You Bet Your Life #58-28 The Four Marks Brothers (Secret word 'Hand', Apr 2, 1959)

Groucho does some more impromptu dancing, this time polka-style (5:50).
COUPLE #1: Dolores Dreier / Clifford Marks and his three brothers
COUPLE #2: Pat McCormick, Olympic gold medal winning diver / Charles DiGiovanna, clubhouse boy for the LA Dodgers
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Episode identification and basic description based on "Tell 'em Groucho Sent You", © 1997 by Mark Petty. Used by permission.

[@dantheman5745]

The more I watch Groucho, the more I see what an absolute comic genius he was. I was rolling when he started dancing with them. Finding these old episodes is like discovering a treasure.

[@lorenzomagazzeni5425]

For sure he married the most beautiful women on the planet.

[@nancywhipple480]

He was the Best comedian ever! It’s so great to watch these old shows and laugh😆 He was a HOOT!

[@harleygrit5210]

Oh if today's TV could provide this kind of entertainment I would start watching again!!

[@m42037]

I hear ya! Last good show I liked was Frasier

[@freddyfurrah3789]

Me Too

[@HarveyMushman888]

Groucho was nothing short of a comic genius....

[@vladtepes2425]

Amen there. He was a funny guy alright.

[@acousticshadow4032]

The dance was hilarious! Groucho would be a big hit even today. Timeless comedy.

[@fredact]

And don't forget he's almost 70 and duck walking like that.

[@marilynwillett804]

She's pretty light on her feet and Groucho is hilarious.

[@markandresen1]

Oh God, that polka Groucho danced with Dolores Dreier made my evening. He'd still got it...

[@georgecerulean5911]

Dolores was certainly a big lady, and a very beautiful one at that. She carried herself with a charm and grace that is very rarely seen anymore. She looks like she would have been great fun to dance with.

[@TheIgnatzz]

I think Dolores Dreier is just gorgeous.

[@howardgoldman9656]

Ignatz Mouse o

[@cefcat5733]

She is movie star beautiful and can dance too! Hi to her kids if she had some!

[@cefcat5733]

Great programming with the Marks Bros. Cute singing the Polka. Groucho's walk is unforgettable!

[@karenmallonee3867]

The 1st time a couple won the $10.000! Grouch's hug was adorable!!! I hope she was able to use her swimming pool for years!!! 😁

[@m42037]

That's 100k in today's money.

[@JSB1882]

That had to be one of the best shows. Groucho was quick and George too. That little dance he did was great.

[@rivershores302]

It's amazing, to have a 1/2 hour a simple yet entertaining show. Today, this could never exist.

[@TheTrapper99]

this was such a great format for groucho. he was perfect for the job.

[@gilgemash]

TheTrapper99...he asked his daughter Melinda, if he should accept this job. She said, yes, you used to be in show business. He said, "honey, I used to be a ham, now I'm just a piece of bacon"...such humility...I'm glad he took it,.... For the next generation... 😁

[@patfromamboy]

@@gilgemash I saw his book advertised on the show and Harpo came on to plug his book so I bought both of them and received them this week. Groucho’s book was released in 1959 and Harpo’s in 1961.

[@gilgemash]

@@patfromamboy hey Hi... Good morning... Not quite seven am., Sunday I've just woken up from a short overnight sleep... Thanks, it's so nice to wake up to a (your) Groucho Marx remark in background triggering instantaneous subconscious laughter / happy recollection of whatever, marx bros...a smile to one's face, from the heart... I'm glad you got the books... Enjoy thoroughly for loooong time. I still do. With handsets & KZbin they are never far away to reach. I just want yo expand a bit...your welcome comment, triggered memories of Harpo's friends Alexander Woollcott & Dorothy Parker. Excellent companions, exquisite writing left behind for us to indulge in... Woollcott also wrote that play - man who came to dinner - It's one of the funniest movies I've seen. Besides Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau combos, amongst many others, like Mel Brookes, Gene Wilder, Carole Burnett ... I should catch a few zzzs for an hour or so... I'm still tired, a bit. Besides, it's Sunday morn, before Mayday Monday... I want it all sunny & lazy... Have a beautiful, happy Spring...I'm looking forward to Charles's Coronation...though I'll be working Saturday :( au revoir from London 🙃🌈🧘🌞🐰🙏

[@jimmyb1559]

So glad someone won the 10,000 dollars. Love these videos. Thank you!!!

