The Marx Brothers Collection (Documentary)
Here at long last is a verbal and visual feat fit for fans of Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo - and even Gummo!  This fabulous five-DVD set includes film clips, interviews, TV shows, and rare footage that span the careers of all five Marx Brothers.In addition to the pilot to Groucho's You Bet Your Life TV show, there's a rare TV sitcom pilot starring Chico!  Also included are seldom-heard radio shows from the thirties and forties, and legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow's Person-to-Person was never funnier than when he interviewed Groucho and Harpo right in their own homes.Plus a brand-new, funny and fascinating documentary on the Marx Brothers that includes everything from classic movie scenes to rare radio clips and even Harpo's voice!No self-respecting Marxist should be without this wonderful collection!DVD 1 - "Inside The Marx Brothers"Inside The Marx Brothers is a funny and fascinating look at the personal and professional lives of Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo, and Gummo Marx, featuring classic clips from such Marx Brothers favorites as Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Duck Soup and A Night at the Opera.  Also included are rare newsreels, home movies, and interviews with Groucho, Chico, and Room Service co-star, Ann Miller. Rarer still is an actual sound clip of Harpo's voice!DVD 2 - "You Bet Your Life" TV PilotGroucho's You Bet Your Life comedy-quiz show was a huge hit on radio in the late 1940s, but would it translate to the new and increasingly popular medium of television?  Nobody could be sure.  In December of 1949, a pilot was shot on 16mm film, to see if anyone cared to watch a nearly sixty-year-old man sitting on a chair and asking questions of average, everyday contestants. You Bet Your Life ran on TV for an impressive twelve years.Here, then, is the rare, original 1949 pilot, complete with mistakes, false starts, ad-libs, and a very nervous, thirty-year-old announcer named George Fenneman.DVD 3 - "Papa Romani" And "Person-to-Person" Groucho wasn't the only Marx Brother to do memorable work on the small screen. In 1950, Chico Marx appeared in an episode of the anthology series "Silver Theatre" called Papa Romani, which was intended as a pilot for a sitcom. In it, he plays - what a surprise - an Italian immigrant! Costarring with Chico are a post-Wizard of Oz Margaret Hamilton and a pre-I Love Lucy William Frawley!Broadcasting legend Edward R. Murrow hosted a live interview show in the 1950s called Person to Person in which he visited famous celebrities right in their very own homes. Here is a 1954 installment with Groucho as Murrow's guest, complete with a tour of the house, a cat that plays pool, and a charming duet between Groucho and his eight-year-old daughter, Melinda.  You'll also see Harpo and his charming family at their Palm Springs hacienda. While his wife and kids have plenty to say, Harpo - as usual - remains mute.DVD 4 - "The Marx Brothers: Radio Days" Throughout their film and television careers, Groucho and Chico made various appearances on the radio. Here is the rare, 1934 pilot to The Marx Brothers Show, starring Groucho and Chico as Hollywood agents. Also included are rare guest appearances from 1940s radio shows featuring Groucho trading barbs with such luminaries as Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, Johnny Weismuller, Al Jolson, Ida Lupino, and Betty Grable.DVD 5 - "Marx Brothers Mixed Nuts" Here is a rare and wonderful collection of original, full-length theatrical trailers from some of Groucho, Chico, Harpo, and Zeppo's funniest films, plus newsreels and TV commercials featuring the Marx Brothers in unusual situations.