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jedivoodoochile · 3 years ago

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El 2 de octubre de 1895 nace en la ciudad de Nueva York, Julius Henry Marx, conocido artísticamente como GROUCHO MARX, fue un actor, humorista y escritor estadounidense, popular principalmente por ser miembros de los hermanos Marx.

Es considerado uno de los cómicos más influyente de todos los tiempos, siendo sus frases, a pesar del paso del tiempo, destacadas en la cultura pop por generaciones, incluso en la época actual.

Creció en el seno de una modesta familia de inmigrantes alemanes judíos, pero de larga tradición en espectáculos de variedades y en el mundo de la farándula; fue el cuarto de seis hermanos después de Manfred, Harpo y Chico y antes que Zeppo y Gummo.

Su madre era Miene (Minnie) Schoenberg y emigró a Estados Unidos desde Alemania junto a sus padres (que habían dirigido una compañía ambulante de teatro en Alemania; él era mago y ventrilocuo y ella una arpista tirolesa).

Se preocuparon en educar a sus hijos en la música (canto Groucho, piano Chico, arpa Harpo).

Su padre fue Simon (Samuel) Marx (nacido como Marrix), un sastre alemán igualmente emigrado y nacido en Alsacia cuando esta formaba parte de Francia.

Dedicó toda su vida al mundo del espectáculo humorístico, no en vano, fue su propia madre quien le animó a empezar a actuar en distintos cabarets desde muy joven.

Julius, por sobrenombre Groucho, de grouch, "gruñón" en inglés, se ponía un mostacho postizo muy incómodo y un día decidió quitárselo y pintarse uno con betún, con lo que configuró parte de la iconografía de su personaje; igualmente añadió unos característicos andares gachos que suscitaron la risa cuando los ensayó en el espectáculo y completó su personaje con cejas pobladas, un habano y gafas de metal.

Interpretó habitualmente a un abogado cazadotes de verbo fácil, pícaro, ingenioso y dispuesto a todo por dinero, especialmente a dar un "braguetazo" o boda de conveniencia con una vieja rica (por lo general interpretada por Margaret Dumont).

Su humor era especialmente corrosivo, imaginativo, alocado y anarquista, potenciado por las travesuras del mimo Harpo y la picaresca y slang italianizante del jugador compulsivo Chico.

Junto con sus hermanos Chico, Harpo, Gummo y Zeppo recorrió casi todos los escenarios de Norteamérica durante más de 25 años, y en 1920 actuó en su primera película, titulada Humor risk.

A este film le siguieron otros títulos que hicieron mundialmente famosos a los Hermanos Marx, como Sopa de ganso (Duck soup, 1933), Una noche en la ópera (A night at the opera, 1935), Un día en las carreras (A day at the races, 1937), Los hermanos Marx en el Oeste (Go West, 1940) y Una noche en Casablanca (A night in Casablanca, de 1946); su última película, Amor en conserva (1949), contó con una casi debutante Marilyn Monroe en el reparto.

Entre sus múltiples colaboraciones, Groucho Marx trabajó como comentarista cómico en un programa de radio llamado "You Bet Your Life".

Con motivo de sus apariciones en dicha emisión, recibió el Premio al Mejor Humorista del Año en 1949.

Intentó abrirse paso en la radio, pero tampoco tuvo demasiado éxito pese a su incontinencia verbal, "Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel" en 1934, pero al regresar a su personaje característico en un ciclo de películas producidas por la Metro adquirió fama universal.

Otros programas de radio fueron "El Pabst Show" (1943) y "Apueste su vida" (1947-1949), premio Peabody en 1949, y posterior programa de televisión.

Disuelto el trío, trabajó en algunas películas de menor aceptación, exitosos programas de televisión, actuaciones personales, discos, hasta su fallecimiento.

Dos años antes había conseguido un Oscar especial por su larga trayectoria artística.

Trabajó en 18 películas, 14 de ellas junto a sus hermanos, y tuvo millones de admiradores.

También fue guionista de "The King and the Chorus Girl" (1937) de Mervyn Le Roy y autor de una obra de teatro "Time for Elizabeth" (1948).

Durante la antiizquierdista Caza de brujas, apoyó al Comité pro Primera enmienda para proteger la libertad de expresión junto a otras figuras del espectáculo como Frank Sinatra, Humphrey Bogart, Gene Kelly y Rita Hayworth.

Eso le supuso ser investigado por el FBI.

La producción literaria de Groucho Marx siguió encuadrada en la misma tónica que caracterizaba sus actuaciones en la gran pantalla. En 1933 publicó Camas (Beds), su primer libro.

Otros ensayos conocidos del autor son Many Happy Returns (1942), Groucho y yo (Groucho and Me), de 1959, Memorias de un amante sarnoso (Memoirs of a Mangy Lover), de 1963, The Groucho letters (Las cartas de Groucho), de 1967, y el libro de memorias The Groucho phile; an illustrated life (La figura de Groucho; una biografía ilustrada), de 1976.

Un humor disparatado, mordaz e incluso cínico marcó la vida del cómico estadounidense.

La particular "filosofía marxiana", basada en el porte descarado y en la visión hipercrítica de los convencionalismos sociales, ha influido en generaciones de intelectuales del mundo entero.

Poco antes de morir, la Academia de Hollywood le concedió un Oscar honorífico, en reconocimiento a toda su carrera cinematográfica.

Buscaba la risa de los demás y se hizo tan adicto a las carcajadas que a menudo despertaban sus comentarios agudos y no siempre amables que las impertinencias se convirtieron en parte importante de su manera de ser y le trajeron problemas en su vida: su familia y sus amigos que se cansaban de sus bromas pesadas y de sus ‘zascas’ mordaces.

Groucho habla de ello en sus memorias, le dedica un capítulo entero titulado Meteduras de pata.

Reconoce que lo que él denomina "un impulso nervioso, un reflejo automático o únicamente una perversidad básica" le ha traído muchos problemas, "Tal vez un psicólogo lo describiría como enfermedad de la Metedura de Pata", afirmó.

Fue muy mujeriego, en la realidad y en la pantalla. En varias de sus cintas perseguía a una señora millonaria, personaje interpretado por Margaret Dumont, a quien soltaba en la vida real las mismas frescas poco caballerosas que en las películas.

Le decía cosas menos amables que su famoso " quiere casarse conmigo? Es usted rica? Conteste primero a la segunda pregunta".

La última mujer en su vida fue Erin Fleming, que fue su joven secretaria y su pareja, a sus hijos les pareció que se aprovechaba de él y la cosa acabó en los tribunales: su hijo Arthur lo inhabilitó y logró que un juez apartara a la chica, 51 años más joven que Groucho, de las finanzas del cómico.

El 19 de agosto de 1977 muere en Los Ángeles, California a causa de una neumonía.

Pese a su fallecimiento hace cuatro décadas, la figura de Groucho ha seguido estando muy presente en la cultura popular, y sus características gafas, nariz, puro y bigote se han convertido en un icono de la comedia.

En los últimos días, miles de personas han rendido homenaje al actor en la red social Twitter, donde se repiten una y otra vez decenas de sus frases más conocidas, como "Disculpen si les llamo caballeros, pero no les conozco muy bien" o "¿A quién va a creer usted? ¿A mí o a sus propios ojos?".

Dejó atrás tres exesposas, Ruth, Kay y Eden, tres hijos (Arthur, que fue exitoso guionista y escritor de biografías; Miriam y Melinda), 18 películas, 14 de ellas junto a sus hermanos y millones de admiradores.

Una de sus célebres frases fue: "No deseo pertenecer a ningún club que acepte como socio a alguien como yo".

Groucho Marx fue incinerado; sus cenizas, tras ser robadas en 1982 y devueltas la misma noche a las puertas del cercano Mount Sinai Memorial Park, siguen en el Eden Memorial Park (Mission Hills, California), siendo falso que su lápida contenga el epitafio "Disculpe que no me levante", como popularmente se repite, aunque sí parece cierto que en una entrevista poco antes de su muerte formuló esa frase como un deseo, lo que pudo dar lugar a la confusión posterior.

Arthur Marx contó muchas cosas de su padre en el libro Mi vida con Groucho; por ejemplo, que cuando iba a un restaurante caro de Hollywood aparcaba lejos para ahorrar unos dólares en parquímetro. Pero también el hijo de Groucho dijo que su padre era mucho más tierno de lo que aparentaba: "Era un sentimental, pero preferiría morirse antes de que nadie lo supiera", explicó.

#marilyn monroe #groucho marx

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detrixsta · 5 years ago

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That day in Classic Comedy --

Monday, December 19, 1932:

"Film folk at Benefit Show"

Oliver Hardy, Helen Kane, Stan Laurel & Jimmy Durante are seen here at the Christmas Benefit Show, staged by a Los Angeles newspaper, at the Shrine Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Radio, screen, & stage luminaries attended & participated in the festivities.

Laurel & Hardy had just completed production on their short film ; "Twice Two" the previous Thursday.

Jimmy Durante was busy in Hollywood, appearing in 6 feature films that year.

Helen Kane was making various "In Person" appearances at nightclubs & theaters at this point. Sadly, with the hardships of the Great Depression biting, the life of the carefree flapper has had it's day, & Kane's style began to date rapidly, as popular tastes changed.

If you couldn't attend the Christmas Benefit stage show, you could tune in your radio to NBC that night to hear Groucho & Chico Marx in the fourth episode of their series, "Flywheel, Shyster, & Flywheel".

"Dis' is essentially Betty Boop with Laurel & Hardy & the great Schnozzola; if dat' don't get me some likes; den' nuttin' will...."

#1932 #classic comedy #laurel and hardy #helen kane #jimmy durante #1930s hollywood #stan and ollie #betty boop #old hollywood #Great Depression #1930s #christmas 1932 #benefit performance #shrine civic auditorium #california #twice two #comedy teams #the marx brothers

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euclydes · 4 years ago

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Dear gentlemen, between 1932 and 1933, Groucho and Chico Marx presented on NBC a series, with 26 comedies, entitled “Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel”. The originals of these scripts are filed with the Library of Congress. I provided copies of this material and translated the texts.

I am writing to Penguin Random House to find out if you are interested in publishing these translations. Kind regards.

