Overview

Four of the Three Musketeers drawson an unmatched array of sources, many not referenced elsewhere.Bader's detailed portrait of the struggling young actorsboth brings to vivid life a typical night on the road for the MarxBrothers and also illuminates the inner workings of the vaudevillebusiness, especially during its peak in the 1920s. As Bader traces the origins of the characters that would latercome to be beloved by filmgoers, he also skillfully scrapes awaythe accretion of rumors and mythology perpetuated not only byfans and writers but by the Marx Brothers themselves. Revealing,vital, and entertaining, Four of the Three Musketeers will take itsplace as an essential reference for this iconic American act.