Self (archive footage)
Discover the enduring friendship between television personality Dick Cavett and his mentor iconic comedian Groucho Marx. Their relationship is chronicled through interviews with Cavett, archival footage and interviews with George Burns and others.
Self (archive footage)
Alex Trebek hosts a documentary about television game shows featuring interviews with a number of game show hosts and producers.
Self (archive footage)
The story of the gold-plated statuette that became the film industry's most coveted prize, AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... traces the history of the Academy itself, which began in 1927 when Louis B. Mayer, then head of MGM, led other prominent members of the industry in forming this professional honorary organization. Two years later the Academy began bestowing awards, which were nicknamed "Oscar," and quickly came to represent the pinnacle of cinematic achievement.
Self (archive footage)
Documentary - Take an in-depth look at the personal lives and careers of the famous Marx Brothers: Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo and Gummo. Pioneers on the American comedy scene, the brothers' comedic timing, wit and style are unmatched to this day. Fans will delight in this broad collection of Marx memorabilia, including favorites such as "Animal Crackers," "Monkey Business," "Duck Soup" and "A Night at the Opera," as well as interviews and rare footage. - Chico Marx, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx
Self (archive footage)
The early days of The Beatles are captured in this fascinating film. Featuring behind the scenes clips, it traces the Fab Four's start as Liverpool lads playing the local clubs to 'making it' in Germany. Early press conferences and interviews reveal their charisma and knack for messing around - yeah, yeah, yeah!
Self (archive footage)
Join all you favorites--Spanky, Buckwheat, Alfalfa, Darla, Butch, Froggy and more--in a jam-packed special covering more than twenty years and 200 episodes of Hal Roach's inimitable brand of childhood magic. This fascinating video offers insight into the Gang's personal lives, as rare footage follows each member's career through the joys and misfortunes that went along with being one of America's most beloved kids. See how the series began in 1922 and changed after the first all-talking release in 1929, why Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney never made the Gang, a fifteenth anniversary reunion, and clips from their only feature.
Self (archive footage)
A tribute to the lives and careers of the Marx Brothers utilizing rare archival footage and personal interviews.
Self (archive footage)
Groucho's life story, with jokes
Self (from Love Happy [1949]) (archive footage)
Her story is well-known - the lonely child who yearned for affection and approval which she finally seemed to find as Hollywood's greatest love goddess. But even though she scaled heights few could even dream of, she was one of the loneliest of stars. And yet, in spite of the breakdowns, the failed marriages, the sordid rumors surrounding her life -- and her death.
(archive footage)
Robert Preston hosts this documentary that shows what people of the 1930s were watching as they were battling the Depression as well as eventually getting ready for another World War.
Himself (archive footage)
Out-takes (mostly from Warner Bros.), promotional shorts, movie premieres, public service pleas, wardrobe tests, documentary material, and archival footage make up this star-studded voyeuristic look at the Golden age of Hollywood during the 30s, 40, and 50.
(archive footage)
A fascinating look at the most beloved comedy team in motion picture history. Exclusive interviews with those closest to the brothers supplement this collection of highlights from their film, theater, and television appearances and offer a compelling look at their lives both on and off-screen.
Self (archive footage)
A collection of bloopers and outtakes from an enormous selection of Hollywood classic productions spanning from the 1930s through the 1980s.
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Though several actors portray Elvis Presley at different stages of his life, this documentary is comprised mostly of actual performance footage and interviews with Elvis, his fans and those close to him. This biographical docu-drama features rare footage of Elvis and dramatically recreated scenes from Elvis' life.
(archive footage)
Documentary about Salsa music with interviews with major Latin stars
(archive footage)
Золотые моменты из фильмотеки MGM, что включает как комедии и драмы, так и классические музыкальные номера.
Self
Over fifty of the greatest living comedians are called to a party at Bob Hope's house, where each of them is systematically killed (and their bodies thrown in Hope's pool!). Hope and the rapidly shrinking cast try to discover who is the mysterious killer known only as "Joys."
Self (archive footage)
Period music, film clips and newsreel footage combined into a visual exploration of the American entertainment industry during the Great Depression.
Writer
In a TV film about the film Casablanca, Kren is meant to read aloud three letters that Groucho Marx wrote to Warner Bros., because they wanted to take legal action against him over A Night in Casablanca. The recorded material could not be used on television and was meant to be destroyed. Kren found it and showed it uncut with its repetitions.
Self (voice)
The Mad, Mad, Mad Comedians is a 1970 American animated television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. After the Christmas special Frosty the Snowman (1969), it was Rankin/Bass' second hand-drawn animated work to be outsourced to Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Production in Tokyo, Japan. The show aired on ABC on April 7, 1970 before the airing of that year's Oscars. It was a tribute to early vaudeville, and featured animated reworkings of various famous comedians' acts.
God
Ex-gangster Tony Banks is called out of retirement by mob kingpin God to carry out a hit on fellow mobster "Blue Chips" Packard. When Banks demurs, God kidnaps his daughter Darlene on his luxury yacht.
