On This Day

Marx Brothers film "Duck Soup," directed by Leo McCarey and starring the Marx Brothers, is released in the US

The Marx Brothers were an American comedy troupe who achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures.

The Marx Brothers were an American comedy troupe who achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures. The five brothers were Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Groucho Marx, Gummo Marx, and Zeppo Marx, though Gummo and Zeppo both left the group over time, leaving Chico, Harpo, and Groucho as a trio. They are considered by critics, scholars and fans to be among the greatest and most influential comedians of the 20th century, a recognition underscored by the American Film Institute (AFI) selecting five of their fourteen feature films to be among the top 100 comedy films (with two in the top fifteen) and including them as the only group of performers on AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars list of the 25 greatest male stars of Classical Hollywood cinema.

Their performing lives, heavily...

Historical Significance

The Marx Brothers were an American comedy troupe who achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures.

Events Before

  1. Jacob Coxey Sr. is chosen as the Mayor of Massillon, Ohio

    Jacob Sechler Coxey Sr. (April 16, 1854 – May 18, 1951), sometimes known as General Coxey, was an American politician and perennial candidate.

  2. Italian-American film director Frank Capra (34) weds second wife, American secretary Lucille Warner (29) in Brooklyn, NY

    Italian-American film director Frank Capra (34) weds second wife, American secretary Lucille Warner (29) in Brooklyn, NYC, until her death in 1984

  3. As a member of the gold medal-winning US four-man bobsleigh team at Lake Placid, Eddie Eagan becomes the only Olympian t

    As a member of the gold medal-winning US four-man bobsleigh team at Lake Placid, Eddie Eagan becomes the only Olympian to win gold medals at both the Summer (boxing gold in Antwerp 1920) and Winter Games in different sports

  4. Sydney Harbour Bridge opens in Sydney, Australia

    The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge in Sydney, Australia, spanning Sydney Harbour from the central business district (CBD) to the North Shore.

  5. "Grand Hotel" directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Greta Garbo and John Barrymore premieres in New York, includes th

    "Grand Hotel" directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Greta Garbo and John Barrymore premieres in New York, includes the line "I want to be alone" (Best Picture/Production 1932)

Events After

  1. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (US bank guarantor) comes into effect

    Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (US bank guarantor) comes into effect

  2. American comedian and actor Lou Costello (27) weds American burlesque dancer Anne Battler (21)

    Louis Francis Cristillo (March 6, 1906 – March 3, 1959), better known as Lou Costello, was an American comedian, actor and producer.

  3. FDR devalues the US dollar relative to gold to $35 per ounce

    FDR devalues the US dollar relative to gold to $35 per ounce

  4. British-American entertainer Bob Hope (30) weds American singer Dolores DeFina (24) in Erie, Pennsylvania, until his dea

    British-American entertainer Bob Hope (30) weds American singer Dolores DeFina (24) in Erie, Pennsylvania, until his death in 2003

  5. "It Happened One Night" directed by Frank Capra and starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert opens at NY's Radio City

    "It Happened One Night" directed by Frank Capra and starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert opens at NY's Radio City Music Hall (Academy Awards Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay 1935)

More from the 1930s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on November 17, 1933?
The Marx Brothers were an American comedy troupe who achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures. The five brothers were Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Groucho Marx, Gummo Marx, and Zeppo Marx, though Gummo and Zeppo both left the group over time, leaving Chico, Harpo, and Groucho as a trio. They are considered by critics, scholars and fans to be among the greatest and most influential comedians of the 20th century, a recognition underscored by the American Film Institute (AFI) selecting five of their fourteen feature films to be among the top 100 comedy films (with two in the top fifteen) and including them as the only group of performers on AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars list of the 25 greatest male stars of Classical Hollywood cinema.
Why is Marx Brothers film "Duck Soup," directed by Leo McCarey and starring the Marx... significant?
The Marx Brothers were an American comedy troupe who achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures.

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