Bill Kenwright - a podcast by BBC Radio 4

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the theatre producer Bill Kenwright. His West End successes include Shirley Valentine, Medea and Stepping Out. A gambler at heart, he continued to run Blood Brothers on Broadway despite a panning by the New York critics and it became a huge box office hit. An actor himself - most famously as Gordon Glegg in Coronation Street - he started producing in the provinces. There he lured audiences into the theatre by putting TV stars such as Pat Phoenix on stage - although sometimes he had to remind them that she wasn't Elsie Tanner.

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

Favourite track: Call To Arms (Everton FC and Z Cars Theme Tune) by Blueknowz
Book: Everton - The Complete Record by Steve Johnson
Luxury: Guitar"

Further episodes of Desert Island Discs: Archive 1996-2000

Further podcasts by BBC Radio 4

Website of BBC Radio 4