List of Desert Island Discs episodes (1951–1960)

The BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs invites castaways to choose eight pieces of music, a book (in addition to the Bible – or a religious text appropriate to that person's beliefs – and the Complete Works of Shakespeare) and a luxury item that they would take to an imaginary desert island, where they will be marooned indefinitely. The rules state that the chosen luxury item must not be anything animate or indeed anything that enables the castaway to escape from the island, for instance a radio set, sailing yacht or aeroplane. The luxury was not introduced to the programme until after about 100 programmes and the book after about 400 programmes. The choices of book and luxury can sometimes give insight into the guest's life, and the choices of guests between 1951 and 1960 are listed here.

1951 DateCastawayBookLuxuryEric PortmanNo bookNo itemMonica DickensNo bookNo itemRobertson HareNo bookNo itemYvonne ArnaudNo bookNo itemDonald PeersNo bookNo itemPeter ScottNo bookNo itemConstance CummingsNo bookNo itemJack BuchananNo bookNo itemKay HammondNo bookNo itemPeter UstinovNo bookNo itemJoan HammondNo bookNo itemJohn ClementsNo bookNo itemTed KavanaghNo bookNo itemAnona WinnNo bookNo itemMuir MathiesonNo bookNo itemPeter FlemingNo bookNo itemMargaret LockwoodNo bookCrossword puzzlesPetula ClarkNo bookNo itemLarry AdlerNo bookNo itemDenis Compton and Bill EdrichNo bookNo itemAnn ToddNo bookNo itemMaggie TeyteNo bookNo itemTommy TrinderNo bookNo itemGracie FieldsNo bookNo itemEric CoatesNo bookNo itemBill JohnsonNo bookNo itemStanley HollowayNo bookNo itemCicely CourtneidgeNo bookNo itemLeslie HensonNo bookNo itemJean KentNo bookNo itemJimmy EdwardsNo book Euphonium Joyce GrenfellNo bookNo itemA. E. MatthewsNo bookNo itemPhyllis CalvertNo bookNo itemVivian EllisNo bookNo itemAnne CrawfordNo bookNo itemFreddie MillsNo bookNo itemSally Ann HowesNo bookGarlicGeorge RobeyNo bookNo itemMai ZetterlingNo bookNo itemHenry KendallWho's Who in the TheatreNo itemGerald MooreNo bookA double bassClemence DaneNo bookNo itemRonald ShinerNo bookAny animal which he could trainDiana WynyardNo bookEl Medico by GoyaGeorge FormbyNo bookHis first ukuleleKathleen HarrisonThe Pickwick Papers by Charles DickensNo itemElisabeth SchumannNo bookNo itemJohn MillsNo bookNo itemVera LynnNo bookCurling tongs

1952 DateCastawayBookLuxuryJack HulbertNo bookCigarettesCarroll GibbonsNo bookMusic manuscript paperSybil ThorndikeNo bookA blue vase, an engagement presentSpike HughesNo bookA barrel of wineJeanne de CasalisNo bookA picture by Cézanne or a large feather bedPeter Brough and Archie AndrewsNo bookGolf clubsCompton MackenzieNo bookFour pipes and matchesElizabeth WelchNo bookNo itemRoger LiveseyNo bookGolf clubsHermione GingoldNo bookA barrel of lipstickFred EmneyNo bookA large box of cigarsAnna NeagleNo bookTeaRichard HearneNo bookNo itemWynford Vaughan-ThomasNo bookCombined radio and television receiverDelia MurphyNo bookA still for making poteenRichard Murdoch and Kenneth HorneNo bookMurdoch – A test-your-strength fairground machineHorne – a mah-jong setKirsten FlagstadNo bookKnitting needles and woolFay ComptonNo bookHer two dogsRobert BeattyNo bookNo itemDorothy DicksonNo bookNo itemGilbert HardingNo bookA Kelly ManGoogie WithersNo bookA jade amuletGodfrey WinnNo bookA pack of cards for bridgeEllaline TerrissNo bookA pianoBoyd NeelNo bookA gramophone for slow-playing recordsFred PerryNo bookRadio transmitterHenry HallNo bookA watchGladys CooperNo bookNo itemChristopher StoneNo bookA good soft bedJoan GreenwoodNo bookCigarettesMichael Denison and Dulcie GrayNo bookDenison – a raft (to fish)Gray – a large supply of insecticideTrevor HowardNo bookOne of his wife's cakesAnne SheltonKon-Tiki by Thor HeyerdahlThe little cross that hangs over her bedRichard AttenboroughNo bookSet of record cataloguesVivien LeighNo bookA pianoTed RayNo bookA dozen hairnetsWinifred AtwellNo bookA comb (for hair and making comb and paper music)Esmond KnightThe Story of Art by Ernst GombrichNo itemBinnie HaleNo bookA pianoJoy WorthNo bookA very expensive piece of jewelleryFlorence DesmondNo bookFamily photograph albumW. J. MacQueen-PopeNo bookOne of his lucky charmsTessie O'SheaNo bookHer ukuleleNigel PatrickNo bookHis 'useless' dogAda ReeveNo bookA workbox for embroiderySonnie HaleNo bookScented SoapGordon HarkerNo bookA camera and lots of filmBill GreensladeNo bookNo itemJoy NicholsNo bookA mink sleeping bag

