Sir John Gielgud — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Tuning in…

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

Sir John Gielgud — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Artist

Sir John Gielgud

19 episodes

Chosen over the decades

18

Total castaways

1960s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Bernard Levin
Charles Causley
Clive Jenkins
Dame Edith Evans
Dame Maggie Teyte
Elizabeth Jennings
Georg Solti
Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies
Lauren Bacall
Norman Parkinson
Peter Pears
Peter Quennell
Prunella Scales
Richard Baker
Sir John Betjeman
Sir Robin Butler
Sir Thomas Allen
Wee Georgie Wood

Sir Thomas Allen
Thomas Allen on getting a call to sing Figaro with 45 minutes' notice
Castaway · 3 June 2001Sue Lawley
Sir Robin Butler
Robin Butler on why he couldn't bring himself to become a lawyer
Castaway · 21 February 1993Sue 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

Elizabeth Jennings

How a breakdown liberated Elizabeth Jennings to write dozens of poems

Castaway · 3 January 1993Sue Lawley

Prunella Scales

23°37′S 174°33′W

Prunella Scales

How Prunella Scales planned to learn Russian with a Bible and Shakespeare

Castaway · 31 May 1992Sue Lawley

08°28′S 065°17′W

Clive Jenkins

Clive Jenkins on the world's first Fairy Penguins Crossing sign

Castaway · 14 October 1990Sue Lawley

Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies

18°35′S 047°27′W

Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies

Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies on being pushed off stage in the chorus

Castaway · 19 June 1988Michael Parkinson

16°47′S 179°13′W

Bernard Levin

Bernard Levin on how being forced to learn the violin nearly poisoned him for music

Castaway · 25 October 1987Michael Parkinson

Charles Causley

13°52′S 010°57′W

Charles Causley

How Charles Causley wrote poetry in his head while serving in the Navy

Castaway · 1 December 1979Roy Plomley

21°11′S 105°19′W

Lauren Bacall

How a phone call to Howard Hawks saved Lauren Bacall’s crooked eyebrows

Castaway · 3 March 1979Roy Plomley

Norman Parkinson

19°55′S 153°22′W

Norman Parkinson

Norman Parkinson on moving to a desert island to be well rehearsed

Castaway · 30 December 1978Roy Plomley

00°26′S 151°04′W

Raymond Mander & Joe Mitchenson

How a last-minute casting for The Merry Wives of Windsor brought Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson together

Castaway · 28 January 1978Roy Plomley

16°02′S 033°36′W

Peter Quennell

Peter Quennell on being sacked from the fire service for smoking on a fire

Castaway · 25 September 1976Roy Plomley

Sir John Betjeman

07°36′S 141°06′W

Sir John Betjeman

John Betjeman on reciting his poetry in the bath

Castaway · 12 April 1975Roy Plomley

06°05′S 034°50′W

Peter Pears

Peter Pears on his first concert with Benjamin Britten for Spanish Republican funds

Castaway · 21 July 1969Roy Plomley

00°12′S 000°04′W

Richard Baker

Richard Baker on being asked to recite Macaulay during a Mozart Requiem

Castaway · 28 October 1968Roy Plomley

Dame Maggie Teyte

01°36′S 073°03′W

Dame Maggie Teyte

Maggie Teyte on being told she was forgotten in America

Castaway · 15 April 1968Roy Plomley

09°41′S 036°27′W

Georg Solti

Georg Solti on being unable to make tea on a desert island

Castaway · 26 December 1966Roy Plomley

Dame Edith Evans

11°29′S 005°11′W

Dame Edith Evans

Edith Evans on playing Lady Bracknell underwater

Castaway · 18 May 1964Roy Plomley

Wee Georgie Wood

04°55′S 123°08′W

Wee Georgie Wood

Wee Georgie Wood on the penny thrown at his first show

Castaway · 6 November 1961Roy Plomley