5/25/2011 Listening Lounge

Irv and Me (Jon Kalish, independent producer) and Frank Ferrante as Groucho Marx (WRVO)

I don't think the world needs another memoir. Those are the words writer Irving Brecher told Hank Rosenfeld when he suggested the pair write a book about Brecher's life. It's one of my favorite quotes from this charming documentary. Brecher was the only person to write two Marx Brothers movies alone. All the others were written by committee. Rosenfeld loves comedies and is also a writer. While this doc includes great stories about the Marx Brothers, it's really a story about the friendship of Brecher and Rosenfeld. Brecher's wit is lighting fast. Luckily, Rosenfeld kept a recorder on during much of their eight years together. Don't miss Irv and Me, produced by Jon Kalish, a good friend of mine and a radio producer in New York City.