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The Groucho Letters
Groucho's Enough to make you Gag! And Pun! And Joke! And Laugh! No personage is too big, no nuance is too small to escape Groucho's hilariously poinson pen.
252 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1960
About the author
Groucho Marx
93 books841 followersJulius Henry "Groucho" Marx (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian and film star. He is famed as a master of wit. He made 15 feature films with his siblings, the Marx Brothers, and also had a successful solo career, most notably as the host of the radio and television game show, You Bet Your Life. He had a distinctive image, which included a heavy greasepaint moustache and eyebrows, and glasses.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
October 24, 2008
This classic collection of Groucho Marx's correspondence, which was donated to the Library of Congress, at their request, gives the best glimpse into who Groucho Marx was. Not only do we see his letters to his family and friends, who included some of the century's most famous people, but we get to see what people wrote in return. Groucho's personality and wit shine through, and these letters are a rare treasure.
With little formal education, Groucho could construct a letter better than most people with college degrees. He shows himself as witty, acerbic, sometimes sentimental and, yes, often grouchy. The book starts off with his infamous exchange with the legal department at Warner Brothers, who claim they own the rights to the movie title "Casablanca." Groucho responds that, perhaps, since the Marx Brothers were famous before the Warner Brothers, that perhaps they owned the rights to use "Brothers"?
We see Groucho's exchanges with many of his friends, but not much between the brothers themselves, since they were almost always together and there was no need of correspondence. We see Groucho's complaints and his praise. The most memorable part of the book is Groucho's legendary correspondence with the poet, T.S. Elliot. Groucho is clearly in awe of the poet, who seems equally in awe of the comic. It takes several years for this predecessor of the modern "Email friendship" to become a "real life friendship" when Groucho and his wife fly to London to meet "Tom" and his wife. We find out about the evening via a letter Groucho sent to another person. We also see a letter where Groucho mourns T.S. Elliot's passing.
This collection of letters is never out-dated, and never becomes boring. There is always something to read, somewhere in the book. It is not a book that you will read, then forget about. It's an amazing, historical collection of wit, sarcasm and genuine tenderness that is essential to any humor library.
With little formal education, Groucho could construct a letter better than most people with college degrees. He shows himself as witty, acerbic, sometimes sentimental and, yes, often grouchy. The book starts off with his infamous exchange with the legal department at Warner Brothers, who claim they own the rights to the movie title "Casablanca." Groucho responds that, perhaps, since the Marx Brothers were famous before the Warner Brothers, that perhaps they owned the rights to use "Brothers"?
We see Groucho's exchanges with many of his friends, but not much between the brothers themselves, since they were almost always together and there was no need of correspondence. We see Groucho's complaints and his praise. The most memorable part of the book is Groucho's legendary correspondence with the poet, T.S. Elliot. Groucho is clearly in awe of the poet, who seems equally in awe of the comic. It takes several years for this predecessor of the modern "Email friendship" to become a "real life friendship" when Groucho and his wife fly to London to meet "Tom" and his wife. We find out about the evening via a letter Groucho sent to another person. We also see a letter where Groucho mourns T.S. Elliot's passing.
This collection of letters is never out-dated, and never becomes boring. There is always something to read, somewhere in the book. It is not a book that you will read, then forget about. It's an amazing, historical collection of wit, sarcasm and genuine tenderness that is essential to any humor library.
October 6, 2018
'...you have “always voted for the man and never the Party,”... I think this is praiseworthy but reckless, like you're saying that if the Republicans nominate a person you don't approve of, you'll vote against him even if the Democrats put up Mussolini.'
The above came from a letter written in 1943 by the novelist Booth Tarkington to Groucho Marx regarding the latter's politics. And in all of The Groucho Letters, a collection of letters written to and from that master of wordplay, Tarkington's analysis is the closest we get to a statement of Groucho's political philosophy.
And that speaks to how uncomfortable Groucho is with matters of politics. He opines at length on a variety of subjects; going bald, pro baseball, radio vs. television, chasing women and Broadway stage productions. He shows great affection for his family and clearly enjoys chewing the fat with other great wits. But the only political subject he mentions with any frequency is taxes (he wasn't a fan.)
And what's so odd about Groucho's political disinterest is that he's writing during perhaps the most politically explosive time in history; the 1940s through the 1960s. But Groucho has little to say about World War II, communism or fascism and nothing to say about antisemitism or the Holocaust despite all the horrifying details that emerged during this time. I can't fault him for staying away from difficult subjects, but it makes me wonder how much secret pain he felt as a Jewish America, one whose brother Leonard (better known as Chico) adopted an Italian persona to help evade the attention of bullies.
