Comedy legends The Marx Brothers made their final on-screen appearance together on March 8th, 1959, in a TV short called "The Incredible Jewel Robbery." However, due to contractual reasons, Groucho's participation was kept a surprise until the end, with his billing simply as "a familiar face equipped with a moustache and leer."
The Marx Brothers' transition from vaudeville to film to television showcased their adaptability and versatility. Despite contractual hurdles and changing entertainment landscapes, their brand of humour continued to delight audiences and influence future generations of comedians.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why gambling debts motivated some of their various reunions; discover that a generation of Americans knew Groucho more as a TV quiz host than as a movie star; and reveal why the band Queen paid a visit to his Hollywood mansion…
Further Reading:
We'll be back on Monday - unless you join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴, where we give you ad-free listening AND a full-length Sunday episode every week!
Plus, weekly bonus content, unlock over 70 bonus bits, and support our independent podcast.
Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!
The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.
Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.
Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome To Quintland
The Very First Eurovision
Demonstration? Defenestration!
Jerry Lee Lewis's Child Bride
Burying Bob Marley
How To Survive A Nuclear Bomb
The Man Who Invented The Wild West
Marie Antoinette's Wedding
The Unkillable King George
The First Two Minute Silence
Cardinal Richelieu and the Table Knife
The Lady Who Left Her Baby Outside
Captain Blood and the Crown Jewels
Cocaine + Caffeine = Coca-Cola
The Earliest Ambulance
Sending Out Spam
Creating The King James Bible
America's Celebrity Child Soldier
Meet Mr Potato Head
Roget's Lexical Legacy
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Irish Songs with Ken Murray
History Obscura
Historycal: Words that Shaped the World
The Rest Is History
Lore