> The Marx family was from the upper east side of New York City, New York. The parents, Simon and Minnie, were Jewish immigrants from France and Germany, respectively. Simon and Minnie's first son, Manny, was born in 1886 but didn't survive to his first birthday. Manny was followed by five more boys - Chico (born Leonard, 1887), Harpo (Adolph, 1888), Groucho (Julius, 1890), Gummo (Milton, 1892) and Zeppo (Herbert, 1901).

> Chico, Harpo, Groucho and Gummo began their career in vaudeville, but Gummo left the act to serve in World War 1, thinking that would be preferable to being an actor! He was replaced by Zeppo who went on with the brothers to Broadway and ultimately to a film career with Paramount Studios in Hollywood. After 7 film roles at Paramount Zeppo stepped away from the camera and became an agent. Later in life he created inventions that helped the medical and defense fields.

> The three most memorable Marx Brothers, Chico, Harpo and Groucho starred in 9 more feature films together from 1935 to 1957. Groucho had seven solo efforts and Harpo had two, while Chico and Zeppo each had one. Groucho is probably the most recognizable of the Brothers. Not only was he a fairly regular presence on television until the year before his death in 1977, but you probably recognize his eyebrows, glasses, big nose and moustache from the popular "Beagle-Puss" toy disguise. This novelty has been on sale since the 1940s!