Throwback Thursday Comedy Special: Harpo and Chico Marx in "A Night in Casablanca"

It's another Throwback Thursday. Today we're turning the clock back 74 years to revisit a comedy classic.

In the 1946 Marx Brothers film A Night in Casablanca Ronald Kornblow (Groucho Marx) takes over as the manager of a luxurious hotel in Casablanca, in the aftermath of World War II.

After discovering that both of his predecessors had been murdered, Kornblow begins to fear for his safety -- especially when Nazi Count Pfefferman (Sig Ruman) tries to take over Kornblow's job in a bid to get his hands on valuable items that were stashed in the hotel by the Nazis at the tail end of the war.

In this funny clip from the film, Harpo Marx overhears a plot to kill Kornblow and uses his skills at pantomime and whistling to tip off Chico Marx (Groucho's bodyguard) about the plot.

Enjoy! 

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.


 
#Throwback Thursday     #TBT

Throwback Thursday Comedy Special: Groucho Marx as the Hotel Clerk in "A Night in Casablanca"

In the Marx Brothers film A Night in Casablanca Ronald Kornblow (Groucho Marx) takes over as the manager of a luxurious hotel in Casablanca, in the aftermath of World War II. 

After discovering that both of his predecessors had been murdered, Kornblow begins to fear for his safety -- especially when Nazi Count Pfefferman (Sig Ruman) tries to take over Kornblow's job in a bid to get his hands on valuable items that were stashed in the hotel by the Nazis at the tail end of the war.

In this funny clip from the film, Groucho has his way in dealing with hotel guests. 

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.



#Throwback Thursday    #TBT

Throwback Thursday Comedy Special: The Sanity Clause from the Marx Brothers' Night at the Opera

On this Throwback Thursday we're going back 83 years to 1935 and one of the funniest movies made by The Marx Brothers.

"The Sanity Clause" is often cited as one of the funniest scenes in film comedy. It's a short clip from the Marx Brothers' film A Night at the Opera featuring Groucho and Chico Marx.

Anyone who has ever written or read a contract or a piece of legislation will find this scene hilarious.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.



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Throwback Thursday Comedy Special: Harpo Marx and Lucille Ball in the Mirror Scene

The Marx Brothers were a great team in all of their movies, but each brother was a comedian in his own right. Harpo got a chance to show off his comedic talents in this sketch that he did with Lucille Ball in an episode of I Love Lucy.

This episode, originally in black and white, was colorized. It's a takeoff on the famous scene with Groucho Marx in the 1933 film Duck Soup, one of the Marx Brothers' funniest. It comes from an old vaudeville routine used by other mimes.

The premise of the episode is that Lucy promises nearsighted Carolyn Appleby she’ll meet some Hollywood celebrities. To fulfill the boast she dresses up as a few such as Clark Gable, Gary Cooper as well as Harpo Marx. The real Harpo shows up for this great mirror scene.

Harpo, born Adolph Marx in 1888, got his stage name during a card game at the Orpheum Theatre in Galesburg, Illinois. The dealer called him "Harpo" because he played the harp. He learned how to hold it properly from a picture of an angel playing a harp that he saw in a five-and-dime store.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.



 #Throwback Thursday   #TBT

Throwback Thursday Comedy Special: The Marx Brothers in "A Night at the Opera"

This Throwback Thursday takes us back 82 years to one of the most famous comedy scenes of all time, the ocean liner stateroom scene from the Marx Brothers' film A Night at the Opera.

It was developed with participation of silent comedy great Buster Keaton, who took inspiration from his own film, The Cameraman.  

The 1935 film also starred Kitty Carlisle and Allan Jones. It was the first film the Marx Brothers made for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer after their departure from Paramount Pictures, and the first after Zeppo left the act. The film was adapted by George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind, and Al Boasberg from a story by James Kevin McGuinness. It was directed by Sam Wood.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.



#Throwback Thursday, #TBT

Throwback Thursday Comedy Showcase: Groucho Marx Sings "Lydia the Tattooed Lady"

Today's throwback video goes back 77 years to the Marx Brothers movie At the Circus. In the movie, Groucho Marx sang Lydia, the Tattooed Lady, a 1939 song written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg.After it appeared in the movie it became one of Groucho's signature tunes. 

In 1950, Groucho famously 'stopped' trading at the New York Stock Exchange by commandeering a microphone and singing the song before telling jokes for 15 minutes, during which time traders suspended their work to watch him perform. 

The lyrics made many contemporary references to topical personalities such as Grover Whalen, who opened the World's Fair in 1939. The complex lyrics written by Yip Harburg with clever rhymes such as "Lydia/encyclopedia" and "Amazon/pajamas on" were inspired by W. S. Gilbert.

Among the items, persons, and scenes tattooed on Lydia's body are the Battle of Waterloo (on her back), The Wreck of the Hesperus (beside it), the red, white and blue (above them); the cities of Kankakee and "Paree", Washington Crossing the Delaware, President Andrew Jackson, Niagara, Alcatraz, Buffalo Bill, Picasso, Captain Spaulding (Groucho's character in Animal Crackers) exploring the Amazon, Lady Godiva (with her pajamas on), Grover Whalen, the Trylon, Treasure Island, Nijinsky, Social Security Number and a fleet of ships (on her hips).

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)




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Groucho and the Marx Brothers Return to the New York Stage

I'll Say She Is, the legendary musical comedy that was the Broadway debut of the Marx Brothers, opens this Thursday at the The Connelly Theater.

I'll Say She Is is a revue in which the Marx Brothers attempt to thrill and amuse a wealthy heiress in search of excitement. Their resulting adventures, in a riotous series of comedy sketches and musical numbers, take them to Wall Street, Times Square, a Chinatown opium den, and even Napoleon's palace.

I'll Say She Is established the Marx Brothers as one of the greatest comedy acts of all time. However, unlike their later stage musicals The Cocoanuts and Animal Crackers, it was never adapted for film, or revived on stage. The show was lost to history, until writer, performer, and Groucho Marxist Noah Diamond spent six years researching, restoring, and adapting it. Diamond's new book Gimme a Thrill: The Story of I'll Say She Is, the Lost Marx Brothers Musical, and How it Was Found has just been released by BearManor Media.

The Off-Broadway premiere at The Connelly will star Noah Diamond as Groucho, Seth Shelden as Harpo, Matt Roper as Chico and Matt Walters as Zeppo with Melody Jane in the ingénue role of Beauty, Kathy Biehl as the dowager Ruby Mintworth and Jennifer Harder and C.L. Weatherstone in featured roles. 

I'll Say She Is runs May 28 - July 2. Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 and 7 pm with an added performance on Weds. June 1 at 8pm. The Connelly Theater is located at 220 East 4th Street between Ave A & B in the East Village. Tickets are $35 ($25 for students & seniors), available at 212-352-3101 or www.illsaysheis.com.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)