Minnie's Boys

Minnie's Boys
Original Cast Recording
Music	Larry Grossman
Lyrics	Hal Hackady
Book	Arthur Marx Robert Fisher
Basis	Early years of the Marx Brothers
Productions	1970 Broadway 2008 Off-Broadway

Minnie's Boys is a musical with a book by Arthur Marx (Groucho Marx's son) and Robert Fisher, music by Larry Grossman, and lyrics by Hal Hackady.

It provides a behind-the-scenes look at the early days of the Marx Brothers and their relationship with their mother Minnie Marx, the driving force behind their ultimate success.

Producer Sol Siegel had developed a project based on the young Marx Brothers in the early 1960s with a script written by Julius Epstein. The producer was Arthur Whitelaw, who had done You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. Groucho hoped that Neil Simon would write the book but he turned it down; comedian David Steinberg, a great admirer of the Marx Brothers, did the job. Groucho disliked it and the job was offered to his son Arthur and Arthur's writing partner Robert Fisher who had penned a Broadway comedy hit, The Impossible Years. Arthur Marx later wrote he "embarked on the project with great enthusiasm" but later realised "how wise Neil Simon was to have turned down the project."^[1]

Arthur Marx and Fisher wrote a first draft in six weeks. Marx says the problems began when Whitelaw insisted on a non-realistic second act. Whitelaw wanted Totie Field to play Minnie but Groucho refused to give his permission as she felt he was too Jewish. The role eventually went to Shelley Winters. Arthur Marx wrote "My father was delighted to have the twotime Oscar winner in the show. But ironically, Winters ended up looking and sounding more Jewish in the role than ever Totie Fields would have done. "^[2] Arthur Marx would write she "didn't belong in the show at all."^[3]

There was a long preview period lasting for sixty-four performances, during which the creators constantly tinkered with the troubled show. The original choreographer, Patricia Birch, was replaced and there were rumors about replacing Shelley Winters. Arthur Marx says his father was a disruptive influence at rehearsals as he kept telling anecdotes about the past and slowing down progress. He also says he persuaded Whitelaw that the second act needed to be rewritten; the producer agreed but the director did not so the director was fired and replaced by Stanley Prager. Before Arthur Marx and his partner began rewriting the second act they discovered that Whitelaw and Prager had also hired Joe Stein from Fiddler on the Roof to rewrite the second act from their notes. Arthur Marx went along with this. Shelley Winters had trouble remembering her lines and would constantly change her line readings. Arthur Whitelaw was going to fire her and replace her with Totie Field but it would have cost $300,000 so he decided not to.^[4]

Ken Mandelbaum wrote he musical "is a fine example of the dangers inherent in skipping a road tryout and the out-of-town reviews that go with it"^[5]

The musical opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre officially on March 26, 1970. The musical was directed by Stanley Prager and choreographed by Marc Breaux, with scenic design by Peter Wexler, costume design by Donald Brooks and lighting by Jules Fisher.^[6]

The cast featured Shelley Winters as Minnie Marx, Lewis J. Stadlen as Julius "Groucho" Marx, Daniel Fortus as Adolph "Harpo" Marx, Irwin Pearl as Leonard "Chico" Marx, Alvin Kupperman as Herbert "Zeppo" Marx, and Gary Raucher as Milton "Gummo" Marx.^[6][7]

According to Arthur Marx "everything clicked into place" on openin night. "Shelley Winters wasn't half bad. But what made the show was Lew Stadlin's brilliant portrayal of Groucho."^[8] While reviews were mixed there was a highly negative review in The New York Times which was felt to have killed the show. The musical closed on May 30, 1970 after 80 performances. ^[7] It lost an estimated $750,000 on an investment of $550,000.

Stadlen won both the 1970 Theatre World Award and 1970 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance in a Musical.^[9]

According to Ken Mandelbaum the main problem with the show was "its lead female character was never as fascinating or colorful as Gypsy’s Rose. The four boys, extremely well played in the musical, were far more entertaining and interesting than Minnie, but because a star had been hired for the part, the character had to be kept around even when she wasn't needed." However Mandelbaum has called the musical "a crowd pleaser".^[10] The musical has received many amateur productions.^[11]

The score's song "Mama, a Rainbow" has become a standard for cabaret performers,^[12] and was recorded by Steve Lawrence and Jim Nabors soon after the show opened. In the show, the song is performed by Harpo,^[13] whose screen and stage persona was always silent.

An original cast album was released by Project Three Records, although the cast album was originally scheduled to be recorded and released by RCA Victor.^[14]

Groucho Marx received a playbill credit as the show's advisor; after the show closed, it was revealed that Groucho had made no real contributions, and had basically been paid off so that he would not raise any legal objections to the production.

During its brief run, Groucho did help promote the musical by appearing on the Dick Cavett Show with Shelley Winters and the five young actors who portrayed the Marx boys in the show.^[15]

The show received a 2008 revival staging under the direction of Stuart Ross at Off-Broadway's York Theatre Company. The cast included Erik Liberman, Pamela Myers, Jim Walton, Dan Bogart, Ryan Duncan, Nick Gaswirth, Beth Glover, Don Mayo, Nancy McCall, Emily Shoolin, Kelly Sullivan, and Stuart Zagnit.^[16][17]

Source:^[18][19]

Source:^{[13] [18]}

• Marx, Arthur (1993). My life with Groucho.

• Minnie's Boys at the Internet Broadway Database
• Minnie's Boys at Playbill
• Roger Ebert interviews Groucho Marx about Minnie's Boys [1]