Sammy Fain

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
Report a fault

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

Sammy Fain — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Composer

8 episodes

Chosen over the decades

Total castaways

2000s

Peak decade

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Arthur Hailey
Barbara Dickson
Brenda Blethyn
Frank Warren
Ian McMillan
Ronnie Corbett
Ron Pickering
Terry O'Neill

Ian McMillan
Ian McMillan on his mother going to prison for love
Castaway · 7 November 2010Kirsty Young
Frank Warren
Frank Warren on being shot and initially thinking it was a joke
Castaway · 24 January 2010Kirsty Young
Ronnie Corbett

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

Ronnie Corbett on playing the wicked aunt in a church hall pantomime

Castaway · 21 October 2007Kirsty Young

Brenda Blethyn

01°00′S 000°13′W

Brenda Blethyn

How amateur dramatics led Brenda Blethyn's husband to fall for the lady opposite

Castaway · 18 September 2005Sue Lawley

Terry O'Neill

05°59′S 101°40′W

Terry O'Neill

Terry O'Neill on accidentally photographing a sleeping Rap Butler at Heathrow

Castaway · 28 January 2001Sue Lawley

Barbara Dickson

07°45′S 149°42′W

Barbara Dickson

Barbara Dickson on singing into a toothpaste tube in the bathroom

Castaway · 17 December 1995Sue Lawley

Arthur Hailey

20°29′S 031°33′W

Arthur Hailey

Arthur Hailey on his mother making up stories to tell him as a boy

Castaway · 6 April 1986Michael Parkinson

Ron Pickering

01°54′S 093°29′W

Ron Pickering

Ron Pickering on his bare-knuckle fighter father's impossible standards

Castaway · 16 March 1986Michael Parkinson