The Marx Brothers Council Podcast

96 Room Service Reordered

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

EMERGENCY PODCAST (featuring Bob Stryker)

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 na

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

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 artw

94 The British Eyles (featuring Allen Eyles)

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

93 “A Day at the Races” Resaddled (featuring The Marx Brothers Council)

Listeners share their thoughts on the most divisive Marx film. Is it the last hurrah or the last straw? We sift through comments on everything from Tootsie-Frootsie to th

92 N.Y. a Duck? (The MBCP LIVE)

Matthew joins us in New York City for our first-ever episode in front of a live audience, recorded at the Museum of the Moving Image—just steps from Kaufman-Astoria Studi

91 Whatever Will B. Johnstone (featuring Meg Farrell)

We welcome ethnomusicologist Meg Farrell, the great-granddaughter of Will B. Johnstone—an unsung hero of the Marx story who helped set the template for their act with I’l

MBCP SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

April 12th, 2026. NYC. A unique event. More details at: https://movingimage.org/event/horse-feathers/

90 The Marx Others (featuring Brett Leveridge and Trav S.D.)

We turn our attention to the Marx family circle—on and off stage—highlighting relatives and influences that shaped the team. We examine the showbiz roots of Minnie’s pare

89 “A Night at the Opera Reorchestrated” featuring The Marx Brothers Council

The guys respond to insightful audience comments on the brothers’ MGM classic. Is the film actually more like their Paramount work than we give it credit for? Does the br

88 “The Joy of Marx” featuring Joy Harmon

Matthew and Noah take a closer look at “Tell It to Groucho”, the short-lived 1962 successor to “You Bet Your Life”. Though nearly identical in format, the series curiousl

87 “At’sa Some Joke, Eh, Boss?” featuring Elliott Kalan

Award-winning writer/comedian and longtime Marx Brothers obsessive Elliott Kalan ("The Daily Show", "MST3K", "The Flop House", and the new book, "Joke Farming") takes us

86 “Duck Soup Reheated” featuring The Marx Brothers Council

Council members weigh in with their takes on the 1933 classic. We dive into the big questions: Is the film genuine satire or just anarchy in disguise? Which supporting ch

85 “That’s a Rodeo You’re Thinking of”

In this episode, we listen to and examine some of Groucho’s, Chico’s, and (yes, even) Harpo’s most notable radio guest appearances. We discuss how, while much of their ra

84 “Traveling Sohlo” featuring Brad Sohlo

Alexander Woollcott authority Brad Sohlo returns to explore the celebrated critic’s influence on Harpo’s life, career, and legacy—and the surprisingly equal role Harpo pl

BONUS EPISODE: Horse Feathers Unredacted

A complete collection of listener submissions from episode 83, "Horse Feathers Reeducated". Because of time constraints and overlapping content, not every comment made i

83 “Horse Feathers Reeducated” featuring The Marx Brothers Council

Council members weigh in on one of the Marxes’ greatest films. Hear about a botched screening, why Jennings might be the dumbest gambler in history, and one member’s deta

82 “Bob & Noah & Matt & Elliott” featuring Elliott Gould

Screen icon Elliott Gould joins the guys for a heartwarming and at times profound conversation about his friendship with Groucho. From deli lunches to hospital antics to

81 “Ten Annotated Years”

We're celebrating the tenth anniversary of Matthew Coniam’s “The Annotated Marx Brothers: A Filmgoer's Guide to In-Jokes, Obscure References and Sly Details”. In this ret

80 “Strange Interludes” (“The King and the Chorus Girl” & “Time for Elizabeth”)

Friend of the podcast Kathy Biehl joins the guys to explore Groucho's only two produced scripts, the 1937 film "The King and the Chorus Girl", and the 1948 play "Time for