Lena Horne — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

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desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

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Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
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Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Lena Horne — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Artist

Lena Horne

13 episodes

Chosen over the decades

13

Total castaways

1980s

Peak decade

6

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Alec McCowen
Betsy Blair
Cliff Richard
Dame Margot Fonteyn
Don Black
Elaine Paige
Ginette Spanier
Harry Belafonte
Johnny Mathis
Petula Clark
Sir Ian McKellen
Stubby Kaye
Timothy Spall

Betsy Blair
Betsy Blair on kissing Gene Kelly goodbye a year before he died
Castaway · 12 June 2005Sue Lawley
Sir Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen on how coming out improved his acting
Castaway · 9 February 2003Sue Lawley

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
Browse the archive
About

Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
Report a fault

Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Timothy Spall on his drama teacher's extraordinary praise after playing the lion in The Wizard of Oz

Castaway · 22 September 2002Sue Lawley

10°27′S 024°25′W

Don Black

Don Black on seeing The Jolson Story 32 times as a child

Castaway · 22 October 1995Sue Lawley

12°59′S 067°13′W

Elaine Paige

Elaine Paige on her fourth audition for Evita thinking ‘Here we go again’

Castaway · 12 July 1987Michael Parkinson

17°12′S 128°43′W

Johnny Mathis

How a doctor secretly gave Johnny Mathis amphetamines

Castaway · 8 March 1987Michael Parkinson

06°32′S 080°42′W

Stubby Kaye

Stubby Kaye on wetting his pants during his first stage performance

Castaway · 4 February 1984Roy Plomley

12°41′S 092°33′W

Petula Clark

Petula Clark on being discovered by the BBC during an air raid

Castaway · 20 February 1982Roy Plomley

09°27′S 024°12′W

Alec McCowen

Alec McCowen on learning the Gospel of Mark three verses at a time

Castaway · 19 May 1979Roy Plomley

Ginette Spanier

03°47′S 066°16′W

Ginette Spanier

Ginette Spanier on fainting from hunger in the street during the war

Castaway · 21 June 1965Roy Plomley

Dame Margot Fonteyn

06°51′S 171°13′W

Dame Margot Fonteyn

Margot Fonteyn on seeing her first ballet at the Camargo Society aged 12

Castaway · 12 April 1965Roy Plomley

10°08′S 053°08′W

Cliff Richard

Cliff Richard on how his stage name was invented over cider

Castaway · 31 October 1960Roy Plomley

Harry Belafonte

20°56′S 022°45′W

Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte on his childhood dream of becoming a jockey

Castaway · 6 October 1958Roy Plomley