Straight Lady: The Life and Times of Margaret Dumont, "The Fifth Marx Brother"

by Chris Enss, Howard Kazanjian

On October 20, 1882, future actress Margaret Dumont was born in Brooklyn, New York. A Broadway regular by the 1920s, Dumont found lasting fame once she started appearing with the Marx Brothers. Tall and regal in bearing, her character provided the perfect foil to the wisecracking Groucho Marx in a series of films including A Night at theOpera and Duck Soup. Her character’s seemingly obliviousness to insult led to the widespread belief, encouraged by Groucho himself, that Dumont was a humorless person who never got the joke. a belief she contradicted in a 1942 interview. “I’m not a stooge,” she said. “I’m a straight lady. There’s an art to playing straight. You must build up your man but never top him and never steal the laughs from him. Straight Lady: The Life and Times of Margaret Dumont, "The Fifth Marx Brother" d focuses on the Dumont and her role in the production of the comedy teams' most successful films. Several books have been written about the Marx Brothers as a comedy family and about their individual lives, but there haven’t been any books written about Margaret Dumont. This book will appeal to motion picture enthusiasts, Marx Brothers’ fans, and film historians.

Genres: Biography, Film

208 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2022

Reviews

[Edmund Kubiak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an entertaining book, full of photos and easy to read. My only quibble is the book seems less about Margaret Dumont and more about the Marx Brothers movies in which she costarred. I was more interested in movies she had made with other actors (in particular, I would have liked to have known more about her work on Abbott & Costello's film Little Giant. Lou Costello is rumored to be very difficult to work with.) Still, I did like this book.

[Marcus Laban · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m so happy I stumbled upon this book! I haven’t read a book in a long time and I love Margaret Dumont and was happy to see her finally get a book!
I do wish there was more detail on her life, her thoughts and feelings about not getting into some of the Marx’s films - instead of just info about those films she wasn’t in which lead to a few pages of her name not even being mentioned but it was still a fascinating history on the brothers and on this amazing underrated actress. I love that this just came out - it would be a shame for her story to be lost to time, thank you Chris and Howard for taking the time to do this!

I’ve been googling like crazy but does anyone know what Screen Actors Guild award she won in the 30’s??? Clearly it was the current Sag awards as they just started in ‘95. Was there an old award show of the same name?

I would love to see this adapted into a film or a staged musical - her life was fascinating from childhood up until the end when she got to perform with Groucho one final time days before her death. I love watching that performance on YouTube, she still had it even up till the bitter end. I really think her story would lend itself well to a staged musical adaptation.

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

In their book Straight Lady: The Life and Times of Margaret Dumont, "The Fifth Marx Brother", authors Chris Enss and Howard Kazanjian make the case that Margaret Dumont not only played a pivotal role in the Marx Brothers' success but that her own success was intrinsically tied to theirs. Dumont and the Marx Brothers had a sort of symbiotic relationship and while they would work on projects separately, there some something special about their collaborations.

It's an enjoyable read and recommended for Marx Brothers enthusiasts who want to know a bit more about Dumont.

My full review is up on my blog: https://www.outofthepastblog.com/2023...

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book that reads like the world's longest Wikipedia entry, and two-thirds of it isn't even about the supposed subject. The authors demonstrate copious research; every single fart is footnoted ( there are on the average 55 citations per chapter, and pages and pages of newspaper articles in the bibliography); reviews of Marx Brothers' films from such authoritative publications as The Rock Island Argus, the Okmulgee Daily Times and the Escanaba Daily Press are quoted verbatim paragraph after paragraph. So much filler and trivia and details that have nothing to do with Margaret Dumont. No heart, no emotion, no hint of any personal motivation of Dumont. After the first chapter the book descends into a dry and impersonal litany of chronological anecdotes about various antics of the Marxes. It reads like a third year undergrad essay, the goal of which is to demonstrate all the work done in research. It is a disappointing effort and it leaves me little enlightened on this most interesting of 20th century actresses.

[Jeff Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more. I learned quite a bit, and enjoyed parts.
But it wasn't great. It was short for a biography - 199 pages. Of that, there were 10 pages of index and 25 of Bibliography/footnote citations.
Of the just over 160 pages remaining, it was great when it talked about Margaret Dumont. But it spent more time talking about the Marx Brothers movies she wasn't in than it did talking about movies she was in without them. The book was supposed to be about her! I love the Marx Brothers, but If I wanted to know about them, there are other books.
Overall, this book was very shallow for its supposed subject matter. Waste of money, though it stopped short of being a complete waste of time.

[Rachel Santino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Enss has a knack for choosing and researching women with unique stories. Here, she has given Margaret Dumont—the gal who played a supporting role to the Marx Brothers—the spotlight. From burlesque as a teen to Broadway, then straight lady to the brothers, Dumont spent her life doing what she loved for decades up until her death. She championed her role as the foil to the foolery of the Marx Brothers, sustained injuries to their physical antics, and was famous for her ad-libbing. It took a special person to put on those shoes, or in her case a protective harness. Enss succeeds again at sharing the story of someone whose pages just needed inking.

