Humor Risk

Photo of the brothers taken the same year. It is most commonly associated with the film.

### Produced by

The Marx BrothersAl PosenMax LippmanJo Swerling

### Running Time

2 reels

***Humor Risk***, also known as ***Humorisk***, is a lost unreleased 1921 silent comedy short film that was the first film to star the Marx Brothers. The print may have been accidentally thrown away when left in the screening box overnight. Another version of the story says that Groucho Marx, unhappy with the film's quality, intentionally burned the negative after a particularly bad premiere screening.

*Humor Risk* was directed by comedy film director Dick Smith (1886–1937), and was the first film written by Jo Swerling, who later co-wrote *It's a Wonderful Life*, *Gone with the Wind* and many other films. It was filmed in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The film's title was a spoof of the Fannie Hurst drama *Humoresque*, one of the biggest film hits of 1920.

The Marx Brothers would finally find success in motion pictures with *The Cocoanuts* (1929).

## Synopsis

Information about the plot of the film is sparse. It is known that the brothers were working separately, rather than as a team, and did not incorporate their trademark comic personalities for which they later became known.

Harpo played the hero, a detective named Watson who "made his entrance in a high hat, sliding down a coal chute into the basement". Groucho played an "old movie" villain, who "sported a long moustache and was clad in black", while Chico was probably his "chuckling [Italian] henchman". Zeppo portrayed a playboy who was the owner of a nightclub in which most of the action took place, including "a cabaret, [which allowed] the inclusion of a dance number". The final shot showed Groucho "in ball and chain, trudging slowly off into the gloaming". Harpo, in a rare moment of romantic glory, gets the girl in the end.

Amid further investigation, plot lines such as Harpo slid down the coal chute to send Groucho to prison and it was a compilation of existing routines of the time that they did.

## Cast

Four of the five Marx Brothers are known to have been in this short film. It was popular belief that Groucho was the Villain in the film, but details on the other roles were later coming. As written in his book, Kyle Crichton states that Harpo was the detective/sliding down the coal chute. Until Matthew Coniam’s revelation, it was only known that Chico played an “Italian”. Coniam uncovered later that Chico was the henchman and the brothers worked separately. It is here that Zeppo was given the role of bar tender/playboy. It is also known now that Harpo wore a deerstalker cap.

### Leading Lady

Jobyna Ralston is most often mentioned as the female lead., due in part to the production still’s said leading lady (girl with hands draped over Dick Smith’s shoulders, centered in derby hat) matches her most closely. However, some sources say that Mildred Davis—star and later wife of Harold Lloyd—was also in the film. However, this idea is negated by a researcher who suggested Groucho Marx (who cited her in his biography) was misremembering in his old age. It also doesn’t check out that sources agree that she was too young at the time. The websites Marxology and SilentEra both state that the leading lady could have been one of two other actresses, Esther Ralston or Helen Kane. Esther was another close resemblance to the girl in the production still, but she never mentioned working with the Marxes. Helen Kane was noted as a “boop-a-doop” girl, but none of the Marxes mentioned her, a hard red flag.

Supporting players of the Marx Bros. Stage plays reportedly “joined in the mayhem”. On one account, Dick Smith’s mother visited the studio and consequently sat down at a table during shooting, only to return the next 3 consecutive days for continuity.

## Production

Only one photograph exists of the cast and crew of the film. It made it’s internet debut as a screen grab from a Marx bros. documentary. It was passed down from Yvonne Smith, Dick’s daughter, who in turn must have given it to Robert Weide, who gave it to Daniel Kinske for his book. (2018). In made it’s internet debut from there.

Face identification is possible thanks to the internet scan. Groucho is out of costume, bottom row to left of Dick Smith, Harpo across from him, Chico in cap and glasses to right of leading lady (arms draped around Dick Smith). Zeppo is easily recognizable for his playboy costume and childlike face. Next to Zeppo is Mirantz, and supposedly Groucho’s wife Ruth next to Chico.

It is unknown if this is an on-set or off-set photo. If onset, it could be some nice clues for the plot, with the lavish decorations typical of the era. As for costuming, Chico would be a key part in determining his forgotten role in the film. The gentleman to the top-right corner is a cut-out. Further speculation can contradict the publicly believed plot line. Dick Smith’s derby hat and location make him seem as the main character, and the rest of the people are said to be either visiting guests or crew.