Sometimes you can tell more about a person by what they don't write than what they do. The Groucho Letters is a great read from a great mind, but quite often his wit serves to keep the reader at arm's length.
Edited 10/6/2018
The above came from a letter written in 1943 by the novelist Booth Tarkington to Groucho Marx regarding the latter's politics. And in all of The Groucho Letters, a collection of letters written to and from that master of wordplay, Tarkington's analysis is the closest we get to a statement of Groucho's political philosophy.
And that speaks to how uncomfortable Groucho is with matters of politics. He opines at length on a variety of subjects; going bald, pro baseball, radio vs. television, chasing women and Broadway stage productions. He shows great affection for his family and clearly enjoys chewing the fat with other great wits. But the only political subject he mentions with any frequency is taxes (he wasn't a fan.)
And what's so odd about Groucho's political disinterest is that he's writing during perhaps the most politically explosive time in history; the 1940s through the 1960s. But Groucho has little to say about World War II, communism or fascism and nothing to say about antisemitism or the Holocaust despite all the horrifying details that emerged during this time. I can't fault him for staying away from difficult subjects, but it makes me wonder how much secret pain he felt as a Jewish America, one whose brother Leonard (better known as Chico) adopted an Italian persona to help evade the attention of bullies.
Sometimes you can tell more about a person by what they don't write than what they do. The Groucho Letters is a great read from a great mind, but quite often his wit serves to keep the reader at arm's length.
Edited 10/6/2018
December 9, 2021
“Fuera del perro, el libro es el mejor amigo del hombre. Dentro del perro está muy oscuro para leer.” Groucho Marx
Necesitaba descontracturarme un poco de tanta literatura solemne y se me ocurrió comprar el libro de las cartas de este genio del humor norteamericano que se llamó Groucho Marx.
Dueño de un talento innato para hacer reír en el cine, también lo pudo desarrollar en la literatura y aunque no leí sus otros libros me bastaron estas cartas enviadas a todo tipo de personalidades, incluyendo al Presidente de los Estados Unidos Harry Truman, Howard Hughes, Fred Allen o T. S. Eliot.
Las misivas derrochan ironía, humor satírico, desfachatez y tono mordaz en su mayoría y lo que más me impactó de todas ellas era la manera tan hilarante que tenía de escribir los últimos párrafos antes de despedirse.
Cito algunos de los cuales aún me estoy riendo:
“No soy capaz de dormir. Seguramente tú te preguntarás: ‘¿Por qué no puede dormir? Tiene dinero, talento, belleza, vigor y muchos dientes’ Pero la posesión de todas esas riquezas no tiene nada que ver con ello.”
“P.S. Acabo de informarme. Las orejas de Melinda son pequeñas, bonitas y están bien pegadas a su cara.”
“Perdona la brevedad pero voy a hacerme unas fotos de cuerpo entero esta tarde para una empresa de calendarios y tengo que apresurarme a quitarme la ropa.”
“Me encantó que le encantara que le encantase su libro.”
“Me complace saber que estás escribiendo un libro sobre Jack el Destripador. Siempre ha sido mi ídolo. Siempre había envidiado al personaje sus hazañas, pero las limitaciones físicas me han impedido seguir sus pasos.”
“Si el psicoanálisis no hubiese hecho otra cosa, ha dejado a un montón de gente con un montón de dinero menos del que tenían al principio.”
“Si tus viajes te trajeran por acá, bien dispuesto para el sexo o el juego, no soy experto en ninguna de las dos cosas pero tendría el mayo gusto en acompañarte.”
“Como seguramente habrás descubierto ya, no soy el tipo de corresponsal que era Emily Dickinson, pero ella una mujer y yo soy un hombre y las mujeres tienen más tiempo para escribir cartas porque no están ocupadas persiguiendo mujeres; a menos, claro está, que sean lesbianas."
Afectuosamente,
Groucho
Necesitaba descontracturarme un poco de tanta literatura solemne y se me ocurrió comprar el libro de las cartas de este genio del humor norteamericano que se llamó Groucho Marx.
Dueño de un talento innato para hacer reír en el cine, también lo pudo desarrollar en la literatura y aunque no leí sus otros libros me bastaron estas cartas enviadas a todo tipo de personalidades, incluyendo al Presidente de los Estados Unidos Harry Truman, Howard Hughes, Fred Allen o T. S. Eliot.
Las misivas derrochan ironía, humor satírico, desfachatez y tono mordaz en su mayoría y lo que más me impactó de todas ellas era la manera tan hilarante que tenía de escribir los últimos párrafos antes de despedirse.
Cito algunos de los cuales aún me estoy riendo:
“No soy capaz de dormir. Seguramente tú te preguntarás: ‘¿Por qué no puede dormir? Tiene dinero, talento, belleza, vigor y muchos dientes’ Pero la posesión de todas esas riquezas no tiene nada que ver con ello.”
