How the Groucho Marx Halloween mask became ubiquitous
The significance of 'Groucho glasses' goes way beyond their cigar-chomping creator
Marx Brothers
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Culture When Harpo spoke — to save a relative from World War II Europe
In March of 1941, a 72-year-old German Jewish widow named Helene Schickler was waiting to join her family in the U.S. She was then living in a convent in Naples with other refugees, and the nuns hosting them were running out of food. She was losing weight, strength and hope. A doctor came to examine…
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Culture Oops! A Fox anchor said Karl Marx wrote ‘Mein Kampf’
There are moments in literary history that shape the world. Around 1445 B.C.E. unnamed sources composed the first books of the Bible. In 1450 Johannes Gutenberg perfected his printing press. Thomas Paine publishes “Common Sense” in 1776. And in 1848, Karl Marx wrote “Mein Kampf” — at least that’s what one Fox anchor said. On…
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Opinion Why Shavuot Is Zeppo Marx of Festivals
This column, which I wrote for the festival of Shavuot in May 2010, is one of my favorites. Since Shavuot starts Tuesday night, I thought I’d rerun it. Of all the major Jewish holidays, the least familiar to the general, synagogue-avoiding Jewish public is the festival of Shavuot. In fact, its obscurity is so striking…
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Culture What Is ‘Annie Hall’s’ Most Jewish Scene
Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall” turned forty this week. It is, arguably, Allen’s most influential film, his funniest as well – a masterclass not only in cinematography and screenwriting, but directing and acting as well. Jordan Hoffman over at The Guardian has compiled a list of the films forty funniest moments (how he distilled it down to…
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The Schmooze How 100 Years of Jewish Jokes Shaped Modern Humor
Not that it should come as any surprise, but Vulture’s recent list of merely affirms the widespread assumption that much if not most of what passes for contemporary humor was and remains directly or indirectly forged out of the tragicomedy of Jewish culture. With roots going back to the Old World badkhns through Yiddish vaudeville…
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Opinion Ring In the New Year: Top Tunes to Atone To
This Rosh Hashanah concert began five years ago as a sort of mood piece. I decided last year to expand it and include riffs off of some core elements in the Rosh Hashanah service itself. Some folks have been asking me to repost it, so here it is. You’ll notice that when you click on…
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The Schmooze Rob Zombie to Direct Groucho Marx Biopic
Marx Brothers and horror fans unite? Rob Zombie, musician turned film director, will direct the film version of Raised Eyebrows (1996), a book focusing on the final years of Groucho Marx, . Oren Moverman will write the screenplay. The story comes from author Steve Stoliar, who worked with Groucho Marx as his personal secretary and…
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