# Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel (1990 radio series)

Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel is a BBC Radio 4 1990 situation comedy radio show, adapted from a 1932 American radio show of the same name. The original series starred two of the Marx Brothers, Groucho and Chico, and was written primarily by Nat Perrin and Arthur Sheekman. It depicted the misadventures of a small law firm, with Groucho acting as attorney Waldorf T. Flywheel, and Chico playing Flywheel's assistant Emmanuel Ravelli. In 1988 the show scripts were rediscovered in the US Library of Congress, and were adapted by the BBC two years later. The lead roles are performed by professional Marx Brothers soundalikes: Michael Roberts as Groucho's Flywheel and Frank Lazarus as Chico's Ravelli. Other cast members include Lorelei King playing all the female roles, Graham Hoadly as the Announcer and roles in every episode, Vincent Marzello (Lorelei's husband), Spike Milligan and Dick Vosburgh guest starring. During the recording sessions, on occasions Michael Roberts (as Groucho) would adlib certain comments and these were left in the final recordings.
The scripts for the 1990 series were adapted by Mark Brisenden for a modern British audience, and the performances were directed by Dirk Maggs. Rather than each episode being a direct remake of an individual American episode, the 1990 episodes often included material from two or even three different 1932 episodes, and occasionally with additional jokes from Marx Brothers' films. The success of the first series led to another two series being produced.

## Episode list

| Series | Episode | Title | First broadcast | Based on 1930s episodes |
| 1 | 1 | The Stolen Rembrandt in which Flywheel and Ravelli investigate a Crime | 2 June 1990 | 1, 4 and 17 with material common to Animal Crackers |
| 1 | 2 | Flywheel and Juliet in which Flywheel treads the Boards | 9 June 1990 | 14, with Lydia from At the Circus |
| 1 | 3 | Big Joe Crookley in which Ravelli is kidnapped | 16 June 1990 | 1 and 12, with song from Horse Feathers |
| 1 | 4 | Finding Foo Foo in which Flywheel and Ravelli become dog catchers | 23 June 1990 | 3 and 9 |
| 1 | 5 | One Round Gombatz in which Ravelli takes it on the chin | 30 June 1990 | 10 with song from Cocoanuts |
| 1 | 6 | The Election in which Flywheel and Ravelli fix some votes | 7 July 1990 | 5, 6 and 16 with song from Horse Feathers |
| 2 | 1 | Dr. Hackenbush in which Flywheel becomes a medical man | 11 May 1991 | 7 |
| 2 | 2 | Uncle Abner in which Flywheel nearly buys the farm | 18 May 1991 | 13 |
| 2 | 3 | Convict Ravelli in which Ravelli falls foul of the Law | 25 May 1991 | 6 |
| 2 | 4 | The Big Store in which Flywheel runs a department store | 1 June 1991 | 15 |
| 2 | 5 | Captain John Smith in which Flywheel and Ravelli find an old geezer | 8 June 1991 | 3 |
| 2 | 6 | Going Hollywood in which Flywheel and Ravelli go into pictures | 15 June 1991 | 25 |
| 3 | 1 | Crexton Mansion in which Flywheel and Ravelli have a sleep over with a ghost | 11 July 1992 | 24 |
| 3 | 2 | The Laughing Hyena in which Flywheel and Ravelli go prospecting | 18 July 1992 | 11 and new material |
| 3 | 3 | Fly by Wheel Tours in which Flywheel and Ravelli inherit a bus | 25 July 1992 | 20 |
| 3 | 4 | The Chicago Clarion in which Flywheel and Ravelli get a scoop | 1 August 1992 | 22 |
| 3 | 5 | Coney Island in which Flywheel and Ravelli join the carnival | 8 August 1992 | 18 |
| 3 | 6 | Miracle on Eatwell Street in which Flywheel and Ravelli cook up a Christmas | 15 August 1992 | 5 |