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Groucho and Me
"An important contribution to the history of show business and to the saga of American comedy and comedians, comics and comicality." —James Thurber
With impeccable timing, outrageous humor, irreverent wit, and a superb sense of the ridiculous, Groucho tells the saga of the Marx the poverty of their childhood in New York's Upper East Side; the crooked world of small-time vaudeville (where they learned to carry blackjacks); how a pretzel magnate and the graceless dancer of his dreams led to the Marx Brothers' first Broadway hit, I'll Say She Is; how the stock market crash in 1929 proved a godsend for Groucho (even though he lost nearly a quarter of a million dollars); the adventures of the Marx Brothers in Hollywood, the making of their hilarious films, and Groucho's triumphant television series, You Bet Your Life. Here is the life and lunatic times of the great eccentric genius, Groucho, a.k.a. Julius Henry Marx.
With impeccable timing, outrageous humor, irreverent wit, and a superb sense of the ridiculous, Groucho tells the saga of the Marx the poverty of their childhood in New York's Upper East Side; the crooked world of small-time vaudeville (where they learned to carry blackjacks); how a pretzel magnate and the graceless dancer of his dreams led to the Marx Brothers' first Broadway hit, I'll Say She Is; how the stock market crash in 1929 proved a godsend for Groucho (even though he lost nearly a quarter of a million dollars); the adventures of the Marx Brothers in Hollywood, the making of their hilarious films, and Groucho's triumphant television series, You Bet Your Life. Here is the life and lunatic times of the great eccentric genius, Groucho, a.k.a. Julius Henry Marx.
376 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1959
345 people are currently reading
2851 people want to read
About the author
Groucho Marx
93 books840 followersJulius Henry "Groucho" Marx (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian and film star. He is famed as a master of wit. He made 15 feature films with his siblings, the Marx Brothers, and also had a successful solo career, most notably as the host of the radio and television game show, You Bet Your Life. He had a distinctive image, which included a heavy greasepaint moustache and eyebrows, and glasses.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
June 22, 2007
The best autobiography ever. I agree completely with what Mrs. Calabash says on the blurbs. I wish more people would write their autobiographies this way and enough of the oh-so-serious tones. Let's have no more of the endless boasts about illustrious ancestors and goody-goody anecdotes.
September 16, 2018
This book doesn't have the cutest title (that would be Memoirs Of A Mangy Lover), nor does it have the cutest illustrations (that would also be Memoirs Of A Mangy Lover due to Al Hershfeld's cunning caricatures), but it does have the best account of Groucho's life and career and that's saying something. Show-biz fans, particularly Marx Bros. fans who are curious should not be disappointed.
February 18, 2026
Una genialidad del humor. Consiste en anécdotas de su vida, en orden mas o menos cronológico, salpicadas de observaciones agudas e irreverentes, totalmente un must read para cualquier aficionado al teatro o al cine clásico o simplemente para quien busque reírse. A través del libro se dibuja la época dorada del teatro de bodevil y la vida de sus artistas, los inicios de Hollywood, la radio y la televisión.
January 12, 2018
Autore: statunitense (1890-1977). Autobiografia più o meno.
Non è la classica autobiografia piena di “introspezioni” o di successi, ma piuttosto il racconto di una vita dedicata a racimolare soldi, possedere un’auto, conoscere ragazze, lavorare nel varietà.
Cinquant’anni tra un quartiere di New York con una famiglia veleggiante tra lo squinternato e lo squattrinato, le mille piccole città che sono state la gavetta dei fratelli e poi il trasferimento in massa a Los Angeles..
Piacevole, rilassante, con qualche risata e un sorriso costante.
Bella la chiusa con la coppia che, incontratolo casualmente a Chicago, gli gira un po’ intorno fino a che la signora si fa coraggio e chiede
È lei, vero? È Groucho?
Annuii.
Allora mi toccò timidamente un braccio e disse
Per favore non muoia. Continui a vivere.
Si può desiderare di più?
12.01.2018
Non è la classica autobiografia piena di “introspezioni” o di successi, ma piuttosto il racconto di una vita dedicata a racimolare soldi, possedere un’auto, conoscere ragazze, lavorare nel varietà.
Cinquant’anni tra un quartiere di New York con una famiglia veleggiante tra lo squinternato e lo squattrinato, le mille piccole città che sono state la gavetta dei fratelli e poi il trasferimento in massa a Los Angeles..
Piacevole, rilassante, con qualche risata e un sorriso costante.
Bella la chiusa con la coppia che, incontratolo casualmente a Chicago, gli gira un po’ intorno fino a che la signora si fa coraggio e chiede
È lei, vero? È Groucho?
Annuii.
Allora mi toccò timidamente un braccio e disse
Per favore non muoia. Continui a vivere.
Si può desiderare di più?
12.01.2018
December 8, 2016
La Autobiografía - y biografía - más divertida que he leído en mi vida. Fue una recomendación de mi esposo, y admito que al no conocer a los hermanos Marx ni haber visto ninguna de sus películas creí que me aburriría mortalmente... pero nada más lejos de la realidad: el autor domina magistralmente el idioma, inserta humor en cada página y no teme romper todas las reglas de la estructura narrativa. Lo disfruté de principio a fin.
May 28, 2015
Just what you would expect from Groucho. No revelations, very little about his life. Really just a series of anecdotes of show biz life, vaudeville, movies, tv, etc etc. All written in a highly humorous fashion. Those of us old enough to remember Groucho will hear his voice narrating it.
September 20, 2019
An excellent biography. A funny text, without forced to be funny. A pleasure to read.
Bonus, I had no idea Groucho was not a Socialist like most Hollywood at the time.
Bonus, I had no idea Groucho was not a Socialist like most Hollywood at the time.
March 8, 2011
I was a bit disappointed by the book only in that I had hoped to more of the history of the brothers and the act. On the other hand the humour that poured out on every page more than made up it. I laughed at nearly every turn of the page. This was a wonderful read and I whole heartedly recommend it for any fan of the brothers.
February 18, 2020
A pox on Karl for ever darkening the holy surname of Chico, Harpo, Groucho, Gummo, and Zeppo.
"I...am Grock."
"I...am Grock."
March 7, 2023
This guy is too funny
December 15, 2025
interesante para conocer como funcionaba el teatro a principios del siglo pasado, como vivía la gente, cuánto costaban las cosas y el crack del 29.
todo contado con el humor de groucho marx, claro.
No le pongo cuatro estrellas porque al final, a modo de relleno, mete anécdotas más o menos largas que no aportan mucho.
todo contado con el humor de groucho marx, claro.
No le pongo cuatro estrellas porque al final, a modo de relleno, mete anécdotas más o menos largas que no aportan mucho.
January 12, 2026
Hilariously witty and a fun read.
November 4, 2024
Una autobiografía muy diferente a las demás.
July 17, 2017
Growing up, I adored the Marx Brothers. As a small child, I would watch the films over and over again, learning and aping the songs, comedic bits, and mannerisms.
As an adult, I developed a deeper appreciation for all the skills that go into making great comedy, and a deeper interest in learning about the men behind the movies. I absorbed trivia like a fiend. I dug up black and white game show appearances from 'What's My Line' and the like.
And then, at my local library, browsing through biographies and memoirs to fill a space on an adult summer reading program bingo card, a bright yellow cover caught my eye. I had sought 'Groucho and Me' out years prior, at my old local library in my old town-- in a faraway library system-- to no avail. I had browsed bookstores and charity shops with a hopeful eye! But here-- here!-- was that book I'd long wished to hold in my hot little hands.
Also, to read. I feel like that's probably a very important part of the book enjoyment process, especially as I wasn't inside of a dog at the time.
'Groucho and Me' was funny. I laughed out loud frequently and annoyed all my loved ones by stopping to read aloud at those bits. I expected it to be funny, and was not disappointed. I expected to learn things which I did not already know about Groucho and the brothers in general and the path their showbiz career took, and again, was not disappointed.
I did not expect the final paragraph or so to tug so poignantly at my heartstrings as to render me incapable of picking up the next book on the stack for the rest of the night. But... when it happened, I was not disappointed.
