

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

Jun 16, 2002 • 37min
Jan Morris
Sue Lawley's castaway is writer Jan Morris.

Jun 9, 2002 • 36min
Leonard Rosoman
Leonard Rosoman's career saw him travel the world as an Official War Artist in the Second World War. He is also a member of the Royal Academy, an illustrator and teacher. The young Leonard dodged the family business by getting a scholarship to the Edward VII School of Art in Durham and went on to paint and teach. When war broke out Leonard was drafted into the Auxiliary Fire Service in London but he didn't stop painting, and he used his experiences to create some of his finest work. This drew him to the attention of the Home Office, and Sir Kenneth Clarke asked him if he would be an Official War Artist. He agreed and was appointed an official war artist to the Admiralty and was posted to the British Pacific Fleet. In April 1945 was posted to Sydney and from there he joined HMS Formidable.After the war Leonard went back to teaching, first in London then to Edinburgh College of Art in 1948, and later on to the Royal College of Art where he met his most memorable student - David Hockney: "I didn't find him at all difficult, but it was a little bit scary because if anybody ever had something written on his forehead, he had. Every single member of that staff pretty well guaranteed that when David left, he would be a success of some kind. He was a very rare bird - he had a quality of understatement - rare and important in its way."[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]Favourite track: I Got A Gal in Kalamazoo by Glenn Miller & his Orchestra
Book: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
Luxury: A sloping lawn

May 26, 2002 • 34min
Sue Johnston
Sue Johnston has rarely been out of work since she made her name in Brookside. Her versatility is clear, with credits including such varied programmes as acclaimed drama Goodbye Cruel World; the 1950s feel-good nostalgia series Sex, Chips and Rock 'n' Roll; cult comedy The Royle Family and, most recently, psychological thriller Waking the Dead. Her early career was with the Pilkington Glass Factory, where she got a job in the pensions department specifically so she could join their amateur dramatics group. After rebelling against her parents wishes and attending drama school in London, Sue acted in repertory theatre until her mid-30s. Having a son brought new responsibilities and, realising the bonus of a regular income and regular hours, she auditioned for Channel 4's Brookside. She became a household name and recognised as Sheila Grant wherever she went. She left after eight years and never looked back: her first role was as a motor neurone sufferer in Goodbye Cruel World, for which she was Bafta nominated and she has been in demand ever since. She was also Bafta nominated for her role as lovable put-upon mum Barbara in The Royle Family, which in 1998 and 2000 won British Comedy Awards.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]Favourite track: You'll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers
Book: Dickens by Peter Ackroyd
Luxury: BBC Radio 5 Live

May 19, 2002 • 34min
Suggs
Suggs made his name as front man of 80s pop phenomenon Madness and impressed a whole generation with his unique style of singing, silly dancing and fondness for making the mundane the subject of his songs, such as Baggy Trousers, inspired by memories of school. Although his cockney accent is part of his singing style, he was actually born in Hastings and moved to London as a child. His singer mother was perhaps a subconscious inspiration, but Suggs didn't have any particular ambitions in his teens. He dropped out of school and did what a lot of teenage boys do - formed a band with his friends. Madness, a seven-piece gang of friends, became a huge success. Their first single 'The Prince' went to number 16 in 1979 and three years later they had a number one with House of Fun. In seven years they had 20 singles in the top twenty UK chart and travelled the world playing to large audiences. Now Madness occasionally meet up and play their hits list, and Suggs has launched a successful solo career and is also working in TV, hosting Night Fever on Channel 5 and captaining a team on BBC1's A Question of Pop. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]Favourite track: Is That All There Is? by Peggy Lee
Book: A concise book of Italian verbs
Luxury: A nucleus of bees

May 12, 2002 • 35min
Sir Aaron Klug
Sir Aaron Klug grew up in Durban, South Africa on the edge of the Bush, which provided him with enough snakes and monkeys to satisfy his curiosity. A bright child, he read anything that was available and enjoyed an idyllic childhood. He started studying medicine at university level in Johannesburg at the age of fifteen, but soon switched to chemistry, physics and mathematics, which provided more stimulus for his enquiring mind.He began to research at Cape Town University and later Cambridge, where he joined the world-famous Cavendish Laboratory and later the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology. His work led to him winning the Nobel prize for Chemistry in 1982 for his work on cell structure. [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: A set of books on Roman Republican and Imperial coinage
Luxury: A set of mixed Greek and Roman coinage

May 5, 2002 • 35min
Jude Kelly
This week the castaway on Desert Island Discs is the theatre director Jude Kelly. Currently based at the West Yorkshire Playhouse - which under her creative directorship has become The National Theatre of the North, Kelly is known for her enthusiasm to bring the arts to everyone, and embracing new ideas in the creative arts. In conversation with Sue Lawley, she talks about her 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: In A Landscape by John Cage
Book: A specially commissioned complete history of art book, with sections by John Berger, David Hockney and Jeanette Winterson among others
Luxury: A notebook and pencil

Apr 28, 2002 • 33min
Betty Jackson
This week the castaway on Desert Island Discs is the fashion designer Betty Jackson. For three decades Betty Jackson has been at the cutting edge of the British Fashion scene and this year presented her 40th show at London Fashion week. In conversation with Sue Lawley, she talks about her 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: You Don't Have To Say You Love Me by Dusty Springfield
Book: Vision: 50 Years of Creativity by Melvyn Bragg
Luxury: Red lipstick

Apr 21, 2002 • 35min
Wayne Marshall
This week the castaway on Desert Island Discs is the organist Wayne Marshall. He describes himself as a virtuosic performer, preferring to play "loud and fast". The energy he brings to his performances has brought him fans from around the world. He is a renowned interpreter of Gershwin on the piano, also conducts and he has turned his hand to composing - his first work was published in 2001. 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: Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F by George Gershwin
Book: Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians
Luxury: A Steinway model D piano, specially conditioned to deal with all weathers

Apr 14, 2002 • 35min
Sir Christopher Bland
This week the castaway on Desert Island Discs is the Chairman of BT, Sir Christopher Bland. Passionately interested in business, Sir Christopher's business career maps a total of 18 different business and industries, about which he says "I was shocked!" It also includes Chairmanships of LWT and the BBC. 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: Write Myself a Letter by Fats Waller
Book: The collected works by John Donne
Luxury: Two and half miles of the Hampshire Chalk Stream

Apr 7, 2002 • 36min
Fiona Reynolds
This week the castaway on Desert Island Discs is the Director General of the National Trust, Fiona Reynolds. Passionate about the countryside, the job at the National Trust was a dream come true for Fiona, but six weeks into the job she was faced with Foot and Mouth and had to make the drastic decision to close almost all of the National Trust properties.In conversation with Sue Lawley, she talks about her 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 Salutation from Dies Natalis by Finzi
Book: The Making of the English Landscape by W G Hoskins
Luxury: The full collection of Ordnance Survey maps of the British Isles


