Last Word

Photo: Billy GrahamMatthew Bannister onThe evangelist Billy Graham who preached to millions around the world and offered spiritual advice to 12 American Presidents.Laura Lee, the sex worker who campaigned for the rights of her colleagues.John Morris who composed many film soundtracks, including the music for Mel Brooks' comedies The Producers and Blazing Saddles. John Bosco McAtasney, the last hand weaver of damask linen in Ireland.And John Pitman, the TV reporter and producer who started his career on Braden's Week and took Sheena Easton into the Big Time. Esther Rantzen pays tribute.Archive clips from: I GOT UP OUT OF MY SEAT, Radio 4 25/05/2007; THE FROST COLLECTION, Radio 4 20/05/2008; MEN'S HOUR, Radio 5 Live 18/05/2014; COUNTRY TIMES, Radio Ireland 03/04/2000; STILL STANDING, Radio Ireland 06/04/1992; BRADEN'S WEEK, BBC TV 29/4/1972; MAN ALIVE, BBC TV 16/01/1979; THE BIG TIME:SHEENA EASTON:THE MAKING OF A STAR, BBC TV 21/04/1981; JUST ANOTHER DAY: GREYHOUND RACING, BBC TV 12/12/1986.

Photo: Morgan TsvangiraiMatthew Bannister onMorgan Tsvangirai, leader of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change and Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013.Douglas Botting, film maker, author and explorer who flew a hot air balloon across Africa and sailed a hovercraft down the Orinoco.Professor Patricia Lindop, who researched the effects of radiation on human tissue.Asma Jahangir, the lawyer from Pakistan who campaigned for the rights of the country's persecuted minorities.And Vic Damone, the crooner who recorded more than two thousand songs.Interviewed guest: Alex Magaisa Interviewed guest: Anna Botting Interviewed guest: Dr Giles Camplin Interviewed guest: Patricia Dixon Interviewed guest: Mohammed HanifArchive clips from: The Choice, Radio 4 07/12/2004; The World About Us: River of Death, BBC Two 19/01/69; Balloon From Zanzibar, BBC Two 23/08/62; The World About Us: Three Men in a Balloon, BBC Two 13/12/70; On The Bosom of the Air, Radio 4 19/09/1962; Hot to Handle: The Two Faces of Radiation, BBC

Photo: John MahoneyJulian Worricker on:The actor John Mahoney who played Marty Crane in one of America's best-loved sitcoms, Frasier.Hannah Hauxwell, whose solitary life as a farmer in the Yorkshire Dales, was captured in an award-winning TV documentary.Scientist Ken Seddon, a global leader in his field of inorganic chemistry and pioneer of so-called 'super solvents'.Landowner Sir John Cotterell, who helped raise funds to save the Mappa Mundi from being sold by Hereford Cathedral.And feminist icon, Naomi Parker Fraley, the inspiration for "Rosie the riveter", the factory worker who featured in a US wartime poster.Archive clips from: The World This Weekend, 12/11/89 Radio 4; The Third Ear, 11/01/89 Radio 3; Woman's Hour, 25/09/90 Radio 4; Too Long A Winter, 30/01/73 Yorkshire Television.

Photo: Dorothy MaloneJulian Worricker on:Ingvar Kamprad, the Swedish entrepreneur who founded Ikea and changed the way we furnish our homesElizabeth Hawley, journalist turned chronicler, who documented every Himalayan climb from 1963The musician, Robert Mann, who was the founding first violinist of the Juilliard QuartetJon Castle, the Greenpeace activist who captained the first Rainbow WarriorOscar-winning actress Dorothy Malone, famous for her role in Peyton Place. Archive clips from: Outlook, BBC World Service 16/06/10; Profiles: Ingvar Kamprad: Design for Life, BBC 4 08/07/04; Crude Britannia: The Story of North Sea Oil, ep 3. BBC 4 02/07/09; Radio 4 News 10/07/85; Newsbeat, Radio 1 20/06/95.

Photo: Hugh MasekelaMatthew Bannister onHugh Masekela the South African jazz trumpeter and anti apartheid activist.Ursula K. Le Guin whose science fiction and fantasy books sold millions of copies.Mary Lee Berners-Lee, the computer pioneer and mother of the world wide web creator Sir Tim Berners-Lee.John Barton the director and writer who taught a generation of actors how to speak Shakespearian verse.Mark E. Smith, the controversial front man of the post punk band The Fall.

