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]

Choices

1.

Eric Parkin

Amberley Wild Brooks

Others who chose this artist

2.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

The Lark Ascending

Soloist: Christopher Warren-Green Orchestra: The London Chamber Orchestra

Others who chose this artist

3.

Johannes Brahms

Violin Concerto in D major

Soloist: David Oistrach Ensemble: Orchestre National De La Radiodiffusion Francaise Conductor: Otto Klemperer

Others who chose this artist

4.

Giacomo Puccini

Nessun dorma! (from Turandot)

Soloist: Pavarotti Orchestra: The London Philharmonic Orchestra

Others who chose this artist

5.

Castaway's favourite

Maurice Ravel

Piano Concerto in G Major

Soloist: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Conductor: Ettore Gracis Orchestra: Philharmonic Orchestra

Others who chose this artist

6.

Aaron Copland

Rodeo

Orchestra: Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Leonard Slatkin

Others who chose this artist

7.

Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev

Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major

Soloist: Martha Argerich Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Conductor: Claudio Abbado

Others who chose this artist

8.

Sir Edward Elgar

Introduction and Allegro for Strings

Orchestra: Sinfonia Of London Conductor: Sir John Barbirolli

Others who chose this artist

Book

The Once and Future King by T H White

Others who chose this author

Luxury item

Piano

Others who chose a similar luxury

Roy Plomley's castaway is actress and singer Julie Andrews.

Choices

1.

André Previn

A Portrait of Bert Williams

Others who chose this artist

2.

Giacomo Puccini

Nessun dorma! (from Turandot)

Soloist: Jussi Björling

Others who chose this artist

3.

Bing Crosby & Mary Martin

Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie

4.

Castaway's favourite

Johannes Brahms

Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major

Soloist: Sviatoslav Richter Conductor: Erich Leinsdorf

Others who chose this artist

5.

Ethel Merman

Small World

Others who chose this artist

6.

Vincenzo Bellini

Casta diva (from Norma)

Orchestra: Royal Opera House Orchestra, Covent Garden Conductor: Francesco Molinari-Pradelli

Others who chose this artist

7.

David Rose & His Orchestra

The Stripper

Others who chose this artist

8.

Maurice Ravel

Daphnis and Chloe

Choir: Motet Choir of Geneva Orchestra: Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Conductor: Ernest Ansermet

Others who chose this artist

Book

The Once and Future King by T H White

Others who chose this author

Luxury item

Piano

Others who chose a similar luxury