The Wicked Wit of the West: Golden Age Screenwriter Irving Brecher Gets the Last Word Book

Who is this Irving Brecher? What was it like to be the only man ever to write two Marx Brothers movies by himself? To be the last of the great Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer round table of screenwriters? to be the "famous unknown" who wrote vaudeville and radio shows for Milton Berle, "punch up" The Wizard of Oz, and created "The Life of Riley"--on radio, in the movies and as the very first television sitcom! Once Hank met Irv, questions like these dogged him. And Hank dogged Irv. He couldn't get enough of Irv's rapid-fire patter and acid wit. This book is the product of 6 years of Hank's tagging along with Irv, splitting pastrami sandwiches, and hanging on Irv's every word. Irv convinced Judy Garland to star in Meet Me in St. Louis, wrote Bye, Bye, Birdie and gave Jackie Gleason his first TV series and a new set of teeth. The "wicked Wit of the West" (as Groucho dubbed him) tells juicy tales about Hollywood legends John Wayne, L.B. Mayer, Jack Benny, George Burns, Ann-Margret, Ernie Kovacs, Cleo the basset hound, and of course, Groucho, Harpo and Chico. At 95 (In January 2009), Irving Brecher finally gets the last word!Read More