The Marx Brothers Council Podcast

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast


Latest Episodes

22 "1934"
February 24, 2020

No, it’s not a sequel to “1917”, but something even better! This month we discuss the year that the Marx Brothers didn’t do anything besides lose Zeppo. After finishing “Duck Soup” in late 1933, the team was without a studio contract, and in no hurry ...

21 “No Snow and No Ice”
January 20, 2020

After avoiding its 90th anniversary, Matthew pushes Noah and Bob into the pool for a deep dive into The Cocoanuts. Why did contemporary critics consider it their best? Why does Margaret Dumont get more laughs than Zeppo? Who the hell is Penelope? No ...

20 "The Biggest Place in Town"
November 28, 2019

A deep dive into Groucho’s first solo effort, 1947’s “Copacabana”, which can be considered both a success and a failure…as well as neither. Surprisingly, for one of your hosts, this was a first time viewing, so Bob comes up with observations that mos ...

19 “Two of the Four of the Three Musketeers”
October 21, 2019

This month we take it easy and discuss only half of the team, Groucho and Chico. We listen to and deep dive into all their great scenes together….as well as the one from "At The Circus". You'll learn why perhaps their most famous encounter isn’t real ...

18 “Marx Brothers: Unsolved”
September 16, 2019

Marx Brothers scholar Stewart Tryster returns as we try to explain curious moments in the Marxes' films and career. Who was that in the dark in "Animal Crackers"? Did pressure from Italians result in the pigeons being cut from “A Day at the Races”? W ...

BONUSCAST - The Jay Hopkins Interviews: Volume 2 - Erin Fleming
August 22, 2019

The second in our exclusive series of vintage interviews from the archives of Marx Brotherhood founder, Jay Hopkins. From 1979, Jay talks with the infamous Erin Fleming, Groucho’s secretary, personal manager, and companion in his final years. Erin de ...

BONUSCAST - The Jay Hopkins Interviews: Volume 2 - Erin Fleming
August 22, 2019

The second in our exclusive series of vintage interviews from the archives of Marx Brotherhood founder, Jay Hopkins. From 1979, Jay talks with the infamous Erin Fleming, Groucho’s secretary, personal manager, and companion in his final years. Erin de ...

17 “Hail and Farewell” (NOT our final episode)
August 03, 2019

This month we take a deep dive into the misunderstood “Room Service”, perhaps not the best Marx film, but the one with the most interesting backstory…as well as the most frustrating compromises. Matthew enlightens us on how it almost became more of a ...

16 “(After) The End of The Marx Brothers”
June 29, 2019

Though the Marx Brothers stopped performing together after 1949’s “Love Happy”, that didn’t stop the constant stories, rumors and false starts of future projects. This month we take a look at the Marxes’ 1950s post-career, which included a few moment ...

BONUSCAST - The Jay Hopkins Interviews: Volume 1 - John Guedel
June 12, 2019

The first in our exclusive series of vintage never-before-heard interviews from the archives of Marx Brotherhood founder, Jay Hopkins… From 1979, Jay talks to “You Bet Your Life” creator and producer John Guedel about the genesis of the show, how i ...