Talk:Groucho Marx

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[edit] Photo Berlin trip

I am trying to locate a photo of Groucho's trip to Berlin after WWII. he went to the park built on the site of Hitler's bunker because he wanted to "dance on Hitler's grave" it's a great shot of Groucho clicking his heels in the air does anyone know where I can source a copy? thanks.

Never seen the picture, but apparently ([1]) it's a real event. Sounds like the edgy sort of thing Groucho would do. If you do find the picture, drop a note here. grendel|khan 22:06, 2005 Jan 23 (UTC)

[edit] Last words?

I seem to remember hearing somewhere that Groucho Marx's last words were "Either these curtains go or I do!", can anyone confirm this?

In his book Raised Eyebrows, Steve Stoliar, Groucho's secretary, has this to say about Groucho's last words:
"According to Andy [Marx, Groucho’s grandson], Groucho opened his eyes and said, 'What do you want?' The nurse smiled and said, 'We have to see if you have a temperature.' In a voice barely above a whisper, Groucho muttered, 'Don’t be silly. Everybody has a temperature.'."Shsilver 14:44, 21 July 2005 (UTC)
I've also heard the "curtains" quote attributed to Oscar Wilde -- back when Groucho was still alive. -- Infrogmation 15:29, 21 July 2005 (UTC)
I've only heard the "curtains" remark attributed to Wilde. Though having just read Melmoth, which was closely based on Oscar Wilde's death, I suppose the story is apocryphal---it's the sort of thing he would have said. grendel|khan 19:47, July 21, 2005 (UTC)


I´ve heard that the epitaph in Groucho´s grave reads: "Excuse me, madame, but I cannot get up." Is that true?

No. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 129.101.176.13 (talk) 23:23, 10 January 2007 (UTC).
Obviously, his last words had to be, "Hello, I must be going..." Wahkeenah 01:21, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] "Member" joke

There is no mention in this article of the most famous of all of Groucho's quips, the one about "I wouldn't belong to any club that would have me as a member." This joke is surprisingly hard to pin down and has been worded in a seemingly infinite number of ways, but one might suspect it originally appeared in a written letter. Richard K. Carson 02:05, 7 August 2005 (UTC)

Groucho recalls the story of this joke in one of his books. I believe it is in _Groucho and Me_.

Yes, this quote is all over the internet, just search for "Groucho belong member". But the wording varies (club vs. organization, etc), and most such quote listings give no source details, so there is no way to cross-check or verify. If there are any good quote listings that do give source/attribution details for Groucho, please add this information here and in the main article.-69.87.204.120 11:35, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] "Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel"

Why is there no mention of Groucho and Chico in their lawyer radio show? Pete 06:39, 11 August 2005 (UTC)

"Most of the scripts and discs were subsequently destroyed (except the last shows) only turning up in 1988 in the Library of Congress." What do you mean by this? were thw scripts and discs destroyed, or did they show up in the LoC? Is it only the scripts of the last shows that were found? -Eric

[edit] Groucho and Bugs

It seems that someone has missed the forest for the trees. Bugs Bunny was loosely based off of Groucho Marx. For instance, carrot = cigar, and one of Bugs' most famous lines was "Of course you know this means war!" which was taken from one of the Marx Bros. films (I believe it was from "A Night At the Opera," not "Duck Soup" as one might expect.)

It was Duck Soup! - 86.138.209.87
No, it was not Duck Soup, actually. I believe it was Night at the Opera. He never uses those words in Duck Soup, though I remember him doing it at a later one. It could also be At The Circus, A Day At the Races, etc. J. M. 07:20, 22 April 2006 (UTC)

It was not Duck Soup. It was A Night At The Opera. Harpo, Chico, and the strait man (I can't remember his name) had been caught and locked in the brig for being stowaways. They climed down a rope swinging past the porthole and climed into the room of three foreign brother aviators who were sleeping. The three brothers had just flown across the Atlantic or someting like that. The guys took the brothers clothes and cut off their beards in order to sneek off the ship but there is press confrince wating for the aviators. They are asked to say a few words. Chico goes first and says the first time they got half way and ran out of gas so they to turn around and go back. On the second try they were almost ready to land and they reaized they forgot the airplane and had to go back. On the third try they decided to take a boat. Harpo went next. As we know he doesn't speak so he drinks a glass of water. And he just keeps drinking water. Finaly he turns the pitcher of water up. The water causes his beard to come loose. A cop looking for the guys says someting about it and they get upset. They start talking to Groucho in their nativ toung (witch is the audio track being played backwards.) They stom off and Groucho turns the to cop and says "Of course you know this means war."

In a Day at the Races a horn blows (From the racetrack I believe) and Groucho yells "It's war!" He does not yell the exact phrase "This means war!" in Duck soup but there are many similar statements. (Mschonert 02:15, 31 May 2006 (UTC))
In Duck Soup, as I recall, the one who actually utters the words "This means war!" is Ambassador Trentino, just before he storms out in a huff (or a minute 'n a huff). After he has left, Groucho reiterates, "Then it's war!" and several other players echo Groucho. Bugsy's frequently used comment, spoken directly to the audience, "Of course you realize this means war!" was taken from that phraseology in the Marx films, it's just not an exact quote. Kind of like "Play it again, Sam" is connected with Casablanca, although those precise words are not used. Wahkeenah 19:17, 24 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Look a like

Is it true that Marx came in third once in a Groucho Marx look a like contest? 10/20/2006

you're thinking of another famous comedian with a mustache: charlie chaplin.

  • Although that sounds like a Groucho-type joke. Wahkeenah 19:09, 24 October 2006 (UTC)

Though I, myself, am not up to the task, I suggest that this page undergo some heavy re-writing. Many portions read like nothing but "fan-gush." If asked to, I'll gladly quote a few examples.

(Commando303)

[edit] Some quibbles with the personal life section

I have to admit that I have some quibbles with the personal life section. The author of this section makes some assertions then seeks to support them with evidence that contradicts the assertions.

The first one: the assertion that Groucho was "always on", always playing Groucho is supposedly supported by an example where he declined to give his real name and pull rank in a restuarant. Sounds lke he wanted to go incognito to me, rahter than alwasy be Groucho.

The second assertion: that he often played mayhem at his friends' expense in restaurants is supposedly supported by an anecdote where a stranger, not a friend, approaches Groucho and asks him to insult his wife. Groucho obliges humorously.

Maybe Groucho was "on" for much of the time and maybe he did often make fun of his friends in restaurants. I don't know. I do know that the evidence offerred doesn't support the facts. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 144.138.141.59 (talk) 08:54, 26 February 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Origin of stage name "Groucho"

Did he get his stage name from "grouchy"? This should be mentioned in the article, thanks. Maikel 12:58, 28 March 2007 (UTC)


[edit] Legacy Section

The legacy section is getting so it is almost as long as the rest of the article. All that is really necessary here should be a note about some of the more famous and influential mimickings of Groucho and an indication of the continuing imitation. Shsilver 02:18, 8 April 2007 (UTC) It should be noted that "You Bet Your Life" was one of the first TV shows that was filmed before it was aired.Most of Groucho's jokes were ad libbed.They would film about 45 min.and edit it down to about 25 min. This way Groucho would not have to watch what he said.--StivCa 17:17, 21 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Karl and Groucho Marx

I'd come to this page expecting to find out whether there is any link between the Marx brothers and Karl Marx, but couldn't find an answer nor enough information to figure it out myself. Could anyone add some information about the Marx family, or at least Groucho's father name? An answer to the actual question might not even be out of place--I'm sure I'm not the only one to have ever wondered about this. Cheers!

Well, I'm pretty sure the two weren't related in any way. I'm also certain that many Russians would have been Marxists of the Groucho variety rather than the Karl variety. (And remember to sign your comments.) — Cinemaniac (talk) 04:46, 21 November 2007 (UTC)
Some of us are both. And I am pretty sure that Richard Marx fits in there somehow. 24.47.151.201 (talk) 11:15, 24 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] FBI Investigation

I feel that the FBI's investigation of Groucho in the 50's as a suspected Communist sympathizer should get some sort of mention on this page, or at least a link to their recently unearthed file on him— <http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/groucho1.html>

Given the climate of the times, I would think that not being investigated would be a bigger story. Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? 10:53, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] What is the name of the 104 year old man?

I am publishing a book of aphorisms by a friend who died recently at age 97. She spoke of a 104 year old man who studied with Sri Auribindo and had an 88 year old "bride." He was a contestant on the Groucho Marx show and must have been quite interesting. As an FYI she met him at a Klu Klux Klan rally where they were both observers in the late 1940's or early 1950's. Thank you, Welbywelby (talk) 21:03, 10 April 2008 (UTC)cafryer@comcast.net

[edit] Groucho in The Candidate?

If so, where? Never seen him in it in all the times I have watched it. Mmm commentaries (talk) 07:16, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

He's not in the film's entry IMDB, and that site typically has every crew member they can identify, including the coffee-and-donuts guy, so I'm assuming that either (1) it's a hoax or (2) it's a mistake, i.e. somebody thought they saw him in it (if so, they should speak up here). In any case, I removed it as being unsourced. Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? 10:51, 22 May 2008 (UTC)