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Online versions of the Handouts have color images & hot urls September 6, 2016 (XXXIII:2) http://csac.buffalo.edu/goldenrodhandouts.html , A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (1935, 96 min)

DIRECTED BY Sam Wood and (uncredited) WRITING BY George S. Kaufman (screenplay), (screenplay), James Kevin McGuinness (from a story by), (uncredited), Al Boasberg (additional dialogue), (draft, uncredited), George Oppenheimer (uncredited), Robert Pirosh (draft, uncredited), (draft uncredited), (draft uncredited) and Carey Wilson (uncredited) PRODUCED BY MUSIC CINEMATOGRAPHY Merritt B. Gerstad FILM EDITING William LeVanway ART DIRECTION STUNTS Chuck Hamilton WHISTLE DOUBLE Enrico Ricardi

CAST Groucho …Otis B. Driftwood …Fiorello Marx Brothers, A Night at the Opera (1935) and A Day at the …Tomasso Races (1937) that his career picked up again. Looking at the …Rosa finished product, it is hard to reconcile the statement from Allan Jones…Ricardo who found the director "rigid and humorless". Walter Woolf King…Lassparri Wood was vociferously right-wing in his personal views and this … Gottlieb would not have sat well with the famous . Wood …Mrs. Claypool directed 11 actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Robert Edward Keane…Captain Donat, , , , Charles Robert Emmett O'Connor…Henderson Coburn, , , , , and . Donat, Paxinou and SAM WOOD (b. July 10, 1883 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—d. Rogers all won Oscars. Late in his life, he served as the President September 22, 1949, age 66, in , , of the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American ), after a two-year apprenticeship under Cecil B. Ideals, a right-wing political organization whose aim was to DeMille as assistant director, had the good fortune to have ferret out "subversives" in Hollywood. In this capacity, he assigned to him two of the biggest stars at Paramount during provided key testimony before the House Un-American their heyday: , between 1919 and 1920; and Gloria Activities Committee in 1947, helping to fan fears of Communist Swanson, from 1921 to 1923. By the time his seven-year contract influence in the U.S. film industry. He was also portrayed by with Paramount expired, the former real estate dealer had in Trumbo (2015), a film about the blacklisting in established himself as one of Hollywood's most reliable (if not Hollywood. Including the aforementioned, Wood directed 80 individualistic) feature directors. In 1927, Wood joined MGM films a smattering of which include: Ambush (1950), The and remained under contract there until 1939, very much in sync Stratton Story (1949), Command Decision (1948), with the studio's prevalent style of production. He reliably turned Trunk (1945), Brown (1944), out between two and three films a year, of which the majority (1943), (1942), (1942), The were routine productions. Most of his films in the 1920's were Devil and Miss Jones (1941), Kitty Foyle (1940), routine fare, and it was not until he directed two gems of The (1940), Gone with the Wind (1939, uncredited), Raffles (1939), Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—2

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), Madame X (1937), Whipsaw (1935), (1933), The Barbarian (1933) (1931, uncredited), (1931), Paid (1930), It's a Great Life (1929) , Telling the World (1928), (1928), The Re- of Brian Kent (1925), 's Eighth Wife (1923), (1923), Her Husband's Trademark (1922), Don't Tell Everything (1921), Peck's Bad Boy (1921), (1920), What's Your Hurry? (1920), (1920), Excuse My Dust (1920) and (1920).

EDMUND GOULDING (b. March 20, 1891 in Feltham, Middlesex, England—d. December 24, 1959, age 68, in Los Angeles, California) was an actor/playwright/director on the London stage, and entered the British army when WWI broke out. Mustered out of the service because of wounds suffered in battle, he emigrated to the U.S. in 1921. He obtained assignments as a screenwriter in Hollywood, wrote a novel, "Fury," in 1922 and directed the 1923 film. Hired as a screenwriter/director by MGM in 1925, Goulding quickly developed a reputation for turning out tasteful, cultured dramas and drawing-room . His films typified the elegance and refinement with which MGM was identified, the best example of this being Grand Hotel (1932), where he was entrusted with two of MGM's biggest stars, and . However, one of his best-known films, and probably the one most atypical of his work, was Nightmare Alley (1947), a dark, brooding drama of greed and corruption among high and low society involving phony mentalists and a conniving psychiatrist. He wrote a screenplay specifically for Joan GEORGE S. KAUFMAN (b. November 16, 1889 in Pittsburgh, Crawford, entitled "Never Goodbye", which she rejected. In Pennsylvania—d. June 2, 1961, age 71, in City, New response to his reaction, she said, "What are you bitching for? York) is American playwright of acerbic wit. Twice won the You got your fifty thousand dollars for writing the damn thing". Pulitzer Prize and is best known for his collaborative authorship Directed 9 actors to Oscar nominations: , Nancy of "Once in a Lifetime," with (1930); "Of Thee I Carroll, , , , , Sing," with Morrie Ryskind and Ira Gershwin (1931); "Dinner at Anne Baxter, Clifton Webb and . Astor and Eight," with (1932); "You Can't Take It with You" Baxter won Oscars for their performances in Goulding's films. and "The Man Who Came to Dinner," again with Hart (1936 and His writer credits include (1956), Old 1939, respectively) and "The Solid Gold Cadillac," with Howard Acquaintance (1943, contributor to screenplay - uncredited), Teichmann (1953). Kaufman started out as a newspaper reporter (1937, written by), The Flame Within and a drama critic, eventually becoming the drama editor at "The (1935), Riptide (1934, written by), Night Angel (1931), Reaching New York Times." He began writing for the stage, and made his for the Moon (1930, written by), The Devil's Holiday (1930, Broadway debut with "Some One in the House" in 1918, written screenplay/story), The Grand Parade (1930), Paris (1926), in collaboration with Larry Evans and W. C. Percival. In the (1926, play), The Fool (1925), Gerald golden age of the Broadway theater, Kaufman proved himself to Cranston's Lady (1924), Dante's Inferno (1924), Heroes of the be a master craftsman, particularly adept at and satire. Street (1922), Till We Meet Again (1922), Broadway Rose (1922, (Of the later, Kaufman famously observed "Satire is what closes screenplay/ story), Fascination (1922, screenplay/ story), The on Saturday.") He frequently was brought in by Broadway Seventh Day (1922), Tol'able David (1921) and The Quest of Life producers to serve as a script doctor of a promising play, turning (1916, play "Ellen Young"). He directed 41 films, some of it into a hit. Kaufman traveled to Hollywood, which he hated, in which are Mardi Gras (1958), Teenage Rebel (1956), Down 1935 at the request of the Marx Brothers, who inveigled MGM Among the Sheltering Palms (1953), (1950), production supervisor Irving Thalberg to hire him. Thalberg Nightmare Alley (1947), The Razor's Edge (1946), Of Human guaranteed Kaufman $100,000 to leave New York for Culver Bondage (1946), Claudia (1943), Forever and a Day (1943), The City. When Kaufman arrived at the studio, Thalberg demanded Great Lie (1941), 'Til We Meet Again (1940), to know when he could see an outline for the script that would (1939), The Dawn Patrol (1938), A Night at the Opera (1935, become A Night at the Opera (1935). uncredited), Riptide (1934), (1932), Grand Hotel (1932), A Certain Young Man (1928, uncredited), Love "I don't know," replied Kaufman. (1927), (1927), Paris (1926), Sally, "Monday?" Thalberg asked. Irene and Mary (1925) and Sun-Up (1925). "I told you. I don't know," replied Kaufman. "Wednesday?" Thalberg shot back. Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—3