“P.S. Acabo de informarme. Las orejas de Melinda son pequeñas, bonitas y están bien pegadas a su cara.”
“Perdona la brevedad pero voy a hacerme unas fotos de cuerpo entero esta tarde para una empresa de calendarios y tengo que apresurarme a quitarme la ropa.”
“Me encantó que le encantara que le encantase su libro.”
“Me complace saber que estás escribiendo un libro sobre Jack el Destripador. Siempre ha sido mi ídolo. Siempre había envidiado al personaje sus hazañas, pero las limitaciones físicas me han impedido seguir sus pasos.”
“Si el psicoanálisis no hubiese hecho otra cosa, ha dejado a un montón de gente con un montón de dinero menos del que tenían al principio.”
“Si tus viajes te trajeran por acá, bien dispuesto para el sexo o el juego, no soy experto en ninguna de las dos cosas pero tendría el mayo gusto en acompañarte.”
“Como seguramente habrás descubierto ya, no soy el tipo de corresponsal que era Emily Dickinson, pero ella una mujer y yo soy un hombre y las mujeres tienen más tiempo para escribir cartas porque no están ocupadas persiguiendo mujeres; a menos, claro está, que sean lesbianas."
Afectuosamente,
Groucho
October 3, 2011
In 1946, lawyers for Warner Brothers shot off warning letters to the producers of the in-production Marx Brothers opus, A Night in Casablanca, threatening the makers with legal action if they used the name "Casablanca" in the film's title.
Much to the chagrin of the lawyers and Warner's head, Jack Warner, Groucho Marx got wind of this inherently absurd threat. Needless to say, they had met their match.
What followed was a flurry of devastatingly funny, insulting letters from Groucho. They are classic lampoons of corporate idiocy, and so bewildering to the stuffed shirts that the threatened suit never materialized.
The Casablanca letters get this collection of Groucho's correspondence -- dating roughly from the mid-1930s to mid-1960s -- off with a bang. The letters in this compilation derive both from Groucho's pen and from those of his correspondents, which included family members, friends and a broad range of show business and other acquaintances. In reading them, not only is Groucho revealed to indeed be one of the wittiest men who ever lived, but his correspondents in almost all instances seem have risen to the occasion by penning small masterpieces of humor of their own.
Enjoyment of this collection is enhanced if you have a better-than-average working knowledge of Hollywood in the golden age.
I'd like to think that after reading this, the quality of my own emails has improved.
The book is something of a national treasure.
Much to the chagrin of the lawyers and Warner's head, Jack Warner, Groucho Marx got wind of this inherently absurd threat. Needless to say, they had met their match.
What followed was a flurry of devastatingly funny, insulting letters from Groucho. They are classic lampoons of corporate idiocy, and so bewildering to the stuffed shirts that the threatened suit never materialized.
The Casablanca letters get this collection of Groucho's correspondence -- dating roughly from the mid-1930s to mid-1960s -- off with a bang. The letters in this compilation derive both from Groucho's pen and from those of his correspondents, which included family members, friends and a broad range of show business and other acquaintances. In reading them, not only is Groucho revealed to indeed be one of the wittiest men who ever lived, but his correspondents in almost all instances seem have risen to the occasion by penning small masterpieces of humor of their own.
Enjoyment of this collection is enhanced if you have a better-than-average working knowledge of Hollywood in the golden age.
I'd like to think that after reading this, the quality of my own emails has improved.
The book is something of a national treasure.
July 6, 2019
I 'discovered' the Marx Brothers at age 12 and tried to see as many of their movies as I could after that. My fondness for their humor hasn't faded, and now that I've read this insightful book, I feel a need to see their work for the first time in ages. Groucho's knack for wordplay always appealed to me most of all, and this book highlights his wit--and the wit of his fellow correspondents, often other writers of the day. There's something especially joyful about seeing Groucho go into fanboy mode as he writes to E.B. White, and reading how he became such a fan of these new guys Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner that he sends their comedy album out to a few of his other writer-friends abroad.
I do wish this book was annotated. A few of the people had asterisks by their names accompanied by brief explanations about who the person is, but since it was originally published in the late 1960s, there is an assumption that the reader will know recognize other names or get other cultural references. I picked up a lot, sure, but wanted to know more. More context around Groucho's life would have helped, too. The letters are not in chronological order, but grouped by theme and correspondent, and sometimes the back and forth flow in time is confusing--he's married to one woman then another, then single, then married to the first woman again.
That said, much of the humor is still gold. I laughed out loud throughout and smiled much of the time I read. Sure, a few jokes went a bit far, but even Groucho at his raciest is downright mild compared to modern comedians.
