Tag: Harpo Marx

Home Again: The Marx Brothers in New York City

Post author By Jim R. Moore
Post date October 6, 2020

A Marxian multimedia adventure through New York City, in the company of its funniest sons and writer and performer Noah Diamond (I’ll Say She Is, Marxfest, The Marx Brothers Council Podcast). With special guests, a lot of laughs, a few tears, and a few surprises. Presented by Freedonia Marxonia.

What great fun I had watching this wonderful story assembled with so much care by the amazingly talented Noah Diamond!

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Tags Broadway, Chico Marx, Event, Fredonia Marxonia, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Home Again, Marx Brothers, New York City, Noah Diamond, Vaudeville

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The Marx Brothers Weekend – Sept. 9th – A Video/Photo Excerpt

Post author By Jim R. Moore
Post date September 13, 2017

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The Marx Brothers and World War I

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The Trivia Section of the day at 2:00 pm with Brett Leveridge

Noah Diamond displays one of the Prizes for Trivia winner. Marx Brothers Comic Book.

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Marx Brothers Sing-Along

Marx Brothers Singalong: “Alone”

There are two kinds of people: those who would enjoy a group singalong of Marx Brothers songs, and those who simply don’t know how to have fun. I assert that you have not truly lived until you’ve heard a room full of people singing Chico’s version of “Everyone Says I Love You,” in glorious unison. This video documents another of the Singalong’s many highlights: “Alone” (by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown, from A Night at the Opera), led by Bill Zeffiro on the keys. (Noah Diamond contributed this and all other text for this post.)

Marx Brothers Singalong: “Dr. Hackenbush” and “Lydia the Tattooed Lady”

The Singalong concludes with a pair of Groucho specialty numbers. The penultimate selection is “Dr. Hackenbush” by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, one of Groucho’s favorite musical signatures, despite its unfortunate exclusion from A Day at the Races. The Singalong concludes with the immortal “Lydia the Tattooed Lady,” by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, from At the Circus, led by Bill Zeffiro and me.

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Deep Dive Into Cracked Ice: Duck Soup Before Duck Soup!

Cracked Ice is an early draft of Duck Soup, written by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, and Grover Jones. It has some obvious similarities to the finished film, but it also reveals the more characteristically Marxian (and notably darker) comedy that was being planned before the director Leo McCarey imposed his vision on it. The first day of Marx Brothers Weekend ended with this cold reading, featuring Kathy Biehl, Melody Jane, Brett Leveridge, Jonny Porkpie, Matt Roper, Trav S.D., Seth Shelden, Matt Walters, and me. (Noah Diamond)

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Vaudevisuals Bookshelf – “Growing Up with Chico”

Post author By Jim R. Moore
Post date January 16, 2017

GROWING UP WITH CHICO – by Maxine Marx

Maxine Marx’s book about her experience as part of the family that gave us the Marx Brothers is deservedly well-known and much loved by classic movie fans. Her anecdotes are funny, loving and revealing. In some ways, the book doesn’t feel as though it were written by someone in such close proximity to these famous characters, but this jives with her description of the brothers’ closeness. Even the immediate family came after the brothers, and nothing and nobody came between them. Except maybe money.

I enjoyed the tidbit describing Sam “Frenchie” Marx’s gentle nature, which has a lot to say about women in the Marx family. Walking home after viewing The Scarlet Letter at the movies, young Maxine asked her grandpa “why they had put the A on the lady’s dress.” “Pshaw,” he replied. “Pshaw.” After a bit, he added, “Don’t tell der Mamma vhat you saw, yah?”

I knew very little about Chico although he was always my favorite performer in all the movies what with the finger shooting and the “Attsa boy, make a big slam! Make a big, big slam!” Now I am in awe of tough little Betty Marx for putting up with all his shenanigans. Still, Chico manages to come across as charismatic. I’m glad the mafia didn’t whack him after all.

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Tags Betty Marx, biography, Chico Marx, Frenchie, Groucho Marx, Growing up with Chico, Harpo Marx, Marx Brothers, Maxine Marx, Sam Marx, Vaudeville, vaudevisuals bookshelf

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“I’ll Say She Is” – A collection of stills from the video shot at the 2014 Fringe Festival

Post author By Jim R. Moore
Post date August 27, 2014

THE MARX BROTHERS LEGENDARY 1924 Production returned to the stage for the first time in 90 years!

Video taped on the last night of the Fringe Festival’s production of “I’ll Say She Is” by Jim R Moore

Stills excerpted from the video by Noah Diamond.

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“Welcome to the lowest dive in the city, where creatures of the underworld drug their brains with poisonous poppy.”

Pictured are: Melissa Roth, Kita St. Cyr, Emily Turner Marsland, Francine Daveta, Amber Bloom, Alexis Thomason and Lefty Lucy.

“They are devastating the dining room. I fear for the silver.” with Kathy Biehl and C.L. Weatherstone.

“We’re alive, and what a thing to be!”

with Amber Bloom, C.L. Weatherstone, Kita St Cyr, Aristotle Stamat, Francine Daveta, Kathy Biehl, Bob Homeyer,Melody Jane, Melissa Roth and Alexis Thomason.

The Inception of Drapery.

with Melody Jane, Kathy Biehl, Melissa Roth, Kita St Cyr, Emily Turner Marsland, Lefty Lucy and Alexis Thomason

Thrills: The beautiful chorus of “I’ll Say She Is,” the beautiful choreography of Helen Burkett, the beautiful musical direction of Sabrina Chap, the beautiful costumes of Jlz Kro!