Desert Island Discs: Archive 1991-1996

This week's Desert Island Discs castaway is writer JG Ballard. Since the early 1960s, he has been well-known as a science fiction writer. But more recently he has reached an even wider audience with his autobiographical novels Empire of the Sun and The Kindness of Women.He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his extraordinary life - his childhood in Shanghai, his adolescence spent in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp and how, after the sudden and tragic death of his wife, he raised his three young children alone.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Falling In Love Again by Marlene Dietrich Book: Moby Dick by Herman Melville Luxury: Unicycle

Few people will be surprised to hear that the castaway in this week's special 50th anniversary edition of Desert Island Discs is the Prime Minister John Major. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his very happy childhood years, his more traumatic adolescence and his transformation into the perfect Conservative parliamentary candidate. He'll also be discussing his love of music and books, and revealing the luxury that was a surprise even to Sue Lawley.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: O Giusto Cielo (Lucia Di Lammermoor) by Gaetano Donizetti Book: The Small House At Allington by Anthony Trollope Luxury: Oval cricket ground replica and bowling machine

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is one of Britain's most well-known church leaders, the Right Reverend David Jenkins, the Lord Bishop of Durham. At the age of 60, after a career spent mainly as an academic theologian, he was catapulted into controversy: his views on the virgin birth and the resurrection caused outrage, and his opinions on the divisions between rich and poor infuriated politicians.He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his surprise at the controversies he caused, and the faith which helped him to remain steadfast through the storm.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: The Sanctus (Harmoniemesse) by Franz Joseph Haydn Book: Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Luxury: Binoculars

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is actor, writer and director Steven Berkoff. Irreverent, energetic and compelling, his work has brought him an international reputation and his last West End production, Kvetch, was voted comedy of the year. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his love of drama and why it changed his life, his short spell in Hollywood playing archetypal villains and his time spent in Paris studying mime.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Koyaanisqatsi by Philip Glass Book: A gardening book Luxury: Piano

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is actor Gorden Kaye. Lovers of British situation comedy knew him a long time ago as a familiar supporting figure in It Ain't Half Hot, Mum and Are You Being Served?, but for most people he has only one part: that of the French cafe owner Rene Artois in 'Allo 'Allo. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his childhood years in Yorkshire, his love of comedy and natural talent for it, and the loyalty of his audience through good and bad times.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Hallelujah Chorus by George Frideric Handel Book: This Is Your Life by Gorden Kaye Luxury: A clock given to him for turning on the Oxford lights

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is writer Sue Townsend. Her most famous creation is Adrian Mole, and, in many respects, his life mirrors her own: like her hero, she comes from a poor but not deprived background and always nursed a secret ambition to be a writer. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her life and work and carefully selecting eight records which remind her of some of the most significant events in her life.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Violin Concerto in D by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Book: Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis Luxury: Swimming pool of champagne

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is a man who, for the past 26 years, has earned his living by helping to alter the industrial landscape of northern Britain - steeplejack Fred Dibnah. Renowned for his philosophising as much as for his engineering expertise, he'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his life, which has been spent swinging from factory chimneys and wrestling behind the wheels of steam engines.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: The Power Of Love by Jennifer Rush Book: Bound volumes of the Engineer magazine Luxury: Steamroller

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the film critic Dilys Powell. She began reviewing films for The Sunday Times in 1939, and since then her forthright and pithy comments have served as a natural accompaniment to the pleasures of going to the cinema. Today, at the age of 90, she still reviews three or four films a week and she'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her receipt of what she describes as "a very liberal education" from her lifelong devotion to the big screen.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: I Remember It Well (from Gigi) by Honore and Grandmama Book: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens Luxury: Mouth organ with instructions

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is scientist James Lovelock. The son of a South London gasman, he'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his passion for science and recalling some of the experiences he had whilst working on the American space programme, which eventually led him to invent the Gaia Theory - a theory which, amongst other things, argues that the human race is not necessary for the planet's survival.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Et Incarnatus Est by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: The Golden Treasury by Francis Palgrave Luxury: Pen and paper