[@jeffreyhersh6565]

Equivalent to $94,000. in 2022

[@jimmyb1559]

@@jeffreyhersh6565 WOW 😮

[@Shortcutguitlssns]

Pure Gold!Leaves today's TVs for dead.

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

That dance sequence was pure Vaudeville. Groucho made it look effortless.

[@TheAweigle]

Deloris has class! What a powerful woman!

[@ealswytheangelicrealms]

Dolores handles Groucho's insults about her size with a lot of class. If she was around today she would be one of the best plus size models in the country.

[@papagen00]

It wasn't an 'insult' back in the day. Do not judge an earlier era based on today's woke cancel culture.

[@davidadams2395]

@@papagen00 It was an insult back then, and you know it. The '50s were a repressed era, and tensions were brewing 'neath the surface. They were all products of their time, and it's a good thing we're not back there.

[@indetif839]

I agree. so many people think they were the 'good old days" In truth those days were brutal. I grew up in the 50s and 60s. @@davidadams2395

[@richardvilseck]

Agreed. I love Groucho but I’m really happy that this would be unacceptable today.

[@michaelwalsh1035]

Today, she’d be pumped full of antidepressants . The 50s were a golden age.

[@myjeevie]

Beautiful Delores was a wonderful dancer!

[@519djw6]

*March 17, 2021: Pat McCormick is still around--and one of her sons garnered some medals in subsequent Olympics!*

[@TheoHockeyton]

May 12th 2021: Pat is still around -and it's her 91st birthday today !

[@519djw6]

@@TheoHockeyton I wonder if she's ever seen this episode on You-Tube!

[@avengernemesis7990]

I also like Dolores she is pretty and very decent type. She dances extremely well.

[@Finglesham]

This stuff is incredibly good. I have just found it many years late . It was not shown in the UK although the Marx Brothers were famous of course and popular. You had a brilliant show here and the contestants were so well dressed. The US persons were so knowledgeable too. Very articulate too. Well done

[@patfromamboy]

I’ve been watching several UK tv shows that are hilarious. I’d like to visit because I’ve only seen the airport. I think that the slight difference in senses of humor makes everything even more funny.

[@johnbunyan5834]

I'm watching this from England, in February 2021. I reckon that Groucho was funnier on this show than his appearances in films. The simple fifties format , with the dropping duck, duck-girl and knight-in-armour, was so much more entertaining than all the coloured flashing lights on TV, today.

[@johnsiebelink8790]

Only Groucho could get away with saying jokes like that. Gotta love him

[@keithnaylor1981]

Amazing finish. Winning 10,000 then would be like winning about 101,800 Dollars today! Another episode obviously trimmed to fit in the time slot. It’s saddening to think how much of Groucho’s brilliant lunacy ended up unseen on the cutting room floor.

[@philrisser6853]

what a natural comedic mind and moves funny too.

[@KurlandsWaterbeds]

Great show ! The 50’s were the best ! Good humor and much creativity ! People got along better ! Stu Kurland

[@SteveStalzle]

HANDS DOWN, ONE OF THE FUNNIEST YBYL shows on you tube!

[@markramos3671]

Steve Stalzle uuu

[@joeambrose3260]

Weirdo

[@chrislawson7983]

He could change the mood on a dime. Thanks for the post.

[@poetcomic1]

NO ONE had ever one the $10,000 before. In 2016 dollars that would be %86.000. Great all around episode - when Groucho joined in on the polka with the big jolly woman and did his classic vaudeville dancing it was priceless.

[@MNBluestater]

Groucho-crazy entertainment

[@miclazy-5m]

the singing, the dancing. that was awsome, comically. you wont see this anymore today.