I do wish this book was annotated. A few of the people had asterisks by their names accompanied by brief explanations about who the person is, but since it was originally published in the late 1960s, there is an assumption that the reader will know recognize other names or get other cultural references. I picked up a lot, sure, but wanted to know more. More context around Groucho's life would have helped, too. The letters are not in chronological order, but grouped by theme and correspondent, and sometimes the back and forth flow in time is confusing--he's married to one woman then another, then single, then married to the first woman again.
That said, much of the humor is still gold. I laughed out loud throughout and smiled much of the time I read. Sure, a few jokes went a bit far, but even Groucho at his raciest is downright mild compared to modern comedians.
March 4, 2008
I would never want to read a book that would have me as a reader.
March 24, 2026
Pues me río a veces y no entiendo el contexto muchas otras veces, supongo que si naces en los años 20 en Estados Unidos pues son 4 estrellas y si eres del mundillo pues 5 estrellas...
March 22, 2017
Sometimes, my internal monologue is narrated by Groucho.
If I have a witty comeback or innuendo... It is his voice I hear.
"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it..."
-Groucho Marx
If I have a witty comeback or innuendo... It is his voice I hear.
"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it..."
-Groucho Marx
September 6, 2012
I didn't find Groucho's letter's as hilarious as some reviewers here, but he was certainly an excellent, clever writer, and there's plenty of funny stuff here.
July 21, 2016
What wondrous wit! Almost as much fun as his films. Crisp wisecracks abound, laughter flows, gaiety prevails.
July 15, 2019
As a child I was fascinated by the absurdist comedy of the Marx Brothers, as well as Groucho Marx's wry and self-effacing humor in
You Bet Your Life
. I was a weird kid, true, but the Marx Brothers allowed me to view other misfits as the stars of the show and the most interesting people in the room.
As other reviewers noted, I heard about The Groucho Letters in an NPR segment in which this collection was discussed as an antidote to taking life too seriously. We can always use a bit more humor in our lives and Groucho shows us how to not take anything, especially ourselves, too seriously. As I read through his correspondence I could hear Groucho's signature voice in my head, his patented delivery and playful word choice. However, I did not have much context about his life, nor a good fix on who his correspondents were, which made it difficult for me to stay engaged. The humor began to wear thin. Eventually there emerged a portrait of a man who was always in character, even though he appeared to be tired of donning the greasepaint mustache and glasses. The caricature of Groucho was behind even the letters with his family and intimates. The jokes took on a sad undercurrent as he discussed his problems with his career, money, and his difficulty sleeping. This collection might be better paired with a biography as a companion piece to give these missives better context.
As other reviewers noted, I heard about The Groucho Letters in an NPR segment in which this collection was discussed as an antidote to taking life too seriously. We can always use a bit more humor in our lives and Groucho shows us how to not take anything, especially ourselves, too seriously. As I read through his correspondence I could hear Groucho's signature voice in my head, his patented delivery and playful word choice. However, I did not have much context about his life, nor a good fix on who his correspondents were, which made it difficult for me to stay engaged. The humor began to wear thin. Eventually there emerged a portrait of a man who was always in character, even though he appeared to be tired of donning the greasepaint mustache and glasses. The caricature of Groucho was behind even the letters with his family and intimates. The jokes took on a sad undercurrent as he discussed his problems with his career, money, and his difficulty sleeping. This collection might be better paired with a biography as a companion piece to give these missives better context.
Read
January 16, 2024Groucho!! I wish I kept correspondences with people it seems fun to write letters, especially to Groucho!
Telling girls I read Marx all the time
Telling girls I read Marx all the time
October 11, 2016
This is a great book for reading in waiting rooms or anywhere else where you just have time for snippets. It's a quick, easy read, and Groucho's comments are far superior and funnier than those of any of his correspondents. Here's an example: "I am beginning to regard myself as the kiss of death to any branch of the amusement industry. When I reached big-time vaudeville it immediately began to rot at the seams. During the days when I was a movie actor no theater could survive unless it gave away dishes, cheese and crackers, and, during Lent, costume jewelry. I remember one night leaving the theater after a triple feature with two pounds of Gold Medal butter, a carton of Pepsi-Cola and twelve chances on a soft water tank...."
One thing that amazed me was a repeat reference to an anecdote I just read in the book previous to this: After the fall of the Third Reich, Rudolf Hess parachuted into the U.K. and expected to be received by Churchill as refugee royalty. This book has a quote from Churchill about the incident, with Churchill telling an emissary: Tell him to come back later this afternoon; I have a lot to do in the morning.
While not as funny as his public writing, this book shows his incredible gift for comedy.
