x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast

Matthew Coniam, Noah Diamond, Bob Gassel

An insightful but not too serious look at the Marx Brothers films, careers, and lives from some guys who really need to get out more. Hosted by Matthew Coniam ("The Annotated Marx Brothers," "That"s Me, Groucho!"), Noah Diamond ("Gimme a Thrill: The Story of I"ll Say She Is") and Bob Gassel (he"ll write a book someday...or perhaps read one). Featuring guest appearances by Marx experts, notable fans, and even family members. New episodes post monthly. For more info or to leave a comment, visit us

tv & film film history

All Episodes

1:03:49

49 “Four Empty Dunces” featuring Brad Sohlo

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2022/08/12

A look at the Marx Brothers’ relationship with intellectuals, focusing on Harpo’s friendship with writer Alexander Woollcott. Council member and Woollcott authority Brad Sohlo joins us to decipher just why sophisticates were attracted to the team...and not always vice versa. Brad explains why it was the carefree Harpo and not the well-read Groucho who was embraced by the Algonquin Round Table. We discuss what Woollcott and Harpo saw in each other and why their curious friendship endured. And if

en

1:43:21

48 “Your Silent Partner”

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2022/07/02

With the imminent arrival of Susan Marx’s memoir, “Speaking of Harpo”, it’s the perfect time to celebrate the (not) mute, (not) red-haired, (not) second-born, (not) Adolph Marx. Noah leads an examination of both the man and character, including the invaluable “Harpo Speaks”. We look at the evolution of his stage and screen persona, speculate if Harpo could have succeeded on his own, and explore the passion for his namesake instrument. We then have some fun giving Harpo “hot takes,” before naming

en

1:25:31

47 “Bert & Harry Go West” featuring Scott Alexander

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2022/06/04

Not a fan of the Marx Brothers' “Go West”? Wish it had been written by the guys behind “Duck Soup”? Well, that was the original plan. Acclaimed screenwriter Scott Alexander returns to help us examine the film’s early scripts, as penned by the legendary team of Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby. Groucho as a leering divorce lawyer, Chico as a phony fortune teller, Harpo chasing women and actually acting like Harpo...who couldn’t love that? Apparently, MGM couldn’t; as they eventually changed

en

1:38:22

46 “Deridin’ the Range” - our Go West deep dive

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2022/05/07

WARNING: The following podcast contains explicit descriptions of subpar screenwriting, overwrought direction, and all-around lousy filmmaking. ———————————————— Admittedly not our favorite Marx Brothers film, but one we sure had fun talking about. We explore whether the problem is the material or just our expectations. We ask if the road tour actually helped, why they switched Dan Wilsons, and how come MGM didn’t spend $4000 to save $50,000. Along the way, we are joined by the late June MacCloy, who

en

1:27:21

45 “That En-cy-clo-pidia!” featuring Glenn Mitchell

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2022/03/29

If you prefer your film history told alphabetically, then this is the episode for you! Glenn Mitchell, author of The Marx Brothers Encyclopedia, as well as similar volumes on Laurel & Hardy and Charlie Chaplin, joins us to not only tell the story of his fact-based books, but also grace us with some actual opinions. We learn his favorite Marx films, his least favorites, and the one he likes but can’t sit all the way through. Glenn details the genesis of his encyclopedia format, why the books

en

1:23:19

44 “Double Disappointment” featuring Anthony Strand

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2022/03/06

We are joined by self-proclaimed Muppet geek and co-host of the “Movin’ Right Along” podcast, Anthony Strand, for a look at two of Groucho’s solo efforts, “Double Dynamite” and “A Girl in Every Port. Despite the episode’s title, we think these films are just fine…where else can you see the world’s greatest comedian and the world’s greatest singer do a duet on a treadmill, or watch the dad from “Hazel” cheat on the sister of Groucho’s future wife. Along the way, we dump on Jane Russell, exalt Marie

en

2:38:18

43 “I Take it Out Once in a While” featuring Jay Hopkins

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2022/01/31

A supersized deep dive into “You Bet Your Life.” First, Marx Brotherhood founder Jay Hopkins joins us to talk about the origins of the series, its unique and sometimes controversial way of production, and how Groucho wanted and needed to evolve from his screen persona. We also discuss the show’s most famous moment…which likely didn’t happen at all. Later, we are treated to a never-before-heard interview (and scrumptious meal) with Jay and “You Bet Your Life” head writer Bernie Smith from 1979

en

1:19:35

42 “The Sanity Clauses”

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/12/25

Two Jews and an Brit celebrate Christmas and ring in the new year with our Marx Brothers hot takes! We like a film that most don’t, dis a famous artist, and suggest changes that will make you dance barefoot in our lemonade. And as a special treat, Noah tells how he risked his sanity and marriage to prepare for this episode. So, if you want to hear well-developed opinions combined with half-baked ideas, you’ve come to the right place! Name dropped in this episode: Richard Pryor, Rudolf Nureyev,

en

2:27:39

41 “Waxing Wroth” - our Horse Feathers deep dive...

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/12/04

Adam Gopnik, New Yorker writer and editor of “S.J. Perelman: Writings” joins us for an exhaustive look at the Marx Brothers’ 1932 classic, “Horse Feathers.” Adam discusses Perelman’s influence and tries to pinpoint his specific lines, Noah is skeptical that “Horse Feathers” owes anything to the brothers’ vaudeville school act, Matthew keeps track of the differences between the film and shooting script, while Bob constantly derails the conversation with trivial observations. Singing the film’s

en

0:40:59

40 “Aboard This Tiny Ship” (featuring Nell Minow “The...