[@leroyproud294]

I always looked forward to seeing the reruns of this great show while in the Army.

[@ncf1]

What a show. What a show. One of the best this one.

[@theresaholguin699]

Great episode Groucho was pure genius

[@lawrencecavallo4622]

Today, the 3 brothers would come up wearing T-shirts, skinny jeans and some crazy colored hair. Nice to see how people in the day came dressed presentable.

[@boscopit]

oh yawn. Let's go back to the 1600s era and wear powdered wigs, jerkins, hose and breeches while were at it, jack ass

[@MrMenefrego1]

@@boscopit You have just proven his point; the younger generation in America are, for the most part, rude, disrespectful, trashy, uncouth, ignorant (in so many ways) and purposely dress like trash. Grow-up little girl. (or do you identify as a boy, 'Laurence'?)

[@MrMenefrego1]

@Thomas Anderson Said Emily Post. Moron.

[@britainluver431]

@@MrMenefrego1 Do you identify as a smart ass or a dumb ass?

[@michaelkottler]

​@@MrMenefrego1 did not, in fact, "make his point". The original poster, Lawrence commented specifically on mode of dress & said nothing about the many topics you covered, You mention the younger generation being disrespectful and uncouth then turn right around and destroy your own credibility by unnecessarily implying immaturity and then call gender into question, suggesting your own ignorance and lack of respect not to mention just plain mean-spiritedness and hypocrisy. It is possible to use & express logic without utilizing the kind of vague generalization and baseless personal attacks you've chosen to display in this forum. Also at some point you mistook Lawrence for Nathan when you made your baseless, irrelevant gender attack. For the record, your post looked exactly like this: @NathanJustice You have just proven his point; the younger generation in America are, for the most part, rude, disrespectful, trashy, uncouth, ignorant (in so many ways) and purposely dress like trash. Grow-up little girl. (or do you identify as a boy, 'Laurence'?) - Now you can go back and edit your original mistakes to appear less unappealing. Oh, you're welcome.

[@stevebieber8411]

"Play a polka in key of C" and boom no problem for this great live orchestra! Also love the wheel spin and big money music too.

[@crazycappy01]

It looked like if Groucho could have some fun on this show he took advantage of it. And did his famous duck walk. Long Live the Marx Brothers.

[@martinjones5965]

19m53s - George's perfect comeback to Groucho !!!

[@bobbyventers308]

I’ve enjoyed watching the old episodes and the first I seen anyone hit the big ☝️ one

[@censusgary]

Olympic diving medalist Pat McCormick is still alive, aged 91. She has had a long and eventful life. Whether or not she still has the same swimming pool, I don’t know.

[@dantheman5745]

Pat McCormick won 2 gold medals at the '52 Olympics in Helsinki and 2 more gold medals at the '56 Olympics in Melbourne. She'll turn 91 in 2 months.

[@dantheman5745]

16:57 I think the Dodgers exceeded Charlie's expectations. Come October of '59, they beat the White Sox to win the World Series. Sadly, he didn't live to see it. He apparently died of a heart attack on Dec. 28, 1958, shortly after this episode was recorded. As a boy, he had rheumatic fever, which did permanent damage to his heart. He was only 28.

[@GrandChloe]

Groucho and his three brothers were some of the greatest comedians in show business . On You Bet Your Life you get real audience laughter unlike today's comedies where you need canned laughter to make you understand where to laugh!

[@mickeyray3793]

What a show! Groucho even got in his duck walk!😊

[@stevencohn922]

I would pay monthly just to watch YOU BET YOUR LIFE on tv!

[@amc042759]

Groucho is too much!!! 😄

[@BradSaintGeorge]

★ FYI: According to the CPI Cost Inflation Calculator, $10,000 US dollars in 1959 is the equivalent to $82,964.95 in 2016. which means, after splitting the winnings, each of them get the equivalent of $41,482.47. (There will be one penny left over which should go to me for taking the time to figure this all out. : ) She said she wanted to purchase a swimming pool with her winnings. Considering the average cost of brand new house in 1959 was $12,400.00, the most expensive model of Ford car was only $4,000 and the average yearly wages were $5,010.00; it's safe to assume she could have built an olympic sized pool and still had enough money left over! Wow, what a win!

