Editing Groucho Marx (section)

=== Other work ===
On August 5, 1948, Marx's comedy play ''April Fool'' premiered at the [[Lobero Theatre]] in Santa Barbara, California, to mediocre reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Los Angeles Times 07 Aug 1948, page 8 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/380889678/ |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}</ref> Penned by Groucho Marx and Norman Krasna, the play was rewritten and retitled ''Time for Elizabeth'', and opened at the Fulton Theatre in New York City on September 27, 1948,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Daily News 28 Sep 1948, page 280 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/446231814/ |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}</ref> where it closed after only eight performances.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Groucho Marx "APRIL FOOL" Otto Kruger / Norman Krasna 1948 FLOP Tryout Playbill {{!}} #1860471580 |url=https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/groucho-marx-april-fool-otto-kruger-1860471580 |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=Worthpoint |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Daily News 01 Oct 1948, page 1013 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/445883334/ |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}</ref>

By the time ''You Bet Your Life'' debuted on TV on October 5, 1950, Marx had grown a real mustache (which he had already sported earlier in the films ''[[Copacabana (1947 film)|Copacabana]]'' and ''[[Love Happy]]'').

During a tour of Germany in 1958, accompanied by then-wife Eden, daughter Melinda, Robert Dwan and Dwan's daughter Judith, he climbed a pile of rubble that marked the site of [[Adolf Hitler]]'s [[Führerbunker|bunker]], the site of Hitler's death, and performed a two-minute [[Charleston (dance)|Charleston]].<ref>{{cite web |last = Hallett |first = Judith Dwan |title = What's So Funny & Why? |publisher = Sarah Lawrence College |url = http://www.slc.edu/magazine/whats-so-funny/Whats_So_Funny_and_Why.php |access-date = July 29, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071216103940/http://slc.edu/magazine/whats-so-funny/Whats_So_Funny_and_Why.php |archive-date = December 16, 2007}}</ref> He later remarked to Richard J. Anobile in ''The Marx Brothers Scrapbook,'' "Not much satisfaction after he killed six million Jews!"

[[File:Groucho Marx Koko the Mikado Bell Telephone Hour 1960.JPG|thumb|Marx as Ko-Ko, 1960]]
In 1960, Marx, a lifelong devotee of the comic operas of [[Gilbert and Sullivan]], appeared as Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner, in a televised production of ''[[The Mikado]]'' on [[NBC]]'s ''[[The Bell Telephone Hour]]''. A clip of this is in rotation on [[Classic Arts Showcase]].

Another TV show, ''Tell It to Groucho'', premiered January 11, 1962, on CBS, but only lasted five months. On October 1, 1962, Marx, after acting as occasional guest host of ''[[The Tonight Show]]'' during the six-month interval between [[Jack Paar]] and [[Johnny Carson]], introduced Carson as the new host.

In 1964, Marx starred in the "Time for Elizabeth" episode of ''[[Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre]]'', a truncated version of the play that he and [[Norman Krasna]] wrote in 1948.

In 1965, Marx starred in a weekly show for British TV titled ''Groucho'', broadcast on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]. The program was along similar lines to ''You Bet Your Life'', with [[Keith Fordyce]] taking on the Fenneman role. However, it was poorly received and lasted only 11 weeks.

Marx appeared as a gangster named God in the comedy movie ''[[Skidoo (film)|Skidoo]]'' (1968), directed by [[Otto Preminger]], and starring [[Jackie Gleason]] and [[Carol Channing]]. It was released by the studio where the Marx Brothers began their film career, [[Paramount Pictures]]. The film received almost universally negative reviews. Writer [[Paul Krassner]] published a story in the February 1981 issue of ''[[High Times]]'', relating how Marx prepared for the LSD-themed movie by taking a dose of the drug in Krassner's company, and had a moving, largely pleasant experience.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hightimes.com/culture/groucho-marx/|title=High Times Greats: My Acid Trip With Groucho|first=Paul|last=Krassner|date=October 2, 2019|website=High Times|access-date=June 21, 2022|archive-date=July 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702054730/https://hightimes.com/culture/groucho-marx/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Marx developed friendships with rock star [[Alice Cooper]]—the two were photographed together for ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine—and television host [[Dick Cavett]], becoming a frequent guest on Cavett's late-night talk show, even appearing in a one-man, 90-minute interview.<ref name="Cavett19690613">{{cite web|url=http://dickcavettshow.com/index.php/component/zoo/item/6-13-69|title=The Dick Cavett Show - 6/13/1969|website=Dickcavettshow.com|access-date=September 21, 2018|archive-date=September 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921035237/http://dickcavettshow.com/index.php/component/zoo/item/6-13-69|url-status=dead}}</ref> When [[Elton John]] was visiting California in 1972, he and Marx became friendly. Marx insisted on calling him "John Elton". According to writer [[Philip Norman (author)|Philip Norman]], when Elton John was playing the piano at Marx's home, Marx jokingly pointed his index fingers as if holding a pair of six-shooters; John put up his hands and said, "Don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player," thereby giving him the title of [[Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player|the album he had just completed]]. A [[film poster]] for the Marx Bros. film ''[[Go West (1940 film)|Go West]]'' is visible on the album cover photograph as an homage to Marx. Elton John accompanied Marx to a performance of ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]''. As the lights went down, Marx called out, "Does it have a happy ending?" And during the Crucifixion scene, he declared, "This is sure to offend the Jews."{{Citation needed|date=August 2007}}
[[File:Groucho Marx Brooke Hayward General Electric Theater 1961.jpg|left|thumb|Marx and [[Brooke Hayward]], 1961]]
Marx's previous work regained popularity; new books of transcribed conversations were published by Richard J. Anobile and [[Charlotte Chandler]]. In a [[BBC]] interview in 1975, Marx called his greatest achievement having a book selected for cultural preservation in the Library of Congress. In a Cavett interview in 1971,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dickcavettshow.com/index.php/component/zoo/item/5-25-71|title=The Dick Cavett Show - 5/25/1971|website=Dickcavettshow.com|access-date=September 21, 2018|archive-date=September 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921191431/http://dickcavettshow.com/index.php/component/zoo/item/5-25-71|url-status=dead}}</ref> Marx said being published in ''[[The New Yorker]]'' under his own name,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/groucho-marx|title=Groucho Marx - Contributors|work=newyorker.com|access-date=November 22, 2016}}</ref> Julius Henry Marx, meant more than all the plays he appeared in.<ref name="Cavett19690613"/> For a man who had little formal education, to have his writings declared culturally important was a point of great satisfaction.

As he passed his 81st birthday in October 1971, Marx became increasingly frail, physically and mentally, as a result of a succession of minor [[Cerebrovascular Accident|strokes]] and other health issues.<ref name="pov1">[http://www.povonline.com/cols/COL238.htm Point of View] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021181758/http://www.povonline.com/cols/COL238.htm |date=October 21, 2006 }}, Mark Evanier, 1999-06-04, retrieved, August 9, 2007.</ref><ref name="pov2">[http://www.povonline.com/cols/COL239.htm Point of View] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717220054/http://www.povonline.com/cols/COL239.htm |date=July 17, 2012 }}, Mark Evanier, 1999-06-11, retrieved, August 9, 2007.</ref> In 1972, largely at the behest of his companion [[Erin Fleming]], Marx appeared in a live one-man show at [[Carnegie Hall]] that was later released as a double album, ''[[An Evening with Groucho]]'', on [[A&M Records]]. He also made an appearance in 1973 on a short-lived variety show hosted by [[Bill Cosby]]. Fleming's influence on Marx was controversial. Some close to Marx believed that she did much to revive his popularity, and the relationship with a younger woman boosted his ego and vitality.<ref name=Opinionator/> Others described her as a [[Svengali]], exploiting an increasingly frail Marx in pursuit of her own acting career. Marx's children, particularly his son Arthur, felt strongly that Fleming was pushing their ailing father beyond his physical and mental limits.<ref name="pov2" /> Writer [[Mark Evanier]] concurred.<ref name="pov3">[http://www.newsfromme.com/2004/03/07/erin/ Erin Fleming, R.I.P.], Mark Evanier, March 7, 2004</ref>

On April 2, 1974, at the [[46th Academy Awards|46th annual Academy Awards]], [[Jack Lemmon]] presented Marx with an honorary [[Academy Award|Oscar]] to a standing ovation. The award honored Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo as well: "in recognition of his brilliant creativity and for the unequalled achievements of the Marx Brothers in the art of motion picture comedy". Noticeably frail, Marx took a bow for his deceased brothers, saying that "I wish that Harpo and Chico could be here to share with me this great honor." (Zeppo, still alive, was in the audience). He also praised the late [[Margaret Dumont]] as a great straight woman who never understood any of his jokes.<ref name="Cavett19690613"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1YsAxiiH98 | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/a1YsAxiiH98| archive-date=October 30, 2021|title=Groucho Marx receiving an Honorary Oscar® |website=Oscars.org |date=November 24, 2009 |access-date=September 25, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Marx's final appearance was a brief sketch with [[George Burns]] in the [[Bob Hope]] television special ''Joys'' (a parody of the 1975 movie ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'') in March 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_T3H-DS1w&?t=18m19s| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210182051/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_T3H-DS1w&?t=18m19s| archive-date=February 10, 2017| title=Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope in ''Joys'' |publisher=Hope Enterprises |date=March 5, 1976 |access-date=November 10, 2016}}</ref> His health continued to decline the following year; when his younger brother [[Gummo Marx|Gummo]] died at age 83 on April 21, 1977, Marx was never told for fear of eliciting still further deterioration of his health.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gummo Marx, Managed Comedians |quote=[[Palm Springs, California]], April 21, 2007 ([[Reuters]]) Gummo Marks, an original member of the Marx brothers' comedy team, died here today. He was 84 years old. |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

Marx maintained his irrepressible sense of humor to the very end, however. George Fenneman, his radio and TV announcer, good-natured foil, and lifelong friend, often related a story of one of his final visits to Marx's home: When the time came to end the visit, Fenneman lifted Marx from his wheelchair, put his arms around his torso, and began to "walk" the frail comedian backwards across the room towards his bed. As he did, he heard a weak voice in his ear: "Fenneman," whispered Marx, "you always were a lousy dancer."<ref>{{cite web |agency=Associated Press |title=George Fenneman, Sidekick To Groucho Marx, Dies at 77 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/05/us/george-fenneman-sidekick-to-groucho-marx-dies-at-77.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=June 21, 2010 |date=June 5, 1997}}</ref> When a nurse approached him with a thermometer during his final hospitalization, explaining that she wanted to see if he had a temperature, he responded, "Don't be silly—everybody has a temperature."<ref name=Opinionator>"They Dressed like Groucho" [http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/20/they-dressed-like-groucho/ NY Times Opinionator (April 20, 20120] Retrieved January 5, 2012.</ref> Actor [[Elliott Gould]] recalled a similar incident: "I recall the last time I saw Groucho, he was in the hospital, and he had tubes in his nose and what have you," he said. "And when he saw me, he was weak, but he was there; and he put his fingers on the tubes and played them like it was a clarinet. Groucho played the tubes for me, which brings me to tears."<ref>Famed Actor Elliott Gould Recalls Groucho Marx's Final Days (July 10, 2013). [http://www.compassionandchoices.org/2013/07/10/famed-actor-elliott-gould-recalls-groucho-marxs-final-days/ ''Compassion & Choices'' Magazine archive] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106051519/http://www.compassionandchoices.org/2013/07/10/famed-actor-elliott-gould-recalls-groucho-marxs-final-days/ |date=January 6, 2014 }}. Retrieved January 5, 2014.</ref>