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the man who brought the Folies Bergere to Britain and ran the Talk of the Town in its heyday - the theatrical impresario Lord Delfont. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his extraordinary life: he was raised in the East End of London, his family having settled there after escaping the pogroms in the Ukraine, and is now, at 82, the president of his own leisure corporation; worth £450 million.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: My Heart And I by Carole Lynne Book: 1515-1985 British Music Theatre Book Luxury: Cigars and matches

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the historian EP Thompson. As a lifelong peace campaigner, Edward Thompson enjoys making history as much as writing about it. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his disillusionment with the Communist Party, how and why he founded the magazine which has become The New Left Review, and enjoying his carefully-selected eight records.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Carolan's Receipt by Derek Bell Book: Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake Luxury: Typewriter and paper

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the American actor Alan Alda. The son of a vaudeville artist, he shot to fame portraying the wise-cracking, womanising Hawkeye in the television series M.A.S.H. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the part that transformed his life and his initial reluctance to accept it, his childhood years in the burlesque houses of America, and explaining why, despite being a millionaire, he continues to work.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Weekend In The Country by Stephen Sondheim Book: Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe Luxury: Italian pasta

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Elizabeth Esteve-Coll, Director of one of Britain's most famous museums, the V & A. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her career at the V & A and the controversy she caused within her first year of office. She'll also be recalling how, at 19, she abandoned her university career and married a Spanish sea captain with whom she sailed the world.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Christus Natus Est (Mode I V) by The Choir Of Monks Of Saint Pierre De Solemes Book: The Four Quartets by T S Eliot Luxury: Expensive perfumed hand cream

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is the film director John Schlesinger. Like many other British filmmakers, he learnt his craft at the BBC but soon moved on to directing feature films including A Kind of Loving, Far From the Madding Crowd and the Oscar-winning Midnight Cowboy. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his long and successful career, the controversy he caused with his films Darling and Sunday Bloody Sunday and choosing eight records to take to his island exile.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Zueignung by Richard Strauss Book: Dictonary of English Quotations Luxury: Magimix (battery-powered )

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan. Educated at Oxford and dividing his time between England and Pakistan, his fame extends well beyond the cricket field. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his faith - he is a devout Muslim - the constant speculation surrounding his love life and how his mother's death from cancer dramatically changed his life.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Us And Them by Pink Floyd Book: Bang-E Dara by Iqbal Luxury: Shotgun and clay pigeon trap

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the photographer David Bailey. Born and bred in the East End of London, he took the fashion business by storm in the 1960s - discovering, photographing and often marrying some of the world's most beautiful women. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about success in the 1960s, the first time he saw Jean Shrimpton and his desire to carry on working, like his hero Picasso, until he's 90.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Dance Of The Earth (Rite Of Spring) by Igor Stravinsky Book: Vioces of Silence by Malraux Luxury: Nelson's Column

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the conductor Klaus Tennstedt. When, at 45, he defected from East Germany, he was virtually unknown in the West. But three years later, after conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra, he was acclaimed as an international maestro. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his impressive musical career, his defection from East Germany and his battle against cancer of the vocal chords.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Symphony No 6 In A Minor Finale by Gustav Mahler Book: Dr. Faustus by Thomas Mann Luxury: Mountain bike

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is one of the most important figures in British industry today - the Director-General of the CBI John Banham. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his impressive and varied career, his passion for sailing and how he very nearly lost his life during the Fastnet Race of 1979.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Sanctus by Gabriel Fauré Book: The collected works by A E Houseman Luxury: Cigars and matches

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the writer Bernice Rubens. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her childhood with musically-gifted brothers and sister, and how, despite having written 17 novels - one of them won the Booker prize, another was also shortlisted - she still sees herself as merely a successful novelist who failed to become a musician.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: String Quintet C Major Second Movement by Franz Schubert Book: Poems For Joy & Sermons For Solace by John Donne Luxury: Daughter's painting

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the architect Maxwell Hutchinson. Unafraid of controversy, he attacked Prince Charles' criticisms of contemporary architecture - a move which secured him presidency of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his love of tower blocks and requiem masses, of 17th-century cottages and his desire to write a number one hit.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: First Symphony In A Flat Minor Slow Movement by Edward Elgar Book: The Four Quartets by T S Eliot Luxury: Guitar