Groucho Marx

The Comedy of Existence

By: Lee Siegel

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Born Julius Marx in 1890, the brilliant comic actor who would later be known as Groucho was the most verbal of the famed comedy team the Marx Brothers, his broad slapstick portrayals elevated by ingenious wordplay and double entendre. In his spirited biography of this beloved American iconoclast, Lee Siegel views the life of Groucho through the lens of his work on stage, screen, and television. The author uncovers the roots of the performer's outrageous intellectual acuity and hilarious insolence toward convention and authority in Groucho's early upbringing and Marx family dynamics. The first critical biography of Groucho Marx to approach his work analytically, this fascinating study draws unique connections between Groucho's comedy and his life, concentrating primarily on the brothers' classic films as a means of understanding and appreciating Julius the man. Unlike previous uncritical and mostly reverential biographies, Siegel's "bio-commentary" makes a distinctive contribution to the field of Groucho studies by attempting to tell the story of his life in terms of his work and vice versa.

©2015 Lee Siegel (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A perceptive, though dark, portrait." ( Kirkus)

Completely random, only entertaining when quoting the Marx Bros

Funny Marx Bros bits, randomly chosen and strung together by random, nonsensical psychoanalysis. Good reader at least. Look elsewhere for a good Marx bros book

Wonderfull book!

I learned a lot about Groucho Marx and his brothers and their style of comedy. The author puts their comedy into perspective of its time and shows how later generations of comedians drew on the innovations introduced by the Marx brother.

All analysis of why things are funny.

This is another book that breaks down a scene and relates to other sources, history, psychology, and theory to explain why the Marx are funny. It reaches too much to make connections.

Nobody cares about your notes

Probably one of the worst biographies I am ever listen to. The author is repetitive and his notes unnecessary. There is no question that this author could have cut at least six hours from this book just by not giving the history of schizophrenia, prostitution,

Over-analyzing Groucho

This is not so much a biography as it is an over-analysis of his humor, his personality, and his relationships. Not at all enjoyable.