Euclydes Rocco

Sao Paulo, Brazil

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the-marx-brothers-will-live-on · 5 years ago

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Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, stage, film, radio, and television star. A master of quick wit, he is generally considered to be one of America's greatest comedians.

Julius Henry Marx was born on October 2, 1890, in Manhattan, New York. Marx stated that he was born in a room above a butcher's shop on East 78th Street, "Between Lexington & 3rd", as he told Dick Cavett in a 1969 television interview. The Marx children grew up in a turn-of-the-century building on East 93rd Street off Lexington Avenue in a neighborhood now known as Carnegie Hill on the Upper East Side of the borough of Manhattan. His brother Harpo, in his memoir Harpo Speaks, called the building "the first real home they ever knew". It was populated with European immigrants, mostly artisans. Just across the street were the oldest brownstones in the area, owned by people such as the well-connected Loew Brothers and William Orth. The Marx family lived there "for about 14 years," Groucho also told Cavett.

Marx's family was Jewish.[7] His mother was Miene "Minnie" Schoenberg, whose family came from Dornum in northern Germany when she was 16 years old. His father was Simon "Sam" Marx, who changed his name from Marrix, and was called "Frenchie" by his sons throughout his life, because he and his family came from Alsace in France.[8] Minnie's brother was Al Schoenberg, who shortened his name to Al Shean when he went into show business as half of Gallagher and Shean, a noted vaudeville act of the early 20th century. According to Marx, when Shean visited, he would throw the local waifs a few coins so that when he knocked at the door he would be surrounded by adoring fans. Marx and his brothers respected his opinions and asked him on several occasions to write some material for them.

Minnie Marx did not have an entertainment industry career but had intense ambition for her sons to go on the stage like their uncle. While pushing her eldest son Leonard (Chico Marx) in piano lessons, she found that Julius had a pleasant soprano voice and the ability to remain on key. Julius's early career goal was to become a doctor, but the family's need for income forced him out of school at the age of twelve. By that time, young Julius had become a voracious reader, particularly fond of Horatio Alger. Marx would continue to overcome his lack of formal education by becoming well-read.

After a few stabs at entry-level office work and jobs suitable for adolescents, Julius took to the stage as a boy singer with the Gene Leroy Trio, debuting at the Ramona Theatre in Grand Rapids, MI, on July 16, 1905.[9] Marx reputedly claimed that he was "hopelessly average" as a vaudevillian, but this was typical Marx, wisecracking in his true form. By 1909, Minnie Marx had assembled her sons into an undistinguished vaudeville singing group billed as "The Four Nightingales". The brothers Julius, Milton (Gummo Marx) and Arthur (originally Adolph, but Harpo Marx from 1911) and another boy singer, Lou Levy, traveled the U.S. vaudeville circuits to little fanfare. After exhausting their prospects in the East, the family moved to La Grange, Illinois, to play the Midwest.

After a particularly dispiriting performance in Nacogdoches, Texas, Julius, Milton, and Arthur began cracking jokes onstage for their own amusement. Much to their surprise, the audience liked them better as comedians than as singers. They modified the then-popular Gus Edwards comedy skit "School Days" and renamed it "Fun In Hi Skule". The Marx Brothers would perform variations on this routine for the next seven years.

For a time in vaudeville, all the brothers performed using ethnic accents. Leonard, the oldest, developed the Italian accent he used as Chico Marx to convince some roving bullies that he was Italian, not Jewish. Arthur, the next oldest, donned a curly red wig and became "Patsy Brannigan", a stereotypical Irish character. His discomfort when speaking on stage led to his uncle Al Shean's suggestion that he stop speaking altogether and play the role in mime. Julius Marx's character from "Fun In Hi Skule" was an ethnic German, so Julius played him with a German accent. After the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in 1915, public anti-German sentiment was widespread, and Marx's German character was booed, so he quickly dropped the accent and developed the fast-talking wise-guy character that became his trademark.

The Marx Brothers became the biggest comedic stars of the Palace Theatre in New York, which billed itself as the "Valhalla of Vaudeville". Brother Chico's deal-making skills resulted in three hit plays on Broadway. No other comedy routine had ever so infected the Broadway circuit. All of this stage work predated their Hollywood career. By the time the Marxes made their first movie, they were already major stars with sharply honed skills; and by the time Groucho was relaunched to stardom on You Bet Your Life, he had been performing successfully for half a century.

Marx started his career in vaudeville in 1905 when he joined up with an act called The Leroy Trio. He was asked by a man named Robin Leroy to join the group as a singer, along with fellow vaudeville actor Johnny Morris. Through this act, Marx got his first taste of life as a vaudeville performer. In 1909, Marx and his brothers had become a group act, at first called The Three Nightingales and later The Four Nightingales. The brothers' mother, Minnie Marx, was the group's manager, putting them together and booking their shows. The group had a rocky start, performing in less than adequate venues and rarely, if ever, being paid for their performances. Eventually one of the brothers would leave to serve in World War I and was replaced by Herbert (Zeppo), and the group became known as the Marx Brothers. Their first successful show was Fun In Hi Skule (1910).

Marx made 26 movies, 13 of them with his brothers Chico and Harpo. Marx developed a routine as a wisecracking hustler with a distinctive chicken-walking lope, an exaggerated greasepaint mustache and eyebrows, and an ever-present cigar, improvising insults to stuffy dowagers (usually played by Margaret Dumont) and anyone else who stood in his way. As the Marx Brothers, he and his brothers starred in a series of popular stage shows and movies.

Their first movie was a silent film made in 1921 that was never released, and is believed to have been destroyed at the time. A decade later, the team made two of their Broadway hits—The Cocoanuts and Animal Crackers—into movies. Other successful films were Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, Duck Soup, and A Night at the Opera.[11] One quip from Marx concerned his response to Sam Wood, the director of A Night at the Opera. Furious with the Marx Brothers' ad-libs and antics on the set, Wood yelled in disgust: "You can't make an actor out of clay." Marx responded, "Nor a director out of Wood."

Marx also worked as a radio comedian and show host. One of his earliest stints was a short-lived series in 1932, Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel, costarring Chico. Though most of the scripts and discs were thought to have been destroyed, all but one of the scripts were found in 1988 in the Library of Congress. In 1947, Marx was asked to host a radio quiz program You Bet Your Life. It was broadcast by ABC and then CBS before moving to NBC. It moved from radio to television on October 5, 1950, and ran for eleven years. Filmed before an audience, the show consisted of Marx bantering with the contestants and ad-libbing jokes before briefly quizzing them. The show was responsible for popularizing the phrases "Say the secret word and the duck will come down and give you fifty dollars," "Who's buried in Grant's Tomb?" and "What color is the White House?" (asked to reward a losing contestant a consolation prize).

Throughout his career, Marx introduced a number of memorable songs in films, including "Hooray for Captain Spaulding" and "Hello, I Must Be Going", in Animal Crackers, "Whatever It Is, I'm Against It", "Everyone Says I Love You" and "Lydia the Tattooed Lady". Frank Sinatra, who once quipped that the only thing he could do better than Marx was sing, made a film with Marx and Jane Russell in 1951 entitled Double Dynamite.

In public and off-camera, Harpo and Chico were hard to recognize, without their wigs and costumes, and it was almost impossible for fans to recognize Groucho without his trademark eyeglasses, fake eyebrows, and mustache.

The greasepaint mustache and eyebrows originated spontaneously prior to a vaudeville performance in the early 1920s when he did not have time to apply the pasted-on mustache he had been using (or, according to his autobiography, simply did not enjoy the removal of the mustache because of the effects of tearing an adhesive bandage off the same patch of skin every night). After applying the greasepaint mustache, a quick glance in the mirror revealed his natural hair eyebrows were too undertoned and did not match the rest of his face, so Marx added the greasepaint to his eyebrows and headed for the stage. The absurdity of the greasepaint was never discussed on-screen, but in a famous scene in Duck Soup, where both Chicolini (Chico) and Pinky (Harpo) disguise themselves as Groucho, they are briefly seen applying the greasepaint, implicitly answering any question a viewer might have had about where he got his mustache and eyebrows.

Marx was asked to apply the greasepaint mustache once more for You Bet Your Life when it came to television, but he refused, opting instead to grow a real one, which he wore for the rest of his life. By this time, his eyesight had weakened enough for him to actually need corrective lenses; before then, his eyeglasses had merely been a stage prop. He debuted this new, and now much-older, appearance in Love Happy, the Marx Brothers's last film as a comedy team.

He did paint the old character mustache over his real one on a few rare occasions, including a TV sketch with Jackie Gleason on the latter's variety show in the 1960s (in which they performed a variation on the song "Mister Gallagher and Mister Shean," co-written by Marx's uncle Al Shean) and the 1968 Otto Preminger film Skidoo. In his late 70s at the time, Marx remarked on his appearance: "I looked like I was embalmed." He played a mob boss called "God" and, according to Marx, "both my performance and the film were God-awful!"

The exaggerated walk, with one hand on the small of his back and his torso bent almost 90 degrees at the waist was a parody of a fad from the 1880s and 1890s. Fashionable young men of the upper classes would affect a walk with their right hand held fast to the base of their spines, and with a slight lean forward at the waist and a very slight twist toward the right with the left shoulder, allowing the left hand to swing free with the gait. Edmund Morris, in his biography The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, describes a young Roosevelt, newly elected to the State Assembly, walking into the House Chamber for the first time in this trendy, affected gait, somewhat to the amusement of the older and more rural members. Marx exaggerated this fad to a marked degree, and the comedy effect was enhanced by how out of date the fashion was by the 1940s and 1950s.

Marx's three marriages ended in divorce. His first wife was chorus girl Ruth Johnson (m. 1920-42). He was 29 and she was 19 at the time of their wedding. The couple had two children, Arthur Marx and Miriam Marx. His second wife was Kay Marvis (m. 1945–51), Catherine Dittig, ormer wife of Leo Gorcey. Marx was 54 and Kay was 21 at the time of their marriage. They had a daughter, Melinda Marx. His third wife was actress Eden Hartford (m. 1954-69). He was 64 and she was 24 at the time of their wedding.

During the early 1950s, Marx described his perfect woman: "Someone who looks like Marilyn Monroe and talks like George S. Kaufman."

Marx was denied membership in an informal symphonietta of friends (including Harpo) organized by Ben Hecht, because he could play only the mandolin. When the group began its first rehearsal at Hecht's home, Marx rushed in and demanded silence from the "lousy amateurs". The musicians discovered him conducting the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra in a performance of the overture to Tannhäuser in Hecht's living room. Marx was allowed to join the symphonietta.

Later in life, Marx would sometimes note to talk show hosts, not entirely jokingly, that he was unable to actually insult anyone, because the target of his comment would assume that it was a Groucho-esque joke, and would laugh.

Despite his lack of formal education, he wrote many books, including his autobiography, Groucho and Me (1959) and Memoirs of a Mangy Lover (1963). He was a friend of such literary figures as Booth Tarkington, T. S. Eliot and Carl Sandburg. Much of his personal correspondence with those and other figures is featured in the book The Groucho Letters (1967) with an introduction and commentary on the letters written by Marx, who donated his letters to the Library of Congress. His daughter Miriam published a collection of his letters to her in 1992 titled Love, Groucho.

Marx made serious efforts to learn to play the guitar. In the 1932 film Horse Feathers, he performs the film's love theme "Everyone Says I Love You" for costar Thelma Todd on a Gibson L-5.

In July 1937, an America vs England pro-celebrity tennis doubles match was organized, featuring Marx and Ellsworth Vines playing against Charlie Chaplin and Fred Perry, to open the new clubhouse at the Beverly Hills Tennis Club. Marx appeared on court with 12 rackets and a suitcase, leaving Chaplin – who took tennis seriously – bemused, before he asked what was in it. Marx asked Chaplin what was in his, with Chaplin responding he didn't have one. Marx replied, "What kind of tennis player are you?" After playing only a few games, Marx sat on the court and unpacked an elaborate picnic lunch from his suitcase.

Irving Berlin quipped, "The world would not be in such a snarl, had Marx been Groucho instead of Karl". In his book The Groucho Phile, Marx says "I've been a liberal Democrat all my life", and "I frankly find Democrats a better, more sympathetic crowd.... I'll continue to believe that Democrats have a greater regard for the common man than Republicans do". However, just like some of the other Democrats of the time, Marx also said in a television interview that he disliked the women's liberation movement. On the July 7, 1967, Firing Line TV show, Marx said, "The whole political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence."

Marx's radio career was not as successful as his work on stage and in film, though historians such as Gerald Nachman and Michael Barson suggest that, in the case of the single-season Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel (1932), the failure may have been a combination of a poor time slot and the Marx Brothers' returning to Hollywood to make another film.

In the mid-1940s, during a depressing lull in his career (his radio show Blue Ribbon Town had failed, he failed to sell his proposed sitcom The Flotsam Family only to see it become a huge hit as The Life of Riley with William Bendix in the title role, and the Marx Brothers as film performers were well past their prime), Marx was scheduled to appear on a radio show with Bob Hope. Annoyed that he was made to wait in the green room for 40 minutes, he went on the air in a foul mood.

Hope started by saying "Why, Groucho Marx! Groucho, what are you doing out here in the desert?" Marx retorted, "Huh, desert, I've been sitting in the dressing room for forty minutes! Some desert alright..." Marx continued to ignore the script, ad-libbing at length to take the scene well beyond its allotted time slot.

Listening in on the show was producer John Guedel, who had a brainstorm. He approached Marx about doing a quiz show, to which Marx derisively retorted, "A quiz show? Only actors who are completely washed up resort to a quiz show!" Undeterred, Guedel proposed that the quiz would be only a backdrop for Marx's interviews of people, and the storm of ad-libbing that they would elicit. Marx replied, "Well, I've had no success in radio, and I can't hold on to a sponsor. At this point, I'll try anything!"

You Bet Your Life debuted in October 1947 on ABC radio (which aired it from 1947 to 1949), sponsored by costume jewelry manufacturer Allen Gellman;[23] and then on CBS (1949–50), and finally NBC. The show was on radio only from 1947 to 1950; on both radio and television from 1950 to 1960; and on television only, from 1960 to 1961. The show proved a huge hit, being one of the most popular on television by the mid-1950s. With George Fenneman as his announcer and straight man, Marx entertained his audiences with improvised conversation with his guests. Since You Bet Your Life was mostly ad-libbed and unscripted—although writers did pre-interview the guests and feed Marx ready-made lines in advance—the producers insisted that the network prerecord it instead of it being broadcast live. There were two reasons for this: prerecording provided Marx with time to fish around for funny exchanges and any intervening dead spots to be edited out; and secondly to protect the network, since Marx was a notorious loose cannon and known to say almost anything. The television show ran for 11 seasons until it was canceled in 1961. Automobile marque DeSoto was a longtime major sponsor. For the DeSoto ads, Marx would sometimes say: "Tell 'em Groucho sent you", or "Try a DeSoto before you decide".

The program's theme music was an instrumental version of "Hooray for Captain Spaulding", which became increasingly identified as Marx's personal theme song. A recording of the song with Marx and the Ken Lane singers with an orchestra directed by Victor Young was released in 1952. Another recording made by Marx during this period was "The Funniest Song in the World", released on the Young People's Records label in 1949. It was a series of five original children's songs with a connecting narrative about a monkey and his fellow zoo creatures.

An apocryphal story relates Marx interviewing Charlotte Story, who had borne 20 children. When Marx asked why she had chosen to raise such a large family, Mrs. Story is said to have replied, "I love my husband"; to which Marx responded, "I love my cigar, but I take it out of my mouth once in a while." The remark was judged too risqué to be aired, according to the anecdote, and was edited out before broadcast. Charlotte Story and her husband Marion, indeed parents of 20 children, were real people who appeared on the program in 1950. Audio recordings of the interview exist, and a reference to cigars is made ("With each new kid, do you go around passing out cigars?"), but there is no evidence of the claimed remark. Marx and Fenneman both denied that the incident took place. "I get credit all the time for things I never said," Marx told Roger Ebert in 1972. "You know that line in You Bet Your Life? The guy says he has seventeen kids and I say, 'I smoke a cigar, but I take it out of my mouth occasionally'? I never said that." Marx's 1976 memoir recounts the episode as fact, but co-writer Hector Arce relied mostly on sources other than Marx himself—who was by then in his mid eighties, in ill health and mentally compromised—and was probably unaware that Marx had specifically denied making the observation. Another anecdote that may or may not be apocryphal recounts how Warner Brothers threatened to sue Groucho when they learned that the next Marx Brothers film was to be called "A Night in Casablanca", contending that that title was too similar to their own film Casablanca. Groucho is reported to have replied: "I'll sue you for using the word Brothers."

By the time You Bet Your Life debuted on TV on October 5, 1950, Marx had grown a real mustache (which he had already sported earlier in the films Copacabana and Love Happy).

During a tour of Germany in 1958, accompanied by then-wife Eden, daughter Melinda, Robert Dwan and Dwan's daughter Judith, he climbed a pile of rubble that marked the site of Adolf Hitler's bunker, the site of Hitler's death, and performed a two-minute Charleston. He later remarked to Richard J. Anobile in The Marx Brothers Scrapbook, "Not much satisfaction after he killed six million Jews!"

In 1960, Marx, a lifelong devotee of the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan, appeared as Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner, in a televised production of The Mikado on NBC's Bell Telephone Hour. A clip of this is in rotation on Classic Arts Showcase.

Another TV show, Tell It To Groucho, premiered January 11, 1962, on CBS, but only lasted five months. On October 1, 1962, Marx, after acting as occasional guest host of The Tonight Show during the six-month interval between Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, introduced Carson as the new host.

In 1964, Marx starred in the "Time for Elizabeth" episode of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, a truncated version of a play that he and Norman Krasna wrote in 1948.

In 1965, Marx starred in a weekly show for British TV titled Groucho, broadcast on ITV. The program was along similar lines to You Bet Your Life, with Keith Fordyce taking on the Fenneman role. However, it was poorly received and lasted only 11 weeks.

Marx appeared as a gangster named God in the movie Skidoo (1968), directed by Otto Preminger, and costarring Jackie Gleason and Carol Channing. It was released by the studio where the Marx Brothers began their film career, Paramount Pictures. The film received almost universally negative reviews. As a side note, writer Paul Krassner published a story in the February 1981 issue of High Times, relating how Marx prepared for the LSD-themed movie by taking a dose of the drug in Krassner's company, and had a moving, largely pleasant experience.

Marx developed friendships with rock star Alice Cooper—the two were photographed together for Rolling Stone magazine—and television host Dick Cavett, becoming a frequent guest on Cavett's late-night talk show, even appearing in a one-man, 90-minute interview. He befriended Elton John when the British singer was staying in California in 1972, insisting on calling him "John Elton." According to writer Philip Norman, when Marx jokingly pointed his index fingers as if holding a pair of six-shooters, Elton John put up his hands and said, "Don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player," thereby naming the album he had just completed. A film poster for the Marx Bros. movie Go West is visible on the album cover photograph as an homage to Marx. Elton John accompanied Marx to a performance of Jesus Christ Superstar. As the lights went down, Marx called out, "Does it have a happy ending?" And during the Crucifixion scene, he declared, "This is sure to offend the Jews."

Marx's previous work regained popularity; new books of transcribed conversations were published by Richard J. Anobile and Charlotte Chandler. In a BBC interview in 1975, Marx called his greatest achievement having a book selected for cultural preservation in the Library of Congress. In a Cavett interview in 1971, Marx said being published in The New Yorker under his own name, Julius Henry Marx, meant more than all the plays he appeared in. As a man who never had formal schooling, to have his writings declared culturally important was a point of great satisfaction. As he passed his 81st birthday in 1971, however, Marx became increasingly frail, physically and mentally, as a result of a succession of minor strokes and other health issues.

In 1972, largely at the behest of his companion Erin Fleming, Marx staged a live one-man show at Carnegie Hall that was later released as a double album, An Evening with Groucho, on A&M Records. He also made an appearance in 1973 on a short-lived variety show hosted by Bill Cosby. Fleming's influence on Marx was controversial. Some close to Marx believed that she did much to revive his popularity, and the relationship with a younger woman boosted his ego and vitality. Others described her as a Svengali, exploiting an increasingly senile Marx in pursuit of her own stardom. Marx's children, particularly Arthur, felt strongly that Fleming was pushing their weak father beyond his physical and mental limits. Writer Mark Evanier concurred.

On the 1974 Academy Awards telecast, Marx's final major public appearance, Jack Lemmon presented him with an honorary Academy Award to a standing ovation. The award honored Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo as well: "in recognition of his brilliant creativity and for the unequalled achievements of the Marx Brothers in the art of motion picture comedy.” Noticeably frail, Marx took a bow for his deceased brothers. "I wish that Harpo and Chico could be here to share with me this great honor," he said, naming the two deceased brothers (Zeppo, still alive, was in the audience). He also praised the late Margaret Dumont as a great straight woman who never understood any of his jokes. Marx's final appearance was a brief sketch with George Burns in the Bob Hope television special Joys (a parody of the 1975 movie Jaws) in March 1976. His health continued to decline the following year; when his younger brother Gummo died at age 83 on April 21, 1977, Marx was never told for fear of eliciting still further deterioration of his health.

Marx maintained his irrepressible sense of humor to the very end, however. George Fenneman, his radio and TV announcer, good-natured foil, and lifelong friend, often related a story of one of his final visits to Marx's home: When the time came to end the visit, Fenneman lifted Marx from his wheelchair, put his arms around his torso, and began to "walk" the frail comedian backwards across the room towards his bed. As he did, he heard a weak voice in his ear: "Fenneman," whispered Marx, "you always were a lousy dancer." When a nurse approached him with a thermometer during his final hospitalization, explaining that she wanted to see if he had a temperature, he responded, "Don't be silly — everybody has a temperature." Actor Elliott Gould recalled a similar incident: "I recall the last time I saw Groucho, he was in the hospital, and he had tubes in his nose and what have you," he said. "And when he saw me, he was weak, but he was there; and he put his fingers on the tubes and played them like it was a clarinet. Groucho played the tubes for me, which brings me to tears."

Marx was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with pneumonia on June 22, 1977, and died there nearly two months later at the age of 86 on August 19, four months after Gummo's death.

Marx was cremated and the ashes are interred in the Eden Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. He was survived by his three children and younger brother Zeppo, who outlived him by two years. His gravestone bears no epitaph, but in one of his last interviews he suggested one: "Excuse me, I can't stand up."

Litigation over his estate lasted into the 1980s. Eventually, Arthur Marx and his sisters were awarded the bulk of the estate, and Erin Fleming was ordered to repay $472,000.

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hackenboo · 2 months ago

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These are from my favorite episodes from “Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel” episode 8 and 20.

Flywheel and Ravelli are chasing the bulgar with a cop (ep8)

Flywheel and Ravelli goes to the haunted house and meet…(ep20)

I really love this series. How sad I already read full episodes. Nooow where’s the season2

#marx brothers #fanart #Flywheel Shyster and Flywheel

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hcshannon · 3 years ago

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And my struggle to make an animated episode of Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel episode with MMD, continues.

#Flywheel shyster and flywheel #marx brothers #the marx brothers #chico marx #groucho marx #mmd video #radio show

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retrotariotr · 28 days ago

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The Big Store is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo and Chico) that takes place in a large department store. Groucho appears as private detective Wolf J. Flywheel (a character name originating from the Marx-Perrin radio show Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel in the early 1930s).

#nostalgia #retro #vintage #old films #comedy #movies #movie poster #the marx brothers #groucho marx #chico marx #harpo marx

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citizenscreen · 2 years ago

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90th anniversary event…November 28, 1932 marked the radio debut of Groucho Marx. Groucho and Chico co-starred in the short-lived series, “Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel”. #OnThisDay

#groucho marx #chico marx #the marx brothers

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elcinelateleymickyandonie · 4 years ago

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Filmografía

Películas de los cuatro Hermanos Marx:

_ Humor Risk (1921) (sólo se conservan unos pocos fragmentos)

- Los cuatro cocos (1929)

- El conflicto de los Marx (1930)

- Pistoleros de agua dulce (1931)

- Plumas de caballo (1932)

- Sopa de ganso (1933)

Películas de los tres Hermanos Marx (sin Zeppo)

- Héroes de ocasión (1933)

- Una noche en la ópera (1935)

- Un día en las carreras (1937)

- El hotel de los líos (1938)

- Una tarde en el circo (1939)

- Los Hermanos Marx en el Oeste (1940)

- Tienda de locos (1941)

- Una noche en Casablanca (1946)

- Amor en conserva (1949)

- La historia de la humanidad (1957) (aparecen por separado, no se considera una película de los Hermanos Marx)

Películas solo

- Copacabana (1947) de Alfred E. Green

- Double Dynamite (1951)

- Una mujer en cada puerto (1952)

- Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957)

- The Mikado (TV) (1960)

- Skidoo (1968)

Libros

- Groucho y yo (1959)

- Memorias de un amante sarnoso (1963)

- Las cartas de Groucho (1967)

- Camas (1984)

- Groucho y Chico abogados: Flywheel, Shyster y Flywheel. El serial radiofónico perdido de los hermanos Marx (Barcelona: Tusquets editores, 1999)

- ¡Sálvese quien pueda! y otras historias inauditas (Plot ediciones, 2005)

#HONDURASQUEDATEENCASA

#ELCINELATELEYMICKYANDONIE

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catonablog-blog-blog · 4 months ago

