# How did Groucho Get His Name? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 10, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364 "2011-05-10T02:37:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/41 "2017-03-19T04:29:43Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > As long as we’re on the subject, here’s a [picture](http://1125996089.rsc.cdn77.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/marx41.jpg) of the five brothers without their costumes and make-up. Are we sure that’s not Jack Benny on the right? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/42 "2017-03-19T05:33:55Z")
When Gary Owens, who made several documentary record albums about comedians in the late Sixties, made one about the Marx Brothers, he did pronounce Leonard’s stage name as “Cheeko.” Apparently that pronunciation did have some currency, though “Chick-o” was the one Groucho used on his TV game show… I also used to know a health-food store proprietor who had been a caddy for Harpo when he was a kid. He pronounced the name as “Cheeko,” too… This all suggests to me that there were indeed people who, during the brothers’ careers, were familiar with that pronunciation, Groucho notwithstanding. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/43 "2017-03-19T14:50:30Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > When Gary Owens, who made several documentary record albums about comedians in the late Sixties, made one about the Marx Brothers, he did pronounce Leonard’s stage name as “Cheeko.” Apparently that pronunciation did have some currency, though “Chick-o” was the one Groucho used on his TV game show… I also used to know a health-food store proprietor who had been a caddy for Harpo when he was a kid. He pronounced the name as “Cheeko,” too… This all suggests to me that there were indeed people who, during the brothers’ careers, were familiar with that pronunciation, Groucho notwithstanding. The Cheeko pronunciation was absolutely the predominate one among the public. It was the one I grew up using until I started reading biographies of them. Groucho used Chick-o properly but he knew it was mostly futile. Today, almost every mention of the Brothers makes sure to mention that the correct pronunciation is Chick-o so it may have swung back to the original in the public mind. Maybe I’ll start a poll on it. BTW, all of Groucho’s old vaudeville buddies called him Julie, since his real name is Julius and he didn’t start regularly going by Groucho in public until after the act left the small vaudeville circuits. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/44 "2017-03-19T15:02:30Z")
[Poll away](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=821949). Every vote counts. Results will be decided by the Huxley College. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/45 "2017-03-19T15:51:43Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > The family resemblance is really remarkable when they’re out of costume. There’s a short story where Harpo is being chased by some gangsters, who think he’s Chico (who owes them money). Harpo tried to explain things to them but they tell him\* “Don’t try to fool us, Chico, we know there’s no brothers named Leonard or Arthur. And your brother Harpo’s got blond hair.”\* ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/46 "2017-03-19T15:56:56Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > The Cheeko pronunciation was absolutely the predominate one among the public. It was the one I grew up using until I started reading biographies of them. Groucho used Chick-o properly but he knew it was mostly futile. There was the time on his show that one of the contestants told Groucho she was from Chico, California. Groucho replied “I grew up around Chico myself.” ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/47 "2017-03-19T17:22:00Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > […] > > Today, almost every mention of the Brothers makes sure to mention that the correct pronunciation is Chick-o so it may have swung back to the original in the public mind. Maybe I’ll start a poll on it. > > BTW, all of Groucho’s old vaudeville buddies called him Julie, since his real name is Julius and he didn’t start regularly going by Groucho in public until after the act left the small vaudeville circuits. By all means…let’s have a poll.🙂 According to Joe Adamson (whence came your Username), even Margaret Dumont addressed Groucho as “Julie,” since she could not countenance calling anyone “Groucho.” (I once saw an episode of \*You Bet Your Life \* in which one contestant spoke with a French accent and called him “groo-show.”) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/48 "2017-03-19T17:49:40Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > By all means…let’s have a poll.🙂 > According to Joe Adamson (whence came your Username), even Margaret Dumont addressed Groucho as “Julie,” since she could not countenance calling anyone “Groucho.” > (I once saw an episode of \*You Bet Your Life \* in which one contestant spoke with a French accent and called him “groo-show.”) Whence me not. It comes directly out of [Harpo Speaks](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3454/3368428791_45348f67f8.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/49 "2017-03-19T17:54:07Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I’m bumping the thread for a bit of 60-year-old breaking news. I found the answer. > > Who said “How he got there, I’ll never know?” Groucho did. On his TV show, _You Bet Your Life_. And I have [the clip](https://youtu.be/Kq9xdYDo0qg?t=36s) to prove it. Who doubted it? It’s a well known line from _Animal Crackers_ (1930). [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NfN_gcjGoJo/hqdefault.jpg "Groucho Marx- Capt Spalding shot an elephant") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfN_gcjGoJo) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/50 "2017-03-19T18:31:18Z")
[quote=“x-ray\_vision, post:49, topic:581364”] Who doubted it? It’s a well known line from _Animal Crackers_ (1930). [/QUOTE] You might want to read this thread and watch the clip over again. In the clip Groucho says “I don’t know” not “I’ll never know.” That’s the difference everyone else is talking about. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/51 "2017-03-19T18:57:35Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Whence me not. It comes directly out of [Harpo Speaks](https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3454/3368428791_45348f67f8.jpg). I see. I was merely referring to Adamson ’ s book, _Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Sometimes Zeppo,_ which is where I found it; I did not know of any other citing source. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/52 "2017-03-19T19:19:14Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > I see. I was merely referring to Adamson ’ s book, _Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Sometimes Zeppo,_ which is where I found it; I did not know of any other citing source. Hell, if you haven’t read **Harpo Speaks** , get a copy now. It’s still in print from Limelight Editions. I read it as a callow youth, hoping to hear about the Hollywood years. Instead, most of the book focuses on vaudeville and Broadway, when the Harpster was the toast of 1920s New York intelligentsia. It was my introduction to Alex Woollcott and the other Algonquinians. And who knew croquet could be such a stimulating diversion? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/53 "2017-03-19T21:48:49Z")
Adamson is unquestionably the most fun of the biographies, except that it’s less of a true biography and more of a examination of the movies. It’s been a generation since that came out, so it’s probably time for another one, although I don’t think there’s a market today. _Harpo Speaks_ is a collection of tall tales from Harpo’s less-than-perfect memory. None of his details are to be trusted. That doesn’t lessen the fun if you don’t care whether an incident happened in Peoria or Albuquerque or in 1910 or 1916 or what age Harpo was at any given time or who the other acts were. Even Groucho changed the names of real people when he wrote nasty stories about them. I got to the Algonquin crowd through Robert Benchley and the New Yorker humorists, so I already knew Harpo’s connection. As he put it at some point, they needed somebody who would listen. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364/54 "2017-03-20T03:59:15Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > […] > And who knew croquet could be such a stimulating diversion? Indeed. According to an article in _Games_ Magazine, about 1980 (I can’t get to my issues right this minute), the term “Cutthroat” croquet was used; they even mentioned writer Moss Hart spending an entire summer on crutches after a misdirected foot shot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-groucho-get-his-name/581364.md?page=2)