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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: Bob Hoskins

13/11/1988

Bob Hoskins

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Bob Hoskins

Sue Lawley's castaway is actor Bob Hoskins

Sue Lawley's castaway is actor Bob Hoskins.

The castaway on this week's Desert Island Discs is a man who has reached the top of his profession through a fantastically varied number of routes - steeplejack, trainee accountant, circus fire-eater and hotel porter are just a few of them. Now one of the hottest properties in the film business on both sides of the Atlantic, actor Bob Hoskins will be talking to Sue Lawley about his image as a tough cockney lad, which has been prompted by such films as Mona Lisa and The Long Good Friday, and the role that took him to fame: Arthur Parker in Dennis Potter's TV series Pennies From Heaven.

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

Favourite track: Adagio For Strings by Samuel Barber
Book: Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
Luxury: Telescope

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: A dirty campaign

09/06/2014

A dirty campaign

BBC Radio 4 - Letter from America by Alistair Cooke, A dirty campaign

Commentators agree the campaign was the dirtiest 'in living memory'.

Slander and innuendo are nothing new in campaigning - but the rhetoric will soon be erased.

Slander and innuendo are nothing new in campaigning - but the rhetoric will soon be erased.

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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