Lost ‘Letter from America’ Radio Episodes Discovered

Professor Tim Lockley of the University of Warwick has located three previously lost episodes, along with two partial copies, of Alistair Cooke’s enduring BBC radio series, “Letter from America.” These discoveries include two of the earliest recorded installments, originating from the late 1940s and early 1950s. Professor Lockley made the initial discovery while visiting a friend who possessed discs recorded in BBC studios in New York, one of which bore the broadcaster’s name. The university subsequently funded an engineer to examine hundreds of these discs, leading to the identification of the missing episodes, which have since been placed in the BBC’s archives. Cooke passed away in 2004 at his New York residence at the age of 95. He hosted “Letter from America” for 58 years, delivering over 2,800 broadcasts before his retirement due to health issues shortly before his passing. Mark Byford, who was the BBC’s acting director general at the time, described Cooke as “one of the greatest broadcasters in the corporation’s history.” According to the university, the two complete episodes from 1949 represent the earliest installments of the series currently known to exist. Professor Lockley, who serves as the head of history at the university, explained that he was conducting research on 1940s US radio when he visited his friend in the United States, an opera collector who possessed discs recorded in BBC studios in New York. He further commented, “I knew the BBC holdings of [the series]… were incomplete so I was intrigued to see what was on these discs.” The university clarified that during that era, BBC programs were recorded on discs, but typically only one side was utilized. It noted that a BBC engineer had the option to flip the discs and record personal content on the unused side, which in this particular case involved Metropolitan opera broadcasts. The professor attributed the preservation of these discs to the music recordings present on their reverse sides. He also mentioned that the university’s Faculty of Arts committed to funding an engineer in New York to inspect several hundred discs for content on the unused side, stating that “in the process we discovered the missing episodes.” Cooke began his tenure at the BBC as a film critic in 1934, and in 1946, he commenced writing his “Letter,” which focused on US current affairs and historical topics. His 15-minute commentaries were broadcast on BBC Radio 4, its precursor the BBC Home Service, and the BBC’s World Service. Cooke remarked: “Throughout 58 years I have had much enjoyment in doing these talks and hope that some of it has passed over to the listeners, to all of whom I now say thank you for your loyalty and goodbye.”