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View Full Version : Who Is Your Favourite Marx Brother?



Kimpatsu
4th July 2003, 09:06
As it's late Friday afternoon and I'm feeling in a silly mood (as ever!), here's a new poll. Please give the reasons for your vote. :cool:

koma
4th July 2003, 09:10
I vote for Harpo because he gets all the girls , being the strong silent type he is.:D

Soulend
4th July 2003, 09:48
I'm a Groucho type of Marxist, because I loved his one-liners. I also was a huge fan of the 'You Bet Your Life' re-runs.:)

Tripitaka of AA
4th July 2003, 10:35
Zeppo, as he was the good-looking insipid one that everyone forgot about... like Me! ;)

A. M. Jauregui
4th July 2003, 11:42
Originally posted by koma
I vote for Harpo because he gets all the girls , being the strong silent type he is.:D

Darn right, that is why I voted for him. ;) *Swoon*

TimothyScott
4th July 2003, 13:58
Originally posted by Soulend
I'm a Groucho type of Marxist, because I loved his one-liners. I also was a huge fan of the 'You Bet Your Life' re-runs.:)

Groucho rules. He'd put most comedians to shame nowadays who seem to rely mainly on juvenile bathroom humor to make people laugh. Groucho was a 10th degree black belt in the art of wit.

I don't suppose you know if "You Bet Your Life" is aired on any satellite/cable channels, do you? I'd love to watch that again. IIRC, the USA network used to air that show. They had that along with some other oldies like "Dobie Gillis" and "I Married Joan".

John Lindsey
4th July 2003, 14:11
You forgot about Gummo! I think he left the group to join the military and Zeppo was his replacement.

bruceb
4th July 2003, 15:50
Each of the Marx Brothers had different qualitys they exhibited on-stage, and off- stage, in character and out of character.

Although Groucho was the glib fast talking con man on stage, he was shy and reserved off stage .... he was also very thrifty and ego driven to be recognized as a serious actor. Known to have a very large vocabulary from years of Vaudeville traveling, his use of the English language was a natural for "You Bet Your Life".

Chico was the real ladies man, gambler, night club dweller, and a very poor provider for his family because of it. Even when the Marx Brothers were secure enough financially to retire from show business, Chico, ever in debt would somehow talk his brothers into another movie to cover his debts.

Harpo's voice didn't carry in the early talkies, and except for one or two lines in the first picture, he never spoke in the movie versions of the stage plays that were worked out before any films were shot. All the Brothers were trained in classical music, but since Chico used the piano, Harpo learned to play the Harp as his signature instrument. His girl chasing antics were an immitation of his brother, Chico.

Yes, there was Zeppo, and Gummo, but as the icons known as the three Marx Brothers, who most of us know from their movies in the 1940s, Groucho, Chico, and Harpo were like classical instruements being played to their potential from years of Vaudeville and stage.

My favorite Marx Brother? The classic trio.

It depends on which characterization of which Marx Brother I need to make my point.

You almost asked the right question, Mr. Kehoe. If you can understand the Marx Brothers, you might finally understand Bruce B. There are a couple a dozen books on these fellows, go read a couple of them.

But then again, their brand of humor is a derivation of Comedy on the AMERICAN human condition, so you might not understand the undercurrents, such as locking the head of the film studio out of his own office and playing cards in their underwear until he gave in for creative details that were supposed to be included in a film?

Soulend
4th July 2003, 23:30
Originally posted by TimothyScott
I don't suppose you know if "You Bet Your Life" is aired on any satellite/cable channels, do you? I'd love to watch that again. IIRC, the USA network used to air that show. They had that along with some other oldies like "Dobie Gillis" and "I Married Joan".

I'm afraid I don't know. I watch very little TV anymore, but surely it still airs somewhere. I used to watch 'YBYL' on CBN cable back in the early 80's, and they also showed other old shows late at night - Dobie, The Honeymooners, Father Knows Best, etc. I can't believe you mentioned 'I Married Joan'! I used to love that show for some reason, I think I've seen every episode.

I miss the old, innocent comedy. And even the not-so-innocent, like Groucho. It seems to put one genuinely in a better mood, not snide, cynical and jaded like a lot of the comedy of late. You're right, Groucho or any number of old time comics and vaudeville guys would put most modern comedians to shame.

