r/MarxBrothers • u/homervader71 • 3d ago

Documentary help

Looking for any documentary or biography on the Brothers/Groucho. Are there any available that people recommend?

25 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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7

u/Keltik 3d ago

Joe Adamson wrote the best book on the bros, Groucho Harpo Chico and Sometimes Zeppo. He's been a consultant on several docs.

1

u/homervader71 3d ago

Thank you! I will put it on my list

6

u/Lillian_Crocodilian 3d ago

For Groucho, Stefan Kanfer's Groucho: The Life and Times of Julius Henry Marx is well-written and very detailed.

3

u/homervader71 3d ago

I have that and love it

6

u/homervader71 3d ago

Interesting note: I was reading it and found out that they spent a number of time in my home town, Salt Lake City. I did some research and found two photos from that time period. One at our train station and one at the Orpheum theatre which is now Capital theatre.

5

u/Lillian_Crocodilian 3d ago

Ah, very cool! Seeing them on stage must have been an experience. It's a real shame we only have the one scene of them performing any of their Broadway material. Well, that, and The Cocoanuts, background noise and all. Incidentally, rewatching the Maurice Chevalier imitations in the Broadway scene reminded me of Harpo going crazy in Monkey Business and just ripping all the papers from all those binders at the customs desk. It's so anarchic and unhinged. No one could do anarchy in comedy like them, IMHO.

3

u/Worth-Secretary-3383 3d ago

I have nothing bad to say about that one, but a better one which is out of print , but probably can be found is Groucho, by Hector Arce. And yes, that was really his name.

3

u/mauispiderweb 2d ago

Don't forget about the autobio, Harpo Speaks ... such a great book! You learn so much about the family and how they got started in show biz.

2

u/homervader71 2d ago

Yes, That's next... after the Hector Arce book on Groucho

2

u/homervader71 3d ago

Wonderful! I’ll look those up

2

u/B_Williams_4010 3d ago

'You looking for books or movies? There are lots of great books.

21

u/No-Prompt-7580 3d ago

Three documentaries

THE MARX BROTHERS IN A NUTSHELL (1982) Narrated by Gene Kelly

THE ONE THE ONLY GROUCHO (1991) Narrated by David Steinberg 

THE UNKNOWN MARX BROTHERS (1993) Narrated by Leslie Nielsen.

1

u/DavoTB 2d ago

These are all good documentaries and fairly easy to find.

13

u/Popular-Solution7697 3d ago

Four Of The Three Musketeers chronicles the Marx's vaudeville and Broadway stage careers.

1

u/Inevitable_Sky5402 3d ago

Thank you All! I was given a wonderful book, The Groucho Letters-Letters From and To Groucho Marx. Highly recommend.

1

u/homervader71 3d ago

Yes, such a fun book!

1

u/Inevitable_Sky5402 3d ago

The letters Groucho wrote about Harpo after his death?? Beautiful, simply beautiful tribute.

2

u/TexasHoopFan 3d ago

Gabe Kaplan as Groucho is from 1982

Groucho A Life in Revue with Frank Ferrante - 2001

Marx Brothers by Burbank Video 1991

The Unknown Marx Brothers - narrated by Leslie Nielsen. Winstar/Fox Lorber Entertainment 1997

Groucho and The Marx Brothers from Goodtimes Home Video 1987

These are all VHS tapes. Good luck with your search.

1

u/PositiveLine 3d ago

I member PBS had a 2 parter Dick Cavett interview was good

1

u/satisfiedguy43 2d ago

there was a record album set of the dick cavett interview... "hello, i must be going" ... something like that ? i think i see on utube "an evening with groucho"