The Marx Brothers

The Marx Brothers
Bibliography

Books about the Marx Brothers, their films etc.

Adamson, Joe: Groucho Harpo Chico and Sometimes Zeppo: A Celebration
of The Marx Brothers and a Satire on the Rest of the World

"... well researched and well written (and funny) ... his Marx Brothers tome is absolutely heads and tails the best I've read, and I've read 'em all." (W. Gary Wetstein) / "Adamson has done a superb job here, not only breaking down each film to discuss its strong and weak points, but detailing the history of each, from conception through filming, with particular emphasis on the scriptwriting phase. Plenty of biographical material, too, and Adamson has taken pains to avoid reprinting popular misconceptions about everything from birth dates to practical jokes, sorting fact from fiction with detailed research and interviews with virtually everyone who worked with the Marxes and was still alive to talk about it. Most of all, Adamson’s style is nearly as hilarious as the films themselves; the chapter on Horsefeathers belongs in some anthology on great American humor. “Even the footnotes are amusing,” one reviewer noted, correctly. " (Robert Rose)
- Simon and Schuster, New York, NY, 1973
- W.H. Allen, London, UK, 1973, ISBN: 0 491 01160 1
- Simon and Schuster / Touchstone, New York, NY, 1974, 1983 / full-sized paperback
- Coronet Books, Hodder & Stoughton, London, UK, 1974 / (hardcover)
- Coronet Books, Hodder & Stoughton, London, UK, 1974, ISBN: 0 340 18807 3 / (paperback)
- Pocket Books, New York, NY, 1976, ISBN: 0 671 80365 4 / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- Simon and Schuster, New York, NY, 1983, ISBN: 0 671 21458 6 / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- Simon and Schuster / Fireside, New York, NY, 1987, ISBN: 0 671 47072 8

Alion, Yves: Les Marx Brothers
- (français) Edilig, Paris, France, 1985, ISBN: 2 85601 091 1

Ames, D.L.: 'A Night in Casablanca': a Book of the Film
A novelization of the film with information about the films and the Brothers. Adapted from the original screenplay by Joseph Fields and Roland Kibbee. "A paperback with some good illustrations based on the original screenplay which differs in several respects from the finished film." (Eyles, 1969)
- Hollywood Publications, London, UK, 1946

Anobile, Richard J.: Why a Duck?
"An attempt to present the team’s film humor in book form, by combining transcripts of dialogue from classic Marx routines with frame blow-ups from the films themselves. A good idea at the time, but now rather obsolete, since videotapes of the films are widely available. Still worth picking up if you happen upon an inexpensive used copy, if only for Groucho’s introduction (and for that matter, a well-written preface by Richard F. Shepard). " (Robert Rose)
- Darien House / Distr. by New York Graphic Society, New York, NY, 1971, ISBN: 0 8212 0373 8 / hardcover / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- Darien House / Distr. by Crown Publishers, New York, NY, 1971
- Studio Vista, London, UK, 1971
- Avon Books, New York, NY, 1972, Library of Congress: 73-159506 / (softbound), several reprints
- Avon Books / New York Graphic Society, New York, NY, 1972
- Studio Vista, London, UK, 1972 / several reprints

Anobile, Richard J.: Hooray for Captain Spaulding! Verbal and Visual Gems from "Animal Crackers"
Blow-ups from the film with the dialogue next to the picture or in comic-strip bubbles
- Darien House / Crown Publishers, New York, NY, 1974, ISBN: 0 517 51683 7
- Flare Books/Avon, New York, NY, 1975, ISBN: 0 380 00458 5
- Darien House, New York, NY, 1975
- Michael Joseph, London, UK, 1975

Anstey, Robert Graham: The Marx Brothers: their world, their movies, their lives, their humour and their legacy
published by the author's own publishing company
- West Coast Paradise Pub., Sardis, BC, 2002, ISBN: 1 896779 85 9

