Film - Chico Marx

Ravelli (Chico): "How is it you got to be Roscoe W. Chandler?"
Chandler: "Say, how did you get to be Italian?"
Ravelli: "Never mind—whose confession is this?"

This little bit of dialogue from the Marx Brothers film Animal Crackers pretty much sums up the screen persona of Leonard “Chico” Marx, who was a street-wise and saavy Jewish kid from New York that everybody knew as a slow-witted Italian.  Today is his 126^th Birthday.

 

The story of the Marx Brothers, one of the greatest comedy teams ever, is well-known.  Five brothers growing up in the early 1900s in New York are pushed into show business by their ambitious mother, Minnie.  (One writer noted that the only time the usually caustic Marx Brothers showed a note of tenderness in the reminiscences was when they were discussing their mother.)  Years on the grinding vaudeville circuit honed their comedy act, which revolved around Groucho (the great wit and improviser, whose wordplay would become legendary), Harpo (the mute, destructive man-child in a blonde fright wig and a top hat), and Chico (a stock Italian character of vaudeville, who served as a foil for his brothers.)  Two other brothers were initially part of the act.  Gummo, whose intense dislike of vaudeville touring made him drop out early; and Zepppo, who stayed around for the Broadway and early film years before becoming an agent.
 

Having risen to the top of the Vaudeville world, the Marx Brothers moved to Broadway in the 1920s, with the hit musicals Coconuts and Animal Crackers (both made into films.)  Aside from their own formidable talents, they had the help of composer Irving Berlin and playwright George S. Kaufman (who was constantly irritated by Groucho’s habit of changing his lines.  The famous story goes that Kaufman, sitting listlessly through a long rehearsal of Animal Crackers, suddenly say bolt upright and stared at the stage.  When asked what was the matter, he replied, “Nothing.  I just thought I heard one of the original lines.”)  Committing wholly to movies, the Marx Brothers did their greatest work during the 1930s.  Following the film adaptations of their Broadway shows, they did Horsefeathers, Monkey Business  and Duck Soup for Paramount; then A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races.  Their later film work did not live up to their earlier glory.

There is a certain tendency to see Chico as the lesser of the three central brothers (Groucho would go on to success in radio and television), until one sees how essential he is to his brothers’ comedy.  He always appears as Harpo’s partner and interprets his whistles and honks, and more than holds his own in physical comedy.   Here he is with Harpo, wrecking havoc in Animal Crackers:

Every Marx Brothers film features an extended scene between Groucho and Chico, which was a staple of their act.  And while Groucho usually has the best lines, as one film critic put it, “Try to imagine this scene with anyone other than Chico.”  Here is the greatest of all their scenes – the famous Contract Scene from A Night at the Opera:

But Chico’s off-stage contribution was even more impressive.  After their mother died, Chico became the act’s manager.  It was he who engineered their transition from vaudeville to Broadway and then into film.  Most importantly, it was he who persuaded MGM to pick up the Marx Brothers after their contract had been dropped by Paramount.

All the Marx Brothers were musical, but mostly especially Harpo (obviously) and Chico, who played the piano.  Even into their later film years, segments with Harpo and Chico playing their instruments were featured.  (Groucho hated it.  In Horsefeathers, he actually addresses the audience and says, “Well, I’m stuck here.  But at least you can go to the lobby and have a smoke until this blows over.”)  Despite Groucho’s animus, Chico was a very talented and unconventional pianist.  Here he is in his prime in A Night at the Opera:

Chico was inveterate gambler and womanizer.  Legend has it that his Broadway and MGM deals for the Marx Brothers were made during poker games.  His gambling habit also left him chronically broke (some of the Marx Brothers later television appearances were said to made to help Chico pay gambling debts.  

                                                 Trick Photograph showing five Chicos
                                                                playing poker - 1909

He was married twice and had many affairs.  Groucho loved to tell the story about how Chico arrived at a New York theater party whose main guest was the talented and beautiful actress, Talullah Bankhead.  Immediately smitten and never lacking in confidence, Chico walked right up to her and said, “Lady, I’d really like to ---- you.”  To which, without batting an eye, Bankhead is supposed to have replied, “And so you shall, my little man.  So you shall.”

Happy Birthday, Chico!