The Freedland Files

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

20180303

20190914 (BBC7)
20210123 (BBC7)

Made to mark the 90th Academy Awards ceremony in 2018, Michael Freedland, the prolific author and broadcaster, opens his audio archives for the very first time.

As a writer, presenter and interviewer for over fifty years Freedland has an extensive collection of material which contains the biggest Oscar winning names in film, great entertainers and leading public figures.

In this special 4 Extra showcase recorded from his Bournemouth home he explores the private recordings made for his book and article research along with extracts from his radio documentaries and reveals some of the lesser-known tales of the great stars of stage and screen.

Many of the selections from his archives have never been broadcast before and along with key material from the iconic names of Hollywood such as Julie Andrews, Fred Astaire, Hope and Crosby, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, James Cagney we also hear exclusive interview recordings with Morecambe and Wise and a fascinating not to be missed conversation with Margaret Thatcher before she became prime minister.

Michael Freedland passed away in October 2018.

Author Michael Freedland opens his audio archives

Vera Lynn To George Raft

20220824

20240817 (BBC7)
20240818 (BBC7)

Michael Freedland, the prolific author and broadcaster, opens his star-packed audio archives.

In a programme made to mark the 90th Academy Awards in 2018, Michael shares his extensive collection for the first time on 4 Extra.

As a writer, presenter and interviewer for over 50 years, he recorded many of the biggest Oscar-winning names, great entertainers and leading public figures.

Featuring extracts from Michael's radio documentaries, revealing some of the lesser-known tales of the great stars of stage and screen.

In the first of three programmes from his home in Bournemouth, Freedland introduces his recordings with:

Vera Lynn

The Reverend William Gowland

Maurice Chevalier

George Burns

Jack Benny

Walter Matthau

Jack Lemmon

Frankie Vaughan and his wife Stella Shock

Gregory Peck

Julie Andrews

George Raft

* Sadly Michael Freedland died aged 83, six months after the first broadcast.

Gregory Peck, Julie Andrews and more. Michael Freedland opens his audio archives.

Tales of the great stars of stage and screen. Michael Freedland opens his audio archives.

Gregory Peck, Jack Lemmon, Julie Andrews and more. Michael Freedland shares his audio archives for the first time. From 2018.

Fred Astaire To Harry Belafonte

20220831

20240824 (BBC7)
20240825 (BBC7)

Michael Freedland, the prolific author and broadcaster, shares more from his star-packed audio archives.

In a programme made to mark the 90th Academy Awards in 2018, Michael shares his extensive collection for the first time on 4 Extra.

As a writer, presenter and interviewer for over 50 years, he recorded many of the biggest Oscar-winning names, great entertainers and leading public figures.

Featuring extracts from Michael's radio documentaries, revealing some of the lesser-known tales of the great stars of stage and screen.

In the second of three programmes from his home in Bournemouth, Freedland introduces his recordings with:

Fred Astaire

Adele Astaire

Ginger Rodgers

Chuck Walters

Nanette Fabray

Rita Hayworth

Sammy Khan

Margaret Thatcher

Harold Wilson

Julius Epstein

Ingrid Bergman

Milton Sperling

Hal Wallis

Stevie Phillips

James Cagney

Harry Belafonte

* Sadly Michael Freedland died aged 83, six months after the first broadcast.

Stars galore as author Michael Freedland opens his audio archives.

Tales of the great stars of stage and screen. Michael Freedland opens his audio archives.

Ginger Rogers, Ingrid Bergman, James Cagney and more. Michael Freedland shares his audio archives for the first time. From 2018.

Kathryn Crosby To Ethel Merman

20220907

20240831 (BBC7)
20240901 (BBC7)

Michael Freedland, the prolific author and broadcaster, shares more from his star-packed audio archives.

In a programme made to mark the 90th Academy Awards in 2018, Michael shares his extensive collection for the first time on 4 Extra.

As a writer, presenter and interviewer for over 50 years, he recorded many of the biggest Oscar-winning names, great entertainers and leading public figures.

Featuring extracts from Michael's radio documentaries, revealing some of the lesser-known tales of the great stars of stage and screen.

In the last of three programmes from his home in Bournemouth, Freedland introduces his recordings with:

Kathryn Crosby [Kathryn Grant]

Joe Spaccavento

Juliet Prowse

Azalea Smith-Moore

Fred Astaire

James Stewart

Andre Previn

Eric Morecambe

Ernie Wise

Larry Adler

Gene Kelly

Topol

Joe Loss

Jennifer Jankel

Johnny Mercer

Don Black

Vera Lynn

Ethel Merman

* Sadly Michael Freedland died aged 83, six months after the first broadcast.

Stars galore as Michael Freedland opens his audio archives

Tales of the great stars of stage and screen. Michael Freedland opens his audio archives.