Arce, Hector: Groucho
"A fairly accurate, unbiased, but not-too-bleak bio. Quite long, and well cited." (Wayne Wong) / "Probably the best thing about it is that it's not the usual puff piece that authorized biographies usually degenerate into. Arce says Groucho told him to "tell it all" and he's certainly done that. He's got some pretty harsh things to say about just about everybody including Groucho and even Minnie but it's clear that he never lost his affection and respect for his subject. If the book has a failing it's Arce's unfortunate tendency to wallow in pop psychology to explain motivations, particularly Groucho's sex life and attitude toward women in general." (John Benz Fentner)
- G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, NY, 1979, ISBN: 0 399 12046 7 / (hardcover) / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- G.P. Putnam's Sons / Perigee, New York, NY, 1980, ISBN: 0 399 50455 9 / (paperback) / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Bego, Mark: The Marx Brothers
- Pocket Essentials, UK, 2001, ISBN: 1 90304759 5 / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Benayoun, Robert: Les Freres Marx
- (français) Seghers, Paris, France, 1979, ISSN: 0339-8757 / contains filmography and translations of texts

Benayoun, Robert: Les Marx Brothers ont la parole
Half of the book is a Marx Brothers biography. The other half contains translations of scenes from several movies. The is more or less the same as the 1979 book except for small changes in the chapter about Groucho
- (français) Éditions du Seuil, France, 1991, ISBN: 2 02 012931 0 / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Bergan, Ronald: The Life and Times of the Marx Brothers
- The Green Wood Publishing Company, London, UK, 1992, ISBN: 1 872532 08 X
- Smithmark Publishers / Brompton Books Corp., New York, NY, 1992, ISBN: 0 8317 5806 6

Brown, David: The World According to Groucho Marx
A Groucho/Marx Brothers biography interspersed with quotes. The appendix is a collection of quotes of which several are definitely not Groucho's. No sources are given for any of the quotes.
- Michael O'Mara, 2002, ISBN: 1 85479 130 3 / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Chandler, Charlotte: Hello, I Must be Going: Groucho and his Friends
'Charlotte Chandler' is the pen name of Lyn Erhard. "... the book would have been a better (and more truthful) story if Chandler had waited a few years to tell it (once she fell out of Erin's graces)" (teej)
- (français) Ergo Presse, France, ISBN: 2 7395 0048 3
   titled: Groucho et ses amis
- Doubleday & Co., Garden City, NY, 1978, ISBN: 0 385 12444 9
- Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, UK / New York, NY, 1979, ISBN: 0 14 005222 4
- Robson Books, London, UK, 1979
- Sphere Books, London, UK, 1980, ISBN: 0 7221 2246 2 / reprints 1980, 1982, 1986, 1988
- (deutsch) Rogner & Bernhard, München, Germany, 1984 (hardcover), ISBN: 3 8077 0200 8
   titled: Groucho und seine Freunde, translated by: Benjamin Schwarz, Oliver Stephan
- (deutsch) Heyne, München, Germany, 1988, 1995 (paperback), ISBN: 3 453 09403 4
   titled: Groucho der Chef der Marx Brothers / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- Carol Publishing Group, 1992, ISBN: 0 8065 1346 2 / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- Citadel Press, Seacaucus, NJ, 1992
- Abacus Books, 1994, 1995, ISBN: 0 349 10636 3
- (espagñol) Tusquets Editores, Barcelona, Spain, 1997, ISBN: 84 8310 529 2
   titled: ¡Hola y adios! Groucho y sus amogos, translated by: Cohen, Marcelo

Crichton, Kyle Samuel: The Marx Brothers
- Doubleday & Co., Garden City, NJ, 1950
- Omnibook magazine, Sep 1950 / abridged version, together with Ruth Chatterton: "Homeward Borne" and Lloyd Lewis: "Captain Sam Grant"
- William Heinemann Ltd., London, UK, 1951
- Popular Library, New York, NY, 1952 / abridged paperback