As an adult, I developed a deeper appreciation for all the skills that go into making great comedy, and a deeper interest in learning about the men behind the movies. I absorbed trivia like a fiend. I dug up black and white game show appearances from 'What's My Line' and the like.
And then, at my local library, browsing through biographies and memoirs to fill a space on an adult summer reading program bingo card, a bright yellow cover caught my eye. I had sought 'Groucho and Me' out years prior, at my old local library in my old town-- in a faraway library system-- to no avail. I had browsed bookstores and charity shops with a hopeful eye! But here-- here!-- was that book I'd long wished to hold in my hot little hands.
Also, to read. I feel like that's probably a very important part of the book enjoyment process, especially as I wasn't inside of a dog at the time.
'Groucho and Me' was funny. I laughed out loud frequently and annoyed all my loved ones by stopping to read aloud at those bits. I expected it to be funny, and was not disappointed. I expected to learn things which I did not already know about Groucho and the brothers in general and the path their showbiz career took, and again, was not disappointed.
I did not expect the final paragraph or so to tug so poignantly at my heartstrings as to render me incapable of picking up the next book on the stack for the rest of the night. But... when it happened, I was not disappointed.
August 31, 2008
A fun quick read. I read this book right after I read A tree Grows in Brooklyn, so I had a whole theme thing going with turn of the century.
The stories that Groucho tells about his family and himself are the types of stories that you would tell about the dinner table to tease each other. Groucho tells his stories without making himlook like a saint, too. In fact, it seems like he goes out of his way to show his faults.
There's no bragging in this book, or sugar coating. It's just a fun way to read how Vaudeville evolved into Movies. I spent some time afterwards looking up the people he mentioned on Youtube!
The stories that Groucho tells about his family and himself are the types of stories that you would tell about the dinner table to tease each other. Groucho tells his stories without making himlook like a saint, too. In fact, it seems like he goes out of his way to show his faults.
There's no bragging in this book, or sugar coating. It's just a fun way to read how Vaudeville evolved into Movies. I spent some time afterwards looking up the people he mentioned on Youtube!
April 9, 2023
The anti-autobiography that only Grouch could write!
More humorous anecdotes and stories from Groucho’s many decades in show business, from early vaudeville to Broadway to movies to radio to TV. Although not strictly an autobiography, it gives a ring-side seat view of his life and glimpses of who Grouch really was as a person. Delightful book.
More humorous anecdotes and stories from Groucho’s many decades in show business, from early vaudeville to Broadway to movies to radio to TV. Although not strictly an autobiography, it gives a ring-side seat view of his life and glimpses of who Grouch really was as a person. Delightful book.
March 7, 2009
I am a fan of the Marx Brothers, and this is a great mix of history, inside stories, and Groucho's humorous take on life.
November 7, 2009
Not just humorous, but alos a down-to-earth account of Groucho's travel from rags to riches and a very revealing portrait of the real face of showbusiness.
January 22, 2016
The best way to read an autobiography was invented by this man. This man was a genius in the art of laughter.
January 31, 2018
One of my favourite books of all time. Groucho is funny and clever and totally nuts! Whenever I'm down, I simply read a couple of pages and it cheers me up immediately!
October 23, 2018
An autobriographical masterpiece of the genius of the comedy. Absolutely recommended.
Una verdadera maravilla autobiográfica, absolutamente recomendable.
Una verdadera maravilla autobiográfica, absolutamente recomendable.
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August 15, 2022You can’t lie to yourself... but you might get comfortable lying on yourself!
April 26, 2023
This book is funny and engaging. Groucho is intelligent and also a huge fan of reading books. What more could anyone ask for in an autobiography?
February 28, 2026
This is an unusual autobiography, and not simply because Marx wrote it in Groucho's voice and not Julius Henry's. If you are reading it for a clear narrative of what happened to Marx and when, you will be disappointed. That's not to say it's not enjoyable--it is, but it's probably helpful to read a Wikipedia entry first.
It is often entertaining, as Marx was intelligent and witty. I got a good feel of what it was like to play vaudeville in the teens and 20s--the economics and challenges. I also appreciated the chapters about his childhood and family; although they tend to focus on one or a few anecdotes, they paint a picture of his family dynamics and the poverty they experienced but were not crushed by.
