Synopses & Reviews
Monkey Business is the first comprehensive biography of all five Marx brothers—Chico, Harpo, Groucho, Gummo and Zeppo. It features the first authentic account of their origins, their comedy roots, and their twenty-four years on stage prior to their first movie,
The Cocoanuts, in 1929.
Monkey Business brings to life the vanished world of America's variety circuits, leading to the Marx Brothers' Broadway success and their alliance with New York's theatrical lions, George S. Kaufman and the Algonquin Round Table.
Louvish showcases well-minted Marxian dialogue, and much madness and mayhem in this tale of the Brothers' Hollywood battles, their films, their loves and marriages, and the story of the forgotten brother Gummo, who never appeared on screen. Salvador Dali's "missing" script for Harpo, the true identity of the long-suffering Margaret Dumont, and the politics of "Marxism-à-la-Groucho" all contribute to this definitive biography of these beloved brothers.
Review
"Told with tremendous style and sparkle, Louvish's composite portrait of the Marx Brothers offers an indispensable overview of the actors' saga."—
Publishers Weekly"Mr. Louvish has written a well-researched and playful version of this hysterical history."—The Orlando Sentinel
"[The Marx Brothers are] well captured in Simon Louvish's zippy group portrait, Monkey Business, which ferrets out the facts behind the brothers' often murky accounts of their lives with a care that never interferes with the fun."—Elle
"Louvish is a . . . committed researcher and has come up with new material . . . [He] has interesting things to say about scripts versus finished films and fills in details [others] omit."—The New York Times Book Review
Synopsis
Monkey Business is the most thorough and fully researched biography of all five Marx Brothers -- Chico, Harpo, Groucho, Gummo and Zeppo. It features the first true account of their origins, their comedy roots, and their twenty-four years on stage prior to their movie career. Louvish brings to life the vanished world of America's variety circuits, leading to the brothers' Broadway success and their alliance with George S. Kaufman and The Algonquin Round Table. Never-before-published scripts, Marxian dialogue, and much madness and mayhem feature in this tale of the brothers' Hollywood battles, their lives and loves, and the politics of Marxism-a-la-Groucho.
About the Author
Simon Louvish is the author of the acclaimed biography of W.C. Fields,
The Man on the Flying Trapeze. He is also the author of nine novels, including most recently
The Day of Miracles and Wonders. He teaches at the London International Film School and is currently writing a biography of Laurel and Hardy.