Durgnat, Raymond: The Marx Brothers
Booklet for a retrospective at the Austrian Film Museum with an essay, filmography and film stills. Translation from a manuscript in English, but it is unclear if the English version was also published.
- (deutsch) Österreichisches Filmmuseum, Wien, Austria, 1966

Dwan, Robert: As long as they're laughing: Groucho Marx and You Bet Your Life
Publisher's Note: Robert Dwan (Director of You Bet Your Life), reminisces about You Bet Your Life and remarkable host Groucho Marx.
- Midnight Marquee Press, Baltimore, MD, 2000, ISBN: 1 887664 36 X / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Eyles, Allen: The Marx Brothers: Their World of Comedy
This was first published in a small paperback in 1966 and only three years later as a hardcover. / "A careful analysis of each of the Marx films; very comprehensive; almost too much so, in fact – nowhere near as fun a read as Adamson, and focused almost entirely on what we see on screen rather than how it came to be. On the other hand, it does a very good job of considering the Marx film canon as a whole, drawing comparisons and showing parallels between the various films, rather than taking Adamson’s approach of breaking things down into scenes. A good contrast, and worth having." (Robert Rose)
- A. Zwemmer Ltd./ A.S. Barnes and Co. printed by Tantivy Press, London, UK / NJ, 1966 / (paperback)
- A.S. Barnes and Co., South Brunswick, NJ, 1969a, 1974, ISBN: 0 498 01447 9 / (hardcover)
- A.S. Barnes and Co. / A. Zwemmer Ltd./ A.S. Barnes and Co., New York, NY / London, UK, 1969 / (paperback)
- Paperback Library (A Kinney Service Co), New York, NY, 1971, 1973 / #6 in an "International Film Guide Series"
- Warner Paperback Library, 1974a, 1975
- Oak Tree Publications, 1974, ISBN: 0 498 07420 X / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- Tantivy Press, London, UK, 1974
- Bookthrift Co., 1975, ISBN: 0 446 66587 8 / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Eyles, Allen: The Complete Films of The Marx Bros.
- Carol Publishing Group / Citadel Press, New York, NY, 1992, ISBN: 0 8065 1301 2 / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- (espagñol) Ediciones Paidós Ibérica, Barcelona, Spain, 1994, ISBN: 84 493 0002 9
titled: Todas las Peliculas de los Hermanos Marx, translated by: Eduardo Iriarte, Josetxo Cerdán

Gardner, Martin Allen: The Marx Brothers: An Investigation of Their Films as Satirical Social Criticism
- New York University, Ph.D. diss., 1970
- University Microfilm No. 7026419, Ann Arbor, MI, 1970

Gehring, Wes D.: The Marx Brothers (A bio-bibliography)
- Greenwood Press, Westport, CT, 1987, ISBN: 0 313 24547 9 / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Gehring, Wes D.: Groucho Marx and W.C.Fields: Huckster Comedians
Gehring compares these two comedians by their lifes, the characters they played and their films
- University Press of Mississippi, Jackson, 1994, ISBN: 0 87805 724 2 / (hardcover) / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- University Press of Mississippi, Jackson, 1994, ISBN: 0 87805 725 0 / (paperback) / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Greenwood Publishing: The Marx Brothers (a book of 30 Postcards)
Film stills and portraits
- The Green Wood Publishing Company, London, UK, 1992, ISBN: 1 872532 76 4

Hobsch, Manfred: Film ab: Die Marx Brothers
- (deutsch) Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin, Germany, 2001, ISBN: 3 89602 359 4 / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Hopkins, Jay (ed.): Re: Marx
Magazine of the Marx Brotherhood (founded 1976)
- St. Paul, MN

