Programme Index

Duration: 30 minutes

First broadcast: Mon 11^th Jun 1962, 13:10 on BBC Home Service Basic

Roy Plomley's castaway is journalist and broadcaster Alistair Cooke. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Roy Plomley
Interviewed Guest:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualLife Stories

Brand

Desert Island Discs

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Paul Volcker, head of the Fed

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 24^th Jun 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 26^th Jun 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Paul Volcker, head of the Federal Reserve, and the second most important man in the US. Show more

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Connecticut bridge collapse

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 1^st Jul 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 3^rd Jul 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Following a fatal bridge collapse in Connecticut, US faces massive bill for rebuilding as major faults are found in ageing infrastructure. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Briefing-gate to be investigated

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 8^th Jul 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 10^th Jul 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Reagan's popularity rating could be hit by criminal investigation into who stole Carter's briefing papers. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Chrysler repays loan

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 15^th Jul 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 17^th Jul 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Chrysler startles US by repaying government bail-out loan in record time. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Equal rights crusade goes on

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 5^th Aug 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 7^th Aug 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Senator Sam Ervin becomes new opponent in ongoing fight for Equal Rights Amendment. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Andrei Berezhkov's non-defection

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 19^th Aug 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 21^st Aug 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Was Russian teenager Andrei Berezhkov persuaded to withdraw his pleas for help to defect to the West? Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Benigno Aquino assassinated

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 26^th Aug 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 28^th Aug 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Shocking assassination of Benigno Aquino presents President Reagan with dilemma over Philippines bases. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Reverend Jesse Jackson

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 2^nd Sep 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 4^th Sep 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Reverend Jesse Jackson steps into the political spotlight by trying for the Democrat nomination. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

US troops in Lebanon

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 16^th Sep 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 18^th Sep 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Congress queries continued presence of US troops in Lebanon. President requested to invoke War Powers Act. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Fear of Russia returns

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 23^rd Sep 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 25^th Sep 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

President Reagan under pressure as fear of Russia returns following the shooting-down of the Korean airliner. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

The America's Cup

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 30^th Sep 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 2^nd Oct 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

America's Cup won by the Australians - and the members of the New York Yacht Club get the news second-hand. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Boycotts can backfire

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 14^th Oct 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 16^th Oct 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

When the oldest form of retaliation - the boycott - turns out to have unforeseen consquences which hit home markets hardest. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Invasion of Grenada

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 28^th Oct 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 30^th Oct 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Reagan facing serious questions over decision to invade Grenada, a member of the British Commonwealth. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Grenada press ban lifted

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 4^th Nov 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 6^th Nov 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Press begins to uncover the fuller, and more complex, story of the Grenada invasion. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Defending freedom

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 18^th Nov 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 20^th Nov 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Anxiety after Grenada invasion as it becomes clear that US forces are now thinly stretched across the globe. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Joe Polowsky's funeral, 1983

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 2^nd Dec 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 4^th Dec 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Old soldier wanted to be buried where his band of brothers met up with the Russians in 1945 - when they were our allies. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

05/06/2014

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 9^th Dec 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 11^th Dec 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Alistair Cooke's weekly talk on American life, history and politics.

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

President Alfonsin of Argentina

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 16^th Dec 1983, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 18^th Dec 1983, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

US hopes of new talks follow installation of Argentina's first democratically-elected president, Alfonsin. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Syrians free US soldier

Duration: 14 minutes

First broadcast: Fri 6^th Jan 1984, 21:15 on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: Sun 8^th Jan 1984, 09:15 on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Rev Jesse Jackson persuades Syrians to release captured US soldier after official channels fail. Show more

Contributors

Presenter:: Alistair Cooke

Genres

FactualArts, Culture & the Media

Brand