### Studio Location

Information on the location of the film is contradictory. Author Allan Eyles states that the film was shot at Fort Lee, Jersey at 49 st, 10 avenue, New York. Groucho confirms this in his autobiography. “Shot on the west side of New York”. He also confirms it was 2 reels. Marx also says that they were working at the Palace Theater and had to run across town to do a scene. Author Charlotte Chandler sums it up; “Shot in New Jersey, lost in New York”. But new research in 2002 has claimed that there WAS no studio at 49,10, and it was unlikely that a 2-reel comedy was shot in two different locations. To accompany this, author Richard Koszarski stated the Old Ideal studio in Hudson Heights was quite cheap, a sure sign the privately-funded film was making use of it. But this studio contradicts a lot of things, namely because it routinely switched aliases, to such things as “The Briggs Studio”. This was reportedly located at 1996 Boulevard East (West NY). Add these all together and you can pinpoint a location for the film. Furthermore, Matthew Coniam says that the film was shot at “Victor Studios”. Though he confirms it was at Fort Lee, Universal Studios documents their purchase of the lot in 1917 (making it informal to name it that in the 1920s). The “New Victor Studio” was opened in 1915 at 643 West 43 street NY. Dubbed “the cheapest studio” that makes the film a prime contender for the poverty-like crew.

### Crew

Jo Swerling played key roles, raising most of the money. Funding was also provided by the Marxes and cartoonist Alvah “Al” Posen (producer, in some sources), Nathan Sachs (who operated under numerous aliases, such as “Nat Saxe”) and Max Lippman. In one source, Oscar “Mike” Mirantz was in on the film in some way. A 1921 press release says that Yeatman Cheatham Alley was in with a lot of key spots. John William Collette was an early director, but quit ahead of his 1922 death, health issues. Dick Smith took his place, with a credit roll in Chicago complete. His wife Vallet was involved, too, and the couple had a round of directing with the 1930 Marx film Monkey Business. Smith also has an ample amount of supporting roles with luminaries leading up to this. Al Posen can be confirmed as a cartoonist thanks to preservation work on his stuff at th3 Syracuse University Library. Nat Sacks had previously partnered with Max Lippman on a law firm, having a fortune in the oil business (key in funding the film) and worked with the Marxes long after Humor Risk. When Sachs died, Harpo and Chico were pallbearers.

## Release

The film saw the light of day (some sources say as incomplete) at a children’s matinee in early December 1921. The soonest a trade paper mentioned the film was through Wid’s Daily (later Film Daily) on April 8, 1921. (Ahead of release). The news line states that the Marxes had just signed onto a comedy film series with Caravel Comedies.

Over the film series was the title, “Comedies Without Custard” or “Comedies sans Custard”. (Caravel was located at 130 west 46 street). It was normal at this time to have 2-reeler comedies released in continual series, but it is obvious this one was a one-off. The next (and last surviving) headline was on April 16, 1921 on page 738 by Moving Picture World.

### Surviving Copies

Kyle Crichton claims the film was destroyed but for one rogue print. This was used by friends of the brothers (actual o imagined) for “jovial blackmail”. Researcher Hector Arce in turn claims that the film print was burned (by Groucho) and the negative held in Posen’s closet. Upon this revelation, Posen organized a screening but the audience was given the letdown of no movie when the negative was in bad quality. This vanished forever when the Marxes slunk off and the canister was left at the studio overnight. Marx Brothers manager Alexander Woollcott demanded a screening of the film at the end of 1929 when the Marxes went universal with I’ll Say She Is!. Harpo also tried to watch it, offering a large cash reward for it’s showing at the same time. Matthew Coniam ends it all when he says Reelcraft reportedly picked it up and filed it under another name, saying, “where could it be? That was the only film the brothers made that year.”

Reelcraft sold the negatives at auction the next year and it may still survive.

### Sequels

According to a Film Daily headline on April 11, 1921, two sequel comedies would have followed Humor Risk; *Hick, Hick, Hooray* and *Hot Dog*. Nothing else is known beyond this.

## References

1. ↑ http://www.brentonfilm.com/articles/the-marx-brothers-lost-film-humor-risk-getting-to-the-bottom-of-a-mystery
2. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/04/nyregion/getting-big-picture-film-industry-started-here-left-now-it-s-back-state-says.html?scp=7&sq=jersey%20city%20armory&st=cse&pagewanted=3
3. ↑ http://marxology.marx-brothers.org/humorisk.htm
4. ↑ http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/H/HumorRisk1921.html
5. ↑ https://www.marx-brothers.org/marxology/films20s.htm