| 1861 |
Simon Marx, the father of the Marx Brothers is born in
Alsace |
| 9 Nov
1864 |
Minnie Schönberg, the mother of the Marx Brothers is born
in Dornum, Germany |
| 1885 |
Manfred born (dies in infancy (1888?) of
tubercolosis) |
| 21 Mar
1887 |
Leonard "Chico" Marx is born |
| 23 Nov
1888 |
Adolph (later Arthur) "Harpo" Marx is born |
| 2 Oct
1890 |
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx is born |
| 23 Oct
1892 |
Milton "Gummo" Marx is born |
| 25 Feb
1901 |
Herbert "Zeppo" Marx is born |
| 1909 |
The Three Nightingales: Groucho and Gummo are
joined by Mabel O'Donell for this singing trio managed by Minnie
Marx |
| Jan
1910 |
Harpo joins The Three Nightingales to form The
Four Nightingales |
| Feb
1910 |
When joined by Minnie Marx and aunt Hannah Schickler
The Four Nightingales become The Six Mascots |
| 1912 |
Fun in Hi Skule is the first musical sketch of the
Brothers. This half-hour 'school act' features the four brothers, Paul
Yates and others |
| 1913 |
Mr. Green's Reception is a followup to Fun in
Hi Skule |
| 1914 |
Home Again is developed from the second half of
Mr. Green's Reception |
| 22 Mar
1917 |
Chico marries Betty Carp |
| 1918 |
In The Cinderella Girl Zeppo replaces Gummo. This
musical comedy is written by Jo Swerling with music by Gus Kahn |
| Jan
1918 |
Maxine, daughter of Chico and Betty, born |
| 4 Feb
1920 |
Groucho marries Ruth Johnstone |
| 1921 |
The silent movie Humorisk is made with money
raised by a friend. Director is Jo Swerling. It was made in two weeks at
Fort Lee, NJ. studios and in a studio at 49th St. and 10th Ave. in New
York. No copy exists of this (unfinished?) film. |
| 1921 |
On the Mezzanine Floor (in England: On the
Balcony) a musical revue written by Herman Timberg, produced by Benny
Leonard |
| Jul
1921 |
Arthur, son of Groucho and Ruth, born |
| 19 May
1924 |
Stage show I'll say she is, scripted by Will B.
Johnstone, opens at the Casinos |
| 1925 |
Film Too many kisses is released with Harpo in a
supporting role. Details are lacking of how he came to be in this, which
even seems to pre-date their first real Broadway play |
| 8 Dec
1925 |
Stage show The Cocoanuts opens at the Lyric and
runs for 275 performances, a full season on Broadway, as well as two years
on the road. |
| 12 Apr
1927 |
Zeppo marries Marion Benda |
| 19 May
1927 |
Miriam, daughter of Groucho and Ruth, born |
| 23 Oct
1928 |
Stage show Animal Crackers opens at the 44th
Street Theater and runs for 191 performances. It was laid off the
following summer, went on tour in mid-October. |
| 1929 |
Groucho's first book Beds is serialized in the
magazine 'College Humor' |
| 16 Mar
1929 |
Gummo marries Helen von Tilzer |
| 3 Aug
1929 |
Film The Cocoanuts released |
| 1930 |
Robert, son of Gummo and Helen, born |
| 1930 |
Groucho first book Beds published |
| 6 Sep
1930 |
Film Animal Crackers released |
| 5 Jan
1931 |
The Marxes appear in the London Palace Theatre |
| 19 Sep
1931 |
Film Monkey Business released |
| 31 Aug
1932 |
Film Horse Feathers released |
| 24 Nov
1933 |
Film Duck Soup released |
| 1934 |
Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel Radio Show with
Groucho and Chico |
| 1934 |
Groucho appears in a revival of the play Twentieth
Century |
| 1934 |
Harpo tours Russia |
| 15 Nov
1935 |
Film A Night at the Opera released |
| 7 Dec
1935 |
Film La Fiesta de Santa Barbara released. Harpo's
wig can be seen in Technicolor |
| 24 Jul
1936 |
Film Yours For the Asking released. Groucho is an
uncredited extra in this. |
