Talk:Alistair Cooke

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1 Media beginnings
2 Engagement
3 Knighthood
4 seeking a quote citation
5 Cause Of Death?
6 Longest-running show?
7 Daughter

[edit] Media beginnings

"Baldwin, the prime minister's son, had been fired by the BBC as film critic". This is more likely to have been Oliver Baldwin than Arthur Baldwin, but either way there is a Wikipedia article about each. I've not read the biography of Oliver Baldwin that is cited, and am unlikely to do so in the near future, but in the meantime it would be helpful if someone with more knowledge than I have could create the appropriate Wikilink.CWO 20:55, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Engagement

"Aware that war was in the offing, Cooke fled to the United States in 1937, this time for good: He became a naturalized citizen of the United States at the first opportunity in 1941 and remained there for the remainder of the war. Cooke's fiancée had remained in England to face the menace of war and soon broke off their engagement in disgust[citation needed], devastating him (but not enough for him to return to Britain and be drafted like his contemporaries, including many British actors who returned from Hollywood to Britain at the outbreak of hostilities)."

What's this drivel? Cooke emigrated permanently the late 30s, with his wife, no less, so this is libellous nonsense. I'll come back and change it after I've checked the facts. This is exactly the reason nobody trusts Wikipedia. FreeMorpheme 00:29, 27 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Knighthood

There is the claim that Alistair Cooke could not be called Sir Alistair. I'm not sure this is the case. The issue is well discussed at http://www.heraldica.org/topics/usa/usnob.htm. A knighthood in UK usage is not an order of nobility. It cannot be inherited. It appears there is nothing to prevent a foreign state awarding an honour up to and including knighthood, and apparently no bar on using a handle so awarded. (US citizens have inherited UK titles for example, and and not barred fomusing them.) The rule is different if one is adhering to the US. Common sense suggests one can call oneself what one wants unless one sets out to deceive. I suggest the sentence is cut, as it comment on titles not on Cooke.

Non-Commonwealth citizens can be given awards from Order of the British Empire. However, they are not allowed to use the honourific 'Sir' (see article). If Cooke recinded his UK citizenship when he took up US Citizenship, then he wouldn't have allowed to use 'Sir'. The UK allows dual-citizenship from birth, I don't know what the UK position is when a person takes up foreign citizenship, nor do I know what the US position is on dual-citizenship at all. CS Miller 17:51, August 6, 2005 (UTC)

Alistair Cooke became a U.S. citizen in 1941 and hence lost his British nationality at that point. The United Kingdom only removed restrictions on dual citizenship in 1949. See History of British nationality law JAJ 16:28, 5 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] seeking a quote citation

I remember only inexactly that the esteemed Mr. Cooke once said something about all times being terrible and frightening in their own way, and that this should never discourage anyone from having a child and bring that joy to the world. Can anyone give me the quote and its source? Thanks!

[edit] Cause Of Death?

The Wikipedia article has: Cooke died at midnight on March 30, 2004 at his home in New York City of congestive heart failure. He had been ill with heart disease for some time. whereas the Daily News has: The celebrated broadcaster and actor died March 30, 2004, of lung cancer that spread to his bones.. Which (if either) is correct? DavidFarmbrough 14:35, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

The Guardian's article on the subject,[1], carries an interview with his step-daughter who states that he died of bone cancer, and she should know. Although, given his age and the state of his health, I doubt an autopsy was carried out so I don't think a precise cause of death is actually known (congestive heart failure is often used, wrongly, as a euphemism for "death from old age"). I'll change the passage to reflect the fact he had cancer, but I will refrain from listing an actual cause of death. I hope this is OK with everyone. Rje 01:30, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

A precise cause of death is known. He died from lung cancer that had metastasized to bone, at least according to the BBC, who should know[2].

By the way, lung cancer that spreads to bone should never be called bone cancer. Bone cancer is cancer that originates in the bone and is vastly different from lung cancer both in appearance, in how it responds to various drugs and forms of radiation, and in its prognosis. For all intents and purposes they are completely different diseases and should be considered as such.

I've updated the page and added a link to the BBC story for those wanting verification. --Charlene.vickers 05:53, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

I think that the removal of a precise cause is the correct line to take - it is probably futile in many cases to try to pin it down to one cause; hence many death certificates show primary and secondary causes. DavidFarmbrough 09:08, 4 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Longest-running show?

Please see Talk:Letter from America for discussion on whether LFA was indeed the longest-running radio show. sjorford (talk) 17:25, 28 December 2005 (UTC)