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: Julie Andrews

18/10/1992

Julie Andrews

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Julie Andrews

Sue Lawley's castaway is the singer Julie Andrews

Sue Lawley's castaway is the singer Julie Andrews.

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Julie Andrews, the star of such film favourites as Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. Julie Andrews discovered she had an unusual talent for singing quite early and first appeared on stage alongside her step-father and her mother in their act, touring the Variety theatres of Great Britain in the 1940s and early 1950s. She had an enormous hit in a show at the London Hippodrome Theatre when she was just a teenager, and then appeared regularly on Educating Archie, one of radio's biggest programmes in the 1950s.

But it was appearing on Broadway that led her to being cast in the stage version of My Fair Lady, with Rex Harrison that really began to establish her as an international star, and then her first movie role, as Mary Poppins, which won her an Oscar that brought her to the attention of millions worldwide.

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

Favourite track: Piano Concerto in G by Maurice Ravel
Book: The Once and Future King by T H White
Luxury: Piano

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.

Woman's Hour

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

Woman's Hour: Valentina Tereshkova

20/08/1993

Valentina Tereshkova

BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour, Valentina Tereshkova

Valentina Tereshkova interview from the archive.

Valentina Tereshkova recalls what it felt like being the first woman into space.

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.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: Presidential recreation

Presidential recreation

BBC Radio 4 - Letter from America by Alistair Cooke, Presidential recreation

Bill Clinton's holiday to Martha's Vineyard and the public view of presidential vacations.

The meaning attached to the time presidents spend on vacation, recreation and playing sport in light of the Clinton family's holiday in Martha's Vineyard.

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Presidential recreation

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