The Marx Brothers Council Podcast

112 Episodes

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97 “Ten Thrilling Years” featuring Noah Diamond

2026-09-2801:30:09

A decade after publication, we celebrate Noah’s "Gimme a Thrill", his acclaimed book about the Marx Brothers’ lost Broadway debut, "I’ll Say She Is", and the remarkable effort to bring it back to life. With Noah temporarily promoted to guest, we look back at the book’s creation, the research and discoveries behind it, and what may in store for ISSI’s second hundred years.

96 Room Service Reordered

2026-08-3101:47:40

We check back into Room Service, this time putting the spotlight on listener comments about the much-debated 1938 Marx adaptation of the Broadway hit. We rethink the film’s restrained version of the team, missed opportunities, and which brother surprisingly fares best. It’s a lively back-and-forth featuring defenses, complaints, fresh observations and some wonderfully specific nitpicking. By the end, Room Service may not have won everyone over, but it certainly gives us plenty to argue about.

EMERGENCY PODCAST (featuring Bob Stryker)

2026-08-1120:22

Stop the presses—one of the great mysteries of Marx Brothers fandom has finally been solved! After decades of anonymity, the manicurist from A Night at the Opera has a name. Bob Stryker joins us to explain how he stumbled onto the elusive answer, and we follow the story from a brief onscreen appearance to her surprising later career working behind the scenes in Hollywood.

95 Who You Gonna Believe, Me or Your Own Eyes?

2026-07-2801:35:43

Today, we spotlight two new Marx releases that are a feast for the eyes: Richard S. Greene’s book, "Marx Madvertising", overflowing with ads, stills, and promotional artwork, then (at 43:56) Andrew Murchie's fascinating new 3D conversion of "Animal Crackers"—available on disc or as a download, complete with a commentary by your favorite podcast hosts. We talk with both creators about how these passion projects came to life and what fans can expect. We also explore how modern tools are helping preserve—and even reimagine—Marx history, from restoring fragile artwork to bringing the Brothers (even Zeppo) into three dimensions.

94 The British Eyles (featuring Allen Eyles)

2026-06-2553:44

We’re proud to welcome Allen Eyles, author of 1966’s "The Marx Brothers: Their World of Comedy"—the first in-depth look at the team’s films—and its successor, 1992’s "The Complete Films of the Marx Brothers", for his first-ever podcast on these landmark works. The conversation ranges from Eyles’ favourite (see what we did there) British comedians to his accidental status as the world’s foremost authority on the missing "Horse Feathers" footage. Along the way, he recalls the Herculean efforts needed to study Marx films in the pre home-video era, and reflects on his evolving opinions of the Brothers' filmography.

#box-pro-ellipsis-179088946813268{-webkit-line-clamp:2;}The Marx Brothers Council Podcast