Almost Lost: The Marx Brothers "Animal Crackers." [18:06]

YouTube ^ | January 28, 2026 | The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered

[SunkenCiv]

Each year, based on age and law and international convention, old copyrights expire and once protected works fall into the public domain. Animal Crackers, the second major motion picture to feature the Marx brothers, disappeared for nearly a quarter of a century, and parts of it were nearly forgotten for 86 years, and today it belongs to the public. 

Almost Lost: The Marx Brothers "Animal Crackers." | 18:06 
The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered | 1.62M subscribers | 44,284 views | January 28, 2026

[SunkenCiv]

I put the movie on at bedtime, so I’ve only seen the first ten minutes. 😁 My problem is my associative memory — the phrase “animal crackers” brings *this* to the top:

Shirley Temple Performs Animal Crackers In My Soup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKxYyh6IZCk

[Dr. Sivana]

Abbott and Costello had dozens of movies playing the same types of characters.

Laurel and Hardy had over 20 feature length movies.

The Three Stooges had six feature length movies, all well after their peak. Like many, they were mistreated by the studio. Moe Howard was a gracious man.


These six are usually listed as: Have Rocket, Will Travel (1959)

Snow White and the Three Stooges (1961)

The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962)

The Three Stooges in Orbit (1962)

The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze (1963)

​ The Outlaws Is Coming! (1965)

Once TV came on, the need for comedy sequels decreased dramatically.

[Dr. Sivana]

If we hear a loud noise someone will say, ‘you’ve got cockroaches… and the largest one’s got asthma’ and that the Gen Zers

My favorite zany line in that genre was Larry Fine of the Three Stooges, when asked why he ordered burnt toast and a rotten egg, responding "I've got a tapeworm, and that's good enough for it."

[tlozo]

They were absolutely essential to make Groucho's world possible.

Yup, Duck Soup would have lost much of its humor without them.

[stanne]

Marx Bros didn’t resort to that gross humor.

[Reily]

I think that line belongs to Jerome Howard aka Curly!

[animal172]

I’ve watched many of the Thin Man movies with CC.

[Dr. Sivana]

I think that line belongs to Jerome Howard aka Curly!

It may have been used more than once.

[left that other site]

My favorite is “A Night At The Opera”, and also “Duck Soup”.

The first spoofs Classical Music Snobs, while the secong spoofs Politics.

As a musician, I Burst into laughter every time I see the pit orchestra turn the page and start playing “Take me Out To The Ball Game” right in the middle of the Overture. That’s what it’s like when you’re playing from sheet music!

Harpo in the Gypsy Woman Costume is hysterical.

The mayhem takes on a special quality when it’s onstage at the Met.

And the Music Contract Scene is brilliant. I’ve had to sign contracts like that!

[Reily]

A lot of Curly’s lines were spontaneous adlibs. Part of his comic genius.

I think you’re right. I now think I remember Larry using it too!

[stanne]

“ Harpo in the Gypsy Woman Costume is hysterical.
The mayhem takes on a special quality when it’s onstage at the Met.
And the Music Contract Scene is brilliant. I’ve had to sign contracts like that!”

It’s so funny.

When we order from the drive through we end with “and two hard boiled eggs” then someone from the back repeats it

[left that other site]

And, of course, the “Crowded Stateroom Scene” Oh My Goodness!

[stanne]

The story is, their parents had to leave them alone for a day and it was a lot of unchecked energy. 5 boys

The scene in ‘Night at the Opera” in the apartment when Groucho says, ‘come along kiddies you’ll be late for jail”, Harpo mimes putting on lipstick and powder, etc, they go about their zany business. They did that at home. They all know the gag.

They never laugh at their own or each others jokes. That makes it funnier

[Lurker]

Myrna Loy was smoking hot.

L

[stanne]

“Crowded Stateroom Scene”

If you see that scene it’s ok. If you watch the movie from the start, get the story, get with the tempo, it’s hilarious

[Leaning Right]

> Moe Howard was a gracious man. <

Everyone has a claim to fame. Mine is that I once met Moe Howard. We had a brief chat. You’re right. He was a gracious man.

[Dr. Sivana]

Iggy Pop wanted to form a punk group called “Iggy and the Stooges”. He actually asked Moe Howard for permission. Moe didn’t seem to think he needed permission, but gave it and wished he well.

[tlozo]

Was fortunate to see Cocoanuts on stage in the 80’s, and even though I have seen the film version before, it was still the funniest show I have ever seen.

[SunkenCiv]

In a documentary, one of the Marx descendants said that the brothers would work out a script in their live shows (she must have been talking about Cocoanuts), and said she saw the same show but screamed with laughter, as the brothers ad libbed new stuff every performance. Good way to make sure it’s funny before committing it to screen, akin to “this show was recorded before a live studio audience” on TV.

[SunkenCiv]

She’s lucky there’s no time machines yet, let’s leave it at that. She was of course a liberal, btw. I was watching a show about her while out in the garage, working on my time machine.