Chose as one of his records a football commentary by Raymond Glendenning of Bolton Wanderers versus Chelsea F.C., 2 June 1945.

1953 DateCastawayBookLuxuryWilfred PicklesThe Oxford Book of English VerseHis yellow waistcoatMargaret RutherfordNo bookA bejewelled golden combRalph LynnNo bookHis eyeglassBelitaNo bookAn encyclopediaDuncan CarseNo bookA pin-up pictureDonald WolfitThe BibleA violin with instruction bookJean CarsonNo bookAn umbrellaDavid TomlinsonNo bookEddie Gray's juggling equipmentSheila SimNo bookA clockRichard ToddNo bookNo itemPamela BrownNo bookEncyclopædia BritannicaMax MillerNo bookA double pack of cardsMoira ListerA book about astronomyA guitarWebster BoothNo bookAn ivory pig – his lucky charmYolande DonlanA Mediterranean cookbookNo itemNorman WisdomNo bookMotor car and petrolIsabel JeansNo bookHer St Christopher's MedalJohn ArlottNo bookThe biggest second-hand bookshop in the worldJack HawkinsNo bookNo itemNaunton WayneNo bookNo itemArthur WintNo bookNo itemPamela KellinoMadame Bovary by Gustave FlaubertNo itemSir Ralph RichardsonNo bookHis pipeRobert HelpmannNo bookA box of paintsLeo GennNo bookA chess set with a book of problemsLizbeth WebbNo bookNicholas, her three-inch-tall boy mascotGeraldine McEwanNo bookA box of watercoloursCecil ParkerOxford Book of QuotationsNo itemBrian ReeceNo bookA ventriloquist's dummyCyril RitchardNo bookA photograph of his wife, Madge ElliottNora SwinburneThe BibleHer make-up box and contentsHugh WilliamsNo bookA corkscrewAlfredo CampoliNo bookA footballLeslie A "Hutch" HutchinsonAn anthology of world poetryNo itemHugh SinclairNo bookNo itemPeggy CumminsNo bookA painting of circus horses by Toulouse-LautrecJack WarnerNo bookA blue silk scarfBernard MilesThe complete works of ShakespeareNo item

Allowed 10 discs, due to time allowances.

1954 DateCastawayBookLuxuryMary EllisNo bookA keg of eau de CologneVivian De Gurr St GeorgeNo bookA picture of his wifeJessie MatthewsNo bookAn enormous bottle of perfumeJohn BetjemanNo bookThe lower half of the west window of St Marys Church, Fairford, GloucestershireT. E. B. ClarkeRuff's Guide to the TurfNo itemValerie HobsonNo bookThe Albert MemorialNigel BalchinNo bookA figure of an urchin, sculpted by DonatelloEvelyn LayeNo bookHer bed, complete with big French pillowsRobert HenriquesNo bookOil paintsCelia JohnsonA book on astronomyA rose cutting and some English soilCaptain M. E. B. Banks RMNo bookA painting of mushrooms by William NicholsonReginald DixonNo bookA harmoniumFred HoyleNo bookA large photo of a lot of people at a race meetingMargaret LeightonNo bookGirl Guide camp bed Dorothy WardNo bookA make-up boxBobby HowesNo bookRed and white wine

