Irving S. Brecher (January 17, 1914 – November 17, 2008) was a screenwriter who wrote for the Marx Brothers among many others; he was the only writer to get sole credit on a Marx Brothers film, penning the screenplays for At the Circus (1939) and Go West (1940). He was also one of the numerous uncredited writers on the screenplay of The Wizard of Oz (1939). Some of his other screenplays were Shadow of the Thin Man (1941), Ziegfeld Follies (1945) and Bye Bye Birdie (1963).
Born in the Bronx, New York, Brecher's first professional involvement with movies came when he became an usher at a Manhattan, New York movie theater at age 19.[1] Even as a teenager he was writing jokes, sending them to newspaper columnists Walter Winchell and Ed Sullivan on postcards.[2]
Career
He created, produced, and was head writer for the original radio and early TV edition of The Life of Riley.[3] He also wrote for Al Jolson on radio[4] and later created and co-produced The People's Choice as well.
Brecher's career in screenwriting began in 1937.[4]
As an aspiring young comedy writer, Brecher famously placed an ad in Variety looking for work, promising he could write "jokes so bad, even Milton Berle wouldn't steal them." He was promptly hired by Berle himself.[6]
Brecher, who bore a physical resemblance to Groucho Marx, once filled in for him in Marx Brothers publicity photos for the film At the Circus, despite an almost 25-year age difference.
His memoirs, The Wicked Wit of the West: The last great Golden-Age screenwriter shares the hilarity and heartaches of working with Groucho, Garland, Gleason, Burns, Berle, Benny & many more, was published posthumously in January 2009 by Ben Yehuda Press.[7]
Death
Brecher died November 17, 2008. He was survived by his wife and three stepchildren.[1]
References
^ abBergan, Ronald (March 11, 2009). "Irving Brecher". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
^"Irving Brecher". The Telegraph. November 20, 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
^ abKatz, Ephraim (1979). The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume. Perigee Books. ISBN0-399-50601-2. P.159.
^Brecher, Irving (October 8, 1979). "Marx Brothers Revolutionized Early Years of Film Comedies". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
^O'Brian, Jack (November 24, 1948). "Broadway". Fitchburg Sentinel. Fitchburg Sentinel. p. 6. Retrieved July 14, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Ben Yehuda Press page for The Wicked Wit of the West: The last great Golden-Age screenwriter shares the hilarity and heartaches of working with Groucho, Garland, Gleason, Burns, Berle, Benny & many more by Irving Brecher as told to Hank Rosenfeld".
Further reading
Articles
Mok, Michael (December 27, 1936). "Without Trying, E. Cantor Found First Rate Gagman". The Indianapolis Star.
Press Staff (March 21, 1937). "Youth Pens Radio Gags: Fellow Who Jibbed Milt Berle Becomes His Author for Network Show". The Pittsburgh Press.
Kaufmann, Wolf (December 16, 1940). "Hedda Hopper's Hollywood: Who-dunit?". The Herald-News.
Brecher, Irving (October 8, 1979). "Marx Brothers Revolutionized Early Years of Film Comedies". Asbury Park Press.
Schwartz, Ben (April 2006). "Old School: Irving Brecher is the last of a generation's gagmen". Written By. pp. 38-39, 40-41, 55
Books
Server, Lee (1987). "Irving Brecher". Screenwriter: Words Become Pictures. pp. 49-50, 51-52, 53-54, 55-56, 57-58, 59-60, 61-62, 63-64, 65-66.
