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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: Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, Terry Rawlings, Neus Català, Heather Harper CBE, Peter Mayhew

Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, Terry Rawlings, Neus Català, Heather Harper CBE, Peter Mayhew

BBC Radio 4 - Last Word, Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, Terry Rawlings, Neus Català, Heather Harper CBE, Peter Mayhew

Matthew Bannister on a Grand Duke, a film editor, a campaigner, a soprano, an actor

Matthew Bannister on Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, film editor Terry Rawlings, campaigner Neus Català, soprano Heather Harper, actor Peter Mayhew

Pictured: Peter Mayhew

Matthew Bannister on

Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, who served with the Irish Guards during the war, liberated his own country and then presided over its prosperity. 

Terry Rawlings, the film editor who worked on Alien, Chariots of Fire and the Bond film Goldeneye.

Neus Català, the Spanish communist who fought Franco, joined the French resistance and survived a Nazi death camp. 

Heather Harper, the operatic soprano who was called up at the last minute to perform in the premiere of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem. 

Peter Mayhew, the actor best known for playing Chewbacca in the original Star Wars films.

Interviewed guest: Patricia Treble
Interviewed guest: Major General Sir Robert Corbett, KCVO, CB
Interviewed guest: Ridley Scott
Interviewed guest: Michael Eaude
Interviewed guest: Eduardo Bennaroch
Reader: Helen Clapp
Producer: Neil George

Archive clips from: Passing Out Parade: HRH Prince Jean of Luxembourg, BBC Sound Archive, 29/07/1943; Alien, directed by Ridley Scott, Brandywine Productions/Twentieth Century-Fox Productions 1979; Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, The Ladd Company/Shaw Brothers/Warner Bros./Blade Runner Partnership, 1982; Heather Harper: A Musical Portrait, BBC Two 30/08/1984; Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, directed by George Lucas, Lucasfilm/Twentieth Century Fox 1977.

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