But it's missing so many of the things that normally appear in an autobiography. Although the overall arc is chronological--moving from childhood to vaudeville to movies to You Bet Your Life--it's often not clear when some of the events described actually occurred. It seems clear that at least some of the stories are out of chronological order. During the stories about the vaudeville years, there's no mention of when any of the brothers left or joined the act, except for one comment--several chapters into the vaudeville era--in which Groucho casually mentions that Chico had joined the act by that point. I hadn't realized he hadn't been in it from the beginning.
Another cost of writing in Groucho's voice is that he is almost silent on his personal relationships. I have no sense of his relationships with his brothers, particularly Harpo and Chico. Similarly, there's very little information about his marriages or children, other than telling a few stories about his youngest, Melinda.
But then there are some absolutely marvelous sections that reveal some of his internal life. He is honest about the jealousies that motivate performers. That chapter ends with an anecdote of a trick Groucho played on two female entertainers (because 2 attractive but untalented women were more enthusiastically received by a bunch of horny male college students than the brothers), and Groucho's ultimate resolution. Another marvelous chapter is when he writes about the difference between being "in love" and love itself (Ch. 21: Why do they call it love when mean sex?). Although he states early on that he is willing to concede "that anything I have to say on the subject of marriage is worthless," he writes a fantastic section that contrasts "being in love" () with "real love" ().
Because I would have liked more insight into the dynamics of the brothers' relationship, this ends up being 3 stars for me, but Marx is almost always funny and sometimes (like the examples above) he's striking. If you enjoy the Marx Bros., and Groucho's voice in particular, you'll enjoy this; just don't expect a conventional autobiography.
It is often entertaining, as Marx was intelligent and witty. I got a good feel of what it was like to play vaudeville in the teens and 20s--the economics and challenges. I also appreciated the chapters about his childhood and family; although they tend to focus on one or a few anecdotes, they paint a picture of his family dynamics and the poverty they experienced but were not crushed by.
But it's missing so many of the things that normally appear in an autobiography. Although the overall arc is chronological--moving from childhood to vaudeville to movies to You Bet Your Life--it's often not clear when some of the events described actually occurred. It seems clear that at least some of the stories are out of chronological order. During the stories about the vaudeville years, there's no mention of when any of the brothers left or joined the act, except for one comment--several chapters into the vaudeville era--in which Groucho casually mentions that Chico had joined the act by that point. I hadn't realized he hadn't been in it from the beginning.
Another cost of writing in Groucho's voice is that he is almost silent on his personal relationships. I have no sense of his relationships with his brothers, particularly Harpo and Chico. Similarly, there's very little information about his marriages or children, other than telling a few stories about his youngest, Melinda.
But then there are some absolutely marvelous sections that reveal some of his internal life. He is honest about the jealousies that motivate performers. That chapter ends with an anecdote of a trick Groucho played on two female entertainers (because 2 attractive but untalented women were more enthusiastically received by a bunch of horny male college students than the brothers), and Groucho's ultimate resolution. Another marvelous chapter is when he writes about the difference between being "in love" and love itself (Ch. 21: Why do they call it love when mean sex?). Although he states early on that he is willing to concede "that anything I have to say on the subject of marriage is worthless," he writes a fantastic section that contrasts "being in love" () with "real love" ().
Because I would have liked more insight into the dynamics of the brothers' relationship, this ends up being 3 stars for me, but Marx is almost always funny and sometimes (like the examples above) he's striking. If you enjoy the Marx Bros., and Groucho's voice in particular, you'll enjoy this; just don't expect a conventional autobiography.
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March 6, 2026Más que memorias lineales, un collage de relatos mordaces sobre Hollywood, Broadway y la Ley Seca, con Groucho como testigo implacable de la condición humana. A pesar de su brillantez y de su fama, la famosa frase sobre no pertenecer a un club que lo admita como socio es, en comparación con el resto, de lo menos ocurrente de un libro que es tierno, divertido y, en cierta forma, unas memorias de un tiempo que, evidentemente, ya no volverá. Una prosa que es una mezcla única de cinismo y nostalgia y que convirtiendo anécdotas vulgares en perlas eternas que nos recuerdan por qué Groucho sigue siendo el rey del humor absurdo.