Kaufman tugged at his earlobe before answering: "Mr. Thalberg, story), So This Is College (1929, dialogue / screen play), The do you want it Wednesday or good?" Cameraman (1928, uncredited), The Gorilla (1927, titles), Clancy's Kosher Wedding (1927, story), California or Bust Some of his other 77 writing credits include (1927, titles), Her Father Said No (1927, screenplay / titles), The (1989, TV Movie, play), Once in a Life Time (1988, TV Movie), General (1926, adapted by) and Battling Butler (1926, adapted You Can't Take It with You (1987, TV Series, play - 2 episodes), by: from the stage success of the same name You Can't Take It with You (1979, TV Movie, play), The Man Who Came to Dinner (1972, TV Movie, play), IRVING THALBERG (1972, TV Movie), (1957, book of original (b. May 30, 1899 in musical play by), The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956, from the play Brooklyn, New by), Three Sailors and a Girl (1953, play "The Butter and Egg York—d. September Man"), Dancing in the Dark (1949, play ""), 14, 1936, age 37, in (1948, TV Movie, play), Merton of the Movies Santa Monica, (1947, play), You Can't Take It with You (1947, TV Movie, play), California) had a bad The Man Who Came to Dinner (1947, TV Movie, play), The Late heart, having George Apley (1947, play), You Can't Take It with You (1945, contracted rheumatic TV Movie, play), George Washington Slept Here (1942, play), fever as a teenager and The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942, from the stage play by), was plagued with Stage Door (1939, TV Movie, play), You Can't Take It with You other ailments all of (1938, based upon the play by), Stage Door (1937, from the play his life. He was quite by), A Day at the Races (1937, screen play - uncredited) A Night intelligent with a thirst at the Opera (1935, screen play), (1931, play), for knowledge but, convinced that he would never see thirty, he Animal Crackers (1930, based on the musical play by), The skipped college and became, at 21, a high-level executive at Carl Cocoanuts (1929, book of stage play), Laemmle's Universal Studios, then the largest motion picture (1928, play), Merton of the Movies (1924, play), studio in the world. After hitting a career impasse at Universal (1923, play), Someone in the House (1920, play) and Someone (partly as a result of a failed romance with Laemmle's daughter), Must Pay (1919, play "Someone in the House"). Thalberg jumped ship and enlisted with the relatively obscure Louis B. Mayer Productions overseeing its typically turgid yet AL BOASBERG (b. profitable melodramas. Mayer and Thalberg quickly moved past December 5, 1892 in these inherited nightmares and created their dream studio. From Buffalo, New York—d. June 1925 through the mid-1940s there was MGM and then everyone 18, 1937, age 44, in Los else. Its roster of stars, directors and technicians were unmatched Angeles, California) was by any other studio. Their formula for quality made MGM the known at one point as “The only major studio to remain profitable throughout the Great Funniest Guy in Hollywood” Depression. Thalberg himself was a workaholic and his health, (he also called his home, which was never good, suffered. If he micro-managed "The Famous House That productions there was no one in Hollywood who did it more Gags Built"). Not long after effectively. Thalberg fell into a deep depression after the his arrival in Hollywood in mysterious death of his friend and assistant Paul Bern (the two 1925, he became a writer for had worked extensively together on the hit Grand Hotel (1932)) Buster Keaton. He began and he demanded a one-year sabbatical. He was a exceptional writing in for the hard worker, often putting in 12-hour workdays and he was also likes of and notorious for running behind schedule with his appointments. Burns and Allen (he wrote Actors, directors, writers and others would wait days if not weeks their best loved routine “Lambchops” in 1925). When talkies on the bench outside of his office before finally meeting face-to- came along he supplied dialogue for top Hollywood face with Thalberg. Writer George S. Kaufman once quipped like Buster Keaton and the Marx Brothers (he is said to have about that famous bench that on a clear day you can see come up with the stateroom sequence in A Night at the Opera). Thalberg. He also sought to rectify the studio's poor record in At one time he was said to be writing gags for 150 separate comedy films, signing the Marx Brothers, who had just been clients. Later he wrote for RKO's "Hollywood " and Bert released from their contract at Paramount after string of flops. He Wheeler and Robert Woolsey's "Assorted Nuts". He was a writer felt the brilliant comedy team had been seriously mismanaged and director, known for The General (1926), Doughboys (1930) and ordered their MGM films to be shot in sequence and after and Battling Butler (1926). Some of his other written work their routines had been well tested on stage. The success of The includes A Day at the Races (1937, original story - uncredited) / Marx Brothers at MGM was due to the genius of Thalberg. Upon (screen play - uncredited), A Night at the Opera (1935, additional his untimely death, the quality of their films declined mainly dialogue - uncredited), In the Sweet Bye and Bye (1935, Short, because studio chief Louis B. Mayer did not care for them or story and screenplay), The Fuller Gush Man (1934, Short), Old their act. The Thalberg-produced A Night at the Opera (1935) Maid's Mistake (1934, Short) (screenplay) / (story), Jailbirds of was a big hit but he wasn't infallible, stumbling with the critically Paradise (1934, Short), Cracked Nuts (1931, dialogue/ screen well-received production of Romeo and Juliet (1936), which play), It Happened in Hollywood (1931, Short, screenplay / went on the books as a $1 million loss. Over Mayer's objections Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—4 he delved into the film adaptation of Pearl S. Buck's The Good director and, in 1924, began his 32-year stint as supervising art Earth (1937) but died of pneumonia on September 14, 1936 at director for some 1500 MGM films with direct responsibility in age 37. The Good Earth (1937) was released soon afterward, well over 150 of those. He designed the Oscar itself, winning it MGM honoring him by providing him his only screen credit 11 of the 37 times he was nominated. Some of his designs (Thalberg had always eschewed producer's credit on his films). influenced American interiors, and it has been argued that he was His 90 producer credits include Marie Antoinette (1938, the most important art director in the history of American uncredited), A Day at the Races (1938, uncredited), The Good cinema. He was nominated for and won more Earth (1937, uncredited), Camille (1936, uncredited), Romeo than any other art director in motion pictures. Won 11 Oscars for and Juliet (1936, uncredited), A Night at the Opera (1935, Best Art Direction for Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956), uncredited), Mutiny on the Bounty (1935, uncredited), The Julius Caesar (1953), Lili (1953), The Bad and the Beautiful Merry Widow (1934, uncredited), The Barretts of Wimpole (1952), An American in Paris (1951), Little Women (1949), The Street (1934, uncredited), Riptide (1934, uncredited), Tugboat Yearling (1946), Gaslight (1944), (1941), Annie (1933, uncredited), (1932, Pride and Prejudice (1940). With over 1056 title to his name, he uncredited), Red Dust (1932, uncredited), clearly never slept. Some of his Art director highlights are The (1932, uncredited), Red-Headed Woman (1932, uncredited), Rack (1956), High Society (1956), The Fastest Gun Alive (1956), Grand Hotel (1932, uncredited), Tarzan the Ape Man (1932, Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956), The Catered Affair (1956), uncredited), Freaks (1932, uncredited), Mata Hari (1931, The Swan (1956), Forbidden Planet (1956), Meet Me in Las uncredited), Private Lives (1931, uncredited), The Champ (1931, Vegas (1956), Diane (1956), I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955), Kismet uncredited), Just a Gigolo (1931, uncredited), A Lady's Morals (1955), The Student Prince (1954), (1930, uncredited), The Big House (1930, uncredited), Anna (1952), The Merry Widow (1952), Quo Vadis (1951), Father of Christie (1930, uncredited), (1929, the Bride (1950), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), Annie Get Your uncredited), The Adventurer (1928, uncredited), Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928, producer), The Crowd (1928, uncredited), (1926, uncredited), (1926, uncredited), The Road to Mandalay (1926, producer), La Bohème (1926, uncredited), Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925, uncredited), (1925, uncredited), The Merry Widow (1925, uncredited), Greed (1924, uncredited), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923, uncredited), Foolish Wives (1922, uncredited) and Reputation (1921, uncredited).