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I’m Rufus T. Flywheel, attorney at law and proud partner of the prestigious law firm, Flywheel, Shyster & Flywheel. Join me as we delve into the intricacies of one of our most astounding legal victories - the case of Charade v. Shenanigans. Charade v. Shenanigans was a landmark case that captivated the legal community and showcased the brilliance and prowess of our legal team. The case revolved around a complex web of deception, fraud, and intrigue that tested our skills and expertise to the limit. But with dedication, perseverance, and a dash of legal genius, we emerged victorious, securing a win that left our opponents reeling. The Origins of the Case The origins of Charade v. Shenanigans can be traced back to a seemingly innocuous business deal gone awry. Charade Industries, a reputable conglomerate known for its integrity and ethical practices, entered into a partnership with Shenanigans Inc., a shadowy corporation with a dubious reputation. What started as a promising collaboration soon spiraled into a nightmare of deceit and treachery. Shenanigans Inc. had allegedly engaged in a series of underhanded tactics to undermine Charade Industries, including misrepresentation, breach of contract, and intellectual property theft. As the dispute escalated, it became evident that the only way to resolve the matter was through the court system, setting the stage for a legal battle of epic proportions. The Legal Strategy When Charade Industries approached Flywheel, Shyster & Flywheel to represent them in the case, we knew we were facing a formidable opponent. Shenanigans Inc. had a team of high-powered lawyers known for their aggressive tactics and unscrupulous practices. But we were undaunted, for we had a secret weapon in our arsenal - our unparalleled legal brilliance. Our legal strategy in Charade v. Shenanigans was twofold. First, we meticulously analyzed the evidence and built a rock-solid case based on facts, precedent, and irrefutable logic. We left no stone unturned in our quest for justice, poring over every document, contract, and communication to uncover the truth behind Shenanigans Inc.'s nefarious deeds. Second, we leveraged our courtroom expertise and persuasive skills to present our case with precision and flair. Led by yours truly, Rufus T. Flywheel, our legal team masterfully crafted arguments, cross-examined witnesses, and delivered closing statements that left the judge and jury spellbound. With each day of the trial, our reputation as legal virtuosos grew, earning us the respect and admiration of our peers. The Turning Point As the trial of Charade v. Shenanigans unfolded, it became clear that the tide was turning in our favor. Our meticulous preparation, strategic acumen, and unwavering dedication to our client's cause had put us on the path to victory. But it was a dramatic turning point in the case that sealed our triumph and underscored our reputation as legal legends. During a key cross-examination, I, Rufus T. Flywheel, exposed a critical inconsistency in the testimony of Shenanigans Inc.'s star witness. Through a series of relentless questions and skillful maneuvering, I unraveled the witness's credibility, casting doubt on the veracity of Shenanigans Inc.'s entire defense. The courtroom buzzed with anticipation as the witness stumbled and faltered, ultimately crumbling under the weight of their own deception. The moment was electric, as the judge and jury watched in awe at the masterful display of legal prowess. The tables had turned, and Shenanigans Inc.'s case lay in ruins, a shattered facade of lies and deceit. In that instant, our victory was all but assured, and our reputation as the premier legal firm in the land was cemented for eternity. The Verdict After weeks of intense courtroom drama and legal jousting, the moment of reckoning arrived - the verdict in Charade v. Shenanigans. As the judge read out the decision, there was a collective hush in the courtroom, a palpable tension that hung in the air. And then, the words we had been waiting for echoed through the room - In favor of the plaintiff, Charade Industries. A wave of relief and jubilation swept over our team as we savored the sweet taste of victory. Our client, Charade Industries, embraced us with gratitude and appreciation, acknowledging our unwavering commitment to their cause and our unmatched legal acumen. Shenanigans Inc., on the other hand, was left to ponder the consequences of their actions, reeling from a defeat that would echo through the corridors of legal history. The Legacy of Astounding Legal Brilliance As we reflect on the case of Charade v. Shenanigans, we are reminded of the power of truth, justice, and unwavering dedication to the rule of law. Our victory in this landmark case is a testament to the enduring legacy of Flywheel, Shyster & Flywheel, a legacy built on integrity, excellence, and a relentless pursuit of justice. For me, Rufus T. Flywheel, and my esteemed colleagues at Flywheel, Shyster & Flywheel, the case of Charade v. Shenanigans will forever stand as a shining example of our astounding legal brilliance. It is a reminder that in the face of adversity, deceit, and betrayal, the light of justice will always prevail, guided by the steady hand of those who dare to champion the cause of truth. As we look to the future, we do so with renewed determination and unwavering resolve, ready to take on whatever challenges come our way. Our reputation as legal virtuosos is unshakable, our commitment to our clients unwavering, and our passion for the law unending. Flywheel, Shyster & Flywheel - where astounding legal brilliance is not just a slogan, but a way of life. In conclusion, the case of Charade v. Shenanigans stands as a testament to the power of justice, the triumph of truth, and the enduring legacy of Flywheel, Shyster & Flywheel. Join us as we continue our journey towards excellence, integrity, and the pursuit of legal greatness, one case at a time. Thank you for reading, and until next time, remember - in the world of law, brilliance shines brightest in the hands of those who dare to dream, to fight, and to win.

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