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.