October 20

Today's birthday blog goes out to Margaret Dumont, a woman Groucho Marx referred to as 'practically the fifth Marx Brother.' Her role, in the best of the Marx Brothers films, was always some rich aristocrat for Groucho Marx to simultaneously ridicule and seduce. With her as a reliable foil, Groucho could show off the speed and wit that made his comedy transcend its age and-
you know, this is really getting long winded. Margaret Dumont took it on the chin from Groucho for all of us, She usually played the rich old biddy to his con man, and she loved him for it. And so did we.