Acting
Margaret Dumont
Margaret Dumont would probably consider it a tragedy that she is best-known for her performances as the ultimate straight woman in seven of the Marx Brothers' films (including most of their best). By all accounts she never understood their jokes (offscreen and on), which is of course a major reason why she's so funny. Apart from a small role in a 1917 Dickens adaptation, she spent her early career on the stage, ending up with the Marxes in the late 1920s in the stage versions of The Cocoanuts (1929) and Animal Crackers (1930), and was given a Paramount contract at the same time they were. She played similar roles alongside other great comedians, including W.C. Fields, Laurel & Hardy and Jack Benny and also played straight dramatic parts (her chief love), but few of them made much impact - it is as Groucho Marx's foil that she ranks among the immortals, and she died shortly after being reunited with him on "The Hollywood Palace" (1964).
Filmography
Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults
Film · 1999
The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell
Film · 1982
The Hollywood Clowns
Film · 1979
That's Entertainment, Part II
Film · 1976
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Film · 1975
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Film · 1972
What a Way to Go!
Film · 1964
Zotz!
Film · 1962
Around the World with Nellie Bly
Film · 1960
Auntie Mame
Film · 1958
The Donna Reed Show
Series · 1958
Shake, Rattle and Rock!
Film · 1956
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Series · 1956
Stop, You're Killing Me
Film · 1952
Three for Bedroom C
Film · 1952
Racket Squad
Series · 1951
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Series · 1950
Little Giant
Film · 1946
Susie Steps Out
Film · 1946
The Horn Blows at Midnight
Film · 1945
Diamond Horseshoe
Film · 1945
Sunset in El Dorado
Film · 1945
Bathing Beauty
Film · 1944
Up in Arms
Film · 1944
Seven Days Ashore
Film · 1944
The Dancing Masters
Film · 1943
About Face
Film · 1942
Sing Your Worries Away
Film · 1942
Born to Sing
Film · 1942
Rhythm Parade
Film · 1942
Tales of Manhattan
Film · 1942
The Big Store
Film · 1941
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
Film · 1941
For Beauty's Sake
Film · 1941
At the Circus
Film · 1939
Dramatic School
Film · 1938
A Day at the Races
Film · 1937
Wise Girl
Film · 1937
Youth on Parole
Film · 1937
High Flyers
Film · 1937
The Life of the Party
Film · 1937
Anything Goes
Film · 1936
Song and Dance Man
Film · 1936
Arbor Day
Film · 1936
A Night at the Opera
Film · 1935
Rendezvous
Film · 1935
Reckless
Film · 1935
After Office Hours
Film · 1935
Gypsy Sweetheart
Film · 1935
Gridiron Flash
Film · 1934
Fifteen Wives
Film · 1934
Kentucky Kernels
Film · 1934
Duck Soup
Film · 1933
Storm at Daybreak
Film · 1933
Wonderland of California
Film · 1933
Here, Prince
Film · 1932
The Girl Habit
Film · 1931
Animal Crackers
Film · 1930
The Cocoanuts
Film · 1929
Enemies of Women
Film · 1923
A Tale of Two Cities
Film · 1917