Desert Island Discs
BBC Radio 4
Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 3, 1979 • 32min
Robert Stephens
Roy Plomley's castaway is actor Robert Stephens.Favourite track: Speak The Speech, I Pray You (from Hamlet) by William Shakespeare
Book: The collected works by Raymond Chandler
Luxury: Tobacco plant
Jan 30, 1979 • 31min
Benjamin Luxon
Roy Plomley's castaway is baritone Benjamin Luxon.Favourite track: Spem In Alium by Tallis
Book: Collected stories by Idris Shah
Luxury: A piano and music
Jan 23, 1979 • 28min
Elia Kazan
Roy Plomley's castaway is director Elia Kazan.Favourite track: String Quartet in A Minor by Ludwig van Beethoven
Book: The Iliad by Homer
Luxury: 20 tons of pine needles
Jan 16, 1979 • 27min
Allan Prior
Roy Plomley's castaway is novelist and scriptwriter Allan Prior.Favourite track: Never Been Kissed In The Same Place Twice by Maddy Prior
Book: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Luxury: Looking glass
Jan 9, 1979 • 30min
Robert Powell
Roy Plomley's castaway is actor Robert Powell.Favourite track: Symphony No. 5 In C Sharp Minor by Gustav Mahler
Book: Modern English Usage by Henry W Fowler
Luxury: Typewriter
Dec 30, 1978 • 29min
Norman Parkinson
Roy Plomley's castaway is photographer Norman Parkinson.Favourite track: La Vie En Rose by Grace Jones
Book: The Unquiet Grave by Cyril Connolly
Luxury: Life-size bronze statue of an Ama-Indian woman
Dec 23, 1978 • 30min
Sir Robert Helpmann
Roy Plomley's castaway is dancer Sir Robert Helpmann.Favourite track: Bailero by Victoria De Los Angeles
Book: Volume on boat building for beginners
Luxury: Toothbrush and toothpaste
Dec 16, 1978 • 29min
Dinsdale Landen
Roy Plomley's castaway is actor Dinsdale Landen.Favourite track: Sanctus by Gabriel Fauré
Book: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Luxury: Champagne
Dec 9, 1978 • 28min
Barry John
Roy Plomley's castaway is rugby player Barry John.Favourite track: Myfanwy by Treorchy Male Voice Choir
Book: Complete Penguin Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Luxury: Collection of assorted balls
Dec 2, 1978 • 30min
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Roy Plomley's castaway is pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy.Favourite track: Piano Concerto No. 27 In B Flat by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Book: Blank book and pens
Luxury: Well-programmed robot