August 30, 2018
I was honestly (and naively) hoping for Harpo Speaks mk2, but Groucho SURPRISINGLY is no where near the story teller.
As a Marx Brothers fan I loved some of the stories and anecdotes, but there was less of the person than I felt in Harpo speaks.
I also found the fairly constant referencing of Money fairly crass. I dont in any way mind the man being rich, I love that he earned so well. But to me you talk loud by saying nothing, in particular in relation to wealth.
Worth reading for Marx fans. I cant see what anyone else will get from it.
As a Marx Brothers fan I loved some of the stories and anecdotes, but there was less of the person than I felt in Harpo speaks.
I also found the fairly constant referencing of Money fairly crass. I dont in any way mind the man being rich, I love that he earned so well. But to me you talk loud by saying nothing, in particular in relation to wealth.
Worth reading for Marx fans. I cant see what anyone else will get from it.
Read
August 24, 2021Da metà in poi l'ho solo leggiucchiato perché stava cominciando ad annoiarmi. Infatti più che di un'autobiografia si tratta di una serie di aneddoti (più o meno divertenti) sulla vita di Groucho Marx, che però non approfondiscono mai davvero la sua persona o quelli che sono i rapporti con la famiglia, le mogli, i figli, ecc.
È interessante per capire le dinamiche del mondo dello spettacolo di allora, che spesso richiedeva anni di gavetta nel varietà o nel music hall prima di avere successo a Broadway o a Hollywood. Tra l'altro i capitoli dedicati ai film dei fratelli Marx (che era la parte che mi suscitava più curiosità) sono davvero pochi e smilzi.
Insomma, non voglio dargli un voto perché è la prima biografia che leggo, però ecco, sinceramente non la consiglierei, perché non se ne esce sapendo molto di più su Groucho rispetto a quanto di veda nei film.
È interessante per capire le dinamiche del mondo dello spettacolo di allora, che spesso richiedeva anni di gavetta nel varietà o nel music hall prima di avere successo a Broadway o a Hollywood. Tra l'altro i capitoli dedicati ai film dei fratelli Marx (che era la parte che mi suscitava più curiosità) sono davvero pochi e smilzi.
Insomma, non voglio dargli un voto perché è la prima biografia che leggo, però ecco, sinceramente non la consiglierei, perché non se ne esce sapendo molto di più su Groucho rispetto a quanto di veda nei film.
January 26, 2026
if you made me guess Groucho's legal name, i actually would 100% have guessed Julius. just look at him. that's a Julius. i don't make the rules.
August 31, 2022
"The following morning I sent the club a wire stating, PLEASE ACCEPT MY RESIGNATION. I DON’T WANT TO BELONG TO ANY CLUB THAT WILL ACCEPT ME AS A MEMBER."
January 17, 2022
This might be my favorite autobiography. Groucho Marx is a legend.
I laughed so hard at the story about how his mother used to give him five cents to buy a loaf of bread, he would buy day-old bread for four cents, and pocket the extra penny.
"For years my family ate stale bread, and I was getting away with as much as a nickel a week."
I am fully convinced that Groucho Marx actually wrote his autobiography. I cannot say that about other autobiographies and their respective authors. Some pages literally mention how difficult it is to write a book, and how much easier it would have been to hire a ghostwriter. That's the kind of commentary that I can only see coming out of Groucho Marx, and not out of a ghostwriter.
I laughed so hard at the story about how his mother used to give him five cents to buy a loaf of bread, he would buy day-old bread for four cents, and pocket the extra penny.
"For years my family ate stale bread, and I was getting away with as much as a nickel a week."
I am fully convinced that Groucho Marx actually wrote his autobiography. I cannot say that about other autobiographies and their respective authors. Some pages literally mention how difficult it is to write a book, and how much easier it would have been to hire a ghostwriter. That's the kind of commentary that I can only see coming out of Groucho Marx, and not out of a ghostwriter.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews