My father worked at the Chicago Theater when he was 17 (1949). He got to meet the Marx Brothers who were performing there. (He met other celebrities, but the Marx Bros. were the only ones he talked about regularly). He talked to Harpo for quite a long time, because he was so astounded that Harpo actually talked.
Those two Marx brothers were not just musically talented, in more than one instrument, but were incredibly charitable with their time and talents. May God Bless them for all the good they brought into and shared with the world. You can even tell that Harpo is comfortable with playing the piano, because he hardly ever looks at the keys when he’s playing, and carries on with the skit and facial expressions involved, of course.
The older i get, the more impressed with this set of brothers. What incredible gifts these men had and their movies still stand the test of time. I wish some of today's entertainers would take a hint: you don't have to be profane to be entertaining
How can you NOT smile - or laugh - when Chico and Harpo team for this one of a kind rendition of MAMA YO QUIERO (made famous by Carmen Miranda who sung it in Portuguese). Thanks for posting this marvelous clip from
Harpo's facial expressions...and the brothers clearly had affection for each other..you could see it years later when Harpo turned up on YOU BET YOUR LIFE with Groucho
I love this! I love how Chico points his finger. He and Harpo seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves. It doesn't matter to me if the music was pre-recorded. It's fun to watch.
I don't think anyone could play the piano like Chico did even if they tried. He was far too unique. All 3 brothers are one of my inspirations with music and comedy.
I love this song ! Mama Yo Quiero (Mamae Eu Quero - Brazilian). Originally sung by Carmen Miranda in 1940. Others: Bing Crosby, The Andrew Sisters, The Big Store, Jerry Lewis, Tom and Jerry, I Love Lucy, Lemon Popsicle 2, Harlem Nights, and King Africa.
The ladies in the background must have been having a ball watching this, especially the lady in the light coat on the left, who had to turn away from the camera for a second she was laughing so much. If the outtakes from this scene could be found somewhere sometime...
Harpo was actually a pretty good pianist. He could also play harmonica (both diatonic and Chromatic) and clarinet. Groucho was an extremely accomplish guitarist and Zeppo (who only appeared in the first five films) could play a pretty mean saxophone.
a great performance by two talented guys. I've heard a story that once, when they were doing live theatre, they switched roles and played each others characters. This was mostly meant to be for the amusement of Chico's daughter Maxine but unfortunately Maxine had decided to skip that performance and get her hair done. She later considered that one of her biggest regrets, because they never did it again.
Harpo and Chico Marx's playful performance of 'Mama Eu Quero' is pure comedic brilliance. Their comedic timing, mischievous antics, and musical talent create a laughter-filled spectacle. With their charmingly absurd rendition, the Marx Brothers prove once again why they are comedy legends. A must-watch for a good belly laugh!
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch this video and not smile with joy! That was the true gift that the Marx brothers had, bringing joy to those around them. God Bless them for all the laughs they’ve brought to us over the years! ❤😂
this is great and will go viral. reminds me of my dad and my uncle, and me and my brothers. thanks for posting!! my dad came from the era of novelty piano and he had a few samples up his sleeve himself
Imagine being the lucky camermen who got to be right there filming this routine. The only luckier guy in old Hollywood was the WB sound engineer who got to record Mel Blanc's voice for Loonytunes.
Carmen Miranda’s first appearance in a Hollywood film singing this song was such a smash that it not only immediately inspired numerous satirical versions of her - usually by men in drag - but also made the song itself popular enough for the Marx Brothers to use it in this comedy scene.
That was during a time when those putting out the entertainment product, no matter how they were involved, cared about giving us quality and the viewers demanded it. Today, they care about how much money they can make, the quality has been watered down and the people have been dumbed down to accept what they give us!
True. Chico could only play with his right hand, so he faked the left hand. Harpo could play 2 songs: Love Me And The World Is Mine and Waltz Me Around Again Willy.
@joemaffei In Harpo's autobio (from what i've read so far) he could only play two songs. But he would play them in different keys to make them sound different. Chico was supposed to teach Harpo how to play the piano but went gambling instead so Harpo learned to play on his own :)
He wouldn't need to. It's all muscle memory! He's playing the harmony. It's the melody (right hand) that you usually have to pay attention to when you're playing...
@ajk1989 You don't get that sort of sound quality when filming at the same time, especially with everything else going on. This was pre-recorded, and then they did their show. However, they DID do all their own music, and all or all but one of them really was an excellent musician.