Hoppe, Ulrich: Die Marx Brothers
A (quite incomplete) biography, but has a well researched part about the Brothers German roots. Tries to write in a funny language, but it doesn't work out well.
- (deutsch) Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München, 1985, ISBN: 3 453 86077 2 / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Kanfer, Stefan: Groucho: The Life and Times of Julius Henry Marx
- Allen Lane The Penguin Press, 2000, ISBN: 0 7139 9469 X
- Knopf, 2000, ISBN: 0 375 40218 7 / (hardback) / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- Knopf, 2000, ISBN: 0 375 70207 5 / (paperback) / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- Penguin Books, 2001, ISBN: 0 14 029426 0 / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- (catalan) Columna Edicions, Llibres i Comunicació, Barcelona, Spain, 2001, ISBN: 84 664 0047 8
titled: Groucho : la vida i l'època de Julius H. Marx, translated by: Marcel Farran
- (espagñol) RBA Libros, Barcelona, Spain, 2001, ISBN: 84 7901 732 5
titled: Groucho, una biografía, translated by: María de Calonje

Louvish, Simon: Monkey Business - The Lives and Legends of the Marx Brothers
- Faber and Faber, London, UK, 1999, ISBN: 0 571 19350 1 / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- St Martins Pr (Trade), 2000, ISBN: 0 312 25292 7 / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- (espagñol) T & B Editores, Madrid, Spain, 2000, ISBN: 84 95602 03 2
titled: Monkey Business. La Vida y Leyenda de los Hermanos Marx, translated by: Mónica Rubio Fernández
- (espagñol) T & B Editores, Madrid, Spain, 2001, ISBN: 84 95602 01 6
titled: Monkey Business. La Vida y Leyenda de los Hermanos Marx, translated by: Mónica Rubio Fernández

Malmkjær, Poul: Groucho Marx: Marx for viderekomne
"A chronical of Groucho's radio and TV career. The title translates as 'Marx for Experts' " TFG. This book has 72 numbered pages, but the text continues on the inside back cover. That text was missed in the second printing.
- (dansk) Nyt Nordisk Forlag Arnold Busck, Denmark, 1985, ISBN: 87 17 05341 2

Martini, Andrea: I Marx
- (italiano) Il Castoro Cinema (magazine), La Nuova Italia, Firenze, Italy, 1980, Jul/Aug

Miguel, Agustí de: Los Hermanos Marx
- (espagñol) Edimat Libros, Ediciones y Distribuciones Mateos, 1998, ISBN: 84 95002 69 8

Mitchell, Glenn: The Marx Brothers Encyclopedia
All kind of facts about the Marx Brothers in encyclopedic form. Keywords include people and films but also (for example) "Lawyers", "Waxworks" or "Boats" / "It's a dip and browse kinda book Very well researched with a wealth of material on the lesser known characters in the Marx Saga." (John Benz Fentner)
- Batsford, London, 1996, ISBN: 0 7134 7838 1

Nolden, Rainer: Die Marx Brothers
- (deutsch) Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag, Reinbek, Germany, 2002, ISBN: 3 499 50454 5 / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Olsen, Jussi H.: Groucho & Co's Groveste
"Dealing with the lives of the merry foursome from cradle to grave, the title translates as 'Groucho & Co's Naughtiest' " TFG
- (dansk) Donna, Denmark, 1984, ISBN: 87 88287 00 9

Olsen, Jussi H.: Groucho : ...en Marx Brother bag facaden
- (dansk) Donna, 1985, ISBN: 87 88287 06 8