Matthew Bannister onSurgeon Captain Rick Jolly, the navy doctor who set up a makeshift field hospital during the Falklands War to treat both British and Argentine casualties.Dolores O'Riordan, lead singer of the Irish band the Cranberries who sold forty million albums.Cyrille Regis, the West Brom and England striker who experienced racism from fans in the 1980s.Jenny Joseph who wrote Britain's best loved post war poem "Warning"Peter Wyngarde the actor who played the TV detective Jason King and partly inspired the Austin Powers films.

Photo: John W. YoungMatthew Bannister onJohn W. Young the American astronaut who went into in space six times, including landing on the moon and commanding the first space shuttle flight. Peter Preston the long serving editor of the Guardian who re-designed and modernised the paper.Ray Thomas the flautist and singer who was a founding member of the Moody Blues.Sir Brian Neill, the barrister and judge who defended the Sunday Times in the Thalidomide court case.Heather Stewart, the pilot who risked her life to fly cargo and passengers through war zones in Africa.

Photo: Maureen BakerMatthew Bannister onMaureen Baker who designed clothes for Princess Anne, including her Tudor inspired wedding dress.Richard Cousins - the Chief Executive who transformed the fortunes of the world's biggest catering company Compass Group.Lady Astor - the model who was caught up in the Profumo Affair.Meic Povey - the Welsh playwright who also created award winning films and TV dramas.Rick Hall who produced classic recordings by soul stars like Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and Candi Staton in the town of Muscle Shoals Alabama.

Photo: Tom PaleyJulian Worricker on:The businessman Sir Peter Burt, who was in charge of Bank of Scotland when it merged with the Halifax, and was later chairman of ITVThe woman credited with groundbreaking work as an architectural archivist, Jill LeverThe horticulturalist and rose grower, John Mattock, who was chairman of the Chelsea Flower Show for twelve yearsThe film and TV director, Peter Duffell, whose work included the mini-series The Far PavilionsAmerican folk singer and musician, Tom Paley.

Photo: Professor Heinz WolffMatthew Bannister onProfessor Heinz Wolff, the bioengineer who was known to millions of TV viewers as the presenter of "The Great Egg Race".Aline, Countess of Romanones, the model and socialite who wrote best selling books based on her experiences of spying on the Nazis during the war.Tony Whitten, the passionate conservationist who had eleven species named after him.Fritz Lustig who worked as a wartime secret listener, eavesdropping on the conversations of German prisoners of war.And the singer Keely Smith who, with her husband Louis Prima, became one of the most successful Las Vegas acts of the 1950s.

(Photo: Keith Chegwin)Matthew Bannister onThe disgraced publicist Max Clifford who was known as the king of the kiss and tell story, made up many tabloid headlines and was convicted of eight charges of indecent assault against teenage girls.The adventurer Norman Baker who sailed with Thor Heyerdahl from Morocco to Barbados on a papyrus raft called Ra II.The businessman Tony Garrett who was chairman of Imperial Tobacco and a pioneer of sponsorship deals in sport and the arts.The art historian Virginia Surtees who championed the pre-Raphaelite painters. And Keith Chegwin, much loved children's TV presenter and entertainer.

(Photo: Christine Keeler)Matthew Bannister on King Michael of Romania who ruled his country during the second world war and was forced to abdicate by the Soviet Union. . Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor who starred in more than a hundred Hindi films as well as English language titles like Shakespeare Wallah and Heat and Dust.Christine Keeler, the model who was at the centre of the Profumo Affair in the 1960s.Jenny MacGregor who rescued thousands of ponies and horses from neglectful or abusive owners.And Johnny Hallyday, France's best known rock star.

(Photo: Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky) Matthew Bannister onThe Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, known for playing leading operatic roles - and for his silver hair and matinee idol looks.Unity Spencer who overcame a dysfunctional upbringing as the daughter of the painter Stanley Spencer to be recognised as an accomplished artist in her own right. Lewis Golden, the war veteran who set up the successful Everest Double Glazing business.John Butler - piano tuner to stars like Oscar Peterson, Sammy Davis Junior and Frank Sinatra.And Joy Lofthouse, one of the last surviving female pilots who delivered Spitfires to their airbases during the war.

