The Week End Economists Turn to Marx. May 28 - 29 - 30, 2016.

[Hugin]

Calm down! I'm here to talk about...


GROUCHO MARX!

The early part of the last century produced a parade of the all time comedy greats. Folks like Buster Keaton, Mae West, The Three Stooges, and so many others. People who's humor has continued to resonate and lift the spirits of generations.

I like to think part of the reason for this endurance is because most of them started out performing in front of live audiences in vaudeville. Honing their wit on what worked and what didn't with immediate feedback.

One of the comedians to emerge from this genesis was Groucho Marx. (Along with his brothers; Chico, Harpo, Gummo, and Zeppo )

Today, I choose to talk about Groucho in particular. During his career he portrayed himself as the intellectual of the group. (and self-avowed charmer and "ladies' man".) As a result, he developed an extensive library of quotations and observations on the human condition. I don't know about you, right now, I could use some intellectual relief.

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho Marx.

(This is certainly true of Trump.)

So, here we go:

A taste of his wit...

As, typically, here's all about the man...

"Julius Henry Marx (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977), known professionally as Groucho Marx, was an American comedian and film and television star. He was known as a master of quick wit and is widely considered one of the best comedians of the modern era. His rapid-fire, often impromptu delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers and imitators.

He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born. He also had a successful solo career, most notably as the host of the radio and television game show 'You Bet Your Life'.

His distinctive appearance, carried over from his days in vaudeville, included quirks such as an exaggerated stooped posture, glasses, cigar, and a thick greasepaint mustache and eyebrows. These features resulted in the creation of one of the world's most ubiquitous and recognizable novelty disguises, known as 'Groucho glasses': a one-piece mask consisting of horn-rimmed glasses, large plastic nose, bushy eyebrows and mustache."

... (clip)... (An uncertain start)

"Julius took to the stage as a boy singer in 1905. Marx reputedly claimed that he was 'hopelessly average' as a vaudevillian, but this was typically Marx, wisecracking in his true form. By 1909 Minnie Marx had assembled her sons into a forgettable-quality vaudeville singing group billed as 'The Four Nightingales'. The brothers Julius, Milton (Gummo Marx) and Arthur (originally Adolph, from 1911 Harpo Marx) and another boy singer, Lou Levy, traveled the U.S. vaudeville circuits to little fanfare. After exhausting their prospects in the East the family moved to La Grange, Illinois, to play the Midwest.

After a particularly dispiriting performance in Nacogdoches, Texas, Julius, Milton, and Arthur began cracking jokes onstage for their own amusement. Much to their surprise, the audience liked them better as comedians than as singers. They modified the then-popular Gus Edwards comedy skit 'School Days' and renamed it 'Fun In Hi Skule'. The Marx Brothers would perform variations on this routine for the next seven years.

For a time in vaudeville all the brothers performed using ethnic accents. Leonard, the oldest, developed the Italian accent he used as Chico Marx to convince some roving bullies that he was Italian, not Jewish. Arthur, the next oldest, donned a curly red wig and became 'Patsy Brannigan', a stereotypical Irish character. His discomfort speaking on stage led to his uncle Al Shean's suggestion that he stop speaking altogether and play the role in mime. Julius Marx's character from 'Fun In Hi Skule' was an ethnic German, so Julius played him with a German accent. After the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in 1915, public anti-German sentiment was widespread, and Marx's German character was booed, so he quickly dropped the accent and developed the fast-talking wise-guy character that became his trademark.

The Marx Brothers became the biggest comedic stars of the Palace Theatre in New York City, which billed itself as the 'Valhalla of Vaudeville'. Brother Chico's deal-making skills resulted in three hit plays on Broadway. No comedy routine had ever so infected the Broadway circuit.

All of this predated their Hollywood career. By the time the Marxes made their first movie, they were major stars with sharply honed skills, and when Groucho was relaunched to stardom on 'You Bet Your Life', he had already been performing successfully for half a century."

(The end of a legend was overshadowed by the end of another...)

Groucho's "...death was somewhat overshadowed by the death of Elvis Presley, three days earlier. His gravestone bears no epitaph; but in one of his last interviews, he suggested one: 'Excuse me, I can't stand up.'"

There is way way more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groucho_Marx

Well, when you need a break for some insightful levity and wit this Memorial Day weekend... Look up, Marx.

He's there. Always.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/43244.Groucho_Marx

3 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	EYE ALWAYS KNOWED U WUZ A COMMIE!!i1!
	0 (0%)
	Come on up and see me sometime, Sailor.
	0 (0%)
	Humor is reason gone mad.
	1 (33%)
	Those are my principles, and if you don't like them...Well, I have others.
	1 (33%)
	If you're not having fun, you're doing something wrong.
	0 (0%)
	I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it.
	0 (0%)
	The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made.
	1 (33%)
	What does this have to do with cats?
	0 (0%)
	I like pie.
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[Hugin]

1. Groucho's views on the Markets and trading were far too extensive to post here...

He was very effected by the crash of 1929 and he continued to analyse and comment on it during the remainder of his life.

If you can spare the time, here is a very illuminating excerpt from his autobiography: "Groucho and Me".

https://books.google.com/books?id=WTW-BZ7HEjwC&pg=PT119&lpg=PT119&dq=groucho+marx+open+stock+exchange&source=bl&ots=G5NY3GXxSa&sig=dLdhL3pZxEDr8CqoTle_byhZToM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjX9Kvk8__MAhUU3mMKHVXICdoQ6AEIQDAH#v=onepage&q=groucho%20marx%20open%20stock%20exchange&f=false

Marx does bring up his own encounter with Goldman-Sachs. Who knew?

[Fuddnik]

2. Humor is reason gone mad.

But, I still like pie.