Self (archive footage)
Clips from assorted television programs, B-movies, commercials, music performances, newsreels, bloopers, satirical short films and promotional and government films of the 1950s and 1960s are intercut together to tell a single story of various creatures and societal ills attacking American cities.
Man Looking Through Window At Melvin Flying
Melvin Byrd, who dreams of being a scientist, is a Cape Kennedy "miniscule molecular particle surveillance monitor" - in short, a janitor. His job is to keep a major rocket project completely dust-free, and this he does with his own hilariously fantastic inventions - including a literal attack on dirt by a "knight on a white horse". In his work, he meets Judy, a chimp involved in a top-secret project, which leads Melvin into the one room strictly off-limits to him. Not until he has entered the project room does Melvin learn that any man entering it will be negatively ionized - making him fly like a bird.
(archive footage)
Film clips highlight the funniest scenes and brightest comic stars in MGM's history.
Self
A collection of behind the scenes and home movies from the golden age of Hollywood.
Ko-Ko
Groucho Marx fulfills his lifelong dream to sing Ko-Ko in The Mikado. Broadcast as part of The Bell Telephone Hour.
Suspect in a Police Lineup
Jewel thieves Chico and Harpo Marx disguised as Groucho plan the perfect crime. Groucho appears as himself at the end in a police line up.
Peter Minuit
The devil and the spirit of mankind argue as to whether or not humanity is ultimately good or evil.
George Schmidlap (uncredited)
To save his career, an ad man wants a sex symbol to endorse a lipstick. But she wants something too: he has to pretend to be her new lover.
Stage conductor
Short promotional film for a Saturday Evening Post sales convention.
Benjamin Franklin 'Benny' Linn
After two sailors are conned into buying a lame race-horse, they go ashore to sort out the problem, but when they realize that the horse is one of a pair of identical twins, their plan for revenge becomes more complicated.
Emile J. Keck
An innocent bank teller, suspected of embezzlement, is aided by an eccentric, wisecracking waiter.
Groucho Marx
A golf-crazy songwriter tries to avoid the long, solitary hours of concentration needed to produce a hit musical. His producer and his secretary conspire to get him back on track.
Sam Grunion
The Marx Brothers help young Broadway hopefuls when they get mixed up with gangsters due to a tin of sardines containing Romanoff diamonds.
Story
Inspired by the popular '40s radio show of the same title, director Irving Brecher's 1949 comedy stars William Bendix as a hard-working husband-and-father with no shortage of family problems.
Lionel Q. Deveraux
A talent agent sells his girlfriend to a nightclub -- as two separate acts. The deception and constant costume changes are too much for his girl.
Ronald Kornblow
The Marx Brothers are employed at a hotel in postwar Casablanca, where a ring of Nazis is trying to recover a cache of stolen treasure.
Wolf J. Flywheel
A detective is hired to protect the life of a singer, who has recently inherited a department store, from the store's crooked manager.
S. Quentin Quale
Старый золотоискатель владеет участком, который не приносит золота. Однако даже пустая земля может дать прибыль — если продать её для строительства железной дороги. Но когда документ на владение землей попадает в руки недотёп, всем участникам сделки приходится несладко.
Self
This short documentary, presented and directed by MGM sound engineer Douglas Shearer, goes behind the scenes to look at how the sound portion of a talking picture is created.
Self
This short promotes the premise that movies often create a demand for the fashions seen in them. It starts with a vignette in rural America. A mother and daughter go to town to buy a new dress. In the dress shop window is a designer dress worn by Joan Crawford in a recent movie. We then go to Hollywood and visit Adrian, MGM's chief of costume design, and see how multiple copies of a single clothing pattern are produced. The film ends with short segments of several MGM features.
Attorney J. Cheever Loophole
Джефф Уилсон, владелец небольшого цирка, должен своему партнеру Джону Картеру 10000 долларов. Прежде, чем Джефф смог заплатить, Картер позволяет своим сообщникам украсть деньги, так что теперь он может забрать цирк себе. Антонио Пирелли и Панчи, которые работают в цирке, вместе с адвокатом Луфолом пытаются найти вора и вернуть деньги.
Self
An MGM short showing how materials are shipped by boat 'From the Ends of the Earth' to Hollywood. Featuring footage from the MGM films being made at the time. Such as The Women, Thunder Afloat, Siren of the Tropics, Ninotchka, Northwest Passage, and At the Circus.
Gordon Miller
Broke Gordon Miller tries to land a backer for his new play while he has to deal with with the hotel manager trying to evict him and his cast.
Groucho Marx
A series of vignettes with a loose plot. Featured are Frank Morgan, Groucho Marx, Frank McHugh, Robert Benchley and The Brian Sisters. Not bad, more interesting for the historical significance than for entertainment.
Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush
У очаровательной женщины, запутавшейся в долгах, хотят отнять заложенный и перезаложенный санаторий, в котором осталась только одна богатая пациентка, настоявшая на том, чтобы главврачом назначили любовь ее далекой молодости, ветеринара Хэкенбуша... Братья Маркс смешивают страдающие некоторой суматошностью сюжетные линии в бешеный коктейль с убойным эффектом — от смеха удержаться просто невозможно. Поток юмора, клоунады и эксцентрики настолько плотен, что только успевай оценивать шуточки.
Writer
A destitute, bored monarch falls in love with a chorus girl.
Sunbather
Casino operator Johnny Lamb hires down-on-her-luck socialite Lucille Sutton as his casino hostess, in order to help her and to improve casino income. But Lamb's pals fear he may follow Lucille onto the straight-and-narrow path, which would not be good for business. So they hire Gert Malloy and Dictionary McKinney, a pair of con-artists, to manipulate Johnny back off the path of righteousness.
Otis B. Driftwood
Ловкач Отис Дрифтвуд придумал способ прикарманить денежки богатой вдовы, делами которой он управлял. Вдовушка спала и видела, как бы пробиться в высшее общество и Отис подговорил её вложить круглую сумму в Нью-Йоркскую оперу. Вместо прославленного тенора Ласпари Отис нанял за «десятку» певца из хора, а остаток присвоил себе. Певец оказался действительно хорош и за 10 долларов отработал на всю тысячу, а заодно покорил сердце любимой девушки-хористки.
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Comedian Lloyd Hamilton escorts a group of beauty contest winners to various Hollywood night spots.
Rufus T. Firefly
Чтобы спасти маленькую страну Фридонию от банкротства, богатая вдова госпожа Тисдейл соглашается пожертвовать на это 20 миллионов долларов. Но только при условии, что ухлестывающий за ней Руфус Т. Файрфлай станет лидером страны. Файрфлай — циничный и бесцеремонный диктатор — провоцирует посла соседней Сильвании, и между странами начинается война. Военную «игру» осложняют и запутывают два друга-неумехи, которых посол Сильвании отправил шпионить за Файрфлаем с целью выкрасть его тайные планы сражения…
Self
Footage of Groucho, his wife and his children.
Director
Footage of Groucho, his wife and his children.
Self
Short film made up of various clips showcasing the Cinecolor process, including a visit to a Marx Brothers film set.
Quincy Adams Wagstaff
Профессора Квинси Эдамса Уэгстаффа назначают президентом Колледжа Хаксли, который не выиграл ни одного футбольного матча со времени его основания в 1888 году. Следуя совету своего сына, Уэгстафф пытается завербовать парочку профессиональных игроков, но из-за путаницы в панибратском разговоре, по ошибке приглашает в команду собачьего живодера и бутлегера. Как бы то ни было, Уэгстафф поручает им похитить лучших игроков из команды своих старых противников из Колледжа Дарвина, но, к сожалению, у них ничего не выходит.
Caesar's Ghost
In the office of Mr. Lee, a talent agent, Zeppo bursts through the door, proclaiming to be a great musical actor. He gives a terrible impression of Maurice Chevallier. Chico arrives, also proclaiming to be a great musical talent, and gives an even worse impression of the same musical act. This is followed by Groucho and finally Harpo, all adding to the growing confusion in the office.
Groucho
Безбилетные пассажиры, прячась на борту лайнера плывущего в Америку и отчаянно пытаясь избежать встречи с персоналом корабля, оказываются втянутыми в работу хулиганами для двух гангстеров. После приезда в штаты один из гангстеров захватывает дочь другого и теперь все зависит от наших невезучих героев.
Caesar's Ghost
The House That Shadows Built (1931) is a short feature, roughly 48 minutes long, from Paramount Pictures made to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the studio's founding in 1912. It was a promotional film for exhibitors and never had a regular theatrical release and includes a brief history of Paramount, interviews with various actors, and clips from upcoming projects (some of which never came to fruition). The title comes from a biography of Paramount founder Adolph Zukor, The House That Shadows Built (1928), by William Henry Irwin.
Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding
Капитан Сполдинг, известный исследователь, возвращается из Африки и попадает на праздник, который проводит госпожа Риттенхаус. Мистер Чэндлер собирается представить публике картину Богарда — «После охоты», приобретенную в Европе за 100 тысяч долларов. Братья Маркс помогают вернуть шедевр, украденный во время проведения праздника.
Hammer
During the Florida land boom, the Marx Brothers run a hotel, auction off some land and thwart a jewel robbery.
Villain
Harpo played the hero, a detective named Watson who "made his entrance in a high hat, sliding down a coal chute into the basement". Groucho played an "old movie" villain, who "sported a long moustache and was clad in black", while Chico was probably his "chuckling [Italian] henchman". Zeppo portrayed a playboy who was the owner of a nightclub in which most of the action took place, including "a cabaret, [which allowed] the inclusion of a dance number". The final shot showed Groucho "in ball and chain, trudging slowly off into the gloaming". Harpo, in a rare moment of romantic glory, gets the girl in the end.
