This is an IHeart podcast.

And we continue with our American stories.

Previously on our show, we've heard from Steve Stolier, who, as a UCLA student in the

mid-70s, convinced universal pictures to re-release the classic Marx Brothers movie Animal Crackers.

It's a terrific story, by the way. Go to Our American Stories.com and take a look.

Stolier would then go on to be Groucho Marx's personal assistant and historian

for the final years of the legend's life. Today we hear from Steve again, still in show business,

but excited as ever to be surrounded by stage and screen legends. Here's Steve.

Groucho Marx was just at the top of my pantheon of most admired entertainers, but running a

close second was Fred Astaire, Frederick Auschterlitz of Omaha, Nebraska. He doesn't seem as if he would

have come from Middle America like that because he's known for the top hat and white tie and tails.

But in fact, he's one of those Ariadite fellows that came from Nebraska,

along with Johnny Carson and Dick Cavett and Marlon Brando and a number of other people.

I would have given anything to be able to meet him.

And in fact, when I was working at Universal Studios in the late 70s, after Groucho died,

I got a job working in the steno pool from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.

And I would be typing episodes of the Rockford Files and Kojak and Beretta and so on.

But I loved working at Universal because on lunch breaks or before or after work I could go wandering around. There wasn't much security at the time. It isn't like now.

Plus I was an employee and I was always nosing around because of the history

of the place. I loved the universal horror films and all that sort of stuff, the classics by

man Godfrey. So I would keep track of who was guest starring on different shows and if they were filming on the lot.

And if I was lucky, sometimes I would be able to cross paths with them.

...