Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel: The Complete Series 1-3: A recreation of the Marx Brothers’ lost shows
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A BBC radio recreation of the Marx Brothers’ lost shows, starring Michael Roberts and Frank Lazarus
‘For me this BBC version is a flattering improvement!’ Nat Perrin, co-creator of the original 1932 Marx Brothers Radio series
First broadcast on America’s NBC network between 1932-33, Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel charted the exploits of shady lawyer Waldorf T Flywheel (played by Groucho Marx) and his dopey assistant, Emmanuel Ravelli (played by Chico Marx). The original recordings were lost, but the scripts were rediscovered and edited by Michael Barson. These were published as Flywheel, Shyster & Flywheel: The Marx Brothers Lost Radio Show and licensed for a dramatic adaptation by the BBC.
Between 1990 – 92, BBC Radio 4 recorded the adaptation in front of a live studio audience. Its fast-paced and quickfire gags proved to be a hit, winning a Gold Medal at the New York International Festival in 1992.
In this collection are the three complete radio series, produced by the award-winning Dirk Maggs (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and published together for the very first time. In these eighteen episodes, the duo look after a Rembrandt, try to bamboozle a millionaire, stay in a haunted mansion and join the carnival – along with many other hilarious misadventures.
Michael Roberts takes on Groucho’s role as Flywheel, while Frank Lazarus deputises for Chico as Ravelli. Among the regular cast are Lorelei King, Graham Hoadly and Vincent Marzello, with guest stars including Spike Milligan and Dick Vosburgh.
Produced by Dirk Maggs
A BBC Studios production
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Since the 1960s the very best of BBC radio’s spoken word output has been available to own, first on record and cassette and now on CD and digital download. In addition to its extensive backlist catalogue, BBC Audio continues to publish a wide range of entertainment drawn from recent radio programming and the BBC archive.
Comedy titles include Hancock’s Half Hour, The Goon Show, Round the Horne, Cabin Pressure, Ed Reardon’s Week, Just a Minute and I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue. The realms of fantasy are depicted in Doctor Who, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. There’s radio drama based on the works of some of our most popular and significant writers including William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, Anthony Trollope, Arthur Conan Doyle, Samuel Pepys and Alan Bennett. History, science and culture epics include A History of the World in 100 Objects, This Sceptred Isle, A History of Childhood and The Making of Music.