One thing that amazed me was a repeat reference to an anecdote I just read in the book previous to this: After the fall of the Third Reich, Rudolf Hess parachuted into the U.K. and expected to be received by Churchill as refugee royalty. This book has a quote from Churchill about the incident, with Churchill telling an emissary: Tell him to come back later this afternoon; I have a lot to do in the morning.
While not as funny as his public writing, this book shows his incredible gift for comedy.
October 14, 2016
Me llevé este libro en préstamo por 2 razones: 1- soy fan de Woody Allen quien a su vez es fan de Groucho Marx, 2- Me pareció extraño encontrar este título en una ciudad y época tan alejada de la realidad y contexto histórico del personaje. Respecto al contenido, debo decir que al no estar familiarizada con la vida y obra de Groucho ni con el mundo del espectáculo norteamericano de la primera mitad del siglo XX, se me hizo algo complicado asimilar la cantidad de personajes a quienes aparecen dirigidas las cartas del comediante.
De todas maneras, hubo frases que me sacaron más de una sonrisa, se notaba que el tipo era un humorista innato. Eso sí, despues de unas ciento y tantas páginas, tuve que aplicar "lector macho" no más. Mal ahí el editor del libro, faltó una selección más acotada. Resumiendo y a fin de cuentas, yo que sé!
De todas maneras, hubo frases que me sacaron más de una sonrisa, se notaba que el tipo era un humorista innato. Eso sí, despues de unas ciento y tantas páginas, tuve que aplicar "lector macho" no más. Mal ahí el editor del libro, faltó una selección más acotada. Resumiendo y a fin de cuentas, yo que sé!
November 11, 2021
I'd kill to be as witty as Groucho Marx and his friends, and I thought that since I was a kid, when I saw 'Duck Soup' for the first time. I have spent my life with this mustached chatterbox as a hero. But I never read through his letters for reasons I cannot explain. Having done so, I realize it is downright impossible to get on Groucho's level. He'd shrug off the praise with vibrant self-deprecation, but he was a goofball who ventured into his own version of literary academia, for which he both yearned and hated. He was a complex twist of gallows humor and philosophy and his friends were very much up to the task of meeting him letter for letter.
October 21, 2009
This book was amazing. It was more than amazing. They haven't invented a word yet for what this book is. I can tell you that it kept me highly entertained while waiting at my desk for customers to call. In fact, I would rather read this book then talk to those customers. I am disconnecting my phone and starting all over again.
September 22, 2014
La correspondencia del genial Groucho Marx con su familia, amigos, productores, escritores, periodistas, admiradores y demás, aparece en una cuidada edición por parte de Anagrama, "La conjura de la risa", la cual es indispensable.
Estas cartas irónicas y divertidas son una gran obra de la literatura epistolar. Olviden a Cantinflas, si de verdad quieren sonreír, y vuélvanse marxistas
Estas cartas irónicas y divertidas son una gran obra de la literatura epistolar. Olviden a Cantinflas, si de verdad quieren sonreír, y vuélvanse marxistas
July 12, 2025
This collection of "letters from and to Groucho Marx" is laugh-out-loud funny on nearly every page. Groucho and his correspondents were among the most erudite and hilarious writers of their time. Among the many highlights, my favorite is the story of Groucho's improbable friendship with T. S. Eliot.
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August 19, 2022Reading somebody else’s mail, written with somebody else in mind. ANd the source of the anecdote about Harpo reporting (in the course of applying for unemployment) that he had worked an hour just that morning ... and earned $11,500.00 (more than either of the government employees processing his claim earned in that year).
January 6, 2009
Whenever I'm asked the question, "If you could have dinner with one person from all of history, who would it be?" I reply, "Groucho Marx." This book just reminded me again of why I answer that question the way I do.
October 30, 2015
Very interesting book. Loved the back and forth banter with Groucho and his friends, keeping in mind they were writing letters and that these letters took more time to get to their recipients. Not like today with our instant messaging.
It was a fun read.
It was a fun read.
January 16, 2008
Reading the letters gives if anything a yet fresher impression of the comedian.
January 16, 2008
What a treat.
Be ready to laugh your ass off.
Groucho corresponds with some of the world's best know brains of his day. He writes them, they write him...always a fun read.
Be ready to laugh your ass off.
Groucho corresponds with some of the world's best know brains of his day. He writes them, they write him...always a fun read.
August 17, 2024
Remarkable letters to and from a remarkable man!
May 3, 2018
Some funny stuff here, but also some chaff. If you want the best Groucho, watch the Marx Brothers films and You Bet Your Life videos.
Four stars because it's Groucho. Anyone else, it would be three.
Four stars because it's Groucho. Anyone else, it would be three.
