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Peter Dimmock, Alix d'Unienville, Yolanda Sonnabend, Maggie Eales and George Barris

Matthew Bannister on TV pioneer Peter Dimmock. SOE agent Alix d'Unienville, designer Yolanda Sonnabend, ITN foreign editor Maggie Eales, car customiser George Barris.

Matthew Bannister on

TV pioneer Peter Dimmock. An accomplished presenter and also a BBC executive, he directed the coverage of the Queen's coronation in 1953.

Also SOE agent Alix d'Unienville. In the days before D Day she was parachuted into occupied France with a suitcase containing forty million francs.

Yolanda Sonnabend who designed some of the UK's best loved ballets

Maggie Eales who rose from the secretarial pool at ITN to become the company's Foreign Editor. Jon Snow pays tribute.

And George Barris who created some of the most exotic vehicles in TV and film, including the Batmobile, the Munsters' Koach and the intelligent car in Knight Rider.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Sun 29 Nov 2015 20:30
BBC Radio 4

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Roy Dommett, Warren Mitchell, Allen Toussaint, Cynthia Payne and Jonah Lomu

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Peter Dimmock CBE (Pictured)

Matthew spoke to BBC Historian, Professor Jean Seaton. Friends and colleagues, Former Controller of BBC 1, Sir Paul Fox CBE and Journalist, Michael Carlson.

Born 6 December 1920; died 20 November 2015 aged 94

Alix d'Unienville MBE

Matthew spoke to SOE Expert and author of “The Women Who Lived for Danger”, Marcus Binney.

Born May 8 1918; died 10 November 2015 aged 97

Yolanda Sonnabend

Last Word spoke to Former Royal Ballet principal, Deborah Bull CBE.

Born 26 March 1935; died 9 November 2015 aged 80

Maggie Eales

Last Word spoke to broadcaster Jon Snow and to Edward Boateng, Founder of the CNNMultichoice African Journalist Awards.

Born 23 January 1948; died 12 October 2015 aged 67

George Barris

Born 20 November 1925; died 5 November 2015 aged 89

Credits

Presenter Matthew Bannister
Interviewed Guest Jon Snow
Producer Neil George
Interviewed Guest Professor Jean Seaton
Interviewed Guest Sir Paul Fox
Interviewed Guest Michael Carlson
Interviewed Guest Marcus Binney
Interviewed Guest Deborah Bull
Interviewed Guest Edward Boateng

Broadcasts

  • Fri 27 Nov 2015 16:00
    BBC Radio 4
  • Sun 29 Nov 2015 20:30
    BBC Radio 4

Podcast

  • Last Word

    Radio 4's weekly obituary programme