Julius Henry “Groucho” Marx (was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer who performed in films and vaudeville and on television, radio, and the stage. He is considered one of America’s greatest comedians and he died 48 years ago today, aged 87.
Marx made 13 feature films as a team with his brothers, who performed under the name the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third born. He also had a successful solo career, primarily on radio and television, most notably as the host of the game show You Bet Your Life.
His distinctive appearance, carried over from his days in vaudeville, included quirks such as an exaggerated stooped posture, spectacles, cigar, and a thick greasepaint mustache (later a real mustache) and eyebrows.
He and his brothers started performing as a singing group The Four Nightingales under the management of their mother, Minnie, but were unsuccessful until they started telling each other jokes onstage and discovered they were funny to other people as well as themselves. Leonard, Milton, Julius and Arthur Marx, later known as Chico, Groucho, Gummo (later replaced by the youngest brother, Zeppo) and Harpo Marx, became the biggest comedy stars at the New York vaudeville mecca, the Palace.
They each adopted a mock ethnic accent – Irish, Italian, etc. until anti-German sentiment in WW1 caused Groucho to drop his German accent and adopt the wise-cracking New York style he used for the rest of his career.
Chico was the businessman of the group and his 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 in television on You Bet Your Life, he had been performing successfully for half a century
Here are highlights of Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo in colour in one of their most popular films, Duck Soup, made in 1933.
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