Matthew Bannister onLord Imbert, the Commissioner who tried to change the culture of the Metropolitan Police. He invited TV cameras to observe his officers at work, leading to a controversial film of them subjecting a rape victim to aggressive questioning.Pat Hutchins, the children's author and illustrator who created the book "Rosie's Walk" and presented the TV series "Rosie and Jim".Rodney Bewes, the actor best known for playing Bob in the Likely Lads.Charles Manson, one of the most notorious murderers of the 20th century. And David Cassidy, the singer and actor who was a heartthrob for millions of teenage girls in the 1970s.

Matthew Bannister onLord Hutchinson of Lullington, the barrister who appeared in many celebrated cases, including defending the publication of Lady Chatterley's Lover and the director of the play Romans In Britain and securing the acquittal of Howard Marks on drug smuggling charges. Linda Nochlin the feminist art historian who wrote a celebrated article in the 1970s entitled "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?"Dennis Banks the Native American activist who campaigned for the rights of his people and took part in the siege of Wounded Knee.Geoff Tootill, who helped to design the world's first stored-programme computer, known as "Baby".

Matthew Bannister on The chef Antonio Carluccio who transformed Italian cooking in the UK.Sima Wali who devoted her life to campaigning for the rights of Afghan women.The Pulitzer Prize winning American poet laureate Richard Wilbur.Mary Reveley, the Yorkshire based race horse trainer who saddled more than two thousand winners.And Dudley Simpson who composed the theme from the TV series Blake's Seven and incidental music for Dr Who.Interviewed guest: William Sitwell Interviewed guest: Suleiman Wali Interviewed guest: Michael Carlson Interviewed guest: Cornelius Lysaght Interviewed guest: Matthew Sweet.

Matthew Bannister onHoward Pendleton who made the Marquee Club a launch pad for scores of rock stars including the Rolling Stones, the Who and David Bowie and started the Reading Festival.Glenn Barr, the Unionist leader who brought Northern Ireland to its knees for thirteen days.Iona Opie who devoted her life to collecting nursery rhymes and studying children's use of stories and language. Gary Flather QC, the eminent lawyer who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and campaigned to make the legal profession more accessible for disabled people. And Sir John Manduell who founded and led the Royal Northern College of Music, building its international reputation.

Matthew Bannister onThe campaigning Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia who was killed by a car bomb after exposing corruption in politics and business. Fats Domino - the rock and roll pioneer who was second only to Elvis in record sales.Rodney Bickerstaffe, the trade union leader who campaigned for the minimum wage.Geoffrey Schild, the virologist who laid the foundations for the creation of a universal flu vaccine.And Rosemary Leach, the actress best known for roles in Jewel In The Crown on TV, A Room With A View on film and 84 Charing Cross Road on stage.

Matthew Bannister onSean Hughes, the comedian who pioneered stand up with a narrative and was a team captain on "Never Mind the Buzzcocks".Architect David Marks who mortgaged his house as he battled to turn his design for the London Eye into an international landmark.Major Khush Ahmad-ul-Mulk, the last surviving son of the Mehtar of Chitral who ruled the state in the North West of Pakistan for over forty years.Sir Brian Barder who was Britain's ambassador to Ethiopia during the famine of the 1980s. He was involved in delicate negotiations to get aid through to the starving. And Marge Calhoun from California - known as "The First Lady of Surfing". Interviewed guest: Terry Eselun Interviewed guest: Julia Barfield Interviewed guest: Asad Ul Mulk Interviewed guest: Owen Barder Interviewed guest: Jonathan Steele Interviewed guest: Rhona Cameron Interviewed guest: Bruce Dessau.

Julian Worricker on:Lillian Ross, who wrote for the New Yorker, and created a new form of journalism....The Iraqi president after the fall of Saddam Hussein, Jalal Talabani - a prominent Kurdish politician....The boxer Terry Downes, who held the world middleweight title in the 1960s....Sybil Flory, a seamstress who evaded the Japanese in 1941, and found her sister six decades later....Hedley Jones, a Jamaican musician who designed and built the country's first sound systems....and traffic lights....