[@Mutlap]

I did those same calculations and also looked at the cost of similar items.

[@deanguando9950]

Great analysis

[@jaybee5659]

The average annual American family income in 1959 was $5,400 according to the US Census.

[@markandresen1]

As of typing, Pat McCormick's still alive - aged 91.

[@tinovanderzwanphonocave544]

I meet Robert crumb at times at 78rpm record fairs I knew him from the 80s just from 1-time meetings but I always say when he's digging into a box of 78s... find anything, Mr.Groucho?!!

[@dotsywotsy18]

Groucho had so much fun on his show.

[@gilgemash]

Try and get a copy of "hello, I must be going!", you'll enjoy that 🤗🌈🧘

[@dotsywotsy18]

@@gilgemash I had never heard that before. Did you read the Groucho letters, excellent excellent excellent

[@gilgemash]

@@dotsywotsy18 thank you dotsy59, yes I had a copy in my library, amongst most of his writings - but as is usual with people, one tends to give them away, pass them around to share...right now, I don't believe I have a copy, but I have read it. "Harpo Speaks" 🙃😁 is also beautifully titled and rip roaring... So are so many others : Alan Alda, SJ Perelman, Mel Brooks, art buchwald (lovely chap!) Russell Baker, stefan Barry, all Marxes, not forgetting PG Wodehouse, I recently bought Stefan Kanfer's biog of Groucho 🌝 Also not forgetting jdsalinger (Holden & li'l Phoebe caulfield - given away, er, a dozen copies of the catcher, over time. I have two of my own now, from last week😁), Ogden Nash...this could be a looong list. Oh, Willard Espy, Steve Martin (born standing up) we could go on...gimme a shout anytime...sending you love from London. Walk on the sunny side of street. 🌻🙃🌝🌛🌈🐰💙🧘🙋

[@gilgemash]

@dotsy59 - Not stefan Barry. I mean Dave Barry. Former columnist miami herald...i adore his writing. Sooo funnny. Happy days, happy reading to you...🌞☀️🌻🌼🌺🥀🌹🏵️💐

[@dotsywotsy18]

@@gilgemash loved dave barry

[@davidadams2395]

A show that was orchestrated well. You can see when Groucho looks at the teleprompter, but he was sly with its placement.

[@lorenzomagazzeni5425]

Dolores (in Spanish it means "pains") looks lovely.

[@randratner8060]

The couple won $10,000!

[@marc108]

Grouch hitting hard on the duck

[@jimmiedee2315]

Great episode. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@grouchomarx-youbetyourlife7476]

What, no background info on the guests? :)

[@jimmiedee2315]

If you have an autographed Dodgers baseball from way-back-when, it may have been forged by Charlie "The Brow" DiGiovanna. You see, the balls waiting to be signed would sometimes sit for weeks, so the clubhouse boys would eventually fake a signature and send them out.

[@FF11Freshstep]

hahahahaha! you sure did have one jimmie! =^.~=

[@99snubby]

Groucho was such a great host

[@catweasle5737]

@6:24 Classic Groucho. That cracked me up. My neighbours will wonder what I'm laughing at.

[@marc108]

“12 girls in the front 6 men in the back” ..what an arrangement

[@masonldn8647]

And in 2021 we have women all over Internet with back side surgeries as their strong points. Beauty of this era is unmatched

[@earlegavin5931]

I knew of the Marx brothers and Groucho of course,but I saw Richard Dawson do impression's that's how I came here and wow Groucho was a genius something we will never see again,very happy to find this show. thanks for the uploads.

[@tinovanderzwanphonocave544]

when I told a chubby girl I was in the meat business I got a slap in the face! the damn thing was I wasn't lying!!! that was years ago now I'm into antiques how would you think that goes at a first date!!!