Presley-Rippingale, Sally; Ballow, John E.: The Secret Word is Groucho
Story of Ballow being the cook in Groucho house in his last years. Concentrates mostly on Erin Fleming's behaviour towards Groucho. This is a 'paid for' publication (i.e. the author paid the publisher for printing this book).
- Dorrance Publishing, Pittsburgh, 1992, ISBN: 0 8059 3272 0 / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Sassaman, Gary: Innocent Bystander #3
"Innocent Bystander #3 is entirely devoted to The Marx Brothers. In it Gary has given us a wonderful view of the Marxes and the influence they've had on his own life. And for those of you looking for a Marx Brothers FAQ, I can't think of a better place to start. The comic includes a nifty little timeline on the Marxes' lives and careers, as well as wonderful bios of each of the boys and their parents. It's beautifully illustrated, and features numerous illos of the brothers from their childhood on up. And as a bonus, Gary has included his own abbreviated Marx Bros. story, A Night At The Movies. To dedicated fans of the Marxes, there isn't much in the way of new information in this comic. But it's presented in such a unique way that it should not be missed." (Frank M. Bland)
- Ollie Ollie! Oxen Free Press, Pittsburgh, PA, 1996 / Order by email from Gary Sassaman

Schulte, Michael: Warum haben Sie nicht das Pferd geheiratet? (Groucho Marx-Sein Leben)
- (deutsch) R. Piper, München, Germany, 1990, ISBN: 3 492 11279 X

Sinclair, Iain: Groucho positive / Groucho negative
- Village Press, London, UK, 1973

Stables, Kate: Marx Brothers
- Chartwell Books, Secaucus, NJ, 1992, ISBN: 1 555 21793 1 / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- Magna Books / Bison Books, London, UK, 1992

Stoliar, Steve: Raised Eyebrows - My Years Inside Groucho's House
Stoliar was a secretary an archivist to Groucho in later years. / "There was enough vintage Groucho in the book to bring a smile on my face, balancing the occasional tear from my eye." (J.Jacobs) / "... a good inside look at the Erin Fleming years." (Robert Rose)
- General Publishing Group, Los Angeles, CA, 1996, ISBN: 1 881649 73 3 / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Tchernoff, Alexis: Les Marx Brothers
Preface by Pierre Richard. Half of the book is a Marx Brothers biography. The other half has a filmography with many photos, cast listings and plot description
- (français) Éditions Pygmalion / Gérard Watelet, Paris, France, 1990, ISBN: 2 85704 318 X / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Tiersma, Peter Meijes: Language-based Humor in the Marx Brothers Films
"[This study] will analyze [...] those instances of humor which are linguistic in nature, in other words, those which are amusing because of the way in which language is manipulated." (taken from the Introduction)
- Indiana University Linguistics Club, Bloomington, IN, 1985 / Click on flag to order from amazon:

Tyson, Peter: Groucho Marx
Pop Culture Legends Collection
- Chelsea House Publishers, New York, NY, 1995, ISBN: 0 7910 2341 9 / (hardcover) / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- Chelsea House Publishers, New York, NY, 1995, ISBN: 0 7910 2366 4 / (library binding)

Wesolowski, Paul G. (ed.): The Freedonia Gazette: The Magazine Devoted to the Marx Brothers
- Additional info available: / click for detailed contents

Wolf, William: The Marx Brothers
- Pyramid Communications, New York, NY, 1975, ISBN: 0 515 03754 0 / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- (italiano) Milano Libri Editizioni, Milano, Italy, 1978
titled: I Fratelli Marx

Zachary Kwitner Books: The Marx Brothers Poster Book
Book of 37.5x27.5cm Posters
- Zachary Kwitner Books, London, UK, 1991, ISBN: 1 872532 35 7

Zimmerman, Paul D.; Goldblatt, Burt: The Marx Brothers at the Movies
- G.P. Putman's Sons, New York, NY, 1968, Library of Congress: 68-25434 / (hardcover) / Click on flag to order from amazon:
- Signet Book from New American Library, New York, NY, 1970 / (paperback)
- (japanese) Shobun-Sha, Tokyo, Japan, 1972
titled: The Marx Brothers at the Movies
- (français) Solar, Paris, France, 1972
titled: Les Marx Brothers au cinéma, translated by: Jean Patrick Manchette
- Berkley Windhover Books, Berkley Publishing, New York, NY, 1975 / (paperback)

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