Gene Williams
5th July 2003, 03:52
Groucho, and you are right. Humor today is all scorn and cynicism, or grab your crotch and yell f.... So called "situation comedies" have neither situations nor comedy. Gene

Rob Alvelais
5th July 2003, 05:14
Originally posted by Gene Williams
Groucho, and you are right. Humor today is all scorn and cynicism, or grab your crotch and yell f.... So called "situation comedies" have neither situations nor comedy. Gene

Hey Boss, Whaddya talkin?
Chico is da main man!

So, Tony, is your favorite Marx, Karl?

Rob

Tripitaka of AA
5th July 2003, 10:35
Your favourite member of the Monty Python team?

Your favourite character from the Monty Python TV shows?

Your favourite scene from "life of Brian"?



Groucho, who I never thought of as the youngest of the trio @(he was), but who easily outlived the others in life and in influence. Without him there could have been no Hawkeye Pierce in "M*A*S*H". Hooray for Captain Spaulding!

A. M. Jauregui
5th July 2003, 10:59
Originally posted by Tripitaka of AA
Your favourite member of the Monty Python team?

Start a new thread - I will definitely reply. John Cleese is awesome...

Kimpatsu
6th July 2003, 02:51
Originally posted by Rob Alvelais
So, Tony, is your favorite Marx, Karl?
He was certainly the biggest comedian of them all. I mean, look at Communism: what a joke! It even had the Soviet Union going for 70 years! :p
Actually, I voted for Groucho. Ever see "Duck Soup"?

Cady Goldfield
6th July 2003, 03:28
I love Groucho's wit, but Harpo is my favorite because of his talent for physical comedy and also his nice harp technique. I love the movies where he performs on the harp because he is so out of character as soon as he touches the strings. Completely focused, serious, intense.

MarkF
6th July 2003, 10:03
Groucho never considered himself an actor or comedian, he was a writer, and stated so on his tax forms. He said he did some of his best stuff on YBYL, a classic show which he took seriously, as to the game portion of it.

A small note of trivia, Candace (Candy) Bergen made her show biz debut on that show, in a bit with one of Groucho's daughter, his oldest. They were school chums and hung out together. They were about thirteen at the time they were on that show. Those who have seen them, may remember. Phyllis Diller also was on that show, as were people such as Joe Lewis and Sugar Ray Robinson.

Chico, a talented pianist, never let that stop him. His pistol style of hitting notes was as classic a bit as I've seen. He definitely was the girl chaser of the bunch. Harpo's harp was always spectacular.

I wish I could tell the story as I heard it, but it concerned Talullah Bankhead. When Chico was introduced to her at a party (this is very edited), he gave here the once over and remarked "You know, I'd like to sleep with you." Without losing a beat, Miss Bankhead replied "And so you shall, and so you shall."

I don't know whether that part of the story was played out, but it describes Chico perfectly.

They were always known as the Four Marx Brothers, until Zeppo finally dropped out, but never, according to a book written by Groucho, the "Three Marx Bros." They became the "Marx Brothers" in the late forties. Harpo did speak in one movie they made, as the narrator (I can't remember the name of the movie).

Hey, it's a good topic!


Mark

cybermaai
6th July 2003, 12:42
Kinpatsu,

You forgot Richard, who had a wonderful sense of humor. I mean, those "songs," that hair...

Rob Alvelais
6th July 2003, 15:37
Originally posted by Kimpatsu

He was certainly the biggest comedian of them all. I mean, look at Communism: what a joke! It even had the Soviet Union going for 70 years! :p
Actually, I voted for Groucho. Ever see "Duck Soup"?

"Say, I've got a cousin in Texas?"
"Texas? I said taxes. Dollars! Taxes!"
"Yeah, that's right, he's in Dallas, Texas!"


:laugh:

Rob

Rob Alvelais
6th July 2003, 15:48
One of the big indicators that my last girlfriend (now my wife of 10 years) was indeed the one, was one of her favorite things to do on our dates. At her suggestion, mind you, we'd go down to Blockbuster Video and rent a Marx Bros. movie and watch it with some popcorn and some red wine.

When you find a girl who likes the Marx Bros. and The Three Stooges, you know you've got a keeper!

Rob

Charlie Kondek
7th July 2003, 14:17
"Lady, I love my cigar, too, but I take it out of my mouth once in a while."

BC
7th July 2003, 23:09
I love 'em all, but Harpo was my favorite. Honk honk!

Kimpatsu
7th July 2003, 23:57
Who are the five people who voted for Karl "Spectre of Communism" Marx? Or do you think that Communism is one big joke?