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Last Word

Factual: Life Stories

Radio 4's weekly obituary programme, telling the life stories of those who have died recently

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Last Word: Nancy Roman, Ralph Koltai CBE, Julia Grant, Jin Yong, Norman Gimbel

11/01/2019

Nancy Roman, Ralph Koltai CBE, Julia Grant, Jin Yong, Norman Gimbel

BBC Radio 4 - Last Word, Nancy Roman, Ralph Koltai CBE, Julia Grant, Jin Yong, Norman Gimbel

Matthew Bannister on an astronomer, a designer, a transgender activist and a writer.

Matthew Bannister on astronomer Nancy Roman, set designer Ralph Koltai, transgender activist Julia Grant, writer Jin Yong and lyricist Norman Gimbel.

Pictured: Nancy Roman

Matthew Bannister on

Nancy Roman, the American space agency NASA's first Chief Astronomer. She was known as the mother of the Hubble Telescope. 

Ralph Koltai, the influential theatre set designer who worked on more than 250 productions.

Julia Grant, the transgender activist who allowed her transition from male to female to be filmed by the BBC.

Jin Yong, the Chinese writer whose martial arts adventures sold 100 million copies.

And Norman Gimbel, the prolific lyricist who wrote the words for "The Girl From Ipanema" and "Killing Me Softly With His Song".

Interviewed guest: Kimberly Kowal Arcand
Interviewed guest: Dr Stuart Clark
Interviewed guest: Michael Quinn
Interviewed guest: Professor Pamela Howard OBE
Interviewed guest: Gary Roberts
Interviewed guest: David Pearson
Interviewed guest: Anna Holmwood
Producer: Neil George

Archive clips from: Nancy Roman the Mother of Hubble, NASA 12/06/2017; Horizon: The Sharpest Show of the Universe, BBC Two 09/04/1990; Desert Island Discs, Radio 4 23/08/1998; Inside Story: George, BBC Two 25/06/1979; A Change of Sex: Julia Gets Her Man, BBC Two 10/08/1999; Books Abroad, Radio 3 31/08/1996; The Legend of the Condor Heroes episode 11, iQIYI Motion Pictures 2017.

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