[John Mullarkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of the great classic film comedians worked with “that actor” who performed opposite them as the foil. Charlie Hall, Edgar Kennedy, Billy Gilbert, and Charles Finlayson among others often played the role of landlord, store owner, ship captain, angry neighbor, or another kind of nemesis. They were always memorable in the type of role, and usually ended up having their property, car, business, or pride demolished in some hilarious fashion. Perhaps the most iconic of them was Margeret Dumont who nobly performed the role of “straight” lady supporting the Marx Brothers in their most famous (and hilarious) films during the “Golden Age” of Hollywood.
Dumont had such great chemistry with the brothers she is/was often considered the fifth Marx Brother. She was consistent in all of her roles appearing as the upper class heiress, or matronly wealthy women playing it serious as the brothers unleashed a barrage of craziness and silly antics around her. It could be often verbally and even physically taxing. One would think it would take its toll on any actor and actress, but Margeret Dumont proudly played the role and cherished working with the brothers, and they in turn felt the same way about her. Chris Enss has chosen a very unique topic for a biography, and the title of the book says it all - Margaret Dumont was raised as a singer and actress performing on Broadway in various roles and well known for her singing voice. She never planned on becoming a comedic actress when she appeared with the Marx Brothers in successful stage versions of The Coconuts (1929) and Animal Crackers (1930). She was signed by Paramount to repeat her role with the brothers in film versions. Enss covers the early stages of Margeret’s career - her start as a teenager doing burlesque, through her stage career, and goes in depth in detailing her work with the Marx Brothers and her appearances in most of their films. There isn’t too much about her later career, although it was evident that her workload certainly went beyond working with the brothers. In addition there are numerous photos and very thorough back matter that includes a filmography.
Despite being a slim volume, this book gives a candid look into the long career of an actress who became famous - not as a luxurious star garnishing movie marquees and Hollywood headlines, but as a stalwart figure who often was on the wrong end of the joke or a gag. A quote from her said it best, “ I’m the straight lady, the best in Hollywood. There is an art in playing the role. You must build up the man, but never steal his laughs.”

[Krissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing.

I have been a Marx Brothers fan since I was a child, and I have always felt that Margaret Dumont is an indispensable member of the extended Marx Brothers company. There was never a better female foil for Groucho. So I was very excited at the prospect of reading a biography about her.

I almost feel like I knew more about Margaret Dumont from reading the Wikipedia article about her than I did from reading this book. This was not the book I wanted! I wanted a book that told me about the "Life and Times" of Miss Daisy Baker, who would later become Margaret Dumont, the grande dame of comedy, in my opinion, but instead we got...

...my colleague, Ben, from my Marx Brothers Facebook fan group put it best:

"Ms. Dumont becomes a supporting character in her own book. Too often it is paraphrased or quoted studio publicity presented as fact with minimal context. There's a 20 page article in this book trying to get out---but it isn't trying very hard...." (Italics mine.)

Absolutely! This slim little volume-159 pages of text (with some very nice photos that are probably pretty rare, most from the Billy Rose Theatre Division at the New York Library of Performing Arts--how I would love to spend a week or so just perusing there!) and about 40 pages of notes and index, doesn't give this actress, who had a more than 50 year acting career (with some time off to be an actual millionaire's wife, and eventually, millionaire's widow) her due.

In short, Margaret Dumont deserved better than this incomplete volume.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any fan of the Marx Brothers must read this book of the famous straight lady of their movies, Margaret Dumont. The author has done his homework, and is so thorough in the notes and bibliography, as well as Miss Dumont's filmography. The photos are wonderful, and brings back the Marx bros. memories of their hilarious antics I have seen most of my 74 years of life. Her history is very interesting, and very detailed in family upbringing, her intro to the Marx Bros, working with them and the reactions she had to develop, the sustaining straight face during the zaniness of working with the Marx bros even the injuries she sustained in the life theater and filming. She continued well past their last film together, over 20 years more of acting in film and television shows. Here's to the fans.

[Malcolm Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the first 30 pages this a reasonable biography.After that it goes downhill rapidly.It is mainly about the Marx Brothers.Furthermore it is is a slim volume and I reckon that up to one third comprise half or full page photos.Furthermore this is basically a scissors and paste job.
!A number of egregious errors.
On page 66 director Leo McCarty used to write gags for Charlie Chan shorts!It should be Charlie Chase.
Later it is stated that MGM own Leows,whereas it was the other way around.
I'm the filmography it gives the year for Anything Goes as 1941 instead of 1936.
To the authors i say don't give up the day job.

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Marx Brothers fans (like myself) this delightful bio about Margaret Dumont is a wonderful read. Often there is more about the brothers than Dumont. But it shows how she became one of the best straight-people in movie history. Although her role of the wealthy dowager typecast her, Dumont had a lengthy film career beyond the Marx Brothers.
In 1974, Groucho accepted an honorary Oscar. In his short speech, Groucho said he wished Chico and Harpo could accept the Oscar with him. Then he added how he wished Margaret Dumont could be there as well. Groucho then joked how Dumont didn’t understand his jokes. But she understood. A great straight-person just doesn’t let on.

[Scott Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a huge Marx Brothers fan I really enjoyed this book and perspective from the straight lady, Margaret Dumont. It was interesting how the Marx Brothers treated her. For the most part they absolutely loved one another. But on the other hand, they pulled some pranks on Dumont that went a bit too far. The book is like a coffee table book and written from a Hollywood angle so it is not hard hitting but entertaining nonetheless.

[Lou Chodosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done ; I learned a lot about Margaret. Have seen the Marx brothers movies many, many times. It was fun to learn a little of the behind the scenes stories . There is no one like this troupe today , and probably never will be again.

[August · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some interesting information about Margaret Dumont that I didn't know, but far too much of the book is taken up discussing the Marx Brothers and movies of theirs that Dumont didn't even appear in.

[Bob Hathway · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for a biography of Margaret Dumont this book will disappoint. I'd guess that over 60% of this book is about the Marx Brotherd.

[David Aubrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth a read if you are a Marx Brothers fan but it does seem like the information about Margaret Dumont is a bit sparse.