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/11/05

Renowned film writer Nell Minow joins us to discuss her longtime love affair with the Marxes, her first-hand encounters with two of the brothers, her famous dad’s round of golf with another, and her grandmother’s friendship with two of their spouses! Nell also details the origin and mission of her “Movie Mom” franchise , and discusses the difficulty in getting young people to watch and appreciate classic films these days. You’ll learn the surprising connection between Nell and one of your hosts,

en

1:32:20

39 “Why A Nobile?” (featuring Nick Santa Maria)

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/09/29

This month, we take a deep dive into Richard J. Anobile’s controversial work from 1973, “The Marx Brothers Scrapbook”. Joining us is performer/writer/director Nick Santa Maria, who (like Bob) got the book when it first came out, has some deep insight, and (like Groucho) eye-opening opinions. We examine Groucho’s shocking and explicit comments, his mindset, and inconsistent cooperation. We discuss the Scrapbook’s other interviews, which are almost as provocative as Groucho’s…and often more

en

0:02:44

Another Special Announcement!

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/09/26

en

0:56:52

38 “Help-a Those Kids” (featuring Hannah Mira)

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/08/24

And now for something completely different... We are joined by educator Hannah Mira, who details her fascinating story of screening Marx Brothers (and other classic) films for incarcerated teenagers, and their surprisingly positive response. A lifelong Marx fan, Hannah uses the brothers’ antics not only as entertainment, but as a springboard to introspection. We learn what the most popular gags and scenes are with her students, as well as whom their favorite brother is (spoiler: it ain’t Zeppo)

en

1:33:03

37 “Raised Questions” (featuring Steve Stoliar)

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/07/21

We are honored to welcome Steve Stoliar, author of the iconic “Raised Eyebrows: My Years Inside Groucho’s House”. Outspoken as ever, Steve is as entertaining as he is candid. But what do you ask a guy who’s been interviewed on just about every podcast known to man (including ours)? Well, we didn’t know either, so we farmed the questions out to our loyal listeners. Steve updates us on the “Raised Eyebrows” movie, and you won’t believe who stays up at night thinking about the casting. He further

en

1:25:07

36 “We Spit on Lester Cowan” (our 'Love Happy' deep...

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/06/24

A look at the Marx Brothers final film, 1949's "Love Happy"... The brothers search for jewels as we search for laughs…and though it’s not top-tier Marx, there is still plenty to enjoy as well as plenty to ponder. Matthew tells how Chico agreed to appear in a Harpo solo film before Harpo did, Noah is baffled by how the jewels got into a sealed sardine can, and Bob goes off on Marilyn Monroe. You’ll learn about the two versions of the film, and why the shorter, less funny one is most likely what

en

0:01:03

A Special Announcement!

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/06/08

en

2:03:39

35 “This Magnificent Chest” (The Marx Brothers TV...

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/05/30

You want to see Groucho as an over-protective father, Harpo hiding in a Coke machine, or Chico trying to pass himself off as Harpo? Well, you’ve come to the right place as we dissect Shout Factory’s DVD set featuring Marx TV appearances from the ‘50s thru the ‘70s. We uncover the many treasures, failures, and sublime moments this collection offers to Marx fans, including Groucho’s rebooting of You Bet Your Life in 1960’s England, Harpo’s lead role in a Twilight Zone-like drama, and Chico’s two

en

1:29:34

34 “OUR DINNER WITH DEEZEN”

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/04/28

ACTOR AND VOICE ARTIST EDDIE DEEZEN (GREASE, 1941, WAR GAMES) JOINS US FOR AN INDESCRIBABLE 90 MINUTES OF FREE WHEELING AND POTENTIALLY LITIGIOUS TALK ABOUT THE MARX BROTHERS. EDDIE RANKS THE MARX FILMS, OBSESSES ON CHICO’S SEXUAL PROWESS, AND GENERALLY TRIES TO STEER THE CONVERSATION TOWARDS THE BEATLES, MARTIN & LEWIS, AND THREE STOOGES WHENEVER POSSIBLE. EDDIE’S UNIQUE TAKE ON THE BROTHERS, PLUS SOME MIND-BOGGLING THEORIES, MAKE FOR UNFORGETTABLE LISTENING. *Our apologies that Eddie's audio is

en

0:30:45

BONUS MINICAST: Adamson in Casablanca

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/04/12

An addendum to our “A Night in Casablanca” deep dive (episode 33), Joe Adamson, author of “Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Sometimes Zeppo”, joins us for a further look. Comparing the finished film to the original script and studio call sheets, Joe theorizes on why changes were made, tantalizes us with scenes which didn’t make the cut, and even mourns a few moments that remain. Not joining us for this episode: Scott Alexander.

en

1:59:53

33 “The Boys Are Back In Town” ("A Night in...

The Marx Brothers Council Podcast ·

2021/03/28

Noted screenwriter and Marx devotee Scott Alexander returns, this time for a deep dive into “The Howl Raiser of 1946”, A Night in Casablanca. The Marxes' screen comeback after five years was a triumph both artistically and financially, though not really appreciated until recent decades. With sharper writing and surprising moments of surrealism, it almost feels like a return to Paramount…but, as we point out, the Thalberg softening of the team was still in evidence. We detail our first experiences

en

99 results

Similar Podcasts

BEHIND THE VELVET ROPE

David Yontef

Nerd Culture - A Gamekings Podcast

Blammo Media

UPodcast

UPodcast

The Writers Hangout

Sandy Adomaitis

The Sarah Fraser Show

Sarah Fraser