Alison Lurie is not only a part-time professor of English at Cornell University where she teaches creative writing and children's literature, but she is also a very successful novelist. "Her seven novels", writes Malcolm Bradbury, "collectively form a biting record of American social, moral and sexual mores from the early 1960s to the present." In conversation with Roy Plomley, she talks about her work and she chooses the eight records she would take to the mythical island. 

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

Favourite track: The Marriage Of Figaro - Overture by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Book: The Oxford Book of English Verse
Luxury: Telephone Published on March 9, 1985.

Alison Lurie

Richard Eyre is equally at ease whether he is directing in the theatre, for television or on film. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about some of his successes which have included Guys and Dolls at the National Theatre, the films Laughterhouse and The Ploughman's Lunch, and his period as producer of Play for Today with BBC television.

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

Favourite track: El Cant Dels Ocells by Pablo Casals
Book: Partridge's Dictionary of Slang
Luxury: Saxophone Published on March 23, 1985.

Richard Eyre

Joseph Allen, the physicist, joined NASA in 1967 as a scientist astronaut. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he describes his lengthy training as an astronaut, the problems of space flight, and he describes his recent trip in the space shuttle to recover two satellites, which necessitated an unfettered walk in space.

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

Favourite track: Minor Blue by David Darling
Book: A number of Sherlock Holmes novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Luxury: Family pocket watch Published on April 13, 1985.

Joseph Allen

Robert Burchfield, who has been Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary since 1957, was born in New Zealand. After fighting in Italy during the war, he came to England to complete his education and stayed on to be a lecturer at Oxford University. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his career and discusses the many problems associated with compiling dictionaries.

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

 Published on April 20, 1985.

Robert Burchfield

Sheila Steafel, the actress who was born in South Africa, went to drama school in London and had her first big break in the television series The Frost Report. Since then, as she tells Roy Plomley, her career has been extremely varied, including music hall, opera, theatre, a one-woman show and a long spell on Radio 4's Week Ending programme.

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

Favourite track: Concerto in D Minor For Violin, Oboe & Strings by Johann Sebastian Bach
Book: Dictionary
Luxury: Artist's equipment Published on May 11, 1985.

Sheila Steafel

Desert Island Discs Archive: 1981-1985
Castaways choose eight records, a book and a luxury to take with them to the mythical desert island. Full listings can be found on the Desert Island Discs website. 

Desert Island Discs 81-85

Popular tracks