MERRITT B. GERSTAD (b. July 5, 1900 in Chicago, Illinois–d. March 1, 1974, age 73, in Laguna Beach, California) was an American cinematographer of silent and early sound films. After beginning as a cinematographer on films for Universal, then switching to MGM, working with director Tod Browning on (the lost) London After Midnight (1927) and Freaks (1932, uncredited), and Sam Wood on the Marx Brothers’ A Night at the Opera (1935). Later he moved to Warner Bros. for Watch on the Rhine (1943) starring Bette Davis, Conflict (1945) with Gun (1950), The Great Sinner (1949), (1949), in the lead, and the Gershwin biopic Rhapsody Little Women (1949), Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949), in Blue (1945), was his last credit. Some of the additional 78 Cass Timberlane (1947), The Yearling (1946), The Postman films he worked on were Night in New Orleans (1942), Tom Dick Always Rings Twice (1946), They Were Expendable (1945), Our and Harry (1941), A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob (1941)The House Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945), Across the Bay (1940), Andy Hardy's Dilemma: A Lesson in (1945), The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945), Kismet (1944), The Mathematics - And Other Things (1940, Short), Bulldog White Cliffs of Dover (1944), See Here, Private Hargrove Drummond's Secret Police (1939), Seventh Heaven (1937), The (1944), Bataan (1943), Above Suspicion (1943), The Human Great Ziegfeld (1936), Imitation of Life (1934), Beloved (1934), Comedy (1943), White Cargo (1942), For Me and My Gal Goldie Gets Along (1933), The Great Lover (1931), Call of the (1942), Mrs. Miniver (1942), Tortilla Flat (1942), Mr. and Mrs. Flesh (1930), Our Blushing Brides (1930), The Bridge of San North (1942), Woman of the Year (1942), Design for Scandal Luis Rey (1929), Alias Jimmy Valentine (1928), The Unknown (1941), Billy the Kid (1941), The Philadelphia Story (1940), The (1927), The Road to Mandalay (1926), The Phantom Horseman Shop Around the Corner (1940), The Wizard of Oz (1939), Young (1924), The Man from Wyoming (1924), Under Oath (1922) and Dr. Kildare (1938), Test Pilot (1938), Of Human Hearts (1938), The Poor Simp (1920). The Merry Widow (1934), The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934), Treasure Island (1934), The Thin Man (1934), CEDRIC GIBBONS (b. March 23, 1893 in Dublin, Ireland—d. July Melodrama (1934), Night Flight (1933, uncredited), 26, 1960, age 67, in Hollywood, California) After graduating Peg o' My Heart (1933), Today We Live (1933), The Mask of Fu from New York's Art Students League he worked for his Manchu (1932), Red Dust (1932), Red-Headed Woman (1932), architect father, then started film work at Edison Studios in 1915 Grand Hotel (1932), Tarzan the Ape Man (1932), Freaks (1932, assisting Hugo Ballin. In 1918 he moved to Goldwyn as art uncredited), (1932), Mata Hari (1931), The Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—5

Champ (1931), Susan Lenox (1931), Sidewalks of New York to his most serious letters. According to , Groucho (1931), The Great Lover (1931), Daybreak (1931), Anna Christie added this P.S. to a lengthy account of his memories of Charles (1930), Billy the Kid (1930), Way Out West (1930), In Gay Chaplin from vaudeville days: ""Did you ever notice that Peter Madrid (1930), Children of Pleasure (1930), This Mad World O'Toole has a double-phallic name?". Shortly after his death, his (1930), Anna Christie (1930), It's a Great Life (1929), The children found a gag letter written by Groucho that stated that he Bridge of San Luis Rey (1929), While the City Sleeps (1928), wanted to be buried on top of . He acted in 31 Tillie the Toiler (1927), Annie Laurie (1927), Greed (1924, films and television shows including, Skidoo (1968), The Story of uncredited), The Ace of Hearts (1921), Earthbound (1920) and Mankind (1957), Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957), The Unwritten Code (1919). Showdown at Ulcer Gulch (1956, Short), A Girl in Every Port (1952), (1951), Mr. Music (1950), Love Happy (1949), (1947), A Night in (1946), (1941), Go West (1940), (1939), Room Service (1938), Sunday Night at the Trocadero (1937, Short), A Day at the Races (1937), Yours for the Asking (1936), A Night at the Opera (1935), Duck Soup (1933), (1932), Monkey Business (1931), Animal Crackers (1930), (1929) and (1921, Short). Groucho's show "" (on radio from 1947 to 1956 over ABC, CBS, and finally NBC) was inducted into the in 1988.

CHICO MARX (b. Leonard Marx on March 22, 1887 in , New York—d. October 11, 1961, age 74, in Hollywood, Los Angeles) learned to fake accents as a kid trying to negotiate his way through various gang territories to a floating crap game or a new pool hall where he was not yet known as a hustler. Leonard. Because he later employed an Italian accent in the Marx Brothers' act, people assumed his name was GROUCHO MARX (b. October 2, 1890 in New York City, New pronounced "Cheeko." Instead, Leonard was dubbed "Chicko" York—d. August 19, 1977, age 86, in Los Angeles, California) for his other consuming passion, women (or "chicks"), at which was the bushy-browed, cigar-smoking wise-cracker with the he was more successful than gambling, but when a typesetter painted-on was the leader of The Marx Brothers. He dropped the "k" out of his name, the brothers let it stay as Chico. was the quiet, introverted middle brother of 5, and suffered the Chico was the brother who guided the Marxes to stardom. He middle-sibling condition. He never got as much attention as his took over the act's management (amicably) from their mother, older brothers (Chico Marx & Harpo Marx), who were wild and Minnie, and through audacity and charm, Chico secured the charming, or his two younger brothers (Zeppo Marx & Gummo Brothers their first international (London) booking, their first Marx), who were cuter. The plus side of this outsider status was Broadway show and their MGM contract with Irving Thalberg, that he developed a cutting wit to get attention. There are at least among other successes. His usually played a rakish con artist two versions of how Julius Henry Marx got his more famous with an Italian accent and often had a scene where he would play nickname. One is that it came from his general disposition. The the piano in his own unique comedy way. The oldest of The other, that, during the Marx Brothers' early days in vaudeville, he Marx Brothers, he was a gambling addict and initially joined his was the keeper of the act's "grouch bag" or money purse. He is brothers' act to pay off debts. Was an avid poker player and is best known for playing characters that were wisecracking rumored to have had a photographic memory so good, he could sharpies that always sported a cigar, a mustache made of dark memorize the positions of cards in a deck. When a check written greasepaint and walked with a half crouch. In Marx Brothers by Chico was found in mobster Bugsy Siegel's wallet at the time movies, he almost always played characters with unusual first of his death, Chico was interrogated by police. He insisted the names, middle initial, and unlikely last names such as Rufus T. check was payment of a gambling debt from a poker game. Firefly, Hugo Z. Hackenbush and Otis B. Driftwood. Groucho When asked about his knowledge of Siegel's criminal activities, also suffered from insomnia, which he claimed was due to a Chico stated, "We never discussed business." Groucho Marx financial loss in the stock market. When he couldn’t sleep, he later said of this incident, "Chico was lucky that Bugsy was shot. used to call people up in the and insult them. If Bugsy had tried to cash that check, it would have bounced. When talking about Margaret Dumont, the actress who Then Bugsy would have shot Chico." His acting credits include frequently played the dowager who acted as a punching bag for (1959, TV Series), Playhouse 90 (1958, Groucho's verbal insults, he claimed the secret to their chemistry TV Series), The Story of Mankind (1957), Showdown at Ulcer is that she never understood what he was saying. Later in life Gulch (1956, Short), Einmal kehr' ich wieder (1953), The Groucho regretted never going beyond grammar school. To Bigelow Theatre (1950, TV Series), The College Bowl (1950, TV compensate he became a voracious reader in adulthood, famed Series), The Silver Theatre (1950, TV Series), Love Happy for his literary knowledge. He also carried on extensive (1949), (1946), The Big Store (1941), Go correspondence with such literary giants as T.S. Eliot and Carl West (1940), At the Circus (1939), Room Service (1938), A Day Sandburg. He also was well known for attaching a hilarious P.S. at the Races (1937), A Night at the Opera (1935), Duck Soup Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—6

