Duck Soup
As the chairwoman of the reception committee, I welcome you with open arms.
Is that so? How late do you stay open?
I've sponsored your appointment because I feel you are the most able statesman in all of Freedonia.
Well, that covers a lot of ground. Say, you cover a lot of ground yourself. You better beat it. I hear they're going to tear you down and put up an office building where you're standing. You can leave in a taxi. If you can't leave in a taxi, you can leave in a huff. If that's too soon you can leave in a minute and a huff. You know you haven't stopped talking since I came here. You must have been vaccinated with a phonograph needle.
Groucho, the life and times of Julius Henry Marx, by Stefan Kanfer. Kanfer presents the full man funny and sad. From his poor childhood in New York City to fame and fortune as the wittiest movie star of the last century.
Groucho couldn't turn the insults off. He was Groucho, the huckster of Duck Soup, Animal Crackers and dozens of others all the time. As you can imagine that strained his business relationships and destroyed three marriages.
Like Superman Groucho discovered that simple disguises were the best. His big painted on mustaches, glasses and a cigar were Groucho's cape and cowl.
Anyway, the book is a great read, I recommend it. Besides the movies and the family stuff you get biographies on Chico, Harpo and Zeppo for free. Chico always needed money and women. Zeppo was as boring off screen as he was on screen and Harpo. Harpo was crazy.
I leave you with my favorite Groucho story.
Groucho took his daughter to a swimming club but the anti-Semites refused them admission.
"She's only half Jewish," he said. "How about if she only goes in up to her waist?"
Groucho: The Life and Times of Julius Henry Marx
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