Julian Critchley
12 Apr 1987
Contributed by Lukas
Julian Critchley is the Conservative MP for Aldershot and he's also a journalist and writer. In conv...
Anthony Andrews
05 Apr 1987
Contributed by Lukas
The castaway this week is the actor Anthony Andrews who, in 1981, won international acclaim for his ...
Peter Alliss
29 Mar 1987
Contributed by Lukas
The castaway this week is the former Ryder Cup golfer Peter Alliss, who has become one of the game's...
David Penhaligon
22 Mar 1987
Contributed by Lukas
A tribute to David Penhaligon, the Cornish Liberal MP who was killed in a road accident at the end o...
Dora Bryan
15 Mar 1987
Contributed by Lukas
The castaway this week is the actress Dora Bryan whose career, spanning more than 50 years, has rang...
Johnny Mathis
08 Mar 1987
Contributed by Lukas
Johnny Mathis has been making very popular records for some 30 years. In conversation with Michael P...
Sir Nicholas Goodison
01 Mar 1987
Contributed by Lukas
The castaway this week is the Chairman of the Stock Exchange Sir Nicholas Goodison. In conversation ...
Ken Russell
22 Feb 1987
Contributed by Lukas
Ken Russell has directed many films, including Women in Love, The Music Lovers, The Boyfriend and Go...
Sir Michael Hordern
15 Feb 1987
Contributed by Lukas
The castaway this week is Sir Michael Hordern who, in conversation with Michael Parkinson, recalls a...
Victoria Wood
08 Feb 1987
Contributed by Lukas
Comedienne, musician and playwright are just three of the talents of Victoria Wood. In conversation ...
Peter Fluck & Roger Law
01 Feb 1987
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Fluck and Roger Law are the creators of the successful satirical television series Spitting Im...
Baroness (Sue) Ryder of Warsaw
25 Jan 1987
Contributed by Lukas
The castaway this week is Baroness Ryder of Warsaw, who, in 1953, formed the Sue Ryder Foundation to...
Jeremy Lloyd
18 Jan 1987
Contributed by Lukas
As an actor, Jeremy Lloyd made his name playing the part of the archetypal English 'upper-class twit...
James Prior
11 Jan 1987
Contributed by Lukas
The Rt Hon James Prior MP manages to combine his parliamentary work with being the Chairman of the G...
Tony Bennett
04 Jan 1987
Contributed by Lukas
The son of Italian immigrants, Antony Benedetto started singing competitively with his brother and e...
Benny Green
14 Dec 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Benny Green makes a living as a columnist, broadcaster, lyricist, novelist, etc. In conversation wit...
Jackie Collins
07 Dec 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Jackie Collins lives in Beverley Hills, California, and writes novels, all of which appear in the be...
Nigel Hawthorne
30 Nov 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Nigel Hawthorne is now very well-known as Secretary to the Cabinet in the television series Yes, Pri...
John Ridgway
23 Nov 1986
Contributed by Lukas
John Ridgway's adventures first became public when, in 1966, he rowed across the Atlantic with Chay ...
Hal Prince
16 Nov 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Hal Prince has just produced the musical The Phantom of the Opera in London. In conversation with Mi...
Kingsley Amis
09 Nov 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Kingsley Amis won the 1986 Booker Prize for his novel The Old Devils. In conversation with Michael P...
Jeremy Irons
02 Nov 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Jeremy Irons first achieved international recognition as an actor for his performance in Brideshead ...
Albert & Michel Roux
26 Oct 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Albert and Michel Roux each have their own restaurants, which are among the best in this country. In...
Phil Edmonds
19 Oct 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Phil Edmonds, the cricketer, "has the reputation for being awkward and arrogant, mainly because he i...
Sir Fred Hoyle
12 Oct 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Fred Hoyle has been described as "unquestionably one of the most gifted astronomers and mathemat...
Sir Ian MacGregor
05 Oct 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Ian McGregor was suddenly thrust into the spotlight when he was asked to create a more efficient...
Richard Condon
28 Sep 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Richard Condon has written 23 novels since becoming a full-time writer at the age of 42. These inclu...
Suzi Quatro
21 Sep 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Suzi Quatro is an enormous success in her first acting role in the theatre, the lead in Annie Get Yo...
James Herbert
14 Sep 1986
Contributed by Lukas
James Herbert has now sold more than 16 million copies of his novels. In conversation with Michael P...
Andrew Davis
07 Sep 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Davis, who has been the Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra since 1975, was born...
Auberon Waugh
31 Aug 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Auberon Waugh, now the Editor of the Literary Review, has gained a reputation as a controversial jou...
Stan Barstow
24 Aug 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Stan Barstow made his name as a novelist in 1960 with A Kind of Loving. In conversation with Michael...
