Margaret Dumont

Margaret Dumont (1882-1965) was a character actress who, while she had a long and varied stage and film career, is best known for her frequent collaborations with the Marx Brothers, becoming their favorite foil. She worked with them twice on Broadway and in seven films, with the character name changing but always essentially the same type, the wealthy dowager or society matron, alternately insulted and wooed by Groucho. While other comedy foils often sputtered or scowled in frustration or would build into incandescent rage, Dumont as straight woman radiated hauteur and seriousness. Usually at worst, she would appear briefly startled or slightly bewildered before regaining her poise. She first worked with the Marx Brothers in the stage versions of Cocoanuts (as Mrs. Potter) and Animal Crackers (Mrs. Rittenhouse). She reprised the roles for film and continued in five more Marxist movies.
While many other actresses played similar roles at times in comedy, Dumont became the archetypal dowager, to where many subsequent society dames, with or without opera glasses, were direct imitations of her. While her best showcases were with the Marx Brothers, Dumont played similar types as foil to Laurel and Hardy (The Dancing Masters), W. C. Fields (Never Give a Sucker an Even Break), Lou Costello (The Little Giant), and had brief encounters with Danny Kaye (Up in Arms) and Jack Benny (The Horn Blows at Midnight). As late as 1958, she was still playing to type, as part of a contingent of stuffy adult squares in Shake, Rattle & Rock!, and her final role was as Shirley MacLaine's mother in What a Way to Go! (1964). 
==References==
* At the beginning of Sesame Street Episode 3140, Gina and Savion return from a screening of Duck Soup. Gina does a Margaret Dumont impression and quotes some of her dialogue as Mrs. Teasdale, while Savion imitates Groucho as Rufus T. Firefly.
* Mrs. Crustworthy is squarely in the Margaret Dumont tradition, to the point where her dialogue in the script for Episode 4140 is specified as "Margaret Dumont-ish."
 
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Category:Movie References