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Stanley McMurtry

Kirsty Young's castaway is cartoonist Stanley McMurty.

Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the cartoonist Mac. He's been the Daily Mail's cartoonist for the past 38 years - and it's his job, he says, to make the "dreary news copy of the daily paper brighter, by putting in a laugh". Since he was a child he was always drawing - inventing strip cartoons in his spare time and sketching figures in the margins of his school books. Yet despite his obvious talent, there was scant nurturing of his ambitions at home. His father told him he'd never make the grade and, instead, he should concentrate on finding a proper job.

But Mac says that all the way through, he's been lucky. Whenever he's found himself stuck, he's come across someone who would encourage him to take the next step. Life has, he says, been a series of lucky coincidences.

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

Favourite track: The Adagio from Bruch's Violin Concerto in G Minor by Bruch
Book: The collected works by John Steinbeck
Luxury: Tenor saxophone.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 28 Mar 2008 09:00
±«Óãtv Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Frank Sinatra

    My Funny Valentine

    • Classic Sinatra.
    • Capitol.

  • Frankie Laine

    I Believe

    • The Platinum Collection.
    • Start.

  • Jussi Björling

    Nessun dorma! (from Turandot)

    • 20 Gramophone All-Time Greats Vol.3.
    • ASV.

  • Richard Wagner

    Lohengrin Act 1 Prelude

    Orchestra: Detroit Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Paul Paray

    • Wagner Highlights (Lohengrin Preludes etc).
    • Wing.

  • Johnny Hodges

    I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good

    • Johnny Hodges and his Orchestra 1952-1954.
    • Classics.

  • Lonnie Donegan

    Battle of New Orleans

    • The Best of Lonnie Donegan & his Skiffle Group.
    • KAZCD.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Max Bruch

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

      Artist: Tasmin Little Orchestra: The Liverpool Philharmonic Conductor: Vernon Handley

      • Dvorak/Bruch: Violin Concerto & Violin Concerto No 1.
      • Classics For Pleasure.

  • Peggy Lee

    Is That All There Is?

    • The Best of Peggy Lee, The Capitol Years.
    • Capitol.

  • Book Choice

    • The collected works - John Steinbeck

  • Luxury Choice

    • Tenor saxophone

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Stanley McMurtry

Broadcasts

  • Sun 23 Mar 2008 11:15
    ±«Óãtv Radio 4
  • Fri 28 Mar 2008 09:00
    ±«Óãtv Radio 4

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