"Family Portraits" The Marx Brothers (TV Episode 1995)
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The Marx Brothers: Directed by Robert Small. With Bob Dorian, Susan Fleming, Minnie Marx Eagle, Bill Marx.
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Narrated by AMC's host Bob Dorian, this program showcased family members of The Marx Brothers. Among them who appeared on camera were Susan Fleming (Harpo's wife), Bill Marx (Harpo's son), Minnie Marx (Harpo's daughter), Maxine Marx (Chico's daughter), and Miriam Marx (Groucho's daughter). This show was divided into three segments. On Harpo, we see home movie footage of him without his wig and costume. In fact, he's really quite bald here with brown hair on the back but his expressions and movements are unmistakably Harpo's with the playfulness he displays with his wife and kids. On Groucho, there's plenty of stills of him with his first two kids, Arthur and Miriam, and his first wife and their mother, Ruth, who was revealed to be somewhat of an alcoholic. We also see some film clips of other daughter, Melinda, as both child and young adult singing both solo and with her father. And on Chico, there are plenty of stills of him with Maxine and her mother. His taking over management of his team from mother Minnie and his compulsive gambling is also mentioned here but in mostly forgiving terms by his daughter. Loved seeing Harpo's clown painting displayed here and his son Bill mentioning playing piano at Groucho's various parties during the latter's final days. All in all, a very affectionate tribute to the Marx children's fathers as they were off-screen. Well worth seeing for Marx Brothers fans.