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Allen Lane - Publisher

The publisher and founder of Penguin books answers the panel鈥檚 questions in the 麻豆社 Home Service interview series. From 1961.

Publisher and founder of Penguin books, Allen Lane answers the questions posed by a panel of three:

* George Scott - author and broadcaster
* Margaret Lane - journalist and biographer
* Walter Allen - critic and novelist

Aged 58 when interviewed, Allen talks of his life as a pioneering paperback publisher and his discovery of DH Lawrence.

Sir Allen Lane died aged 67 in 1970.

Launched in 1952 on the 麻豆社 Home Service, Frankly Speaking was a novel, ground breaking series. Unrehearsed and unscripted, the traditional interviewee/interviewer pairing was initially jettisoned for three interviewers firing direct questions.

Early critics described it as 'unkempt', 'an inquisition' and described the guest as prey being cornered, quarry being pursued - with calls to axe the unscripted interview. But the format won out and eventually won over its detractors.

Only 40 or so of the original 100 programmes survive.

First broadcast on the 麻豆社 Home Service in 1961.

30 minutes

Last on

Tue 5 Aug 2025 00:00

Broadcasts

  • Sat 28 May 2016 14:15
  • Sun 29 May 2016 02:15
  • Sat 14 Sep 2019 14:15
  • Sun 15 Sep 2019 02:15
  • Mon 4 Aug 2025 10:00
  • Mon 4 Aug 2025 16:00
  • Tue 5 Aug 2025 00:00