Desert Island Discs

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Rt. Hon. Nigel Lawson Dec 03, 1989

Show notes

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the former Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his boyhood and his memories of university life, as well as his subsequent journalistic and political experiences, including the more recent upheavals in his political career.

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

Favourite track: Clarinet Quintet In A Major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: The collected works by John Donne Luxury: Radio receiver

Lady Mosley Nov 26, 1989

Show notes

This episode of Desert Island Discs exists for reference, as part of the most complete possible archive resource of programmes from the long-running series, and was broadcast in 1989. The castaway is Diana Mosley, a Mitford girl who married Sir Oswald Mosley, the leader of the British Union of Fascists. During the interview with Sue Lawley, Lady Mosley discusses her contentious continued denial of the Holocaust and admiration for Adolf Hitler, along with her and her husband’s imprisonment during most of the war years and her close friendship with the neighbours who shared her subsequent exile in France, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

[Programme information updated February 2022]

Favourite track: Die Walküre by Richard Wagner Book: Books by Marcel Proust Luxury: Soft pillow

Seamus Heaney Nov 19, 1989

Show notes

This week's Desert Island Discs castaway is Seamus Heaney, a Catholic Ulsterman who has been acclaimed by many as the best Irish poet since Yeats. He was recently elected Oxford Professor of Poetry, and he'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his idyllic rural childhood as the eldest of nine children, his transition to university life and the sources of his poetic inspiration.

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

Favourite track: Quartet No 13 in B Flat Major by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: Ulysses by James Joyce Luxury: Doc Marten boots

Michael Codron Nov 12, 1989

Show notes

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is theatrical producer Michael Codron. During the 30 years he has been in the business, some of Britain's most eminent modern playwrights - John Mortimer, Alan Ayckbourn and Tom Stoppard for example - started their writing careers under his patronage. He's also turned his hand to popular entertainment in the form of hit plays like Crown Matrimonial and There's a Girl in my Soup. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his successes as well as his failures, and the risky but compulsive character of show business life.

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

Favourite track: Symphony No 1 in C by Georges Bizet Book: Caroline and Charlotte by Alison Plowman Luxury: Jigsaw puzzles

Ian Botham Nov 05, 1989

Show notes

If you were told that this week's Desert Island Discs castaway took ballet lessons as a child, was a moderately angelic choirboy and now plays golf, badminton and cricket, as well as walking long distances for charity, the name of Ian Botham might well not spring immediately to mind. But it will indeed be Mr Ian Botham who'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his exploits on and off the cricket field, as well as discussing his ambition to captain the England team again.

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

Favourite track: I'm Still Standing by Elton John Book: Encyclopaedia of species of fish of the world Luxury: Fishing rod

Colin Thubron Oct 22, 1989

Show notes

The castaway on this week's Desert Island Discs is novelist and travel writer Colin Thubron. Author of books on the Middle East, China and Russia, he will be divulging to Sue Lawley some of the delights and dangers of his many experiences, as well as sharing his passion for music.

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

Favourite track: Love Duet (from Creation) by Franz Joseph Haydn Book: A Year of Grace by Victor Gollancz Luxury: Scuba-diving equipment

Alan Plater Oct 15, 1989

Show notes

This week's Desert Island Discs castaway is playwright Alan Plater. He has been writing plays for radio, television, theatre and cinema since the early 1960s, having served his apprenticeship on Z-Cars in the days of live television drama. Since then, he has been associated with major television adaptions like The Barchester Chronicles and Fortunes of War.

He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his work, as well as recalling his childhood in the north of England in the 1930s and 1940s - an idyllic time for him despite the inconveniences of the Depression and the Blitz.

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

Favourite track: Fine & Mellow by Billie Holiday Book: Smell of Sunday Dinner by Sid Chaplin Luxury: Writing materials

Jack Lemmon Oct 08, 1989

Show notes

This week's Desert Island Discs castaway is veteran actor Jack Lemmon. With nearly 50 films to his name, including comedy classics like The Odd Couple and Some Like It Hot, as well as more serious films like Missing and The China Syndrome, he's also an accomplished jazz pianist, and he'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his passion for music and the vital part it has played in his life.

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

Favourite track: Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin Book: A Play in the Fields of our Lord by Peter Matheson Luxury: Piano

Lucinda Lambton Oct 01, 1989

Show notes

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is a woman of many passions - passions for places, people and the past. She is photographer Lucinda Lambton, and she'll be sharing her love of the unusual and the beautiful with Sue Lawley.

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

Favourite track: Quartet (from Act 2 of Fidelio) by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: Dictionary of National Biography Luxury: Word processor

John Ogdon Sep 24, 1989

Show notes

This week's Desert Island Discs will be a form of tribute to the pianist John Ogdon, who died last month.

In the programme, you can hear about his early musical life and his enormous success on the international music scene - a success which was cut short by a devastating nervous breakdown which brought his career to a halt. During his conversation with Sue Lawley, he talked about that illness, his eventual recovery and subsequent return to the concert platform and recording studios.

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

Favourite track: Symphony No 1 in B Minor 1st Movement by William Walton Book: The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins Luxury: Steinway piano

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