(1933), Horse Feathers (1932), Monkey Business (1931), Animal Killing Me (1952), Three for Bedroom C (1952), Susie Steps Out Crackers (1930), The Cocoanuts (1929) and Humor Risk (1921, (1946), The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945), Bathing Beauty Short). (1944), Seven Days Ashore (1944), Up in Arms (1944), Tales of Manhattan (1942), Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941), HARPO MARX (b. November 23, 1888 in New York City, New The Women (1939), A Day at the Races (1937), Anything Goes York—d. September 28, 1964, age 75, in Los Angeles, (1936), A Night at the Opera (1935), Rendezvous (1935), California), the lovable mute was the favorite of the Marx Reckless (1935), After Office Hours (1935), Kentucky Kernels Brothers. With the big, poofy, curly red , a top hat, and a (1934), Gridiron Flash (1934), Fifteen Wives (1934), We're Rich horn, he adopted the mute routine in vaudeville and carried it Again (1934), Duck Soup (1933, Girl Crazy (1932), The Girl over to the films. As a child, Harpo was apparently infatuated Habit (1931), Animal Crackers (1930) and The Cocoanuts with music and taught himself to play the harp. He later learned (1929). that he played it the wrong way. However, when he became famous and wealthy, he on occasion throughout his career, took harp lessons from various harpists and music teachers in both New York City and Los Angeles to better increase his skill. However, due to his natural born talent, many musicians and music teachers ended up approaching him to learn his method of harp playing. Harpo officially became a mime after a theater critic noted in 1914 that Harpo was brilliant until his character spoke. From then on, Harpo never spoke while in character. Harpo first using the gag of chasing a screaming girl as a quick prank to throw his brother Groucho Marx's timing off on stage. Groucho wasn't fazed, but Harpo got in trouble when he found out the hard way that the girl had a violent mobster for a boyfriend. He quickly made peace with the man and incorporated the girl chasing for the rest of his career. Harpo acting credits include: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1962, TV Series), The Hour (1962, TV Series), The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1960, TV Series), General Electric Theater (1959, TV Series), The DuPont Show of the Month (1958, TV Series), The Story of Mankind (1957), Playhouse 90 (1957, TV Series), The Colgate Comedy Hour (1954, TV Series), Season's The Marx Brothers (from Wikipedia: Greetings (1953, TV Movie), All Star Revue (1953, TV Series), https://enwikipediaorg/wiki/Marx_Brothers_ The Show (1952, TV Series), Love Happy (1949), A Night in Casablanca (1946), Stage Door Canteen (1943), The The Marx Brothers were a family comedy act that was Big Store (1941), Go West (1940), At the Circus (1939), Room successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures Service (1938), A Day at the Races (1937), A Night at the Opera from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature (1935), Duck Soup (1933), Horse Feathers (1932), Monkey films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) as Business (1931), Animal Crackers (1930), The Cocoanuts among the top 100 comedy films, with two of them (Duck Soup (1929), Too Many Kisses (1925) and Humor Risk (1921, Short). and A Night at the Opera) in the top twelve The brothers were included in AFI's 100 Years100 Stars list of the 25 greatest male MARGARET DUMONT (b. October 20, 1882 in Brooklyn, New stars of Classic Hollywood cinema, the only performers to be York—d. March 6, 1965, age 82, in Hollywood, California) inducted collectively would probably consider it a tragedy that she is best-known for The group are almost universally known today by their her performances as the ultimate straight woman in seven of the stage names: Chico, Harpo, Groucho, Gummo, and Zeppo Marx Marx Brothers' films (including most of their best). By all The core of the act was the three elder brothers: Chico, Harpo, accounts she never understood their jokes (off-screen and on), and Groucho Each developed a highly distinctive stage persona which is of course a major reason why she's so funny. Apart from Harpo and Chico "more or less retired" after 1949, a small role in a 1917 Dickens adaptation, she spent her early while Groucho went on to begin a second career in television career on the stage, ending up with the Marxes in the late 1920s The two younger brothers Gummo and Zeppo did not develop in the stage versions of The Cocoanuts (1929) and Animal their stage characters to the same extent The two eventually left Crackers (1930), and was given a Paramount contract at the the act to pursue business careers at which they were successful, same time they were. She played similar roles alongside other as well as a large theatrical agency for a time, through which great comedians, including W.C. Fields, Laurel & Hardy and they represented their brothers and others Gummo was not in any Jack Benny and also played straight dramatic parts (her chief of the movies; Zeppo appeared in the first five films in relatively love), but few of them made much impact as did her role as straight (non-comedic) roles The performing lives of the brothers Groucho Marx's foil. She died shortly after being reunited with were brought about by their mother Minnie Marx, who also acted him on (1964). She acted in 62 films as their manager some of which are What a Way to Go! (1964), Zotz! (1962), Auntie Mame (1958), Shake, Rattle & Rock! (1956), Stop, You're Brothers' names, family background, and lifetimes[edit] Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—7