January 18, 2018
What can I say; the man was funny, clever and seldom unkind.
September 16, 2023
long live julius marx
July 12, 2020
When I was but a lad in elementary school, I was obsessed with the Marx Brothers. I quoted Groucho at every turn, preceding his erudition with, "As Groucho says...." Eventually, my classmates began to mock me, often making faces and saying, with a sneer, "Groucho said this; Groucho said that." I am pleased to report that this relentless disdain did nothing to dim my affection for the Marxes, which has only grown deeper and stronger as I approach the end of middle age.
As a fan, I am always hungry to learn as much as I can about what it must have been like to live in their households, to be raised as a child by one of them, and to know what was going on in their heads. After all, I imagine one must keep their wits about them to keep pace with the rapid fire dialogue that was such a staple of their performing. I remember Jack Lemmon saying on a documentary, "And the literate quality of their humor? Oh, boy!" I have now read two books that cover Groucho's recollections (one of which, "The Marx Brothers Scrapbook," he rather forcefully disapproved); with The Groucho Letters, I feel as if the picture of the workings of his remarkable mind becomes somewhat more clear.
His wit is featured here in abundance, especially when he corresponded with someone who considered themselves intellectual. He saves his choicest barbs for those who would assume they had some sort of authority over him. He uses language that I doubt would be widely approved today, mostly slurs against gay people. But perhaps the most eminent feature of his writing is what must have been crippling insecurity. Toward the end of his television career, in which he served as the prominent host of the quiz show "You Bet Your Life," his letters indicated deep concerns what would become of his financial status, even though he was a multimillionaire at the time. He also is not shy in admitting that he is afraid he will be forgotten; yet often in the same breath, he laments that his rapid aging would prevent him from doing much more lucrative work anyway. His first wife (Ruth, his contemporary) and his third wife (Eden, considerably younger than him) bear frequent mention, but he avoids the subject of how troubled his marriages were. Regarding family in other respects, he unfailingly closes his letters with love and good wishes toward the families of his friends, but says comparatively little about his own children.
For all that is praiseworthy about his prose, I still had trouble getting absorbed into this book. I am not sure what I expected. Maybe I wanted to learn more about how he accomplished his humor, but apparently he did not hold his comedy ion as high esteem as did his fans. He does make some astute criticisms of entertainment in his time, and he will occasionally wax philosophical about politics. But reading his letters was like being the last one in line at a buffet. We're not getting the fullness of a rich meal; we're getting just enough tidbits to keep us moving along to the next station, and we end up just a touch unsatisfied.
As formidable as his wit was, I have inferred from other readings that Groucho felt considerable anguish at the thought that he would be forgotten. His words in his correspondence reflect that fear. But I wonder what he would make of the adulation granted him today, decades after his death. I further wonder what he would have written about it.
As a fan, I am always hungry to learn as much as I can about what it must have been like to live in their households, to be raised as a child by one of them, and to know what was going on in their heads. After all, I imagine one must keep their wits about them to keep pace with the rapid fire dialogue that was such a staple of their performing. I remember Jack Lemmon saying on a documentary, "And the literate quality of their humor? Oh, boy!" I have now read two books that cover Groucho's recollections (one of which, "The Marx Brothers Scrapbook," he rather forcefully disapproved); with The Groucho Letters, I feel as if the picture of the workings of his remarkable mind becomes somewhat more clear.
His wit is featured here in abundance, especially when he corresponded with someone who considered themselves intellectual. He saves his choicest barbs for those who would assume they had some sort of authority over him. He uses language that I doubt would be widely approved today, mostly slurs against gay people. But perhaps the most eminent feature of his writing is what must have been crippling insecurity. Toward the end of his television career, in which he served as the prominent host of the quiz show "You Bet Your Life," his letters indicated deep concerns what would become of his financial status, even though he was a multimillionaire at the time. He also is not shy in admitting that he is afraid he will be forgotten; yet often in the same breath, he laments that his rapid aging would prevent him from doing much more lucrative work anyway. His first wife (Ruth, his contemporary) and his third wife (Eden, considerably younger than him) bear frequent mention, but he avoids the subject of how troubled his marriages were. Regarding family in other respects, he unfailingly closes his letters with love and good wishes toward the families of his friends, but says comparatively little about his own children.
For all that is praiseworthy about his prose, I still had trouble getting absorbed into this book. I am not sure what I expected. Maybe I wanted to learn more about how he accomplished his humor, but apparently he did not hold his comedy ion as high esteem as did his fans. He does make some astute criticisms of entertainment in his time, and he will occasionally wax philosophical about politics. But reading his letters was like being the last one in line at a buffet. We're not getting the fullness of a rich meal; we're getting just enough tidbits to keep us moving along to the next station, and we end up just a touch unsatisfied.
