Discover which tracks Ian Fleming selected on Desert Island Discs a year before his death...

Desert Island Discs - Ian Fleming

30th April 2011

Desert Island Discs is a long-running BBC Radio 4 programme first broadcast on 29 January 1942. It is the second longest-running radio programme, and is the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio. Originally devised and presented by Roy Plomley, each week a famous guest ("castaway") is asked to choose eight pieces of music, a book and a luxury item for their imaginary stay on the island, while discussing their lives and the reasons for their choices.

On Monday 5th August, 1963, James Bond creator Ian Fleming was the guest for that week's edition of Desert Island Discs - almost exactly a year before he died.

Fleming's top eight musical choices were: Cecilia by "Whispering" Jack Smith Dinah by The Revellers La Vie en Rose by Édith Piaf If I Didn't Care by The Ink Spots This Ole House by Rosemary Clooney Theme from A Summer Place by Billy Vaughn The Harry Lime Theme (from The Third Man) by Anton Karas The Darktown Strutters Ball by Joe "Fingers" Carr (castaway's favourite)

Guests are also invited to select a single book and luxury item, for which Fleming selected 'War and Peace' in German by Leo Tolstoy, and a typewriter and paper.

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