Episode 28: Flywheel, Shyster, and Tefteller

It's always a treat to speak with someone who knew Groucho Marx in real life -- even more so if that person is a good storyteller. And if that person has also dedicated a lifetime to the preservation of rare Marx Brothers performances, then you must be speaking with John Tefteller.

Official description: "In our longest episode yet, we barely scratch the surface while talking to archivist John Tefteller. John has spent more than four decades accumulating rare Marx Brothers audio, and is producing a collection of the long-lost radio series Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel.

"John details how, as a high school sophomore, he was hired to be Groucho’s personal recording engineer and archivist. His stories of rare finds, heartbreaking misses, and colorful personalities will entertain you more than we ever did. You’ll even get to hear about John’s days as a teenage relationship counselor to Zeppo, and then Erin Fleming.

"Yes, your three hosts are on the show…but about as much as the Marxes are in The Story of Mankind.

"Name-checked in this episode: Bill Clinton, Perry Como, Ed Begley Jr."

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BONUSCAST | The Jay Hopkins Interviews: Volume 5 - Nat Perrin

Official description: "In our final trip into the vault, we are treated to Jay’s never-before-heard 1984 chat with writer Nat Perrin. Perrin talks about his 50-year association with the Marxes, from contributing gags to Monkey Business all the way to Erin Fleming’s legal challenge to Groucho’s estate.

"You’ll hear about Nat’s work on the Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel radio series, and his later contributions to Go West and The Big Store. Perrin also discusses some of his non-Marx films and later TV work.

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Episode 27: A Compilation, a Sandwich, and You

The theory has often been advanced that the best Marx Brothers movie would actually be a Frankenstein's monster, consisting of the best parts of all their movies. (Well, most of them, anyway.) In our twenty-seventh episode, we take one approach to that challenge.

Official description: "In the spirit of the great comedy compilation films of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, we’ve decided to create our own 'Best of the Marx Brothers' money-grab.

"To be precise, the three of us have each compiled our own films…hamstrung by the constraints of our in-house Irving Thalberg. We’ll discuss our scene choices and come up with a final tracklist, all before realizing the whole exercise was pointless.

"Did your favorite scene make the cut? Listen and find out, unless you’re an Eve Arden fan, in which case don’t even bother….

"Name-checked in this episode: W.C. Fields, Kristen Schaal, Jay Hopkins."

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Footnotes:

• Information about Home Again: The Marx Brothers and New York City, live-streaming on October 2, 2020, can be found here and here.
  
  
• Information about the forthcoming Blu-Ray release of A Night in Casablanca is here.

Episode 26: The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell in a Nutshell

What, we sometimes wonder, does the public want from the world's preeminent Marx Brothers podcast? A topic essential to the Brothers' legacy, but not recently explored in depth? Check! Brilliant and engaging guests who are Marxian A-listers? Check! Skillful editing that makes the three hosts seem almost coherent? Check, please! 

Official description: "Our long overdue look at the definitive Marx Brothers documentary, with our special guests, producer/meme Robert B. Weide, and writer/editor Joe Adamson. 

"The guys take us on Nutshell’s long journey, full of roadblocks and last minute scrambling. How did they get both Paramount and MGM clips when told it was impossible? Why did PBS viewers not see Woody Allen, and no one see Betty Marx? What happens when you ask Gene Kelly to do a retake? These and many other questions you never asked will all be answered...

"Oh, and if you want to watch The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell before listening, you can purchase a DVD at duckprods.com.

"Name-checked in this episode: Kurt Vonnegut, Lauren Bacall, Mort Sahl."

Note for early birds: When a new episode is released, it might not appear at all of the locations below right away. If you visit your favorite podcast provider and the previous episode is still the most recent one you see there, be patient! And above all, don't worry.

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Footnotes:

• Get The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell and W.C. Fields Straight Up on DVD.
  
  
• Get the official "Directed by Robert B. Weide" tee shirt! It's a sign of the times.