As formidable as his wit was, I have inferred from other readings that Groucho felt considerable anguish at the thought that he would be forgotten. His words in his correspondence reflect that fear. But I wonder what he would make of the adulation granted him today, decades after his death. I further wonder what he would have written about it.
April 21, 2021
The first time I read The Groucho Letters was so long ago that I can't remember the year reliably, but its enjoyment and impact have not faded over time. Groucho Marx's wit and devilish sense of humor are legendary from his many films and TV appearances, but you have not fully appreciated Groucho until you read him in his own words via years of collected correspondence with friends, foes and Hollywood notables. Thankfully for fans and historians, Groucho was happy to share his prolific personal opinions on a variety of subjects with a surprising variety of people, from studio executives to poets to personal friends. These collected letters were donated to the Library of Congress in the mid-1960s and how lucky we are that Groucho's letters remain preserved for all to enjoy.
Perhaps one of the best examples of Groucho's wit is his delightfully acerbic volley of barbs with Harry and Jack Warner, heads of the Warner Brothers Studio which attempted to stop the Marxes from using "Casablanca" in the title of their 1946 film A NIGHT IN CASABLANCA. The Warner lawyers sent an ominous legal document to the Marx Brothers, claiming they had some ownership to the city's name from their 1942 hit film CASABLANCA and the Marx's film would reflect badly on it. Seriously debating this point while also tweaking the noses of the mighty Warners, Groucho unleashes his weapons of wit in an absurd letter that rightfully skewers the studio lawyers' ridiculous assertion.
Groucho opens his salvo with the fictitious history of the Warners' ancient ancestor, Ferdinand Balboa Warner, who in search of the city of Burbank, stumbled across the shores of Africa and named his find Casablanca... presumably owning the name and the city in perpetuity thereafter.
Groucho goes on to deflate their legal argument by asserting that, even upon a re-release of CASABLANCA in theaters, movie audiences would soon learn to distinguish Ingrid Bergman from his brother Harpo and cease confusing the two films. Typically, Groucho added, "I don't know whether I could, but I certainly would like to try." Groucho ends his letter by confirming that the love between the Warners and the Marxes shall never be thwarted by a "pasty-faced legal adventurer" in this manner. As he did in many of the Marx's best routines, Groucho battles his foe by joining forces with them, suggesting they combine their attack on a third party. It's a wonderfully nonsensical display of circular logic that, in the end, left the Warner lawyers in stunned silence and they dropped the matter.
So many of Groucho's letters literally inspire out-loud laughs as you read. Others are sincere, friendly correspondence that offer peeks into Groucho's personal life and friendships. A few demonstrate Groucho's strong convictions as he rails against those he sees doing wrong. All of these I leave to readers to discover in their own time.
The Groucho Letters is highly recommended to anyone who admires Groucho Marx for his work, his humor, and his life experiences. While the letters are personal and direct from Groucho, don't expect full biographical chapters of his life to spill across the pages. These shared letters offer glimpses of his life in transient windows of correspondence as Groucho saw fit to address in the moment. That does not diminish their value or humor in any way. Find a copy of the book wherever you can and settle in for some unfiltered laughs from one of the 20th Century's greatest comedic minds.
Perhaps one of the best examples of Groucho's wit is his delightfully acerbic volley of barbs with Harry and Jack Warner, heads of the Warner Brothers Studio which attempted to stop the Marxes from using "Casablanca" in the title of their 1946 film A NIGHT IN CASABLANCA. The Warner lawyers sent an ominous legal document to the Marx Brothers, claiming they had some ownership to the city's name from their 1942 hit film CASABLANCA and the Marx's film would reflect badly on it. Seriously debating this point while also tweaking the noses of the mighty Warners, Groucho unleashes his weapons of wit in an absurd letter that rightfully skewers the studio lawyers' ridiculous assertion.
Groucho opens his salvo with the fictitious history of the Warners' ancient ancestor, Ferdinand Balboa Warner, who in search of the city of Burbank, stumbled across the shores of Africa and named his find Casablanca... presumably owning the name and the city in perpetuity thereafter.
Groucho goes on to deflate their legal argument by asserting that, even upon a re-release of CASABLANCA in theaters, movie audiences would soon learn to distinguish Ingrid Bergman from his brother Harpo and cease confusing the two films. Typically, Groucho added, "I don't know whether I could, but I certainly would like to try." Groucho ends his letter by confirming that the love between the Warners and the Marxes shall never be thwarted by a "pasty-faced legal adventurer" in this manner. As he did in many of the Marx's best routines, Groucho battles his foe by joining forces with them, suggesting they combine their attack on a third party. It's a wonderfully nonsensical display of circular logic that, in the end, left the Warner lawyers in stunned silence and they dropped the matter.