2nd appearance

1955 DateCastawayBookLuxuryMore infoDorothy TutinNo bookPiano moreSir Cedric HardwickeNo bookNewspaper moreHarriet CohenNo bookBox of make-up moreEric AmblerNo bookNovelist moreRobert HarrisNo bookTuning fork moreSir Osbert LancasterNo bookVenus de Milo moreChris ChatawayNo bookUnderwater breathing apparatus morePat SmytheNo bookGuitar morePat KirkwoodNo bookGardenia bush moreSir Alan P HerbertNo bookField glasses moreTod SlaughterNo bookHarmonica moreArthur AskeyNo bookPiano moreSir Malcolm SargentNo bookHot water bottle or ice machine moreAnthony AsquithNo bookSeaside pier with slot machines moreTommy FarrNo bookLongest bar of soap in the world moreBarbara KellyNo bookBeach ball moreEmlyn WilliamsNo bookEncyclopaedia moreTony MottramNo bookWriting paper and pencils moreNicholas MonsarratNo bookAutographed letters of Lord Nelson moreMichael RedgraveNo bookPipes and matches moreYehudi MenuhinNo bookViolin and strings moreLionel GamlinNo bookBack number of The New Yorker moreUrsula JeansNo bookSuntan lotion moreEdward AllcardNo bookFive ton block of lead as keel for schooner moreIsobel BaillieNo bookTea moreMichael AyrtonNo bookAn ancient Greek sculpture moreClaire BloomNo bookN/A moreR C SherriffNo bookScotch whisky moreHerbert WilcoxNo bookToothbrush and toothpaste moreEileen JoyceNo bookEncyclopaedia morePhilip HarbenNo bookField glasses moreLeslie WelchNo bookBed moreJohn GregsonNo bookGuitar moreMax BygravesNo bookGolf clubs moreJames Robertson JusticeNo bookMixed flower seeds moreSidonie GoossensNo bookHandbag moreFrances DayNo bookPiano moreValentine DyallNo bookTrumpet moreVic OliverNo bookMusic manuscript paper moreBeverley NicholsNo bookOil painting equipment moreJack TrainNo bookRose bush moreBernard BradenNo bookPair of wife's earrings moreBob Monkhouse and Denis GoodwinEncyclopædia BritannicaLarge coloured picture of Marilyn Monroe moreSir Anton DolinNo bookPhoto album more

1956 DateCastawayBookLuxuryMore infoLaurence HarveyThe Complete Works of ShakespeareBarrel of wine moreSam CostaNo bookPainting from the National Gallery moreDora BryanNo bookStereoscope with slides of her family moreDavid NixonAlice in Wonderland by Lewis CarrollPhotograph of his wife and baby son moreTerry-ThomasNo bookHorse saddle moreRobert FabianNo bookUmbrella moreKenneth MoreThe Complete Works of ShakespeareEnglish rock garden moreNancy SpainFifth Form of St. Dominic's by Talbot BainesNo item moreDonald SindenThe Complete Works of ShakespeareLucky charm moreVanessa LeeEncyclopædia BritannicaClock moreCyril SmithNo bookCards moreBebe DanielsNo bookTypewriter and paper moreStan KentonThe Mature Mind by H. L. OverstreetUnknown moreMarie BurkeLarge book of short storiesTea moreJohn NevilleNo bookLandscape painting by Ivor Hitchins moreAthene SeylerNo bookSix feet of English hedgerow moreLen HarveyNo bookBox of books moreDora LabbetteNo bookPaper and pencils moreDavid HughesEncyclopædia BritannicaGolf clubs moreRobert AtkinsNo bookLive performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream from the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre moreStirling MossNo bookHair restorer moreTed HeathNo bookRacing form books moreEartha KittHer autobiographyNo itemmoreEric MaschwitzNo bookBotticelli's Primavera moreLeslie CaronNo bookArtist's materials moreJim LakerNo bookCricket ball and a piano moreEva TurnerNo bookDresden moreTex RitterNo bookCards and a guitar moreShirley AbicairNo bookCase of avocado pears morePeter UstinovEncyclopaediaTennis racket moreDennis BrainBack number of motor magazinesTypewriter and paper moreDennis PriceVolume of Giles cartoonsPainting materials moreBernard NewmanNo bookAtlas moreHumphrey LytteltonNo bookTrumpet moreHarry SecombeNo bookCollapsible concrete model of Broadcasting House with plastic announcers etc. moreValentine BrittenNo bookPhotograph of Battersea Power Station moreTurner LaytonNo bookPiano moreKenneth TynanNo bookPleasure gardens of Barcelona moreAda Cherry KeartonNo bookCards morePeter KatinNo bookPainting of the Virgin of the Rocks moreAnthony SteelNo bookPortrait of his wife by Annigoni moreIsobel BarnettNo bookHot water bottle moreDonald CampbellNo bookCigarettes moreDennis NobleNo bookBinoculars moreMalcolm MuggeridgeNo bookPaper and pencils moreJohn WattNo bookThermos flask moreSpike MilliganNo bookBarometer moreEight inhabitants from the Ascension Islands in the South AtlanticNo bookUnknown morePeter FinchDon Quixote by Miguel de CervantesPainting materials moreJanette ScottNo bookComplete glamour outfit moreTyrone PowerNo bookLeonardo da Vinci's notebooks more

1957