thieves stole his bones from a tissue-recovery firm
— Series on Modern Day Grave Robberies
ž Fulbright scholarship: Journalism award named for Alistair Cooke on his death


Contributions:

ž Brought England and America closer together though intelligent discussion of culture and art.
ž Promoted “being smart” as a personal strength.
ž Decide not to insult audiences by “dumbing down” so that message reached the whole spectrum of intelligence.