GROUCHO, HARPO, CHICO AND SOMETIMES ZEPPO

by Joe Adamson ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 1973

Incidental intelligence via interviews, reminiscences, biographical scraps, and random and often apocryphal anecdotes concerning the Bros. -- which doesn't really add up to much but it has bounce and, best of all, Adamson gives a generous amount of the good stuff via script excerpts. There's (for cognoscenti) that Strange Interlude parody from Animal Crackers, the Password routine from Horsefeathers, the Examination Scene from A Day at the Races and of course the stateroom gala from A Night at the Opera (""And two hardboiled eggs. . . Honk. . ."") and many more. Throughout Adamson evaluates the sometimes disastrous interplay of directors, material and performers and explicates some gags that made it and some that didn't (a Keaton stunt flopped with Harpo, for example). The works begin with Minnie-promoted olios and end with the last bombs of the '50's. For those whose hearts are buried in Fredonia.

Pub Date: July 1, 1973

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1973

Categories: NONFICTION