Desert Island Discs

This week the castaway on Desert Island Discs is the jazz pianist Dave Brubeck. One of the most successful musicians of our time, it's nearly 40 years since he famously encouraged us to Take Five, and so changed the sound of jazz forever. In conversation with Sue Lawley, he talks about his life and work and chooses eight records to take to the mythical island.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: The Ode To Joy (Symphony No 9) by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: The Spear in the Sand by Raoul C Faure Luxury: Grand piano

Sue Lawley's castaway this morning is Sir David Attenborough. He brought the blue-footed booby into our sitting rooms, and revealed the secret lives of plants. But we remember him best caught in the embrace of a female gorilla.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Adagio from String Quintet in C Major by Franz Schubert Book: Shifts and Expedients of Camp Life by W B Lord Luxury: Guitar

Sue Lawley's castaway this morning is the comedian and television host Bob Monkhouse. He began his career as a schoolboy writing jokes for established comedians. Later he became a gag writer for radio. But it was television which made his name. From the Golden Shot to Bob's Full House, he reckons he's hosted more than 27 different shows.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Adagio for Strings, Opus 11 by Samuel Barber Book: The Adventures of Alice by Lewis Carroll Luxury: Clarinet

Sue Lawley's castaway this morning is the novelist Dick Francis. In what he calls "the best years of my life" as a professional jockey, he broke his nose, his collarbone, his wrist and his skull but also won 345 of the 2,305 races he ran. Now a best-selling author of 37 novels, he chooses eight records to take to the mythical island.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Chatanooga Choo Choo by Glenn Miller Orchestra Book: Men and Horses I Have Known by George Lampton Luxury: Waterbed

Sue Lawley's castaway this morning is the military historian John Keegan. As a boy, he would listen to his father's tales of war on the Western Front. Disabled because of a childhood illness, he was unable to become a soldier himself, and so chose to document their history instead.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: An die Musik by Franz Schubert Book: The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan Luxury: French-speaking man robot

Sue Lawley's castaway this morning is the actress Eileen Atkins. From dancing in working men's clubs as a child to portraying Virginia Woolf on Broadway and the snobbish Celia for Alan Bennett's Talking Heads monologue, she traces her life as performer and writer.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Get off of My Cloud by The Rolling Stones Book: Moments of Being by Virginia Woolf Luxury: An Atkinson Grimshaw painting

Sue Lawley's castaway this morning is the General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers' union, Bill Morris. As a small boy growing up in Jamacia, he bunked off school to play his favourite sport - cricket. His ultimate dream was to become one of the West Indies team. So how did he become leader of one of the biggest unions in the country?[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler Book: Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela Luxury: Cricket bat signed by 'the three Ws' - Sir Frank Warrel, Everton Weeks and Clive Walcot

Sue Lawley's castaway this morning is the actress Nicole Kidman. Fresh from her West End triumph in The Blue Room, she traces her life from her suburban Australian upbringing to the heart of Hollywood and beyond. She chooses eight records to take to the mythical island.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong Book: Collection of Poems by Emily Dickinson Luxury: Sun block

Sue Lawley's castaway this morning is the nuclear physicist and Nobel Peace Laureate, Professor Sir Joseph Rotblat. During World War II he quit the notorious Manhattan Project to develop the atom bomb when he realised that 'nothing good can come out of evil'. Fifty years later he is still committed to multilateral disarmament and the pursuit of peace.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: A Rill will be a Stream, a Stream will be a Flood by Swedish Physicians in Concert for the Prevention of Nuclear War Book: Encyclopaedia Britannica on CD-Rom Luxury: Solar-powered laptop

Sue Lawley's castaway this morning is the conductor Paul Daniel. Within weeks of becoming Music Director of the English National Opera his boss had resigned and there was talk of its merging with Covent Garden. He recalls how he won the war for the ENO's survival and the musical experiences which led him there.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Irrlicht from Winterreise. by Franz Schubert Book: Beautifully bound blank book Luxury: Cello and music for Bach's cello suites