The Marx Brothers

Well folks, I've finally gotten around to my Marx Brothers post. After 4 days of going through all of my stuff, I've managed to collected quite a healthy amount of recordings and photos to share with you. While going through all the films to extract some of the audio, I found myself in ecstacy laughing and grooving with these great brothers. I've seen them all dozens of times and I never get sick of them. There's just so much going on in these movies, it amazes me to think that some of the early ones were originally Broadway shows performed over and over and over again.
Actually, they had been on the vaudeville circut for about 25 years before anyone had seen their first film "The Cocoanuts" (1929). One of the things that facinates me about those early films is that connection with the vaudeville world these entertainers brought to the celluloid. Some of W.C. Fields' films capture that spirit of the old American travelling entertainer passing through town and city fishing for applause and acceptance.
I want so badly to know this old world of 100 plus years ago and be there in the tent watching all these unusual entertainments performing before my eyes. Back then you saw it and that was it. No way to experience it again, except through remembering it or perhaps reading or hearing about it. No using the zoom on the DVD to see what expression the guy in the chorus had on his face while what's her name sang that awful song. You had to take it all in that one time.
The Marx Brothers are funny. The Goons, Monty Python, Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, even Alf are in some way off shoots of that outrageous style of humor these brothers practiced during the first half of the 20th century. I think I might like The Marx Brothers better than all the rest (except maybe W.C. Fields, who is an equal). Let's get to the files.
The comic strip that inspired their famous first names

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   I'll start with an double LP released in 1972 called "An Evening With Groucho". Essential to any Marxophile. Groucho was still clocking at 82 years old wandering through stories and songs to an enthusiastic crowd. He even gets a little randy at times.









 

 


 




An Evening With Groucho LP [FLAC]        password: TITS
{Re-Uploaded August 19, 2012}
                                                                                                         Harpo was an extremely unique member of the Marx clan. He is considered the true musician in the family. They all could play music very well, but Harpo took it more seriously and practiced his harp everyday until he died.












Harpo Marx Harpo In Hi-Fi & Harpo At Work [FLAC]
password: TITS
{Re-Uploaded August 21, 2012}




I couldn't stop myself from adding various bits of mp3's taken from the complete collection of films. Music and dialog aplenty......
Some Audio From The Marx Bros Films
PASSWORD:chasradio


"Did Anyone Ever Tell You You Look Like The Prince Of Wales?" from "The Cocoanuts" "When My Dreams Come True"- Harpo Marx From "The Cocoanuts"

Hello, I Must Be Going/Hooray For Captain Spaulding- From "Animal Crackers" A young Margaret Dumont
"Harpo's Jam From "Animal Crackers"


"Any Statement For The Press This Time?"- From "Monkey Business"
"You Call This A Party?"- From "Monkey Business"
I'm Against It- From "Horsefeathers"
Everyone Says I Love You - Harpo
Everyone Says I Love You- Chico From "Horsefeathers"
Everyone Says I Love You- Groucho From "Horsefeathers"
I love Thelma Todd.Thelma Todd was a perfect addition to the early films. She died of mysterious circumstances shortly after "Horsefeathers" was made.


"I Welcome You With Open Arms"- From "Duck Soup"

Groucho Makes Speech- From "A Night At The Opera" Harpo's Jam From "A Night At The Opera" "Get Out Of Here Before I Get Arrested"- From "A Night At The Opera


The original version of "A Day At The Races" had a blue tinted sequence during the water carnival scene. VHS and DVD editions of the film eliminated the tint, but good old Turner Classic Movies broadcast it as originally intended.Maureen O'Sullivan was very beautiful in blue.
Florida Medical Department, Good Morning"- From "A Day At The Races Chico & Harpo's Jam From "A Day At The Races"
Lydia The Tattooed Lady- From "At The Circus" Chico's Jam From "At The Circus"
"A Toast To Where We Girls Was Born" from "Go West"
Riding The Range- From "Go West"
Chico's Jam From Go West Harpo's Jam From "Go West"
Martha Dear..." from "The Big Store"
Chico And Harpo's Jam From "The Big Store" Harpo's Jam From "The Big Store"


The 2nd Movement From The Beer Barrel Polka- Chico Marx from "A Night In Casablanca"

"Have You A Suite For Me And My Wife"- from "A Night In Casablanca"


Groucho probably was more well known than his brothers because he hosted a very popular television quiz show called "You Bet Your Life". Groucho proved to be brilliant as the ringleader of this very funny show which allowed him greater improvisational freedom than the films. Before they would get to the quiz part of the show, Groucho would chat with these oddball contestants for a few minutes. This was my favorite part of the show.....You Bet Your Life excerpt #1 (features a pretty killer musical performance by GLADYS BENTLEY)
You Bet Your Life excerpt #2 (Groucho sings a little Harry Champion)
You Bet Your Life excerpt #3 (features a Hollywood stuntman and Ms. America)
You Bet Your Life excerpt #4 (features a trombone playing Housewife and a guy named Safety First)
Before "You Bet Your Life" was a television show, it played to radio audiences...
You Bet Your Life Radio Broadcast

Some odds and ends...Groucho, Attorney At Law (w/Bing Crosby)

Chico Marx Interview
    Groucho On The Today Show