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Frederic Raphael

Sue Lawley's castaway is screenwriter Frederic Raphael.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the screen writer Frederic Raphael. For 50 years Frederic Raphael has written witty scripts for television and the silver screen. He won an Oscar for his film Darling, which starred Julie Christie, and became a household name with his television series The Glittering Prizes.

He was born in Chicago but came to England as a boy - where, his father advised him, he could grow up to be 'an English gentleman' rather than 'an American Jew'. While his parents did not want to disown their faith, nor did they want to be defined by it and they were very cautious about the way Jews were perceived in Britain before the Second World War. He was one of only a handful of Jewish boys at boarding school and was isolated and miserable there. But his loneliness led him to the solitary pursuit of writing - an occupation where he could right the wrongs he had suffered. A bright pupil, his own glittering prize was winning a scholarship to Cambridge - after that, he said, no other success in his life could compare.

For the past 50 years he has split his time between London, France and Greece - accompanied all the time by his wife, Sylvia-Betty.

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

Favourite track: Vorka Sto Yialo by Manos Tacticos & his Bouzoukis
Book: Oxford Latin Dictionary
Luxury: Mont Blanc pen, nibs and spiral squared notebooks

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 24 Feb 2006 09:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Bessie Smith

    Empty Bed Blues

    • Great Original Performers: Bessie Smith.
    • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    English Suite No. 6 in D minor - 6th movement

    Soloist: Murray Perahia

    • Bach: English Suites.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Ella Fitzgerald

    These Foolish Things

    • Ella at the Opera House.
    • Verve.

  • Henry Mancini

    Two for the Road

    Orchestra: Henry Mancini & His Orchestra

    • Two for the Road.
    • RCA.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Manos Tacticos & his Bouzoukis

      Vorka Sto Yialo

      • Music from the Greek Islands.
      • EMI.

  • AntonΓ­n DvoΕ™Γ΅k

    Cello Concerto in B minor - 1st movement

    Soloist: Paul Tortelier Orchestra: The London Symphony Orchestra Conductor: AndrΓ© Previn

    • DvorΓ΅k: Cello Concerto.
    • EMI.

  • Γ‰dith Piaf

    Milord

    • The Very Best of Edith Piaf.
    • Capitol.

  • Max Bruch

    Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor - 2nd movement

    Soloist: James Ehnes Orchestra: The Montreal Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Charles Dutoit

    • Bruch Concertos 1 & 3.
    • CBC.

  • Book Choice

    • Oxford Latin Dictionary

  • Luxury Choice

    • Mont Blanc pen, nibs and spiral squared notebooks

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Frederic Raphael

Broadcasts

  • Sun 19 Feb 2006 11:15
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 24 Feb 2006 09:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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