Groucho Marx Birthday
Did you know that Groucho Marx ranks among America’s greatest comedians? Find out more about this witty and lovable entertainer.
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National Today
Background

Julius Henry Marx, popularly known as Groucho Marx, was born on October 2, 1890, in Manhattan, New York to Sam and Minnie. Marx was considered a “master of quick wit” and the greatest comedian in America. He was best known for his incredible talent in delivering one-liners and quips. An anecdote has it that when Marx was visiting Montreal, a priest shook his hand and said, “I want to thank you for all the joy you’ve put into this world.” To which Marx smilingly replied, “And I wanna thank you for all the joy you’ve taken out of this world!”

His siblings were Zeppo, Chico, Gummo, and Harpo. At an early age, the brothers were influenced to join the entertainment industry by their uncle Al Shean. They started their career by forming a singing group called The Four Nightingales in vaudeville. Their foray into the entertainment world, however, was not a walk in the park. They performed in their first successful show “Fun In Hi Skule” only in 1910. When the brothers joined Hollywood, Marx adopted a distinctive appearance where he grease-painted his mustache and eyebrows, and always had a cigar in his mouth. Marx’s brothers, Harpo and Chico, were featured in 13 of the 26 movies Marx made. Marx made his radio debut in 1947 when he hosted “You Bet Your Life,” a quiz program. The program was later moved to television in 1950. Marx would crack jokes during the show and introduce songs such as ‘Hello I Must Be Going.’

While Marx found success in his professional life, his personal life didn’t quite make the grade. He was married thrice and every marriage ended in divorce. Although Marx had no formal education, he wrote his autobiography and several other books. He died on August 19, 1977.