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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

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Charlotte Lamb Sep 10, 1983

Show notes

Charlotte Lamb first started to write in 1970 after doing a series of different jobs, including working in a bank and for the BBC. Since then, she has written over 60 romantic novels, some of them under different names, and she has become one of the most popular novelists of that genre.

In conversation with Roy Plomley, she talks about her work and chooses the eight records she would take to the mythical island.

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

Favourite track: Brandenburg Concerto No 4 In G Major by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Luxury: Typewriter and paper

Paul Jones Sep 03, 1983

Show notes

Paul Jones first made his name as the lead singer with the group Manfred Mann. Later, he formed the Blues Band, but in the meantime he had started a second career as an actor when he appeared in the film Privilege. Since then, he has played Hamlet, Cassio in Othello and Macheath in The Beggar's Opera, and he even finds time to do session work on his harmonica.

In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about the many facets of his 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: Libiamo Ne'Lieti Calici by Giuseppe Verdi Book: Political works and music criticism by George Bernard Shaw Luxury: Harmonica

Cindy Buxton & Annie Price Aug 27, 1983

Show notes

Cindy Buxton made several successful wildlife films in Africa for television. Then, in 1978, she decided to film on the Falkland Islands and managed to persuade Annie Price to give up photographing children to become her assistant.

In conversation with Roy Plomley, they talk about their experiences, about their life during the invasion, and they choose the four records each which they would take to the mythical island.

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

Favourite track: Sailing by Rod Stewart Book: A book on explorers and Jonathan Livingstone's Seagull by Richard Bach Luxury: Cow and a box of soap

Malcolm Bradbury Aug 20, 1983

Show notes

Malcolm Bradbury is Professor of American Studies at the University of East Anglia, but he is better known perhaps for his novels, The History Man and Eating People is Wrong, and for his academic books on literature. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his 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: Don Giovanni Act 1 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: If on a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino Luxury: Word processor

Peter Bull Aug 13, 1983

Show notes

Peter Bull has become known in recent years as a teddy bear expert and the owner of Aloysius who appeared in Brideshead Revisited, but he has also had a long career as an actor, notably in plays such as Luther and Waiting for Godot. He has also made several forays into theatrical management. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his diverse 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: Slowly Slowly by Lola Tsakiri Book: Brideshead Revisited (in Greek) by Evelyn Waugh Luxury: Crystal ball

Sir Frederick Gibberd Aug 06, 1983

Show notes

Sir Frederick Gibberd includes among his designs a bridge, Liverpool Cathedral, the mosque in Regent's Park and Harlow New Town, but he says of himself "had I been less interested in people and more interested in building a monument, I'd probably have been a better architect".

In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his career, his enthusiasm for landscape gardening, and he 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 Marriage of Figaro Act 3 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: Scrapbook of poetry Luxury: Bottle of sleeping tablets

Keith Waterhouse Jul 30, 1983

Show notes

Keith Waterhouse started his writing career on the Yorkshire Evening Post but it was not long before he had a huge success with a novel - Billy Liar. For many years, in a prolific partnership with Willis Hall, he wrote plays, television scripts and screenplays, although now he concentrates on his novels and his regular columns in Punch and the Daily Mirror. In conversation with Roy Plomley, this versatile writer talks about his 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: Guys and Dolls (Title Song) by The Guys and Dolls Orchestra Book: A year's supply of the Exchange & Mart Luxury: Solar-powered television, video and eight films

John Gunter Jul 23, 1983

Show notes

John Gunter has been a set designer in the theatre for many years, but his astounding sets for two productions at the National Theatre - Guys and Dolls and The Rivals - have focused attention on him. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his career as a designer and of its many problems, and he 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: Symphony No 1 in B Flat Minor by William Walton Book: The complete works by Flann O'Brien Luxury: More William Walton records

Sir John Pritchard Jul 16, 1983

Show notes

Sir John Pritchard, now Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, has worked with many orchestras in many countries, but he remembers above all the many happy summers he spent with Glyndebourne Opera, where he started as a repetiteur and eventually became the Musical Director. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he 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: Don Giovanni Act 2 Scene 5 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: Lucia novels by E F Benson Luxury: Italian wine

Julian Bream Jul 09, 1983

Show notes

Julian Bream first played the guitar on radio in Children's Hour when he was only 13. This led to guest appearances in a series on the Light Programme, and so his career took off. Before long he also took up the lute and played his part in the revival of interest in early music. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he 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]

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