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Quiz about Monkey Business the life of The Marx Brothers

Monkey Business - the life of The Marx Brothers Quiz

Just a few questions illustrating the bizarre, but never boring, life of some of the funniest men who ever lived.

A multiple-choice quiz by divyogi. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
divyogi

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
96,178

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1112

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What was the original name for the short-lived 1932 radio show that Groucho and Chico did for Esso ? Hint

Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel

Shyster, Flywheel and Shyster

Beagle, Shyster and Flywheel

Beagle, Shyster and Beagle

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. What were the brothers doing when they received their nicknames ? Hint

Playing cards

Talking with their agent

Performing on stage

Having dinner with their mother

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. In their early days, the brothers toured with a wild schoolroom vaudeville piece, which eventually became "Mr. Green's Reception".

True

False

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. Because their movies are in black and white, Harpo's wig always looks gray. What was the real color of his original curly wig ? Hint

Gray

Yellow

Red

White

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. The Marx Brothers' father appears in one movie, 'Monkey Business', standing on the deck of the ship. His name was Sam, but what was he more commonly known as ? Hint

Minnie

Karl

Frenchie

Pop

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Before the team joined MGM in 1934, Zeppo had decided he no longer wanted to be an actor. What did he become ? Hint

A theatrical agent

A legal clerk

A real estate agent

A soldier

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. According to the brothers, they once got so bored waiting to see producer Irving Thalberg that they : Hint

Filled his office with soap bubbles

Roasted potatoes over his fireplace in the nude

Broke his window with a baseball

Stood outside his door and sang loudly for three hours

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Chico's distinctive piano-playing style was mostly self-taught. What did he call it ? Hint

Honky Tonk

Rumbling

Shooting the keys

Walking the Dog

9. The Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy both made movies called 'Duck Soup'. The Marx's version was linked to former Laurel and Hardy days through both the director, Leo McCarey and one of the supporting actors. Who was he ?

Answer: (Two words, or just surname ... hat-swapping with Harpo)

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Groucho once got into a war of words, in which he frivolously claimed legal rights to the title "Brothers". Which other brothers was he taunting? Hint

The Warner Brothers

The Brothers Karamazov

The Brothers Grimm

The Ritz Brothers

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was the original name for the short-lived 1932 radio show that Groucho and Chico did for Esso ?

Answer: Beagle, Shyster and Beagle

The first couple of shows were titled 'Beagle, Shyster and Beagle', but a real attorney named Beagle threatened a libel suit. In show 4, the title became the one used throughout the rest of the run, 'Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel'. ("Yes, I know that used to be the name of the firm, but the boss got a divorce and changed his name back"). Presumably, no attorneys named Flywheel were offended.

2. What were the brothers doing when they received their nicknames ?

Answer: Playing cards

According to Marx legend, the brothers were playing cards with comic Art Fisher. Opinion is divided as to why the names were dreamt up - the most frequently cited theory is that the popular comic strip character Knocko the Monk had inspired all sorts of similar names in vaudeville. Fisher proceeded to name each of the brothers in turn, based on a familiar characteristic.

3. In their early days, the brothers toured with a wild schoolroom vaudeville piece, which eventually became "Mr. Green's Reception".

Answer: True

The pact was 'Fun in Hi Skule' (don't you just love that vaudeville spelling ?) began in the summer of 1910, and featured Groucho as a German teacher, Mr Green, Harpo as a bumpkin, Gummo as a young Jewish boy, and various other characters. The show was apparently never the same twice (it was also called "School Days").

4. Because their movies are in black and white, Harpo's wig always looks gray. What was the real color of his original curly wig ?

Answer: Red

From 'The Coconuts' : "Now listen to me...I'm not gonna have that redheaded fellow running around in the lobby. If you wanna keep him up in your room, you'll have to keep him in a trap."

5. The Marx Brothers' father appears in one movie, 'Monkey Business', standing on the deck of the ship. His name was Sam, but what was he more commonly known as ?

Answer: Frenchie

Sam Marx had arrived in the USA from Alsace Lorraine, between France and Germany. He was, according to Groucho, "the worst tailor in New York including Chicago and L.A."

6. Before the team joined MGM in 1934, Zeppo had decided he no longer wanted to be an actor. What did he become ?

Answer: A theatrical agent

Zeppo became a partner of 'Orsatti and Brene'. Eventually Gummo joined him and they became agents for the remaining Marxs'.

7. According to the brothers, they once got so bored waiting to see producer Irving Thalberg that they :

Answer: Roasted potatoes over his fireplace in the nude

Who knows whether this is true, but you certainly wouldn't put it past them. Other ways to get Thalberg's attention included smoking cigars and filling his office with the smoke, as well as blocking his door with his own filing cabinets.

8. Chico's distinctive piano-playing style was mostly self-taught. What did he call it ?

Answer: Shooting the keys

The name came from the distinctive way Chico points his index finger at a key before flicking at it.

Answer: Edgar Kennedy

Although he also made movies at Hal Roach's studios in his own name, Edgar Kennedy was probably best known as a mainstay of the L&H movie family, appearing in such classics as 'The Perfect Day' and 'Night Owls'. His trademark 'slow burn' helped to give his scene in 'Duck Soup' with live-wire Harpo (even including a L&H moment, switching hats furiously) a steadier pace than usual.

10. Groucho once got into a war of words, in which he frivolously claimed legal rights to the title "Brothers". Which other brothers was he taunting?

Answer: The Warner Brothers

The brothers Warner had been annoyed when 'A Night in Casablanca' (a humorous parody of the Bogart classic) arrived in theaters. They wrote threatening legal action, claiming ownership of the 'Casablanca' name. Groucho's response was not, in the circumstances, unsurprising.

Source: Author divyogi

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ballykissangel before going online.
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