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Son of Groucho
An intimate and candid portrait of the great comedian by the man who know him best. This book abounds with vignettes of the celebrities drawn into the Marx orbit and iwith close-ups of Groucho's famous siblings and of his three wives. Among the anecdotes
370 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1972
About the author
Arthur Marx
40 books7 followersArthur Marx was an American author, a former ranked amateur tennis player, and son of entertainer Groucho Marx and his first wife, Ruth Johnson.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 27, 2015
This is partially an autobiography of Arthur Marx, Groucho's son (who's still kicking today at 89), and the difficulties and benefits of growing up with a famous father, and partly an unvarnished look at the great man himself.
Much darker and confessional than 1952's Life With Groucho, this reveals Groucho as a tight-fisted, emotionally withholding man who cut his wives and children alike with his caustic remarks. But this is no "Grouchie Dearest," as Arthur still loves and seeks approval from his "Padre," and Groucho is also shown to be a sentimental man, who is ultimately, if grudgingly, proud of his son.
I also appreciated the fact that even though I'd read 19 (no lie; I counted) previous books written by or about Groucho and his brothers, this book still had several stories I hadn't heard before.
Much darker and confessional than 1952's Life With Groucho, this reveals Groucho as a tight-fisted, emotionally withholding man who cut his wives and children alike with his caustic remarks. But this is no "Grouchie Dearest," as Arthur still loves and seeks approval from his "Padre," and Groucho is also shown to be a sentimental man, who is ultimately, if grudgingly, proud of his son.
I also appreciated the fact that even though I'd read 19 (no lie; I counted) previous books written by or about Groucho and his brothers, this book still had several stories I hadn't heard before.
January 17, 2023
Not as satisfying as Life with Groucho because the humor of the first book is replaced here with honesty and private details that are far less interesting than stories of his famous father. I suppose it's interesting that he left his spouse for his sister-in-law, but I wasn't expecting that kind of book.
September 27, 2015
As other reviewers stated, there is a ton of overlap between this and "Life with Groucho". Still, there are some differences and enhancements. An enjoyable book, obviously it was tough to be Groucho's son.
July 6, 2022
For what this book was, a double autobiographical tale of Arthur Marx and his relationship with his father Groucho, it was an enjoyable read and insightful regarding what was acceptable among Hollywood celebrities of that era.
September 28, 2007
I mean, if you REALLY like Groucho -- which I do -- he's all over this book. Arthur Marx is a good writer, if uninspired.
March 15, 2010
decent look at the Marx Brothers and Arthur Marx son's career, from tennis play to writer.
Heart breaking to read about Groucho's later years and all the grief the family went through.
Heart breaking to read about Groucho's later years and all the grief the family went through.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews