In 1992 who succeeded Alistair Cooke following his twenty two year run as host of PBS's "Masterpiece Theatre"?

Alistair Cooke was the host of "Masterpiece Theatre" for 22 seasons. His association with the show began in 1971 with the show's premiere. It continued until he retired in 1992. When asked in 1992 if he'd like to succeed the venerable Alistair Cooke as host of "Masterpiece Theatre", Russell Baker replied, "I'd like to be the man who succeeds the man who succeeds Alistair Cooke." A few months later he accepted; he became Cooke's immediate successor. Baker hosted the show from 1992 to 2004. When he left, "Masterpiece Theatre" was broadcasted without a host until 2008.

Millions of people knew Russell Baker. He had become popular because of his self-effacing style in his Pulitzer Prize winning memoir "Growing Up" (1982), its sequel "The Good Times" (1989), 14 other books, and 4,600 syndicated newspaper columns. The columns were also Pulitzer Prize-winning and were written for The New York Times between 1962 and 1998 (the longest running column in Times history).

Baker was born in 1925 in Loudon County, VA. He has lived a long and colorful career working with news organizations and TV networks. In 1986 he decided to return to his rural roots. Today, he lives in Leesburg, VA, not far from his birthplace.