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Frankly Speaking

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Frankly Speaking: Dr Jacob Bronowski

Dr Jacob Bronowski

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Frankly Speaking, Dr Jacob Bronowski

The mathematician and broadcaster discusses his career.

The mathematician and broadcaster discusses his career in the BBC Home Service's pioneering interview series. From February 1964.

Dr Jacob Bronowski discusses his career as a mathematician, scientist, writer and broadcaster with Mary Stocks and John Maddox. 

Recorded in January 1964, shortly before he left England to take up a new research post in California. 

Launched in 1952 on the BBC 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 - straight to the point. 

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. 

Unknown or very inexperienced broadcasters were employed as interviewers, notably John Freeman, John Betjeman, Malcolm Muggeridge, Harold Hobson, Penelope Mortimer, Elizabeth Beresford and Katherine Whitehorn. 

Only about 40 of the original 100 programmes survive in the BBC archive. 

First broadcast on the BBC Home Service in February 1964.

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