Before They Were Famous 

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Before They Were Famous

Comedy: Spoof

Comedy. Ian Leslie uncovers the first literary attempts of the world's best-known writers

Comedy. Ian Leslie presents the spoof documentary series that brings to light the often surprising first literary attempts of the world's best-known writers

BBC Radio 4 Extra

BBC Radio 4 LW

Ian Leslie

Claire Broughton

Before They Were Famous: Series 3: Episode 4

Episode 4

Series 3

BBC Radio 4 - Before They Were Famous, Series 3, Episode 4

Chuck Palahniuk began by doling out questionable advice as editor of a letters page.

Ian Leslie unearths the oft surprising first literary attempts of the likes of Chuck Palahniuk and Marcel Proust. From 2015.

Ian Leslie presents the show which brings to light the often surprising first literary attempts of the world's best known writers.

In this episode, the author of Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk is found to have started out doling out questionable advice as editor of the letters page of a US newspaper's children's supplement. 

Next up, we hear Marcel Proust's unexpected ornithological leanings and previously undiscovered entries from Raymond Chandler's adolescent diaries. 

To finish, there's another of Henrik Ibsen's uncomfortable Christmas cracker jokes.

Producer: Claire Broughton

A Hat Trick production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in June 2015.

Before They Were Famous: Series 3

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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