Episode 66: The Little We Know About Leonard (Our “Growing Up With Chico” Deep Dive)
We consider the man, the Marx Brother, the mystery that is Chico Marx, as we revisit Maxine Marx’s memoir Growing Up With Chico.
Episode 64: Groucho and We (Our Groucho and Me Deep Dive featuring Frank Ferrante)
Frank Ferrante returns to the podcast to join us for an in-depth look at our hero’s “anti-autobiography,” Groucho and Me.
Episode 62: Blooray, Blooray, Blooray! (Our Too Many Kisses and The House That Shadows Built Deep Dive)
A discussion of Too Many Kisses, the 1925 Richard Dix comedy in which Harpo appears; and The House That Shadows Built, the 1931 Paramount promotional film which includes a Marx Brothers scene from their vaudeville years. Both films have been beautifully restored and released on blu-ray by the Film Preservation Society.
Episode 58: Acid Reflux (Our Skidoo Deep Dive, featuring Cinco Paul)
Cinco Paul returns to the show to discuss Skidoo, Otto Preminger’s acid-laced 1968 comedy, which contains the final film performance of Groucho Marx.
Episode 51: Speaking of Speaking of Harpo (featuring Hannah Mira)
Film educator Hannah Mira returns for a deep dive into Susan Fleming Marx’s long-awaited memoir, brought to fruition by Robert Bader.
Episode 50: The Gods Look Down and Laugh (Our Animal Crackers Deep Dive featuring Heidi Gassel)
Not every Marx Brothers fan would name Animal Crackers when asked which film is their favorite, but as it happens, all three of your hosts would. And so would our especially special guest, Heidi Gassel.
Episode 48: Your Silent Partner
"I am the most fortunate self-taught harpist and non-speaking actor who ever lived." — Harpo Marx
Episode 46: Deridin' the Range (Our Go West Deep Dive)
In 1851, Horace Greeley said: "NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR A PODCAST ABOUT GO WEST, YOUNG MAN!" This is a story of three men who made Horace Greeley wish he had said it louder.
Episode 45: That En-cy-clo-pidia! (featuring Glenn Mitchell)
It speaks well of the Marx Brothers and their fans that there are so many outstanding books about the team. Near the top of that list is Glenn Mitchell's ambitious Marx Brothers Encyclopedia. The man himself joins us for a discussion of his work.
Episode 44: Double Disappointment (featuring Anthony Strand)
Isn't it interesting that Groucho made some movies without his brothers? Back in Episode 20, we tackled Copacabana (1947), and concluded that yes, it is interesting. And now, joined by Anthony Strand, we apply the same thinking to Groucho's odd double feature of early-fifties RKO releases, Double Dynamite (1951) and A Girl in Every Port (1952). Are these films interesting? Is this episode interesting? These are interesting questions -- or are they?