James Stewart, Gene Kelly, Ernie Wise and more. Michael Freedland shares his audio archives for the first time. From 2018.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
		20180303	20190914 (BBC7) 20210123 (BBC7)	Made to mark the 90th Academy Awards ceremony in 2018, Michael Freedland, the prolific author and broadcaster, opens his audio archives for the very first time. As a writer, presenter and interviewer for over fifty years Freedland has an extensive collection of material which contains the biggest Oscar winning names in film, great entertainers and leading public figures. In this special 4 Extra showcase recorded from his Bournemouth home he explores the private recordings made for his book and article research along with extracts from his radio documentaries and reveals some of the lesser-known tales of the great stars of stage and screen. Many of the selections from his archives have never been broadcast before and along with key material from the iconic names of Hollywood such as Julie Andrews, Fred Astaire, Hope and Crosby, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, James Cagney we also hear exclusive interview recordings with Morecambe and Wise and a fascinating not to be missed conversation with Margaret Thatcher before she became prime minister. Michael Freedland passed away in October 2018. Author Michael Freedland opens his audio archives
01	Vera Lynn To George Raft	20220824	20240817 (BBC7) 20240818 (BBC7)	Michael Freedland, the prolific author and broadcaster, opens his star-packed audio archives. In a programme made to mark the 90th Academy Awards in 2018, Michael shares his extensive collection for the first time on 4 Extra. As a writer, presenter and interviewer for over 50 years, he recorded many of the biggest Oscar-winning names, great entertainers and leading public figures. Featuring extracts from Michael's radio documentaries, revealing some of the lesser-known tales of the great stars of stage and screen. In the first of three programmes from his home in Bournemouth, Freedland introduces his recordings with: Vera Lynn The Reverend William Gowland Maurice Chevalier George Burns Jack Benny Walter Matthau Jack Lemmon Frankie Vaughan and his wife Stella Shock Gregory Peck Julie Andrews George Raft * Sadly Michael Freedland died aged 83, six months after the first broadcast. Gregory Peck, Julie Andrews and more. Michael Freedland opens his audio archives. Tales of the great stars of stage and screen. Michael Freedland opens his audio archives. Gregory Peck, Jack Lemmon, Julie Andrews and more. Michael Freedland shares his audio archives for the first time. From 2018.
02	Fred Astaire To Harry Belafonte	20220831	20240824 (BBC7) 20240825 (BBC7)	Michael Freedland, the prolific author and broadcaster, shares more from his star-packed audio archives. In a programme made to mark the 90th Academy Awards in 2018, Michael shares his extensive collection for the first time on 4 Extra. As a writer, presenter and interviewer for over 50 years, he recorded many of the biggest Oscar-winning names, great entertainers and leading public figures. Featuring extracts from Michael's radio documentaries, revealing some of the lesser-known tales of the great stars of stage and screen. In the second of three programmes from his home in Bournemouth, Freedland introduces his recordings with: Fred Astaire Adele Astaire Ginger Rodgers Chuck Walters Nanette Fabray Rita Hayworth Sammy Khan Margaret Thatcher Harold Wilson Julius Epstein Ingrid Bergman Milton Sperling Hal Wallis Stevie Phillips James Cagney Harry Belafonte * Sadly Michael Freedland died aged 83, six months after the first broadcast. Stars galore as author Michael Freedland opens his audio archives. Tales of the great stars of stage and screen. Michael Freedland opens his audio archives. Ginger Rogers, Ingrid Bergman, James Cagney and more. Michael Freedland shares his audio archives for the first time. From 2018.
03	Kathryn Crosby To Ethel Merman	20220907	20240831 (BBC7) 20240901 (BBC7)	Michael Freedland, the prolific author and broadcaster, shares more from his star-packed audio archives. In a programme made to mark the 90th Academy Awards in 2018, Michael shares his extensive collection for the first time on 4 Extra. As a writer, presenter and interviewer for over 50 years, he recorded many of the biggest Oscar-winning names, great entertainers and leading public figures. Featuring extracts from Michael's radio documentaries, revealing some of the lesser-known tales of the great stars of stage and screen. In the last of three programmes from his home in Bournemouth, Freedland introduces his recordings with: Kathryn Crosby [Kathryn Grant] Joe Spaccavento Juliet Prowse Azalea Smith-Moore Fred Astaire James Stewart Andre Previn Eric Morecambe Ernie Wise Larry Adler Gene Kelly Topol Joe Loss Jennifer Jankel Johnny Mercer Don Black Vera Lynn Ethel Merman * Sadly Michael Freedland died aged 83, six months after the first broadcast. Stars galore as Michael Freedland opens his audio archives Tales of the great stars of stage and screen. Michael Freedland opens his audio archives. James Stewart, Gene Kelly, Ernie Wise and more. Michael Freedland shares his audio archives for the first time. From 2018.