Marx Brothers Poster Cards

It should go without saying that I'm a big Marx Brothers fan.  I have been since the 70's.  I wish I could say I have some hugely awesome collection of memorabilia.  Most of what I have is books.  I learned about these cards from a post by Corky at Pack War two years ago.  I recall looking at the individual cards on ebay.  I ended up getting a complete set of 72 cards for $8.00 shipped.  As you can see from the backs, the set includes a strange mishmash of  Stars, Monsters and Comedy.  The Duck Soup poster looks like it belongs in the monster genre if you ask me.  I'm not sure where they found all of the images.  Anyway here are the five Marx Brothers representatives.  I doubt anyone will take the time to watch all the videos but those from the first three movies are cinema classics.  I wouldn't waste my time on the last two.  I think they made them primarily to cover Chico's gambling debts.

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.