The Marx Brothers were five brothers born to US Comedy immigrants Miene "Minnie" Schoenberg (professionally known One evening in 1912, a performance at the Opera House as Minnie Palmer, who acted as their manager) and Samuel (born in Nacogdoches, Texas was interrupted by shouts from outside "Simon", nicknamed "Frenchy") Marx The brothers are best about a runaway mule The audience hurried out to see what was known by their stage names: happening Groucho was angered by the interruption and, when Stage the audience returned, he made snide comments at their expense, Birth name Born Died Age name including "Nacogdoches is full of roaches" and "the jackass is the March 22, October 11, flower of Tex-ass" Instead of becoming angry, the audience Chico Leonard Marx 74 1887 1961 laughed The family then realized that it had potential as a comic [21] Adolph (after troupe (However, in his autobiography Harpo Speaks, Harpo November September Harpo 1911: Arthur) 75 Marx stated that the runaway mule incident occurred in Ada, 23, 1888 28, 1964 [22] Marx Oklahoma A 1930 article in the San Antonio Express October 2, August 19, newspaper stated that the incident took place in Marshall, Groucho Julius Henry Marx 86 [23] 1890 1977 Texas ) The act slowly evolved from singing with comedy to October April 21, comedy with music The brothers' sketch "Fun in Hi Skule" Gummo Milton Marx 23, 84 1977 1892[4] featured Groucho as a German-accented teacher presiding over a classroom that included students Harpo, Gummo, and Chico The Herbert Manfred February November Zeppo 78 last version of the school act was titled Home Again and was Marx 25, 1901 30, 1979 written by their uncle The Home Again tour reached A sixth brother Manfred ("Mannie") was the first-born Flint, Michigan in 1915, where 14-year-old Zeppo joined his four son of Sam and Minnie He was born in 1886 and died in [7][8][9] brothers for what is believed to be the only time that all five infancy, though an online family tree states that he was Marx Brothers appeared together on stage[24] Then Gummo left born in 1885 to serve in , reasoning that "anything is better than Minnie Marx came from a family of performers Her being an actor!"[25] Zeppo replaced him in their final vaudeville mother was a yodeling harpist and her father a ventriloquist; both years and in the jump to Broadway, and then to Paramount films were funfair entertainers Around 1880, the family emigrated to During World War I, anti-German sentiments were New York City, where Minnie married Sam in 1884 During the common, and the family tried to conceal its German origin early 20th century, Minnie helped her younger brother Abraham Mother Minnie learned that farmers were excluded from the draft Elieser Adolf (stage name Al Shean) to enter show business; he rolls, so she purchased a 27-acre (110,000 m2) poultry farm near became highly successful on vaudeville and Broadway as half of Countryside, Illinois — but the brothers soon found that chicken the musical comedy double act Gallagher and Shean, and this ranching was not in their blood[26] During this time, Groucho gave the brothers an entree to musical comedy, vaudeville,and [11] discontinued his "German" stage personality Broadway at Minnie's instigation Minnie also acted as the By this time, "The Four Marx Brothers" had begun to brothers' manager, using the name Minnie Palmer so that agents incorporate their unique style of comedy into their act and to did not realize that she was also their mother All the brothers develop their characters Both Groucho's and Harpo's memoirs confirmed that Minnie Marx had been the head of the family and say that their now-famous on-stage personae were created by Al the driving force in getting the troupe launched, the only person Shean Groucho began to wear his trademark greasepaint who could keep them in order; she was said to be a hard [12][13] mustache and to use a stooped walk Harpo stopped speaking bargainer with theatre management onstage and began to wear a red fright wig and carry a taxi-cab Gummo and Zeppo both became successful horn Chico spoke with a fake Italian accent, developed off-stage businessmen: Gummo gained success through his agency [14] to deal with neighborhood toughs, while Zeppo adopted the role activities and a raincoat business, and Zeppo became a multi- of the romantic (and "peerlessly cheesy", according to James millionaire through his engineering business… Agee)[27] straight man The on-stage personalities of Groucho, Chico, and Stage beginnings Harpo were said to have been based on their actual traits Zeppo, The brothers were from a family of artists, and their on the other hand, was considered the funniest brother offstage, musical talent was encouraged from an early age Harpo was despite his straight stage roles He was the youngest and had particularly talented, learning to play an estimated six different grown up watching his brothers, so he could fill in for and instruments throughout his career He became a dedicated harpist, imitate any of the others when illness kept them from performing which gave him his nickname. Chico was an excellent pianist, "He was so good as [in Animal Crackers] that Groucho a guitarist and singer, and Zeppo a vocalist I would have let him play the part indefinitely, if they had They got their start in vaudeville, where their uncle allowed me to smoke in the audience", Groucho recalled (Zeppo Albert Schönberg performed as Al Shean of Gallagher and Shean stood in for Groucho in the film version of Animal Crackers Groucho's debut was in 1905, mainly as a singer By 1907, he and Groucho was unavailable to film the scene in which the Gummo were singing together as "The Three Nightingales" with Beaugard painting is stolen, so the script was contrived to Mabel O'Donnell The next year, Harpo became the fourth include a power failure, which allowed Zeppo to play the Nightingale and by 1910, the group briefly expanded to include Spaulding part in near-darkness)[28] In December 1917 the Marx their mother Minnie and their Aunt Hannah The troupe was brothers were noted in an advertisement playing in a musical renamed "The Six Mascots" comedy act "Home Again"[29]

Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—8

By the 1920s, the Marx Brothers had become one of indistinguishable, enabling them to carry off the "mirror scene" America's favorite theatrical acts, with their sharp and bizarre perfectly sense of humor They satirized high society and human hypocrisy, and they became famous for their improvisational comedy in Origin of the stage names free-form scenarios A famous early instance was when Harpo The stage names of the brothers (except Zeppo) were coined by monologist Art Fisher[27] during a poker game in Galesburg, Illinois, based both on the brothers' personalities and Gus Mager's Sherlocko the Monk, a popular comic strip of the day which included a supporting character named "Groucho"[30] As Fisher dealt each brother a card, he addressed him, for the very first time, by the names they kept for the rest of their lives The reasons behind Chico's and Harpo's stage names are undisputed, and Gummo's is fairly well established Groucho's and Zeppo's are far less clear Arthur was named Harpo because he played the harp, and Leonard became Chico (pronounced "Chick-o") because he was, in the slang of the period, a "chicken chaser" ("Chickens"—later "chicks"—was period slang for women "In England now," said Groucho, "they were called 'birds'")[31] In his autobiography, Harpo explained that Milton became Gummo because he crept about the theater like a gumshoe detective[32] Other sources reported that Gummo was the family's hypochondriac, having been the sickliest of the brothers in childhood, and therefore wore rubber overshoes, called gumshoes, in all kinds of weather Still others reported that Milton was the troupe's best dancer, and dance shoes tended to have rubber soles[33] Groucho stated that the source of the name was Gummo wearing galoshes Whatever the details, the name relates to rubber-soled shoes The reason that Julius was named Groucho is perhaps the most disputed There are three explanations: • Julius' temperament: Maxine, Chico's daughter and Groucho's niece, said in the documentary The Unknown Marx Brothers that Julius was named "Groucho" simply because he was grouchy most or all of the time Robert B Weide, a director known for his knowledge of Marx Brothers history, said in Remarks On Marx (a documentary short included with the DVD of A Night at the Opera) that, among the competing arranged to chase a fleeing chorus girl across the stage during the explanations, he found this one to be the most middle of a Groucho monologue to see if Groucho would be believable said in Funny People that the thrown off However, to the audience's delight, Groucho merely name made no sense; Groucho might have been reacted by commenting, "First time I ever saw a taxi hail a impudent and impertinent, but not grouchy—at least not passenger" When Harpo chased the girl back in the other around Allen However, at the very end of his life, direction, Groucho calmly checked his watch and ad-libbed, Groucho finally admitted that Fisher had named him "The 9:20's right on time You can set your watch by the Lehigh Groucho because he was the "moody one"[34] Valley" • The grouch bag: This explanation appears in The brothers' vaudeville act had made them stars on Harpo's biography; it was voiced by Chico in a TV Broadway under Chico's management and with Groucho's appearance included on The Unknown Marx Brothers; creative direction — first with the musical revue I'll Say She Is and it was offered by , Groucho's (1924–1925) and then with two musical comedies: The sidekick on his TV game show You Bet Your Life A Cocoanuts (1925–1926) and Animal Crackers (1928–1929) grouch bag was a small drawstring bag worn around the Playwright George S Kaufman worked on the last two and neck in which a traveler could keep money and other helped sharpen the brothers' characterizations valuables so that it would be very difficult for anyone to Out of their distinctive costumes, the brothers looked steal them Most of Groucho's friends and associates alike, even down to their receding hairlines Zeppo could pass for stated that Groucho was extremely stingy, especially a younger Groucho, and played the role of his son in Horse after losing all his money in the 1929 stock market Feathers A scene in Duck Soup finds Groucho, Harpo, and Chico crash, so naming him for the grouch bag may have been all appearing in the famous greasepaint eyebrows, mustache, and a comment on this trait Groucho insisted that this was round glasses while wearing nightcaps The three are not the case in chapter six of his first autobiography: “I Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—9

