Fleur Cowles began her career as a columnist on one of the New York papers and before long she became the Associate Editor of the magazine Look. She became very influential and, in 1953, President Eisenhower asked her to be his personal ambassador to the UK for the Coronation. Before long, she made her home here and took up writing books and painting professionally. She has since had 34 exhibitions of her work. In conversation with Roy Plomley, she talks about her fascinating life and chooses th...
Jun 18, 1983•40 min
Sir Peter Pears has been acknowledged for many years as an outstanding interpreter of the vocal music of Benjamin Britten. He also helped Britten to found the Aldeburgh Festival and he still takes an active part in the running of it. In conversation with Roy Plomley, Sir Peter talks about his long career and chooses the eight records he would take to the mythical island. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: The Sprig Of Thy...
Jun 11, 1983•37 min
Raymond Briggs began his career as an illustrator after studying art at the Slade School. He first achieved fame through his picture books for children, Father Christmas and Fungus the Bogeyman, but has since moved into the adult world with When the Wind Blows, in which an elderly couple struggle to survive a nuclear attack. As he told Roy Plomley when they met to choose his eight records, he has now turned this most recent picture book into a stage play. [Taken from the original programme mater...
Jun 04, 1983•37 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is actress Sinead Cusack. Favourite track: Concerto in G Minor No. 1 by Max Bruch Book: Novels by John Le Carre Luxury: Writing materials
May 28, 1983•41 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is broadcaster Terry Wogan. Favourite track: The Young Prince and The Young Princess by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Book: His favourite book by P G Wodehouse Luxury: Vodka
May 21, 1983•42 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is retired Old Bailey Judge Sir Alan King-Hamilton. Favourite track: Symphony No. 5 In C Minor by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: Barclays World of Cricket by Jim Swanton Luxury: Television set
May 14, 1983•39 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is actor and comedian Arthur English. Favourite track: 1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Book: Britain's Heritage by John Julius Norwich Luxury: Weekend in Paris
May 07, 1983•41 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is writer A N Wilson. Favourite track: Profisciere Anima Christiana by Edward Elgar Book: The Golden Treasury by Francis Palgrave Luxury: Bed and blankets
Apr 30, 1983•37 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is comedian and musician Max Boyce. Favourite track: The First Time by MacColl Book: I Can't Stay Long by Laurie Lee Luxury: Oil painting equipment
Apr 23, 1983•40 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is writer and journalist Geoffrey Moorhouse. Favourite track: Notte E Giorno Faticar (Don Giovanni) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: Dictionary of National Biography Luxury: Recording of curlews and Indian spices
Apr 16, 1983•40 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is violinist Ruggiero Ricci. Favourite track: Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in C by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Letters by Beethoven Luxury: The Plowden Guarneri violin
Apr 09, 1983•41 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is actor James Fox. Favourite track: I Believe In You by Bob Dylan Book: Colour reproduction of Renaissance artists Luxury: Water colour equipment
Apr 02, 1983•40 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is writer and journalist Jan Morris. Favourite track: Badinrie by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Her own book on Venice Luxury: Astronimical telescope with Catalogue Of Nebulae
Mar 26, 1983•43 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is flying surgeon of East Africa Michael Wood. Favourite track: Toccata and Fugue In D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Other Men's Flowers by Lord A P Wavell Luxury: Pair of field glasses
Mar 19, 1983•40 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is writer Douglas Reeman. Favourite track: The Song Of The Jellicles by T S Eliot Book: The Admiralty Seamanship Manual Luxury: Orchid-growing kit
Mar 12, 1983•38 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is choreographer Kenneth Macmillan. Favourite track: Students' Chorus by Romberg Book: The Rack by A E Ellis Luxury: Godiva chocolates from Belgium
Mar 05, 1983•40 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is painter and restorer Tom Keating. Favourite track: Symphony No. 2 in D by Jean Sibelius Book: Lives of the Artists by Giorgio Vasari Luxury: Mattock
Feb 26, 1983•40 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is director James Ivory. Favourite track: The Three Ladies Find Tamino by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu by Marcel Proust Luxury: Shower with hot water
Feb 19, 1983•40 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is designer Zandra Rhodes. Favourite track: Bolero by Maurice Ravel Book: Household Management by Mrs Beeton Luxury: Sketchbook, pens and pencils
Feb 12, 1983•38 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is actress Beryl Reid. Favourite track: Let The Bright Seraphim by George Frideric Handel Book: Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor Luxury: Silk garment
Feb 05, 1983•37 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is explorer Tim Severin. Favourite track: Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien by Edith Piaf Book: Pax Britannica by Jan Morris Luxury: Herb garden
Jan 29, 1983•42 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is soprano Gwyneth Jones. Favourite track: L'Incoronazione Di Poppea by Claudio Monteverdi Book: The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran Luxury: Piano with bath salts
Jan 22, 1983•42 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is the inspiration behind The Sound Of Music, Maria Von Trapp. Favourite track: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: True funny stories in German Luxury: Statue of Madonna and child, 17th century
Jan 15, 1983•45 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is snooker player Steve Davis. Favourite track: I Need You Now by George Duke Book: The Throwback and Wilt by Tom Sharpe Luxury: Snooker table
Jan 08, 1983•39 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is writer Rachel Billington. Favourite track: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor by Sergei Rachmaninov Book: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Luxury: Writing materials
Jan 01, 1983•41 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is actress Mary Ellis. Favourite track: Gloria by Ariel Ramirez Book: Encyclopaedia Luxury: Writing materials
Dec 25, 1982•35 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is composer Gyorgy Ligeti. Favourite track: String Quintet In C by Franz Schubert Book: Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Luxury: Hieronymus Bosch, Garden Of Earthly Delights
Dec 18, 1982•36 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is musician Alan Price. Favourite track: I Ain't Got Nobody by Louis Prima Book: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame Luxury: Piano
Dec 04, 1982•34 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is actress Helen Mirren. Favourite track: Pass The Dutchie by Musical Youth Book: The Bhagavad-Gita Luxury: Silk underwear
Nov 27, 1982•35 min
Roy Plomley's castaway is writer P D James. Favourite track: St Matthew Passion (First Chorus) by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Middlemarch by George Eliot Luxury: Claret
Nov 20, 1982•32 min