Jane Lapotaire
17 Aug 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Lapotaire's first great success as an actress was with her portrayal of Edith Piaf. In conversa...
Virginia Holgate
10 Aug 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Virginia Holgate has won two medals in the Olympic Games as a horse trials rider. In conversation wi...
Norman Lewis
03 Aug 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Norman Lewis has spent a lifetime travelling the world and writing about it. In conversation with Mi...
Roger Vadim
27 Jul 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Roger Vadim, the French writer and director, sprang to fame with his first film And God Created Woma...
Sir Geoffrey Howe
20 Jul 1986
Contributed by Lukas
The Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Howe, MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, was broug...
Sir David Wilson
13 Jul 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Sir David Wilson, who is the Director of the British Museum, first became interested in archaeology ...
Brian Redhead
06 Jul 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Redhead has presented the Today programme for the last 10 years. In conversation with Michael ...
Anne-Sophie Mutter
29 Jun 1986
Contributed by Lukas
The violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, who is 23 years old today, has been in great demand around the wor...
Jackie Stewart
22 Jun 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Jackie Stewart was world champion in Formula One motor racing before he retired in 1973. In conversa...
Max Hastings
15 Jun 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Max Hastings is the new editor of the Daily Telegraph. In conversation with Michael Parkinson, he ta...
Ismail Merchant
08 Jun 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Ismail Merchant, the film producer, went into partnership with the director James Ivory 24 years ago...
Elton John
01 Jun 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Elton John began his career as a tea-boy for a music publisher. In conversation with Michael Parkins...
Bobby Robson
25 May 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Bobby Robson is the manager of the England football team, who are about to go to Mexico for the Worl...
Arthur Hailey
06 Apr 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Arthur Hailey's novels, which include Hotel and Airport, have made him one of the world's best-selli...
Jane Glover
30 Mar 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Glover, who is the Artistic Director of the London Mozart Players, first became interested in c...
Rt Hon Shirley Williams
23 Mar 1986
Contributed by Lukas
The Rt Hon Shirley Williams is President of the Social Democratic Party. In conversation with Michae...
Ron Pickering
16 Mar 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Ron Pickering, the sports commentator, used to coach athletes for the Olympics. In conversation with...
Beryl Bainbridge
09 Mar 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Beryl Bainbridge began her career as an assistant stage manager at the Liverpool Playhouse, and went...
John Dankworth
02 Mar 1986
Contributed by Lukas
John Dankworth studied music at the Royal Academy when jazz was not an approved subject - "I used to...
Selina Scott
23 Feb 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Selina Scott's first job was as a journalist in Dundee. Her move into television came after a three-...
Ben Kingsley
16 Feb 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Kingsley became a star almost overnight when he took the title role in the film Gandhi. In conve...
Bruce Oldfield
09 Feb 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Bruce Oldfield has achieved an international reputation as a fashion designer. In conversation with ...
Dennis Taylor
02 Feb 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Dennis Taylor became the world snooker champion in a dramatic match against Steve Davis last April. ...
Roy Hattersley
26 Jan 1986
Contributed by Lukas
The Rt Hon Roy Hattersley MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and Deputy Leader of the Labour Par...
Maureen Lipman
19 Jan 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Maureen Lipman is perhaps best known for her role in the television series Agony, but much of her wo...
Nigel Kennedy
12 Jan 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Nigel Kennedy, who achieved international success as a violinist in his early 20s, talks to Michael ...
Alan Parker
05 Jan 1986
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Parkinson's first guest is the film director Alan Parker, who, besides choosing the eight re...
Sheila Steafel
11 May 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Sheila Steafel, the actress who was born in South Africa, went to drama school in London and had her...
Rt Hon David Steel MP
04 May 1985
Contributed by Lukas
The Rt Hon David Steel MP has been leader of the Liberal Party since 1976. After leaving university,...
Barbara Taylor Bradford
27 Apr 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Barbara Taylor Bradford's first novel, A Woman of Substance, which was published in 1980, quickly be...
Robert Burchfield
20 Apr 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Robert Burchfield, who has been Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary since 1957, was born i...
Joseph Allen
13 Apr 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Joseph Allen, the physicist, joined NASA in 1967 as a scientist astronaut. In conversation with Roy ...
Doris Stokes
06 Apr 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Doris Stokes, the medium, first heard spirit voices when she was only four years old. In conversatio...
Richard Eyre
23 Mar 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Richard Eyre is equally at ease whether he is directing in the theatre, for television or on film. I...
Gordon Beningfield
16 Mar 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Gordon Beningfield's designs for postage stamps include a butterfly set and the recently-issued inse...