kept my money in a 'grouch bag' This was a small Milton, and Herbert) on playbills and in programs, and only used chamois bag that actors used to wear around their neck the nicknames behind the scenes, until to keep other hungry actors from pinching their dough overheard them calling one another by the nicknames He asked Naturally, you're going to think that's where I got my them why they used their real names publicly when they had name from But that's not so Grouch bags were worn on such wonderful nicknames, and they replied, "That wouldn't be manly chests long before there was a Groucho.” dignified" Woollcott answered with a belly laugh Woollcott did • Groucho's explanation: Groucho himself not meet the Marx Brothers until the premiere of I'll Say She Is, insisted that he was named for a character in the comic which was their first Broadway show, so this would mean that strip Knocko the Monk, which inspired the craze for they used their real names throughout their vaudeville days, and nicknames ending in "o"; in fact, there was a character that the name "Gummo" never appeared in print during his time in that strip named "Groucho" However, he is the only in the act Other sources reported that the Marx Brothers went by Marx or Marx associate who defended this theory, and their nicknames during their vaudeville era, but briefly listed as he is not an unbiased witness, few biographers take themselves by their given names when I'll Say She Is opened the claim seriously because they were worried that a Broadway audience would Groucho himself was no help on this point; he was reject a vaudeville act if they were perceived as low class[36] discussing the Brothers' names during his concert, and he said of his own, "My name, of course, I never did understand" He goes on to mention the possibility that he was named after his unemployed uncle Julius, who lived with his family The family believed that he was a rich uncle hiding a fortune, and Groucho claimed that he may have been named after him by the family trying to get into the will "And he finally died, and he left us his will, and in that will he left three razor blades, an 8-ball, a celluloid dicky, and he owed my father $85 beside"[31] Herbert was not nicknamed by Art Fisher, since he did not join the act until Gummo had departed As with Groucho, three explanations exist for Herbert's name "Zeppo": • Harpo's explanation: Harpo said in Harpo Speaks! that the brothers had named Herbert for Mr Zippo, a chimpanzee that was part of another performer's act Herbert found the nickname very unflattering, and when it came time for him to join the act, he put his foot down and refused to be called Motion pictures "Zippo" The brothers compromised on "Zeppo" Paramount • Chico's explanation: Chico never wrote an The Marx Brothers' stage shows became popular just as autobiography and gave fewer interviews than his motion pictures were evolving to "talkies" They signed a contract brothers, but his daughter Maxine said in The Unknown with and embarked on their film career at Marx Brothers that, when the brothers lived in Chicago, Paramount's Astoria, New York, studios Their first two released a popular style of humor was the "Zeke and Zeb" joke, films (after an unreleased short titled Humor Risk) which made fun of slow-witted Midwesterners in much were adaptations of the Broadway shows The Cocoanuts (1929) the same way that Boudreaux and Thibodeaux jokes and Animal Crackers (1930) Both were written by George S mock Cajuns and Ole and Lena jokes mock Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind Production then shifted to Minnesotans One day, Chico returned home to find Hollywood, beginning with a short film that was included in Herbert sitting on the fence Herbert greeted him by Paramount's twentieth anniversary documentary, The House That saying "Hi, Zeke!" Chico responded with "Hi, Zeb!" Shadows Built (1931), in which they adapted a scene from I'll and the name stuck The brothers thereafter called him Say She Is Their third feature-length film, Monkey Business "Zeb" and, when he joined the act, they floated the idea (1931), was their first movie not based on a stage production of "Zebbo", eventually preferring "Zeppo" Horse Feathers (1932), in which the brothers satirized • Groucho's explanation: In a tape-recorded the American college system and Prohibition, was their most interview excerpted on The Unknown Marx Brothers, popular film yet, and won them the cover of Time It included a Groucho said that Zeppo was so named because he was running gag from their stage work, in which Harpo produces a born when the first zeppelins started crossing the ocean ludicrous array of props from his coat, including a wooden He stated this in his Carnegie Hall concert, around 1972 mallet, a fish, a coiled rope, a tie, a poster of a woman in her The first zeppelin flew in July 1900, and Herbert was underwear, a cup of hot coffee, a sword; and, just after Groucho born seven months later in February 1901 However, the warns him that he "can't burn the candle at both ends," a candle first transatlantic zeppelin flight was not until 1924, burning at both ends appears. long after Herbert's birth During this period Chico and Groucho starred in a radio Maxine Marx reported in The Unknown Marx Brothers comedy series, Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel Though the that the brothers listed their real names (Julius, Leonard, Adolph, series was short lived, much of the material developed for it was Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—10 used in subsequent films The show's scripts and recordings were The first Marx Brothers/Thalberg film was A Night at believed lost until copies of the scripts were found in the Library the Opera (1935), a satire on the world of opera, where the of Congress in the 1980s After publication in a book they were brothers help two young singers in love by throwing a production performed with Marx Brothers impersonators for BBC Radio[37] of Il Trovatore into chaos The film—including its famous scene Their last Paramount film, Duck Soup (1933), directed where an absurd number of people crowd into a tiny stateroom by the highly regarded Leo McCarey, is the highest rated of the on a ship—was a great success, and was followed two years later five Marx Brothers films on the American Film Institute's "100 by an even bigger hit, A Day at the Races (1937), in which the years 100 Movies" list It did not do as well financially as Horse brothers cause mayhem in a sanitarium and at a horse race. The Feathers, but was the sixth-highest grosser of 1933. The film film features Groucho and Chico's famous "Tootsie Frootsie Ice sparked a Cream" sketch In a dispute between 1969 interview the Marxes and with Dick Cavett, the village of Groucho said that Fredonia, New the two movies York made with "" was Thalberg were the the name of a best that they ever fictional country produced. Despite in the script, and the Thalberg films' the city fathers success, the wrote to brothers left MGM Paramount and in 1937; Thalberg asked the studio had died suddenly to remove all on September 14, references to 1936, two weeks Freedonia after filming began because "it is on A Day at the hurting our Races, leaving the town's image" Marxes without an Groucho fired advocate at the back a sarcastic studio retort asking After a them to change short experience at the name of their RKO (Room town, because Service, 1938), the "it's hurting our Marx Brothers picture."] returned to MGM and made three more films: At the Circus MGM, RKO, and (1939), Go West (1940) and The Big Store (1941) Prior to the After expiration of the Paramount contract Zeppo left release of The Big Store the team announced they were retiring the act to become an agent He and brother Gummo went on to from the screen Four years later, however, Chico persuaded his build one of the biggest talent agencies in Hollywood, helping brothers to make two additional films, A Night in Casablanca the likes of Jack Benny and get their starts Groucho (1946) and Love Happy (1949), to alleviate his severe gambling and Chico did radio, and there was talk of returning to Broadway debts Both pictures were released by United Artists. At a bridge game with Chico, Irving Thalberg began discussing the possibility of the Marxes joining Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Later years They signed, now billed as "Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Marx From the 1940s onward Chico and Harpo appeared Bros"[38] separately and together in nightclubs and casinos Chico fronted a Unlike the free-for-all scripts at Paramount, Thalberg big band, the Chico Marx Orchestra (with 17-year-old Mel insisted on a strong story structure that made the brothers more Tormé as a vocalist) Groucho made several radio appearances sympathetic characters, interweaving their comedy with romantic during the 1940s and starred in You Bet Your Life, which ran plots and non-comic musical numbers, and targeting their from 1947 to 1961 on NBC radio and television He authored mischief-making at obvious villains Thalberg was adamant that several books, including Groucho and Me (1959), Memoirs of a scripts include a "low point", where all seems lost for both the Mangy Lover (1964) and The Groucho Letters (1967) Groucho Marxes and the romantic leads He instituted the innovation of and Chico briefly appeared together in a 1957 short film testing the film's script before live audiences before filming promoting the Saturday Evening Post entitled "Showdown at began, to perfect the comic timing, and to retain jokes that earned Ulcer Gulch," directed by animator Shamus Culhane, Chico's laughs and replace those that did not Thalberg restored Harpo's son-in-law Groucho, Chico, and Harpo worked together (in harp solos and Chico's piano solos, which had been omitted from separate scenes) in The Story of Mankind (1957) In 1959, the Duck Soup. three began production of Deputy Seraph, a TV series starring Harpo and Chico as blundering angels, and Groucho (in every Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—11 third episode) as their boss, the "Deputy Seraph" The project was Groucho considered among the brothers' funniest routines The abandoned when Chico was found to be uninsurable (and sketch featured animated representations, if not the voices, of all incapable of memorizing his lines) due to severe arteriosclerosis four brothers Romeo Muller is credited as having written special On March 8 of that year, Chico and Harpo starred as bumbling material for the show, but the script for the classic "Napoleon thieves in The Incredible Jewel Robbery, a half-hour Scene" was probably supplied by Groucho pantomimed episode of the General Electric Theater on CBS Impact on modern entertainment[edit] Groucho made a cameo On January 16, 1977, the appearance—uncredited, Marx