Why A Hackenbush?

Ever wonder why this blogger goes by the name Hackenbush? No?  Well, I'm going to tell you anyway.

Oddly enough I think I saw my first  Marx Brothers movie in school.  I have no idea why but we got to see Duck Soup in my grammar school auditorium.  It was 1973 and I was a callow lad of 14.  The brothers' work was experiencing somewhat of a revival at the time, though alas, Harpo and Chico had passed on during the previous decade.  I became hooked.  This was in the pre-Netflix, pre-DVD, pre-VHS days but the movies were often on regular old television. 

I'm not exactly sure how I found out about it but Why a Duck was the first Marx related book I ever bought.  It would have been at Kroch's & Brentano's at 29 S. Wabash in downtown Chicago.  

The price of this coffee table book was $8.50.

Since that day I've accumulated a nice shelf's worth of books by or about Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo (and Gummo.)  I can quote lines from the movies and I raise my prominent eyebrows subconsciously in a Grouchoesque manner. (I'm doing it now.)

Books about the brothers and their movies in general.

 

Scripts

 

Books about Groucho

Books by Groucho

This is a First edition from 1959 (in poor condition).

I read Memoirs of a Mangy Lover a few months ago.  Much of the humor holds up but his attitude toward women does not.

Chico was too busy gambling and running from gamblers to have written a book.

Harpo was universally thought of as the nicest of the brothers.  I should read this one again.

Books by Marx children.

This is a fun series of mysteries featuring Groucho.

And there you have it.  I don't have anything else like the book collection but I'll share some other Marx stuff another time.  Do you follow me?  Well, stop following me or I'll have you arrested.

Blow Out the Candles -- Jan 27

The controversial Keith Olbermann is celebrating his 52nd birthday today.

Composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on this date in1756.

OK I've got to put in a clip from Amadeus.

Songwriter and screenwriter Harry Ruby was born on this date in 1895.

Harry Ruby along with his partner Bert Kalmar wrote songs for three early Marx Brothers films as well as the screenplay for two.

Here's all four Marx Brothers singing/playing, Everyone Says I Love You from Horse Feathers.

Hello I Must Be Going & Hooray for Captain Spaulding from Animal Crackers.

Actress Donna Reed was born on this date in 1921.

My memories of Donna Reed are first from The Donna Reed Show which ran on ABC from 1958 to 1966.

The other memory I have of Donna Reed is, of course, as Mary Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life.

Lastly, composer Jerome Kern was born on this date in 1885.

Kern with Oscar Hammerstein wrote the music for the musical Showboat and over 700 songs including Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, The Way You Look Tonight, and Ol' Man River.

My wife recently came across this really nice version of Ol' Man River sung by Jim Croce.

Three versions of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes