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Desert Island Discs — Personal Journals
Desert Island Discs

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Copyright: © (C) BBC 2023

Latest Episodes:

Alan Alda Oct 27, 1991

Show notes

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the American actor Alan Alda. The son of a vaudeville artist, he shot to fame portraying the wise-cracking, womanising Hawkeye in the television series M.A.S.H. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the part that transformed his life and his initial reluctance to accept it, his childhood years in the burlesque houses of America, and explaining why, despite being a millionaire, he continues to work.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Weekend In The Country by Stephen Sondheim Book: Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe Luxury: Italian pasta

Elizabeth Esteve-Coll Oct 20, 1991

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Elizabeth Esteve-Coll, Director of one of Britain's most famous museums, the V & A. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her career at the V & A and the controversy she caused within her first year of office. She'll also be recalling how, at 19, she abandoned her university career and married a Spanish sea captain with whom she sailed the world.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Christus Natus Est (Mode I V) by The Choir Of Monks Of Saint Pierre De Solemes Book: The Four Quartets by T S Eliot Luxury: Expensive perfumed hand cream

John Schlesinger Oct 13, 1991

Show notes

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is the film director John Schlesinger. Like many other British filmmakers, he learnt his craft at the BBC but soon moved on to directing feature films including A Kind of Loving, Far From the Madding Crowd and the Oscar-winning Midnight Cowboy. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his long and successful career, the controversy he caused with his films Darling and Sunday Bloody Sunday and choosing eight records to take to his island exile.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Zueignung by Richard Strauss Book: Dictonary of English Quotations Luxury: Magimix (battery-powered )

Imran Khan Oct 06, 1991

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan. Educated at Oxford and dividing his time between England and Pakistan, his fame extends well beyond the cricket field. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his faith - he is a devout Muslim - the constant speculation surrounding his love life and how his mother's death from cancer dramatically changed his life.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Us And Them by Pink Floyd Book: Bang-E Dara by Iqbal Luxury: Shotgun and clay pigeon trap

David Bailey Sep 29, 1991

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the photographer David Bailey. Born and bred in the East End of London, he took the fashion business by storm in the 1960s - discovering, photographing and often marrying some of the world's most beautiful women. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about success in the 1960s, the first time he saw Jean Shrimpton and his desire to carry on working, like his hero Picasso, until he's 90.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Dance Of The Earth (Rite Of Spring) by Igor Stravinsky Book: Vioces of Silence by Malraux Luxury: Nelson's Column

Klaus Tennstedt Sep 22, 1991

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the conductor Klaus Tennstedt. When, at 45, he defected from East Germany, he was virtually unknown in the West. But three years later, after conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra, he was acclaimed as an international maestro. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his impressive musical career, his defection from East Germany and his battle against cancer of the vocal chords.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Symphony No 6 In A Minor Finale by Gustav Mahler Book: Dr. Faustus by Thomas Mann Luxury: Mountain bike

John Banham Sep 15, 1991

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is one of the most important figures in British industry today - the Director-General of the CBI John Banham. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his impressive and varied career, his passion for sailing and how he very nearly lost his life during the Fastnet Race of 1979.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Sanctus by Gabriel Fauré Book: The collected works by A E Houseman Luxury: Cigars and matches

Bernice Rubens Sep 08, 1991

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the writer Bernice Rubens. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her childhood with musically-gifted brothers and sister, and how, despite having written 17 novels - one of them won the Booker prize, another was also shortlisted - she still sees herself as merely a successful novelist who failed to become a musician.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: String Quintet C Major Second Movement by Franz Schubert Book: Poems For Joy & Sermons For Solace by John Donne Luxury: Daughter's painting

Maxwell Hutchinson Sep 01, 1991

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the architect Maxwell Hutchinson. Unafraid of controversy, he attacked Prince Charles' criticisms of contemporary architecture - a move which secured him presidency of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his love of tower blocks and requiem masses, of 17th-century cottages and his desire to write a number one hit.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: First Symphony In A Flat Minor Slow Movement by Edward Elgar Book: The Four Quartets by T S Eliot Luxury: Guitar

Alan Bleasdale Aug 25, 1991

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is playwright Alan Bleasdale. Often controversial, and always funny, Bleasdale's work focuses on life in Liverpool, a city he loves and whose characters people his most famous plays - Boys from the Blackstuff and GBH. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his intense love of family, his work and, as a self-confessed hypochondriac, he will be revealing some of his fears.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Shelter From The Storm by Bob Dylan Book: Catch 22 by Joseph Heller Luxury: Nail clippers

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