| 28 Sep
1936 |
Harpo marries Susan Fleming |
| 1937 |
The film The King and the Chorus Girl, written by
Groucho and Norman Krasna, appears |
| 11 Jun
1937 |
Film A Day at the Races released |
| 1938 |
Harpo and Susan adopt William (Billy/Bill) Woollcott |
| 30 Sep
1938 |
Film Room Service released |
| 1939 |
The Kellog's Show on radio with Groucho and
Chico |
| 20 Oct
1939 |
Film At the Circus released |
| 1940 |
In the 1940s Chico and Betty get divorced |
| 6 Dec
1940 |
Film Go West released |
| 1941 |
until 1942 Groucho is a regular guest on The Rudy
Vallee Show |
| 20 Jun
1941 |
Film The Big Store released |
| 1942 |
Groucho's book Many Happy Returns is published. It
deals with income taxes |
| 15 Jul
1942 |
Groucho and Ruth get divorced |
| 1943 |
Chico has his own band |
| 12 May
1943 |
Film Stage Door Canteen released |
| 1944 |
Zeppo and Marion adopt Timothy |
| 1944 |
Chico appears in the revue Take a Bow |
| 1944 |
Harpo plays in The Man who came to Dinner |
| 1944 |
Groucho starts a radio series The Pabst Show but
is soon replaced by Danny Kaye |
| 21 Jul
1945 |
Groucho marries Kay Gorcey |
| 1946 |
Melinda, daughter of Groucho and Kay Gorcey, born |
| 10 May
1946 |
Film A Night in Casablanca released |
| 1947 |
Groucho starts his show You Bet Your Life which
runs until the 60's on radio and from 1950 also on TV |
| 30 May
1947 |
Film Copacabana released |
| 27 Sep
1948 |
The play Time for Elizabeth by Groucho and Norman
Krasna opens on Brodway but only runs for 8 performances |
| 3 Mar
1950 |
Film Love Happy released |
| 12 May
1950 |
Groucho and Kay get divorced |
| 28 Dec
1950 |
Film Mr. Music released |
| Dec
1951 |
Film Double Dynamite released |
| Jan
1952 |
Film A Girl in Every Port released |
| 1953 |
The TV series College Bowl features Chico |
| 12 May
1954 |
Zeppo and Marion get divorced |
| 17 Jul
1954 |
Groucho marries Eden Hartford |
| 1955 |
Harpo makes a guest appearance in Lucille Ball's show I
love Lucy |
| Aug
1957 |
Film Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?
released |
| 8 Nov
1957 |
Film The Story of Mankind released. Chico, Harpo
and Groucho appear in this film, but not together in one scene |
| 1958 |
TV production Next to No Time with Chico |
| Aug
1958 |
Chico marries Mary De Vithas |
| 1959 |
Groucho's book Groucho and me is published. A
highly fictional autobiography |
| 8 Mar
1959 |
The TV film The Incredible Jewel Robbery is the
last film to have three Marx Brothers |
| 18 Sep
1959 |
Zeppo marries Barbara Blakely |
| Apr
1960 |
A TV production of The Mikado has Groucho as
Koko |
| 1961 |
Harpo's book Harpo speaks published |
| 11 Oct
1961 |
Chico dies of arteriosclerosis |
| 28 Sep
1964 |
Harpo dies after open heart surgery |
| 1965 |
Groucho's book Memoirs of a Mangy Lover
published |
| 1967 |
Groucho's book The Groucho Letters published |
| 19 Dec
1968 |
Film Skidoo released |
| 4 Dec
1969 |
Groucho and Eden get divorced |
| 1972 |
Solo concert with Groucho in Ames, Iowa |
| 1972 |
at the Cannes Film Festival Groucho is made 'Commandeur des
Arts et Lettres' by the French government |
| May
1972 |
Solo concert with Groucho at Carnegie Hall in New
York |
| 1973 |
Zeppo and Barbara get divorced. Barbara later marries Frank
Sinatra |
| 1974 |
Groucho receives a Special Academy Award in recognition of
a lifetime's achievement |
| 16 Jan
1977 |
The Marxes are inducted to the Motion Picture Hall of
Fame |
| 21 Apr
1977 |
Gummo dies |
| 19 Aug
1977 |
Groucho dies |
| 29 Nov
1979 |
Zeppo dies of lungs cancer |