So many of Groucho's letters literally inspire out-loud laughs as you read. Others are sincere, friendly correspondence that offer peeks into Groucho's personal life and friendships. A few demonstrate Groucho's strong convictions as he rails against those he sees doing wrong. All of these I leave to readers to discover in their own time.
The Groucho Letters is highly recommended to anyone who admires Groucho Marx for his work, his humor, and his life experiences. While the letters are personal and direct from Groucho, don't expect full biographical chapters of his life to spill across the pages. These shared letters offer glimpses of his life in transient windows of correspondence as Groucho saw fit to address in the moment. That does not diminish their value or humor in any way. Find a copy of the book wherever you can and settle in for some unfiltered laughs from one of the 20th Century's greatest comedic minds.
February 12, 2021
Vaudeville, radio, theater, movies and finally television — none of these nor all of them together — was sufficient to share completely the amazing wit of comic artist Groucho Marx, and an escape hatch for the comedy that must have been bursting his brain were letters he wrote to friends and strangers, nobles and nobodies.
Famed still for the Marx Brothers movies, those of us of a certain age will remember his hosting long-running TV quiz shows filled with laughter. His letters, however, will take readers of any age on a history tour of the American entertainment industry.
You'll learn about movie and theater ideas that didn't make it like the play he co-wrote that closed after eight days on Broadway, the TV show he lamented that was doomed to fail by running in the same time slot as the popular "Dr. Kildare" and "My Three Sons."
Groucho was one of those pre-television radio stars who as the 1940s turned to the 1950s made it in what was to become TV's "Golden Age" with the well-regarded "You Bet Your Life."
Groucho's letters turn out to be some people's most precious possessions because he took the time to praise their work — something he did quite often.
Most every bit of his correspondence is plastered with puns, humor, and mildly salacious turns of phrase, even when he was making a serious point. On the other hand, he omitted the comedy when, in 1954, he wrote to Jerry Lewis urging him not to break up his extremely successful professional relationship with Dean Martin. That very sincerely letter contains no one-liners, and Lewis wrote back in kind, thanking Groucho for his sincere interest in his welfare.
Readers will enjoy a number of back-and-forth-and back-again letters with entertainment world folks such as Irving Berlin, T.S. Eliot and E.B. White. Some of his best quips, though, come in ongoing correspondence with comic writers few may remember, names such as Arthur Sheekman, Goodman Ace, Harry Kurnitz, Norman Krasna and Nunnally Johnson.
I had to wonder if Groucho wrote his letters with a thesaurus next to his typewriter or if his vocabulary was as broad as his writing evidences.
The quality of his use of the language, with regular references to classical literature, history and current events, is evidence this was an extremely bright man. But who would have thought that Groucho Marx would have written to the president of the Chrysler Corporation way back in 1954 urging his to stress safety in his cars?
Famed still for the Marx Brothers movies, those of us of a certain age will remember his hosting long-running TV quiz shows filled with laughter. His letters, however, will take readers of any age on a history tour of the American entertainment industry.
You'll learn about movie and theater ideas that didn't make it like the play he co-wrote that closed after eight days on Broadway, the TV show he lamented that was doomed to fail by running in the same time slot as the popular "Dr. Kildare" and "My Three Sons."
Groucho was one of those pre-television radio stars who as the 1940s turned to the 1950s made it in what was to become TV's "Golden Age" with the well-regarded "You Bet Your Life."
Groucho's letters turn out to be some people's most precious possessions because he took the time to praise their work — something he did quite often.
Most every bit of his correspondence is plastered with puns, humor, and mildly salacious turns of phrase, even when he was making a serious point. On the other hand, he omitted the comedy when, in 1954, he wrote to Jerry Lewis urging him not to break up his extremely successful professional relationship with Dean Martin. That very sincerely letter contains no one-liners, and Lewis wrote back in kind, thanking Groucho for his sincere interest in his welfare.
Readers will enjoy a number of back-and-forth-and back-again letters with entertainment world folks such as Irving Berlin, T.S. Eliot and E.B. White. Some of his best quips, though, come in ongoing correspondence with comic writers few may remember, names such as Arthur Sheekman, Goodman Ace, Harry Kurnitz, Norman Krasna and Nunnally Johnson.
I had to wonder if Groucho wrote his letters with a thesaurus next to his typewriter or if his vocabulary was as broad as his writing evidences.
The quality of his use of the language, with regular references to classical literature, history and current events, is evidence this was an extremely bright man. But who would have thought that Groucho Marx would have written to the president of the Chrysler Corporation way back in 1954 urging his to stress safety in his cars?
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