irving, brecher, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, november, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Irving Brecher news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Irving S Brecher January 17 1914 November 17 2008 was a screenwriter who wrote for the Marx Brothers among many others he was the only writer to get sole credit on a Marx Brothers film penning the screenplays for At the Circus 1939 and Go West 1940 He was also one of the numerous uncredited writers on the screenplay of The Wizard of Oz 1939 Some of his other screenplays were Shadow of the Thin Man 1941 Ziegfeld Follies 1945 and Bye Bye Birdie 1963 Irving S BrecherBorn 1914 01 17 January 17 1914New York City USDiedNovember 17 2008 age 94 Los Angeles California USResting placeHillside Memorial Park Culver City CaliforniaOccupation s Screenwriter producer directorYears active1937 1963Spouse s Eve Bennett m 1981 her death Norma Brecher m 1983 2008 his death Contents 1 Early years 2 Career 3 Death 4 References 5 Further reading 5 1 Articles 5 2 Books 6 External linksEarly years EditBorn in the Bronx New York Brecher s first professional involvement with movies came when he became an usher at a Manhattan New York movie theater at age 19 1 Even as a teenager he was writing jokes sending them to newspaper columnists Walter Winchell and Ed Sullivan on postcards 2 Career EditHe created produced and was head writer for the original radio and early TV edition of The Life of Riley 3 He also wrote for Al Jolson on radio 4 and later created and co produced The People s Choice as well Brecher s career in screenwriting began in 1937 4 Adapting Nathaniel Benchley s novel he wrote the screenplay for and directed Sail A Crooked Ship starring Ernie Kovacs and a young Robert Wagner He received an Academy Award nomination in 1944 for his screenplay of Meet Me in St Louis 5 As an aspiring young comedy writer Brecher famously placed an ad in Variety looking for work promising he could write jokes so bad even Milton Berle wouldn t steal them He was promptly hired by Berle himself 6 Brecher who bore a physical resemblance to Groucho Marx once filled in for him in Marx Brothers publicity photos for the film At the Circus despite an almost 25 year age difference His memoirs The Wicked Wit of the West The last great Golden Age screenwriter shares the hilarity and heartaches of working with Groucho Garland Gleason Burns Berle Benny amp many more was published posthumously in January 2009 by Ben Yehuda Press 7 Death EditBrecher died November 17 2008 He was survived by his wife and three stepchildren 1 References Edit a b Bergan Ronald March 11 2009 Irving Brecher The Guardian Retrieved 14 July 2015 Irving Brecher The Telegraph November 20 2008 Retrieved 15 July 2015 Schaden Chuck Spring 2009 Necrology for 2008 Nostalgia Digest 35 2 55 59 a b Katz Ephraim 1979 The Film Encyclopedia The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume Perigee Books ISBN 0 399 50601 2 P 159 Brecher Irving October 8 1979 Marx Brothers Revolutionized Early Years of Film Comedies Asbury Park Press Retrieved August 29 2020 O Brian Jack November 24 1948 Broadway Fitchburg Sentinel Fitchburg Sentinel p 6 Retrieved July 14 2015 via Newspapers com Ben Yehuda Press page for The Wicked Wit of the West The last great Golden Age screenwriter shares the hilarity and heartaches of working with Groucho Garland Gleason Burns Berle Benny amp many more by Irving Brecher as told to Hank Rosenfeld Further reading EditArticles Edit Mok Michael December 27 1936 Without Trying E Cantor Found First Rate Gagman The Indianapolis Star Press Staff March 21 1937 Youth Pens Radio Gags Fellow Who Jibbed Milt Berle Becomes His Author for Network Show The Pittsburgh Press Kaufmann Wolf December 16 1940 Hedda Hopper s Hollywood Who dunit The Herald News Brecher Irving October 8 1979 Marx Brothers Revolutionized Early Years of Film Comedies Asbury Park Press Schwartz Ben April 2006 Old School Irving Brecher is the last of a generation s gagmen Written By pp 38 39 40 41 55Books Edit Server Lee 1987 Irving Brecher Screenwriter Words Become Pictures pp 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 External links EditIrving Brecher at IMDb Irving Brecher at the Internet Broadway Database Variety Vaudeville vet Irving Brecher dies Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Irving Brecher amp oldid 1146981333, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
