Marx Brothers festival is duck soup for fans
The Marx Brothers in "Cocoanuts." Credit: Universal Pictures
Hooray for Captain Spaulding, and the brothers who made him famous.
May marks 100 years since Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Gummo Marx got their monikers at a poker game (Zeppo replaced Gummo in 1918). It's a big deal being marked by Marxfest, a monthlong festival of Marx Brothers events in Manhattan starting Thursday. Here are some highlights (for a full list, visit marxfest.com).
The New York Public Library's Epiphany Branch (228 E. 23rd St.) hosts free screenings of the boys' movies Thursdays in May at 2 p.m., starting with "A Night at the Opera." Tickets are $12 for the Museum of Modern Art's showing of "Duck Soup" on May 22.
Media archivist Robert S. Bader and Groucho's pal Dick Cavett will show TV clips and home movies of the Marxes at the Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal St., next Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30.
"Lydia the Tattooed Lady" leads the set list of Music of the Marx Brothers at 54 Below, 254 W. 54th St. Tickets are $25-$35.
Put on your best spats and join the Marx Brothers Speakeasy Party at Flute Midtown, 205 W. 54th St., May 31 at 8 p.m. Admission is $12 -- and maybe the secret password "Swordfish."