Brothers were inducted into because of constraints in his the Motion Picture Hall of Fame NBC contract—in the last With the deaths of Gummo in scene, and delivered the only April 1977, Groucho in August line of dialogue ("We won't 1977, and Zeppo in November talk until we see our 1979, the brothers were gone But lawyer!") their impact on the entertainment According to a community continues well into September 1947 article in the 21st century Newsweek, Groucho, Harpo, Many television shows Chico and Zeppo all signed to and movies have used Marx appear as themselves in a Brothers references Animaniacs biopic entitled The Life and and Tiny Toons, for example, Times of the Marx Brothers In have featured Marx Brothers addition to being a non- jokes and skits Hawkeye Pierce fiction biography of the (Alan Alda) on M*A*S*H Marxes, the film would have featured the brothers reenacting occasionally put on a fake nose and glasses, and, holding a cigar, much of their previously unfilmed material from both their did a Groucho impersonation to amuse patients recovering from vaudeville and Broadway eras The film, had it been made, would surgery Early episodes also featured a singing and off-scene have been the first performance by the Brothers as a quartet since character named Captain Spaulding as a tribute 1933. impersonated Groucho Marx in the 1947 The five brothers made only one television appearance cartoon Slick Hare and in a later cartoon he again impersonated together, in 1957, on an early incarnation of Groucho hosting a TV show called "You Beat Your Wife," called Tonight! America After Dark, hosted by Jack Lescoulie asking Elmer Fudd if he had stopped beating his wife Tex Five years later (October 1, 1962) after 's tenure, Avery's cartoon Hollywood Steps Out (1941) featured Groucho made a guest appearance to introduce the Tonight appearances by Harpo and Groucho They appeared, sometimes Show's new host, .[39] with Chico and Zeppo caricatured, in cartoons starring Mickey Around 1960, the acclaimed director Mouse, Flip the Frog and others In the Airwolf episode considered writing and directing a new Marx Brothers film 'Condemned', four anti-virus formulae for a deadly plague were Tentatively titled A Day at the UN, it was to be a comedy of named after the four Marx Brothers international intrigue set around the United Nations building in In All in the Family, Rob Reiner often did imitations of New York Wilder had discussions with Groucho and Gummo, Groucho, and Sally Struthers dressed as Harpo in one episode in but the project was put on hold because of Harpo's ill-health and which she (as Gloria Stivic) and Rob (as Mike Stivic) were going abandoned when Chico died in 1961[40] He was 74 Three years to a Marx Brothers film festival, with Reiner dressing as later, on September 28, 1964, Harpo died at the age of 75 of a Groucho. did many Groucho imitations on his sit- heart attack one day after heart surgery. com Welcome Back, Kotter and Robert Hegyes sometimes In 1966 Filmation produced a pilot for a Marx Brothers imitated both Chico and Harpo on the show In 's cartoon Groucho's voice was supplied by Pat Harrington Jr and film Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), Woody's character, after an other voices were done by Ted Knight and Joe Besser[41][42] unsuccessful suicide attempt, is inspired to go on living after In 1970, the four Marx Brothers had a brief reunion of seeing a revival showing of Duck Soup In Manhattan (1979), he sorts in the animated ABC television special The Mad, Mad, Mad names the Marx Brothers as something that makes life worth Comedians, produced by Rankin-Bass animation (of Rudolph the living In an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show Murray calls Red-Nosed Reindeer fame) The special featured animated the new station owner at home late at night to complain when the reworkings of various famous comedians' acts, including W C song "Hooray for Captain Spaulding" is cut from a showing of Fields, Jack Benny, , Henny Youngman, the Animal Crackers because of the new owners' policy to cut more Smothers Brothers, Flip Wilson, , Jack E Leonard, and more from shows to sell more ad time, putting his job on the and the Marx Brothers Most of the comedians line. provided their own voices for their animated counterparts, except In (1996), he and Goldie for Fields and Chico Marx (both had died), and Zeppo Marx Hawn dress as Groucho for a Marx Brothers celebration in (who had left show business in 1933) Voice actor France, and the song "Hooray for Captain Spaulding", from filled in for all three (no voice was needed for Harpo) The Marx Animal Crackers, is performed, with various actors dressed as Brothers' segment was a reworking of a scene from their the brothers, striking poses famous to Marx fans (The film itself Broadway play I'll Say She Is, a parody of Napoleon which Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—12 is named after a song from Horse Feathers, a version of which comic style went, there seemed to be no control at all; it seemed plays over the opening credits) simply to spring from nowhere rather than to flow from any Harpo Marx appeared as himself in a sketch on I Love natural source. The thrust of their comedy, of course, was Lucy in which he and reprised the mirror routine creative illogic, but Thalberg did not believe that an entire movie from Duck Soup, with Lucy dressed up as Harpo Lucy had could be built on an illogical premise. The Marx Brothers could worked with the Marxes when she appeared in a supporting role and should run riot, he agreed, but within a contained and orderly in an earlier Marx Brothers film, Room Service Chico once framework—the “real world” for lack of a better term. appeared on I've Got a Secret dressed up as Harpo; his secret was Thalberg was so persuasive that the Marx Brothers shown in a caption reading, "I'm pretending to be Harpo Marx (without Zeppo, who had left the team to become an agent) were (I'm Chico)" The Marx Brothers were spoofed in the second act soon contracted to M-G-M, and work began on their first film for of the Broadway Review A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Hollywood’s most prestigious studio. The basic screenplay for A Ukraine. Night at the Opera was by two of the best writers ever to work for the Marx Brothers, George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, who had previously collaborated with the brothers on the musical play Animal Crackers (which Ryskind also adapted for the screen in 1930); additional contributions (uncredited on the final product) came from one of the most highly regarded comedy gagmen in Hollywood, Al Bosberg. In addition to hiring first- class writers, Thalberg also came up with the unprecedented idea of pretesting the comedy scenes before live audiences; the cast and writers went on the road for eight weeks, endlessly revising the scenes until they evoked the greatest possible laughter. As a result of these meticulous preparations, Thalberg’s personal supervision of the project, and Sam Wood’s firm directorial hand, A Night at the Opera is a much more solid piece of craftsmanship than any other previous Marx Brothers film had been. The plot is no more interesting than those in any of the previous films, but it is a good deal less annoying, largely because of the charm of the romantic leads, Allan Jones and Kitty Carlisle, and the high quality of the musical interludes. The supporting cast is also excellent, especially Margaret Dumont A Night at the Opera from American Film Guide Volume 4. (Groucho’s favorite foil, retained from the Paramount films) as Edited by Frank N. Magill. Salem Press, Egnlewood Cliffs, Mrs. Claypool and Sig Rumann, one of Hollywood’s finest NJ, 1983. Entry by Howard H. Prouty supporting players, as Herman Gottlieb, director of the New York Opera. Most importantly, however, the comedy and the plot By the time of their fifth film, Duck Soup (1933), the line flow naturally together, each serving to advance the other. Marx Brothers had reached a level of comic anarchy never before The Marx Brothers are as funny as ever; the extensive seen on film. Anything was fair game for their inspired lunacy, pretesting contributed an extra polish which resulted in several of and their methods often bordered on the surreal. However, even the most memorable scenes…. though the brothers had certainly established themselves as a The most famous scene of the film—and one of the unique comic force, somehow they failed to click with the most celebrated comedy scenes of all time—is the “stateroom moviegoer. Duck Soup fared poorly at the box office, and scene,” in which the Marx Brothers and Allan Jones find Paramount was reluctant to renew their contract. The brothers themselves in a ship’s stateroom which is only slightly bigger were, so to speak, between engagements. than a closet. Crowed enough at the outset, they are nevertheless But help was on the way. Chico Marx counted among joined by two maids, the ship’s engineer, a manicurist the his regular bridge-playing cohorts the “boy genius” of engineer’s assistant, a young woman looking for her Aunt Hollywood, thirty-five-year-old Irving G. Thalberg, then head of Minnie, a cleaning woman, and four waiters, each with a tray full production at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Thalberg invited the of food (ordered by Groucho at the beginning of the scene). brothers to a business lunch, where they discovered that he had When Margaret Dumont arrives to see Groucho, she opens the ideas about them. Their motion pictures were funny, he door of the room and all of the above-mentioned people tumble conceded, but they were not really very good films. It was out at her feet. Thalberg’s opinion that the other aspects of their films had been Thalberg’s theory was that for the Marx Brothers to be neglected to the overall detriment of the comedy. their funniest, their madness should be set against the stuffiest In a sense, Thalberg was right; the production values of and most dignified background possible—hence, the opera. In the Marx Brothers’ Paramount films had never been particularly the film’s climactic scene the brothers are finally turned loose on high, and the direction and camerawork of even their best an opera performance and they reduce it to chaos in every way vehicles were often surprisingly sloppy. It would not be an imaginable. They substitute “Il Trovatore” with “Take Me Out to exaggeration to say that the Marx Brothers had succeeded in the Ball Game,” during which Groucho hawks peanuts in the being funny in spite of the films in which they appeared; in any aisles; they swing on the backstage ropes, raising and lowering in traditional sense, the movies were not well made. As far as their rapid succession a series of totally inappropriate backdrops; Wood—A NIGHT AT THE OPERA—13

