Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
A celebrated English singer and actress, best known for her work in theatre.
On the island
Eight records
Guest's reason: "and it kept following me around. That is the most fascinating thing."
Maurice Chevalier and Hermione Gingold
Guest's reason: "I think it's one of the loveliest duets I've ever heard. I think everybody loves it's I Remember It Well."
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18: III. Allegro scherzandoFavourite
Sergei Rachmaninoff (piano) with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski
Guest's reason: "Well, I'm very, very fond of this special record."
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
Guest's reason: "I shall never forget the first night I saw them in South Pacific. It was really such a thrill."
Guest's reason: "Well, this is a favourite, I think. all English people, although they play it in Italy on our television, we get it a lot. And a lot of people in there, we were arguing about it. They said it was an Italian melody. And I said, Oh no, it's English. Now we'd better start something, because the melody is green sleeves."
Ernest Gold conducting the Sinfonia of London
Guest's reason: "I saw the film recently and uh I was very impressed by the music."
Guest's reason: "I've chosen one of my own. Do you know why? It's one I did many, many years ago, and it rather fascinates me in the way that my voice has gone down lower. But as it's gone down lower from the top register, it's gone lower in the lower register. So I'm very lucky it's in the same range. But this this one was when I was in my very, very top register and very clear, which I enjoy, and many people have enjoyed it too, and that is the Holy City."
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:02How do you think you would face up to complete isolation? Have you the temperament that could stand it?
Well I did have a few years ago. But uh no, I don't think so. I think uh I like the security of streets. I like to be where the theatres are. And though in the past I was in the theatre all the time and didn't get much peace, I was always working myself. Well now I can go out, nobody notices me, I can slip in the theatre and Really enjoyable. Oh, yes. Just an odd one now and again.
Presenter asks
3:52What brought you into the theatre? Was there any [precedent] in the family?
I was the first one to go into the theatre because I had an exceptional voice, and my mother knew I had an exceptional voice. She had two, but she was never allowed to go in the theatre. But she would get as near theatre as she could by moving continuously opposite theatrical boarding houses. and I was living opposite one of these theatrical boarding houses, and I used to sit on the step and sing like the Dickens, knowing that some one's going to come out, give me a penny or an halfpenny. Anyway, a lady came out one day, called Lily Turner, and she said I want to see your mother and want to see mother says I think you should go in the singing competition at the old circus in in Rochdale, where the hippodrome is now. So she taught me a little song which we had to sing all of us, called What Makes Me Love You As I Do? But I I exasperated poor Lily Turnham, because I couldn't sing What Makes Me Love You As I Do. I always sang What Makes Me Love You As I Do. So she went mad. She said, Well, listen, can't you say what? What? What? I kept saying, What? What? What? She says sing quot So I sing Quat And I won the competition with Quat makes me love you as I do.
The keepsakes
The book
John Galsworthy
I would really like to read that again, nice and slowly, with no interruptions. Just dream on the island.
The luxury
Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
I would love to own the real Renoir picture. I think it's called the picnic. ... I never get tired of it. It just fascinates me. I can imagine what they're all saying to each other.
Presenter asks
5:46It's true that you never took a singing lesson?
No, I never took a singing lesson in my life.
Presenter asks
10:49Have you any one outstanding ambition, any one thing in the profession that you would like to achieve but haven't done yet?
Well, I would like to do an outstanding play, something that you can really get your teeth into. But it hasn't turned up. I've played in uh a a play which is which is um Buried Alive, Arnold Bennett's Buried Alive, which they called Holy Matter Money. That was in a film without singing and it came out one of the ten best the year that I did it. And then I did The Old Lady Shows Her Medals in nineteen fifty six on the television, my first straight play on television. You received an award for that. And I received the award for that, for the best actress of the year. And that was the first two plays that I've done without any singing in it. Well, there may be even one in the post. Well, there must be a third, mustn't there? Well I hope it brings me to London and someone finds it.
Presenter asks
17:41How efficient a castaway would you be on this island? Could you look after yourself all right?
Oh, I think I should manage, you know, you put me anywhere. I'm not fussy, so I can always manage something. You could build a shelter? Oh, yes. Ever done any fishing? Yes, many times. Catching crabs, lobsters and things like that, carrying them home and that sort of thing? Oh yes. Are you a good cook? I can manage. My husband says I'm not bad at all, but uh I'd like to be much better.
Presenter asks
21:11If you could only take one of these eight records, Gracie, which would it be?
Oh, I'm pretty sure it would be [Rachmaninoff] playing his second piano concerto.
“I like the security of streets.”
“And I won the competition with Quat makes me love you as I do.”
“No, I never took a singing lesson in my life.”
“I'd like to do an outstanding play, something that you can really get your teeth into.”
“I shall finish it and just hope for the best and see what happens.”