Desert Island Discs: Archive 1981-1985

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

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

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

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

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

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

Terry Jones first became well-known as one of the performers in Monty Python's Flying Circus in 1969. He had spent several years before that as a television script writer. More recently, he has been directing the Monty Python feature films, writing books and hosting a television chat show.

In conversation with Roy Plomley, he discusses these multifarious activities 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: Five Salted Peanuts by Tony Pastor and his Orchestra

Peter Maxwell Davies is not only a prolific composer, he is also Director of Music at Dartington Hall Summer School and Director of the Fires of London, a group specialising in twentieth-century music which he conducts on their many concert tours. Most of his composing is done in the tranquillity and isolation of his home in the Orkneys.

In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about the various facets of his life 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: Agnes Dei by Byrd

Fleur Cowles began her career as a columnist on one of the New York papers and before long she became the Associate Editor of the magazine Look. She became very influential and, in 1953, President Eisenhower asked her to be his personal ambassador to the UK for the Coronation. Before long, she made her home here and took up writing books and painting professionally. She has since had 34 exhibitions of her work.

In conversation with Roy Plomley, she talks about her fascinating life 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: Promenade & Tulleries by Modest Mussorgsky

Sir Peter Pears has been acknowledged for many years as an outstanding interpreter of the vocal music of Benjamin Britten. He also helped Britten to found the Aldeburgh Festival and he still takes an active part in the running of it.

In conversation with Roy Plomley, Sir Peter 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: The Sprig Of Thyme by Benjamin Britten