Remembering Groucho [Archive]

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reechie

08-19-2007, 01:29 PM

Thirty years ago today, we lost Groucho Marx.

Then, as now, you'll hear more about the gatherings at Graceland, commemorating the death of The King Of Rock & Roll a few days earlier. I was pleased, however, to see a nice tribute to Groucho on this morning's edition of CBS Sunday Morning.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/16/sunday/main3175169.shtml

Mark Evanier has some nice remembrances on his site as well.
http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2007_08_19.html#013883
http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2007_08_19.html#013885
http://www.povonline.com/cols/COL238.htm

Hard to believe it's been thirty years. I miss the guy as much now as I did when I was twelve.

-Alan

08-19-2007, 01:56 PM

A comic genius. Groucho and Jack Benny on "You Bet Your Life" in 1955:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wNK1Jt4JLg

Here's a little trivia: Jack Benny was performing with the Marx Brothers in 1919 when he was invited to a Passover seder at the home of Groucho's cousin. That's where he met his future wife Mary Livingstone (maiden name Sadie Marks), who was the cousin's teenage daughter.

wayneklein

08-19-2007, 05:43 PM

I always thought that Bugs Bunny was inspired by some of Groucho's antics.

Captain Groovy

08-19-2007, 05:43 PM

Love Groucho... bummer he's been gone so long.

Jeff

Evan L

08-19-2007, 05:56 PM

I remember Groucho's passing was overshadowed by Elvis'....Groucho was actually the bigger talent.

I still watch his movies and even quote him. My favorite:

Woman: "You wouldn't say no to a lady, would you?"
Groucho: "I don't see why not, they always say no to me!" :laugh:

Evan

Mark

08-19-2007, 05:59 PM

"Say the magic word." "Everyone knows there's no Sanity Clause." One of the truly original geniuses of comedy.

billdcat

08-19-2007, 07:50 PM

1977 was a bad year for losing the great ones.

Mr. Marx, Elvis Presley, and Bing Crosby all left us that year.

Derek Gee

08-19-2007, 07:52 PM

1977 was a bad year for losing the great ones.

Mr. Marx, Elvis Presley, and Bing Crosby all left us that year.

We lost Charlie Chaplin that year as well. :(

Derek

Pinknik

08-19-2007, 08:07 PM

My sister was born in '77, so it all kinda evened out, I'd say.

"If I hold you any closer, I'll be in back of ya"

thxdave

08-19-2007, 09:00 PM

Ed Bishop

08-19-2007, 09:24 PM

I remember Groucho's passing was overshadowed by Elvis'....Groucho was actually the bigger talent.

Talent? Well, that's subjective, both men had plenty...but Groucho, talented as he was, didn't alter the cultural landscape(though he certainly added his own acerbic, snarky edge to it; his influence obvious, from Bugs Bunny to Robin Williams). Elvis changed everyone's perspective on almost anything American, from those who grew up with his music, to the adults who loathed him(or grew to like him), what he might have meant to their children. The implications of what Elvis did can still be felt today, even if it's just a faint echo. Even his peers couldn't escape his shadow, however successful they were(we must assume most of them knew it, too).

:ed:

Sneaky Pete

08-19-2007, 10:00 PM

I love this guy. I bought two collections of You Bet Your Life on DVD. They aged well. I also like seeing how different the average American was in those days.

Of course the Marx Brothers movies are great also.

Bahax

08-19-2007, 11:36 PM

"Everyone knows there's no Sanity Clause."

That was Chico! :righton:

His Masters Vice

08-20-2007, 02:30 AM

I hardly know where to begin - Duck Soup is one of my all-time favourites. Aside from the movies, and You Bet Your Life I also quite like Groucho's books. I mean, Memoirs of a Mangy Lover, Groucho and Me and The Groucho Letters, plus any and all of the bios on the Marx Bros.

"From the moment I picked up your book until I put it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it."

:winkgrin:

ceddy10165

08-20-2007, 03:56 AM

Though I was born in 1971, the Marx Brothers -- and Groucho in particular -- resonated with me the very first time I saw them, and I remember it well. Dad and I were watching a PBS station, and a Marx Bros. doc was on. We tuned in as the famous Groucho/Harpo Mirror scene was on. Instantly hooked. From that moment every Marx/Groucho book or movie I could get from the library I devoured, very much in the same way The Beatles struck me hard as a youth, and I wanted to know every little thing. I guess, the Marx Bros/Beatles were very similar for me. With Groucho (and Lennon) having the humor and world-view that I related to the most. Yup, sarcastic even as a kid. Duck Soup is my fave film, and the Marx Bros Scrapbook and Groucho Letters are my fave books on the subject. Thanks for the thread.

fjhuerta

08-20-2007, 06:15 AM

Was he the funniest actor ever? To me, he was! I can't think of any person who could deliver his lines in such a way. Amazing talent...

musicalbeds

08-20-2007, 06:21 AM

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

Missed greatly in this household...he was an original talent, a genius like no other.

Mark

08-20-2007, 06:23 AM

That was Chico! :righton:

Ain't I the stupid.....

thegage

08-20-2007, 07:43 AM

ceddy10165

08-20-2007, 07:57 AM

Was he the funniest actor ever? To me, he was! I can't think of any person who could deliver his lines in such a way. Amazing talent...

The thing I love about their humor, and Groucho's in particular, is that they were not only funny, but incredibly intelligent in their humor. It ran the range from silly gags all the way to subtle wordlplay. enough cannot be said about them. Plus I did the whole musical aspect as well. People have argued their real musical merits, but no one played the harp and piano like Harpo and Chico.

reechie

08-20-2007, 08:05 AM

I was trying to find one of the YouTube clips of him on "You Bet Your Life". He's interviewing a woman who has a BUNCH of kids. When Groucho asks her what her husband does for a living, she tells him that he operates an "automatic screwing machine". Classic, but I can't find it. :(
As noted, the actual story had Groucho asking why the couple had so many children. When the husband replied "Because I love my wife...", Groucho shot back, "I love my cigar, too, but I take it out of my mouth once in awhile!"

There is no actual film or recording of Groucho saying this line. It would have been from the radio years of You Bet Your Life, and most certainly would have never made it to air (the show was always pre-recorded and edited for broadcast). However, there was a radio episode where Groucho interviewed a couple who'd had 19 children, and if the exchange occured, it would have been during the recording of that show. A bit of that show's outtakes appear on a DeSoto/Plymouth promotional record, but unfortunately, not that particular exchange. Chances are, he actually said it, but we have no proof other than the story that's gone around for years.

Oh, and if you think you've heard a recording of the line over the years, like on one of those old Kermit Schaeffer Pardon My Blooper records, it was an imitator. Most of the stuff on those records was faked. :D

thxdave

08-20-2007, 08:11 AM

Thanks for that link, John (and Rich). I also remember THAT quote as well, but I'd swear that I actually saw the footage of the lady with the "automatic screwing machine" husband! Maybe it will surface again.

Groucho was responsible for an early paradigm shift for me. It occurred the first time I saw him step out of his on-screen character and turn to the camera to offer an observation on the madness that was happening in front of him. In my young mind, this wasn't supposed to happen. The characters weren't supposed to "talk" to me that way. It was such a mixture of surprise and delight when he did that. I'm sure it was the same thing he did every night from the stage in vaudeville but breaking the Fourth Wall was something VERY new to me watching him as a child.

thxdave

08-20-2007, 08:21 AM

Oh, and if you think you've heard a recording of the line over the years, like on one of those old Kermit Schaeffer Pardon My Blooper records, it was an imitator. Most of the stuff on those records was faked. :D

Ugghhh. You just reminded me of the time a buddy of mine dragged me into a theater (I actually paid MONEY to see this) to see Schaeffer's "Pardon My Blooper" which was a lame collection of recreated game show and TV bloopers. I almost killed him for that. However, I'd almost be willing to put money on having seen the "screwing" interview. I remember watching Groucho's long "take" after the woman told him what her husband did for a living. I hope somebody can find this clip! ;)

reechie

08-20-2007, 08:43 AM

However, I'd almost be willing to put money on having seen the "screwing" interview. I remember watching Groucho's long "take" after the woman told him what her husband did for a living. I hope somebody can find this clip! ;)
Well, I've seen all of the "stag reels" that the You Bet Your Life producers put together for the staff Christmas parties (most of them are on the Shout Factory DVD sets), and I don't recall that particular exchange, but that doesn't mean you're wrong. My memory could be hazy of it, as I haven't watched them in awhile...I'll have to dig them out and see if I can find it. What is most certain is that something like that never would have actually made it to air. When something like that would happen, Groucho would look over at the director and quip, "Clip, clip!", making a scissors gesture, knowing that it was destined for the cutting room floor.

What's amazing is how many people claim to have seen the "cigar" line when it aired, which is impossible, because it never made it to the actual show, and even so, would have happened before the show made it to television. :laugh:

Derek Gee

08-20-2007, 09:19 AM

What's amazing is how many people claim to have seen the "cigar" line when it aired, which is impossible, because it never made it to the actual show, and even so, would have happened before the show made it to television. :laugh:

This reminds me of the infamous Newlywed Game incident involving the question "What was the strangest place you've ever made whoopee?" that Bob Eubanks spend years denying had ever happened, until the footage surfaced and he finally had to stop claiming it never happened.

The Groucho incident sounds exactly like him, and I believe it happened the way it's been related.

Derek