BBC Radio 4 LW

Desert Island Discs

Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Desert Island Discs: Dennis Potter

21/02/1988

Dennis Potter

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Dennis Potter

Michael Parkinson's castaway is playwright Dennis Potter

Michael Parkinson's castaway is playwright Dennis Potter.

This week’s castaway is the playwright Dennis Potter. Best known for his television series Pennies from Heaven and The Singing Detective, Potter worked as a journalist and television critic before turning to writing. In conversation with Michael Parkinson, he looks back on his childhood in the mining community of Forest of Dean, his career in Britain and Hollywood and talks about coping with psoriatic arthropathy.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: My Happiness by The Pied Pipers 
Book: Spycatcher by Peter Wright
Luxury: Train set

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics, as broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics. Over 900 programmes, as broadcast from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke - Letter from America

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: Serious Money

08/06/2014

Serious Money

BBC Radio 4 - Letter from America by Alistair Cooke, Serious Money

Broadway failure of a sermon for our time.

London satire fails to entertain the New York audiences.

London satire fails to entertain the New York audiences.

This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

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