Duke Ellington — Composer · 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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Most requested
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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

Duke Ellington — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Composer

Duke Ellington

38 episodes

Chosen over the decades

38

Total castaways

1980s

Peak decade

8

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Alan Plater
Anna Ford
Benny Green
Bruce Fogle
Charlie Watts
Dave Brubeck
David Jacobs
David Mitchell
Dennis Potter
Dudley Moore
Earl Hines
Elly Ameling
Eric Sykes
Frank Oz
Gregory Peck
Jack Parnell
John Dankworth
John Harle
Ken Sykora
Lord Montagu
Lord Prescott
Marin Alsop
Mel Torme
Michael Palin
more

David Mitchell
David Mitchell on being unable to say ‘Napoleon’ at school due to his stammer
Castaway · 13 November 2020Lauren Laverne
Marin Alsop
Marin Alsop on deciding to become a conductor aged nine after seeing Leonard Bernstein conduct
Castaway · 28 September 2014Kirsty Young

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

Raja Shehadeh

Raja Shehadeh on the military governor calling his father to warn him about his activism

Castaway · 15 June 2014Kirsty Young

20°02′S 168°16′W

Anna Ford

How Anna Ford taught IRA internees in Long Kesh

Castaway · 18 March 2012Kirsty Young

00°39′S 133°44′W

Lord Prescott

John Prescott on failing the Eleven Plus

Castaway · 19 February 2012Kirsty Young

Stanley McMurtry

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Stanley McMurtry

How a little boy's Pokemon cards put Stanley McMurtry in his place

Castaway · 23 March 2008Kirsty Young

07°57′S 116°26′W

Bruce Fogle

Bruce Fogle on a punk client crying over her rat's mammary tumor

Castaway · 19 August 2001Sue Lawley

09°37′S 066°08′W

Charlie Watts

Charlie Watts on drawing every hotel bed he sleeps in on tour

Castaway · 25 February 2001Sue Lawley

05°18′S 139°33′W

Dave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck on dreaming the entire Our Father for his Mass

Castaway · 3 January 1999Sue Lawley

04°42′S 062°23′W

John Harle

John Harle on the relief and freedom of switching from clarinet to saxophone

Castaway · 24 May 1998Sue Lawley

Peter O'Sullevan

21°59′S 044°28′W

Peter O'Sullevan

How the Blitz cured Peter O'Sullevan's acne-induced loneliness

Castaway · 28 September 1997Sue Lawley

03°55′S 172°40′W

Eric Sykes

Eric Sykes on crying from homesickness on his first night in the RAF

Castaway · 22 June 1997Sue Lawley

Michael Tilson Thomas

12°13′S 173°32′W

Michael Tilson Thomas

Michael Tilson Thomas on being told to put his suit on and conduct mid-concert

Castaway · 11 February 1990Sue Lawley

06°54′S 022°50′W

Alan Plater

Alan Plater on being the answer to a Radio Times crossword clue

Castaway · 15 October 1989Sue Lawley

00°25′S 132°38′W

Dennis Potter

Dennis Potter on his father asking 'Is that all right, Obat?'

Castaway · 21 February 1988Michael Parkinson

15°51′S 089°28′W

Lord Montagu

Montagu on the greatest dilemma of his life: choosing eight records

Castaway · 30 August 1987Michael Parkinson

10°20′S 091°46′W

Benny Green

Benny Green on his first gig at a pit of iniquity that was a bore

Castaway · 14 December 1986Michael Parkinson

03°12′S 075°13′W

John Dankworth

John Dankworth on pretending his saxophone was a bassoon

Castaway · 2 March 1986Michael Parkinson

06°05′S 071°44′W

Richard Eyre

Richard Eyre on the mirror moment that convinced him to stop acting

Castaway · 23 March 1985Roy Plomley

16°39′S 163°24′W

Elly Ameling

Elly Ameling on Pierre Bernac’s cocker spaniel face

Castaway · 9 February 1985Roy Plomley

13°18′S 154°09′W

Woody Herman

Woody Herman on Igor Stravinsky writing Ebony Concerto for his band

Castaway · 18 February 1984Roy Plomley

02°06′S 026°37′W

Raymond Briggs

Raymond Briggs on an art school principal scoffing at his cartoonist dream

Castaway · 4 June 1983Roy Plomley

04°05′S 090°50′W

Frank Oz

Frank Oz on screaming fights with his father during a children's park show

Castaway · 29 August 1981Roy Plomley

17°57′S 164°24′W

Peter Nichols

Peter Nichols on becoming a jazz fan to rebel against his father

Castaway · 14 March 1981Roy Plomley

05°34′S 050°15′W

Gregory Peck

How a rubber whale in the Irish Sea almost killed Gregory Peck

Castaway · 2 August 1980Roy Plomley

08°12′S 120°48′W

Earl Hines

How Earl Hines made his first record in a room full of steam

Castaway · 24 May 1980Roy Plomley

09°52′S 022°00′W

Otto Preminger

Otto Preminger on playing a nun at the Salzburg Festival

Castaway · 2 February 1980Roy Plomley

19°49′S 138°09′W

Michael Palin

How a terrible piano lesson put Michael Palin off playing

Castaway · 17 November 1979Roy Plomley

17°40′S 156°07′W

Rex Harrison

Rex Harrison on the fluffed line that he thought ended his career

Castaway · 20 October 1979Roy Plomley

Professor J H Plumb

03°40′S 043°33′W

Professor J H Plumb

J H Plumb on wrapping himself in the family standard to keep warm

Castaway · 25 February 1978Roy Plomley

01°34′S 099°45′W

Jack Parnell

Jack Parnell on the night Luciano Pavarotti stood in wearing jodhpurs

Castaway · 25 June 1977Roy Plomley

14°18′S 049°21′W

Mel Torme

Mel Torme on how 'Mountain Greenery' became a UK number one after being cut from a film

Castaway · 24 July 1976Roy Plomley

15°37′S 163°36′W

Ronnie Scott

How Ronnie Scott chose a saxophone over an inflatable Faye Dunaway doll

Castaway · 31 January 1976Roy Plomley

21°23′S 027°53′W

Steve Race

Steve Race on suffering a heart attack at the microphone

Castaway · 27 November 1971Roy Plomley

19°14′S 012°42′W

Dudley Moore

Dudley Moore on going spare after two days alone in Positano

Castaway · 15 November 1969Roy Plomley

00°09′S 176°03′W

David Jacobs

David Jacobs on the screw points that ruined his perfect cupboard mirror

Castaway · 25 May 1964Roy Plomley

02°25′S 140°58′W

Ken Sykora

Ken Sykora on telling his students his guitarist persona was his twin brother

Castaway · 22 January 1962Roy Plomley

12°34′S 077°33′W

Stan Kenton

Stan Kenton on ignoring music until a sudden obsession at 14

Castaway · 9 April 1956Roy Plomley