Quote: catskillz @ April 7 2009, 2:03 AM BSTHarpo did once actually appear in a silent movie, in the early '30s. It as just a short cameo appearance, in a film that I don't think was even a comedy.
It's a comedy - called Too Many Kisses (1925) - and Harpo had a line in it. You can see Harpo's scene in a very good documentary (available on DVD) called The Unknown Marx Brothers (hosted by Leslie Nielsen).
Yeah avoid Big Store, and I think there was one called Go West that should be avoided...at least until you've seen the above 5 other people listed.
In a Book I read I'm sure Groucho said that his brother Gummo was the naturally funniest one of them all, I don't think Gummo was in any of their films. How funny must he have been?!!
Hiya, 
While the Marx Brothers did add some dialogue I think, they didn't write Night at the Opera. George S Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind, Al Boasberg, Buster Keaton, Robert Pirosh and George Seaton did. The most famous writing partner of George Kaufman, Moss Hart (Kaufman and Hart - wrote very funny 1920s and 1930s plays) married Kitty Carlisle who was in ANATO and whom I saw in a theatre conversation event before she died. I think SJ Perelman used to do a lot of writing for the Marx Brothers as well.
Quote: ShoePie @ April 7 2009, 10:28 AM BSTYeah avoid Big Store, and I think there was one called Go West that should be avoided...at least until you've seen the above 5 other people listed.
In a Book I read I'm sure Groucho said that his brother Gummo was the naturally funniest one of them all, I don't think Gummo was in any of their films. How funny must he have been?!!
Go West should not be avoided! Neither should The Big Store. Groucho said Zeppo, not Gummo, was the funniest of the brothers off-stage. And yes, Gummo left the act when the brothers were still doing stage shows, he joined the military and was replaced by Zeppo. Gummo never rejoined the act because he felt he lacked talent as a performer.
There was actaully a 6th Marx Brother, called Manfred. He was the first to be born, but died when only 6 months old.
What about Karl?
ROFLMAO!
Quote: Ben @ April 7 2009, 7:53 PM BSTWhat about Karl?
ROFLMAO!
He was the angry emo child nobody talked about.
Quote: catskillz @ April 7 2009, 6:59 PM BSTThere was actaully a 6th Marx Brother, called Manfred. He was the first to be born, but died when only 6 months old.
Did he appear in any of the shows?
They also had a conjoined twin brother called Spencer, he sold pants and posh sandwiches.
Quote: Ben @ April 7 2009, 7:53 PM BSTWhat about Karl?
ROFLMAO!
In which case you might be hugely amused to know that Harpo's first name was Adolph.
I think the only Marx Brothers film I haven't seen is Room Service. Has anyone here seen it? Is it any good?
I love all this trivia. Here's a few more Marx facts:
Chico was easily the slickest of the brothers, when it came to chatting up women, but he used to tell them he was actually Harpo. This was probably because Harpo was liked more, by the public.
The brothers once did a live show, with Chico and Harpo swapping outfits/characters beforehand. They looked so alike, nobody noticed.
The brothers would often spend their free time, between filming, locked in specially-built cages, which had been built, to stop them wandering off the set and disappearing.
Quote: catskillz @ April 8 2009, 8:19 PM BSTChico was easily the slickest of the brothers, when it came to chatting up women
Hence his nickname, Chicko, as he was getting all the chicks. It was a typesetter doing a program for one of their stage shows who left the 'k' out of the name, so the spelling became Chico.
Quote: catskillz @ April 8 2009, 8:19 PM BSTThe brothers once did a live show, with Chico and Harpo swapping outfits/characters beforehand. They looked so alike, nobody noticed.
That was at the Golden Gate Theater when they were performing material from A Night at the Opera (prior to filming), trying out the lines before a live audience to see what worked, what didn't work and to know how much space to leave for audience laughter. On the second or third day, Chico and Harpo swapped parts, to see if Chico's daughter would notice. After the show she came backstage and they asked her "well?", she replied "well, what?". Harpo said "See, I told you she wouldn't notice". Chico said "I was sure you would have guessed". After they told her they had swapped parts, she told them she hadn't watched the show, but had been out getting her hair done. She said it was one of her biggest disappointments because they never swapped parts again. Their physical similarity is displayed in Duck Soup, when Chico and Harpo disguise themselves as Groucho.
Quote: catskillz @ April 8 2009, 8:19 PM BSTThe brothers would often spend their free time, between filming, locked in specially-built cages, which had been built, to stop them wandering off the set and disappearing.
This only happened during Animal Crackers (their second film), but the film still went over budget and over schedule because the brothers would often be late arriving for work - or one would be missing, so another would have to go and look for him.
And another thing, Manfred Marx's death certificate says he died at the age of 7 months, but that's just unnecessary pedantry.
Quote: earman2009 @ April 8 2009, 7:36 PM BSTI think the only Marx Brothers film I haven't seen is Room Service. Has anyone here seen it? Is it any good?
Yes, it's good. Not one of their best, as it's an adaption of a stage play, so the material wasn't written especially for them. But it's fun.