Hello I'm Kirstie Young and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive.

The program was originally broadcast in 1981 and the presenter was Roy Plumlee. Our cast away this week is one of the great figures in the world of films, Gloria Swanson.

Miss Swanson, how important to you is... of Films, Gloria Swanson.

Miss Swanson, how important to you is music?

Oh, I can't live without it.

I just cannot, and I don't understand anyone who can.

Now, we've heard you sing in one or two films. Have you any

other musical skills do you play the piano? No, I don't know one note from

another. I don't even know which key I sing in.

I really don't.

Do you play records a lot?

I haven't in the last few years,

but before that I did and I had quite a nice collection, but I have been using a certain station in New Jersey.

When I wake up in the morning, I press a button at my bed, and the radio starts, and that's it.

And there's practically no commercial on it at all.

Well, now you have just eight records while you're on this island.

What's the first one you've chosen?

I love you so much, I hate you.

Now what's that?

It was made and composed here in London.

It was the first picture that Olivia worked in. It was a talking picture as far as I know. It may have been his first picture.

And it was a nice story called a perfect understanding and part of it the song when I sang this I

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