Episode 25: Send Out the Clowns

About every fourth episode, we devote an entire conversation to a deep-dive exploration of a specific Marx Brothers movie. That being the case, it was inevitable that at some point we would focus on At the Circus, no matter how many people begged us not to. We hope you find this episode enjoyable anyway, but if you don't, remember that it could be worse -- and will be, when we devote an episode to Go West.

Official description: "Our contractually obligated deep dive into At The Circus, where your hosts are as enthused watching the film as the Marxes were in making it. We try our best to make sense out of this jumble of wonderful and embarrassing moments.

"You'll scream as you experience the lost courtroom scene that MGM cut instead of 'Two Blind Loves'...you'll thrill as we struggle to remember plot points no one cares about anyhow…you'll jump for joy as we play no clips of Groucho yelling 'Help, Pauline!'

"NOTE: This ep does contain moments of explicit language, which should be a hint to those still wondering what we thought of the film.

"Name-checked in this episode: Marilyn Monroe, Eddie Deezen, Adolf Hitler."

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Footnotes:

• The At the Circus page on Mikael Uhlin's website Marxology includes the text of the deleted courtroom scene (as it appeared in The Freedonia Gazette, issue 13), with stills.
  
• For Kenny Baker fans, here he is singing "Alone" from A Night at the Opera.
  
• Here is the video section of Frank Ferrante's Groucho site.

Episode 24: Take a Letter!

Here at The Marx Brothers Council Podcast, we are determined to address every detail of the Marx Brothers' lives and careers, no matter how obscure! This should prove it.

Official description: "This month we are joined by Zeppo expert/loyalist/fangirl/critic/stalker Andrea Orlando for a two-hour examination of the youngest Marx. Was he the funniest Marx Brother offscreen? Was he even a Marx Brother onscreen? Andrea rips some of Zeppo’s performances, then drools over his ripped shirt in Duck Soup. Matthew adds up his screentime, Noah secretly wonders if this was worth surviving COVID-19 for, while Bob questions how Vanity Fair will react. 

"Yes, we said two hours. About Zeppo Marx. You have something better to do? 

"Name checked in this episode: Frank Sinatra, Barbara Stanwyck, Hal Thompson."

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Footnotes:

• Caption (from the L.A. Herald-Examiner, August 22, 1932) reads "Zeppo Marx, one of the famous four Marx brothers, comedians, re-enacts with typical Marxian interpolations the big jewel robbery at his Los Angeles home. In the first scene he discovers that jewelry valued at $37,600 has been stolen. In the next episode, he starts on the trail of the burglars with a duster, a butcher knife and an idea his three brothers might be helpful."
• The Marx Brothers Council Podcast is included in Vanity Fair's "Eight Great Movie Podcasts to Try Once You've Finished You Must Remember This!"

BONUSCAST | The Jay Hopkins Interviews: Volume 4 - Steve Stoliar

Official description: "Still stuck in quarantine, we’ve dug up another vintage interview from Jay Hopkins’ archives. From 1979, Jay talks with Steve Stoliar, who worked in Groucho’s house as secretary during his final years and later wrote the essential account of this era, Raised Eyebrows. Steve details how he helped get Animal Crackers rereleased after being out of circulation for twenty years, and how this led to him meeting Groucho and being hired by the infamous Erin Fleming. Steve recounts his fascinating duties, and meeting the many characters and celebrities that were always around.  Of course, unlike our previous archive subjects, Steve is still with us…but this interview dates from much closer to his time with Groucho than even his book, so his memories are especially crystal clear."

Note for early birds: When a new episode is released, it might not appear at all of the locations below right away. If you visit your favorite podcast provider and Episode 23 is still the most recent one you see there, be patient! And above all, don't worry.

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Footnotes:

• Visit Steve's official website
• Buy Raised Eyebrows (Expanded Edition) in print
• Buy the Raised Eyebrows audiobook