Alison Lurie
09 Mar 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Alison Lurie is not only a part-time professor of English at Cornell University where she teaches cr...
Jorge Bolet
02 Mar 1985
Contributed by Lukas
The pianist Jorge Bolet, who was born in Havana, Cuba, was given lessons first by his sister. He wen...
Anthony Hopkins
23 Feb 1985
Contributed by Lukas
The actor Anthony Hopkins has recently returned to this country after 10 years in California.In conv...
Michael Elkins
16 Feb 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Elkins was, for many years, the BBC correspondent in Jerusalem. In conversation with Roy Plo...
Elly Ameling
09 Feb 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Elly Ameling's career as a singer took off when she won the first prizes in two competitions. In con...
Julie Walters
02 Feb 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Julie Walters had a variety of jobs, including nursing, before she took up acting. An early London a...
Madhur Jaffrey
26 Jan 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Madhur Jaffrey is an actress who has now become as well-known as a writer and broadcaster on Indian ...
John Harvey-Jones
19 Jan 1985
Contributed by Lukas
John Harvey-Jones, who is Chairman of the giant company Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), began hi...
Tom Stoppard
12 Jan 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Stoppard, the playwright, began his career as a journalist on a local newspaper in Bristol. In c...
Sir Michael Tippett
05 Jan 1985
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Michael Tippett, who celebrated his 80th birthday three days ago, has come to be regarded as one...
Ray Cooney
15 Dec 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Ray Cooney, who is the Artistic Director of the very successful Theatre of Comedy, began his career ...
Sir John Burgh
08 Dec 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Sir John Burgh is the Director-General of the British Council, which is celebrating its 50th anniver...
Miklos Rozsa
01 Dec 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Miklos Rozsa is best known for his many film scores, including those for The Thief of Baghdad, Ben-H...
Robin Hanbury-Tenison
24 Nov 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Hanbury-Tenison divides his time between farming in Cornwall and exploring the remote corners ...
David Puttnam
17 Nov 1984
Contributed by Lukas
David Puttnam, now a very successful film producer, began his career as a messenger boy. In conversa...
Vernon Handley
10 Nov 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Vernon Handley, Associate Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, has made his name through ...
Tom Sharpe
03 Nov 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Sharpe spent much of his early career in South Africa doing social work, teaching and finally ru...
David Rendall
27 Oct 1984
Contributed by Lukas
David Rendall, the tenor, is singing in the new production of Madame Butterfly at the Coliseum in Lo...
Jonathan Lynn
20 Oct 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Lynn began his acting career in the Footlights at Cambridge University. From 1970 he also b...
Michael Ffolkes
19 Oct 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Ffolkes, the cartoonist, works principally for the Daily Telegraph and Punch, which first pu...
John Surman
06 Oct 1984
Contributed by Lukas
John Surman, who plays the baritone saxophone, has acquired an international reputation as a jazz mu...
John Hurt
29 Sep 1984
Contributed by Lukas
John Hurt has built up a tremendous reputation as an actor, particularly for his performances in The...
Alfred Eisenstadt
22 Sep 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Alfred Eisenstadt gave up being a belt-and-button salesman in 1929 to become a professional photogra...
Gerry Cottle
15 Sep 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Gerry Cottle's latest circus is a fast-moving show with no ring-master and no animals, but it is ver...
Catherine Cookson
08 Sep 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Catherine Cookson is a very successful writer with 61 novels, all in print, to her name. But she was...
George Abbott
01 Sep 1984
Contributed by Lukas
George Abbott, who is 97 years old, has just directed a revival of his musical On Your Toes. He bega...
Ved Mehta
25 Aug 1984
Contributed by Lukas
The writer Ved Mehta unfortunately lost his sight at the age of four: "Most blind people in India at...
Willie Rushton
18 Aug 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Willie Rushton is a cartoonist, actor, writer and a regular member of quiz game panels. He tells Roy...
Ron Goodwin
11 Aug 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Ron Goodwin has composed the scores for many films, including Where Eagles Dare, 633 Squadron and Mo...
Gayatri Devi
04 Aug 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Gayatri Devi, the Maharani of Jaipur, was brought up in the sumptuous Palace of Cooch Behar with its...
Sir Alfred Ayer
28 Jul 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Alfred Ayer, the philosopher who was for many years the Wykeham Professor of Logic at Oxford Uni...
Natalia Makarova
21 Jul 1984
Contributed by Lukas
Natalia Makarova is starring in a revival of the musical On Your Toes, but she trained as a classica...
Vlado Perlemuter
14 Jul 1984
Contributed by Lukas
The pianist Vlado Perlemuter, who was born 80 years ago in Lithuania, has spent most of his life in ...