h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Groucho Marx - A875081
Author: Oberon2001 (ACE) - U204088

Yes, I know this is sparse at the moment! But hey, if you want to make a contribution feel free! that's what CWW is all about
Oberon2001

Hi Oberon2001, here's some stuff to get you started:

The Marx name was in fact originally Marrix.

Groucho’s father born in 1861 was Simon Marrix (known as Sam). He came from the Alsace region of France but changed the family name from Marrix to Marx because he hoped it would be easier to find a job in America if he made his surname sound more German.

Groucho’s mother was Miene Schönberg. She was born in Dornum, Germany on Nov 9th 1864. She also changed her name – from Miene to Minnie. Her Family moved to the USA in 1880 where they settled in New York. She met Simon and married him in 1884.

Their first baby was called Manfred, born in 1885. He died as an infant. Some say he had an accident, others that he had TB.
Their other children were Chico, born in 1887
Harpo, born in 1888
Groucho, born in 1890
Gummo, born in 1892
Zeppo, born in 1901

Minnie’s brother Abraham became known as the comedian Al Sheen.

And Jack Bennie's wife was a distant cousin of the Marx Bros.

Who's Jack Bennie?
I've added both your contributions, so for all that! And credited both of you as researchers.
Oberon2001

Jack Bennie was a big comedian in the USA and therefore would merit a mention in this article with that sort of connection. It shows continued comedic talent in the family.

BTW the Marx brothers also get a mention in Ian Dury and the Blockheads song Reasons to Be Cheerful.

Which is another article currently in the writing workshop

Bennie Kubelsky's wife was known as Mary Livingstone on the Jack Benny Radio programs, but that was a character name that she assumed.
I'll see what her real name was.

And I'll check to see if I got Bennie's last name right!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A389865

Jack Benny entry

Oh, and it's Al Shean. Groucho always pronounced it "she-ann"

Their mother immigrated at fifteen...from Germany.
They were cousins to Mary Livingston, Jack Benny's wife, whose born name was Sadie Marks.
They had no sisters. One brother, Manfred, died in infancy.
They didn't become world famous until they were in their forties.
And Gummo had long been out of the act.

Leonard (Chico) 1891-1961
Adolph, later Arthur (Harpo) 1893-1964
Julius Henry (Groucho) 1895-1977
Milton (Gummo) 1897-1977
Herbert (Zeppo) 1900-1979

On Broadway, they were a success, after crawling out of years of circling the country in the second and third rate theatre circuits after irritating the Schuberts(check this), who owned the top circuit.

In the sixties, their images were more popular than their movies, because the video revolution hadn't come yet, but posters and t-shirts and books were everywhere. Unlike the Three Stooges or Laurel and Hardy, they didn't have any shorts to go the rounds of the local tv stations and the 16mm rental clubs. You had to go to an art house to watch bad prints of their movies. Some of them, like "Duck Soup", had not been available since their original run. It is possible that a whole two generations had grown up without seeing a Marx Bros. movie. All they had seen were the wrinkled images on the TV guest appearances. The finest of these was Harpo's guest shot on "I Love Lucy", in which she and he redid the mirror sequence from "Duck Soup" (?)

Groucho was on television until 1963(check this) and in the late sixties, the syndication of "You Bet Your Life" took off. Groucho, before the vcr became reasonable, used to take a nap so he could stay up and watch "You Bet Your Life". He'd forgotten most of the answers and many of the questions and almost all of the guests, so it was vastly entertaining to him.



Don't forget Gummo!

Okay, so you didn't.

There are the death years.

Sam was a tailor.
He was the Sam in the song "Sam, You Made The Pants Too Long!", which I believe Groucho wrote.

Family legend says that Chico was always hocking his dad's tailor's shears so he could gamble.

Don't leave out Chico's and Groucho's radio show Flywheel, Shystler & Flywheel. In those shows brothers tested many jokes later used in their films. It aired in 1930s, I think . Manuscripts where published as book in 1990s.

When adding films, it should be mentioned that first two were just film makes of their stage shows on Broadway in late 1920s. Years and names of films should be easily found. If no other volunteers I can do it later this week.

Few quotes from Groucho would be nice, like:
(This is not rigth, I know, backtranslated from Finnish)
"Please accept my resignation from your club, I cannot be a member in a society that accepts members like myself."

Actually, "Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel" reused many gags that were found originally in play and movie scripts like "Room Service", "I'll Say She Is", "Coconuts"...

Only about three episodes were actually recorded for possible syndication, if I remember correctly.
Many years later, in Great Britain, I believe, all the scripts were broadcast by actors imitating the two brothers.

Their first "film", "Humorisk", was an improvisational piece that hasn't been seen since it was shot. It was a silent and Groucho wasn't sure the film was ever processed, let alone ever shown...

I think the Groucho quote goes: I don't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member. No, that's not right, either. I'll look it up. It was in reference to the Friar's club, I believe.

"Coconuts" is the earliest available film and while a version of it was seen on stage, there was considerable fiddling with the script during the preproduction and...
well, considering that the Bros. never quite did anything the same twice, which means that their stage show was just a framework for ad libs and running gags... the movies at best could only be an approximation of one night out of a long run.... I'm thinking Tuesday.

Thanx everyone for the info
I've added some of it, the rest will be done either tomorrow or Thursday, haven't got time at the moment.
I've also credited those that helped as researchers
Oberon2001

Ok, My original posting didn't have too much correct information in it. Goes to show how good researcher I am.

Films (films that brothers made together, they also had solo appearances) and years are here, and like tonsil wrote Humorisk was newer released (or even processed?), that's why it is normally simply forgot.

Humorisk (1920)
The Cocoanuts (1929)
Animal Crackers (1930)
Monkey Business (1931)
Horse Feathers (1932)
Duck Soup (1933)
A Night at the Opera (1935)
A Day at the Races (1937)
Room Service (1938)
At the Circus (1939)
Go West (1940)
The Big Store (1941)
A Night in Casablanca (1946)
Love Happy (1949)

I've just read a perfectly wonderful Conversation Thread. But this wasn't it.

Oh,yeah, that's the spirit!
Good one!

But I'm the one with the Groucho on my personal space!

Dr Trout, how would you like to be a public nuisance?

(from Duck Soap)

I love the quote from Groucho, it's one of my all time favourites. Which reminds, because of the number of classic quotes that have spewed from his moustached mouth, I'm adding them into the entry as PULLQUOTEs. Does this work?
Oberon2001

Hello one and all!
I've updated the entry a little bit (actually, quite a bit). Hopefully some of the info bits might jog your Groucho memories.
Enjoy!
Oberon2001