Groucho Marx

.
. His moustache was removed in the US version of the series. Ronald Reagan once famously referred to him as "...my John the Baptist" (in a political sense). In Tiziano Sclavi's comic book series Dylan Dog, the hero's sidekick and assistant is called and looks like Groucho Marx. George Murphy was the subject of a song by satirist Tom Lehrer celebrating his appointment in which Lehrer declared in mock vaudeville style: "Oh, gee it's great, at last we've got a senator who can really sing and dance." Murphy's move from the screen to politics paved the way for the successful transitions of actors such as Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bugs Bunny befuddles Elmer Fudd memorably in "Wideo Wabbit" by imitating the mustachioed comedian in a "You Bet Your Life" parody called "You Beat Your Wife". Later he imitates Art Carney and slaps comical glasses on Elmer, admonishing "don't be such a Groucho". He was unable to speak above a whisper for the rest of his life.

Dave Sim, in his controversial comic book Cerebus the Aardvark, cast Groucho as the slippery, wisecracking but indomitable Lord Julius, Grandlord of the bureaucrat-ridden City-state of Palnu. During his Senate term, Murphy suffered from throat cancer, forcing him to have his larynx removed. Gabe Kaplan personated him in the biographical Groucho (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084031/). Murphy served from January 1, 1965 to January 3, 1971. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1970, and subsequently moved to Palm Beach, Florida, where he died. Alan Alda often vamped as Groucho on M*A*S*H. In 1964 he was elected to the United States Senate; he defeated Pierre Salinger, who had been appointed several months earlier to serve the remainder of the late Clair Engle's unexpired term. Various Groucho-like characters have lived on since Marx's death, a testament to the character's lasting appeal. In the 1950s, Murphy entered politics as chairman of the California Republican State Central Committee.

He was cremated, and the ashes were entombed in the Eden Memorial Park Cemetery in Mission Hills, California. He was director of entertainment for presidential inaugurations in 1952, 1956, and 1960. Groucho Marx died on August 19, 1977. He was a vice president of Desilu Studios and of the Technicolor Corporation. Groucho was a master at improvising clever insults, and became well known for this. One of his frustrations in later years was that when he insulted people who annoyed him they tended to laugh, thinking it was just part of the famous comedian's act. He was the President of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944 to 1946. His stage name, "Groucho," was said to have been bestowed on him because while in Vaudeville he kept his money in a bag around his neck known as a "grouch" bag. An alternate story is that he was grouchy. During World War II he appeared in several patriotic films designed to increase morale in the U.S., including the 1943 movie This Is the Army in which he plays a thinly fictionalized version of Irving Berlin.

In later years he grew a real mustache. When Johnson decided to retire from show business in 1935, Murphy moved the family to Hollywood, appearing in several musicals and comedies until 1952. Off-stage he was bookish and stated late in life that he lamented the fact he had never finished school or gone to college. Some of the letters displaying his wit were incorporated into a book. In 1927 he appeared on Broadway, partnering with his wife Julie Johnson as a dance act. Throughout his career he introduced a number of memorable songs in films, including "Hooray for Captain Spaulding", "I'm Against It", "Hello I Must be Going", "Everyone Says I Love You" and "Lydia the Tattooed Lady". Crooner Frank Sinatra once quipped that the only thing he could do better than Marx was sing. He worked as a tool maker for the Ford Motor Company, as a miner, a real estate agent, and a night club dancer. The show was responsible for the phrases "Say the secret word and win a prize" and "Who is buried in Grant's Tomb?". He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and attended Yale University.

Then they would play a brief quiz. George Lloyd Murphy (July 4, 1902 - May 3, 1992) was an American dancer, actor and politician. The show consisted of Groucho interviewing the contestants and ad libbing jokes. The Eddie Cantor Giftset Collection (1930). In the 1950s, he hosted the popular television program You Bet Your Life. Kid Millions (1934). Groucho also worked as a radio comedian and show host in the 1930s and 1940s. You're a Sweetheart (1937).

(See: Marx Brothers). London by Night (1937). He and his brothers starred in a series of extraordinarily popular movies and stage shows, often departing from the scripts they were using. The Women Men Marry (1937). Groucho developed a routine as a wise-cracking hustler with a distinctive chicken-walking lope and an exaggerated greasepaint moustache, improvising insults to stuffy dowagers (often played by Margaret Dumont) who stood in his way. Top of the Town (1937). He quickly dropped the accent and developed the fast-talking wise guy character he would make famous. Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937).

However, after the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in 1915 public anti-German sentiment was widespread, and Groucho's "German" character was booed. Hold That Co-ed (1938). For a time in vaudeville, all the brothers performed in ethnic accents; Groucho did a German accent. Everybody Sing/Little Nellie Kelly (1938). Leonard Marx, the oldest Marx brother, developed the "Italian" accent he used as "Chico" to convince some roving bullies that he was Italian, not Jewish. Little Miss Broadway (1938). The Marx family grew up on the Upper East Side of New York City, in a small Jewish neighborhood sandwiched between Irish/German and Italian neighborhoods. Letter of Introduction (1938).

Julius Henry Marx, known as Groucho Marx (October 2, 1890 - August 19, 1977), was an American comedian, working both with his siblings the Marx Brothers and on his own. Two Girls on Broadway (1940). This line spread to other nations as well in the 1960s and 1970s. Public Deb No. 1 (1940). A famous French witticism was "Je suis Marxiste, tendance Groucho."; "I'm a Marxist of the Groucho variety". Little Nellie Kelly (1940). [...] He is simply unique in the same way that Picasso or Stravinsky are." — Woody Allen. Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940).

"Groucho Marx was the best comedian this country ever produced. Ringside Maisie (1941). Tom, Dick and Harry (1941). A Girl, A Guy and A Gob (1941). The Mayor of 44th Street (1942).

The Navy Comes Through (1942). For Me and My Gal (1942). This Is the Army (1943). Bataan (1943).

Broadway Rhythm (1944). Step Lively (1944). Show Business (1944). Having a Wonderful Crime (1945).

Up Goes Maisie (1946). Cynthia (1947). The Arnelo Affair (1947). Tenth Avenue Angel (1948).

Battleground (1949). Border G-Man (1950). Border Incident (1950). Talk About a Stranger (1952).