Julius Henry Marx, the third-born of the Marx Brothers (on October 2nd, 1890) couldn't have been more different in outlook and temperament from his two elder brothers.

While Leonard and Adolph in their different ways seem, with hindsight, to have been destined for a life in vaudeville, Julius by contrast was a quiet, rather bookish boy. Although the first of the brothers to go on the stage (inspired by his Uncle, Al Shean), he seems the least inclined towards performance.

It may seem a contradiction that this apparent introvert should have become one of the great comedians of all time, but such contradictions are an integral part of this complex man.

Away from stage and screen he seems to have kept his acerbic and natural wit somewhat under wraps. It would appear that he could only be induced to play the "funnyman" in circumstances where such tomfoolery would earn him opprobrium. Like the occasion when he went to a spiritualists' meeting, attended by many true believers, and in response to a request for questions to the 'Great Spirit', stood up and asked, "What's the capital of North Dakota?"

Julius was a worrier to the end. While Leonard could fritter away thousands of dollars and then sleep like a baby, his younger brother was a prudent saver and cautious investor, who suffered from chronic insomnia.

I can't help feeling that Groucho underestimated the impact of the brothers' films. It is instructive to note that he chose his favourite Marx Brothers film ("A Night at the Opera") based on the box-office takings.

He probably took more pride from his writing, which produced many superb books, articles and letters that are rightly celebrated, though probably not as much as his film and television performances.

His screen personae gave him the opportunity to say all the things that he surely thought but was too polite to say in everyday life. Surely no character in history can have been so dishonest, irritable and downright rude while being loved by millions.

While often dishonest in financial terms, Groucho's characters were brutally honest in every other way. His humour verges on the masochistic. Just when it looks like he may soften and present us with a redeeming feature, he slams shut the door and snarls a line that turns everything on its head ("I could dance with you 'til the cows come home. [Pause] On second thoughts I'll dance with the cows 'til you come home.")

Groucho Marx is a safety valve for us all. As long as people like him can say rude but often true things from behind a crudely painted moustache, we all have a chance to cling onto our sanity.

Sources :

Groucho, Harpo, Chico and sometimes Zeppo, Joe Adamson

Monkey Business - the lives and legends of the Marx Brothers, Simon Louvish