Chico and Harpo infiltrate the chorus and mock the singers coat in which he could conceal almost any object, no matter how onstage; and so on. It is in this scene that Thalberg’s notions of impossible or unlikely—was eliminated; in A Night at the Opera, Marxian comedy reach full fruition, for the havoc wreaked is not outside of a few funny faces and some more or less routine only hilarious, but flows naturally from narrative events; the , he is not left much to do. On the other hand, his ever- brothers are out to humiliate opera director Gottlieb, who has present harp solo is probably is most beautiful ever (a rendition banned Castaldi (Kitty Carlisle) and Baroni (Allan Jones) from of the film’s hit song “Alone”). singing, and egotistical tenor Rudolpho Lassparri (Walter Woolf In a sense, the change in Harpo’s role is emblematic of King), whose self-centered behavior throughout the film has the Marx Brothers’ overall trade-off; what they sacrificed in made him a natural target for a comedic comeuppance, Their craziness, they ore than made up for in class. In this instance, at efforts pave the way for the young couple’s happiness and least, it worked beautifully; A Night at the Opera marked the resolving the plot for a satisfying fade-out. apex of the brothers’ careers. However, even though the film A Night at the Opera is the first Marx Brothers film was long considered their finest, this is no longer a universally without Zeppo, but he is hardly missed. His functions, which held opinion. Thalberg, it must be admitted, was correct about were usually limited to begin with, are filled by Allan Jones, who the needs and preferences of contemporary audiences, for A also serves in the capacity of romantic lead, which Zeppo could Night at the Opera returned a healthy profit to M-G-M. The never have done. There were other, more significant changes, younger audiences who have rediscovered the Marx Brothers in however, particularly a decided shift in the domination of the the 1960’s and 1970’s, however, are often more receptive to the comedy. Blest by some of his best dialogue (by two of his best unrestrained anarchic spirit of the Paramount films, which writers), Groucho is clearly the star of the show. Chico, as reached its peak with Duck Soup (1933). In any event, there is a before, serves best as a foil for Groucho, and his role remains general consensus that things began to go downhill following A almost the same. Harpo’s participation, however, is reduced as a Night at the Opera. M-G-M attempted to apply the same formula result of his general move away from the more surreal comedy to their next film, A Day at the Races (1937), but without the elements which had been almost exclusively his domain in the inspired guidance of Irving Thalberg (who had died in the earlier films. One of his staple comic elements—the voluminous interim), the results were notably less successful.

COMING UP IN THE FALL 2016 BUFFALO FILM SEMINARS XXXIII: Sept 13 Jean Cocteau Beauty and the Beast 1946 Sept 20 Jacques Tourneur Out of the Past 1947 Sept 27 Yasujiro Ozu Late Spring 1949 Oct 4 Joseph L. Mankiewicz All About Eve 1950 Oct 11 La Dolce Vita 1960 Oct 18 Chimes at Midnight 1966 Oct 25 Sarah Elder and Leonard Kamerling The Drums of Winter 1977 Nov 1 Hal Ashby Being There 1979 Nov 8 Brian De Palma The Untouchables 1987 Nov 15 Norman Jewison Moonstruck 1987 Nov 22 Andrei Tarkovsky The Sacrifice 1986 Nov 29 Alfonso Arau Like Water for Chocolate 1992 Dec 6 Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck The Tourist 2010

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