[@stephane1316]

Delores was beautiful and classy!

[@harlandted]

Great fun

[@christopherdunne7848]

Question for our uploader: On regular TV last night (a noncommercial channel), there was a 1954-ish episode of YBYL with secred word "hand." Groucho explained to the couples that they could quit anytime and not risk losing half their bankroll. I never saw this rule before. Do you have any idea how long that rule lasted?

[@davemooreblues]

The blonde swimmer girl lucked up having the Baseball dude as her partner. The guy knew everything!

[@SecsSells]

Good thing it wasn't a spelling quiz!

[@goldenoldiesPete]

"The blonde swimmer girl" (as you call her) was only a four-time Olympic diving Champion, who never received a penny for those victories. So this was good karma for her.

[@evelynbanker2090]

davemooreblues i

[@robertholman8730]

She was very bright!!

[@sclogse1]

Wow. Don't read the comments first. This one has quite an ending. Wow.

[@synthonaplinth5980]

Wow, bit of an ironic moment from the Golden Age of television there....

[@ibmt6112]

See how the audience gushes in awe at the size of the woman.

[@robertholman8730]

Now yes, not then!!

[@photomitch]

This is funny....

[@SuperWinterborn]

Oh, Fenneman! ;D

[@capnhawk51]

Charles DiGiovanna died 12/28/1958 at the age of 28 from a heart attack.

[@goldenoldiesPete]

A heart attack yes, but I believe DiGiovanna died in 1961 at the age of 30. Still way too young. Pat McCormick is still alive today, 1/26/17 and 86 years of age.

[@capnhawk51]

According to his death certificate, he died 12/28/1958.

[@slade307]

...so this episode aired about 3 months after his death. I did see multiple people with the same name, and on one blog I saw a photo that at least looks like the person in this episode who died on that date. The delay just seems odd to me. This show is listed on his IMDb page except it's listed as episode #9.28. www.imdb.com/name/nm6357862/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm

[@iamjedi06]

...so he won that money and died a short time after? wow

[@charleswinokoor6023]

Esperanto, funny quip

[@davemattia]

$10,000 was a whole lotta money in 1959. It's equal to $100,000 today. This is why I say, in 2021, Jeopardy, despite millions of viewers, and the highest cost for ad time of any game show, is the cheapest show in the history of Game Shows. Also, it's almost impossible to get to be a player on Jeopardy.

[@XJIcequeen]

15:35 she said the secret word! Bring down the duck

[@nakedhombre]

Wow! $10,000 back in 1959 would be worth how much today? Certainly if the man thought it was going to give him a major Headstart towards a new house boy $5000 wouldn’t touch that today.

[@abrokenandacontriteheart1308]

$88,233.33

[@deanpd3402]

There was a great lawyer back then? That would be a sight to see.

[@janepatterson6779]

I wonder if she knew how humiliated she was!!! I was 6' once, with age shrink a little. My whole life people teased and made fun of my size all the way back to middle school..I was over looked at job interviews I was qualified to do, have been asked to move to back chairs (no man was asked)! Clearly I was looked upon with disgust. Its not been a fun life. I UNDERSTAND DESCRIMINATION.

[@robertholman8730]

Different Era, people didn't think that way, everyone was accepted for who they were!!

[@stjudeprayer7]

Wikipedia tells us Ms McCormick husband's name was John and she was already a mom in 1956... For the first time ever I doubt wiki.

[@MrDuds1984]

17:00 “we can’t do any worse than we did this year (believe he meant last year)” well they didn’t they won the World Series

[@davesnothereman699]

@8:15 isnt carbon synonymous with everything?

[@DRBloomber]

5 if you count Gummo

[@kevingreenberg811]

Groucho Marx was a good friend. If you want to hear me interview some of the greats of show biz, go to www.orcodevelopment.org

[@sclogse1]

I'll be right there, Alan. What Orcodev has to do with celebrities, god knows....

[@martynelson2666]

thats one hell of a duck!!!...wowwwwwwwwwwww

[@chrisflood9205]

Dam he was funny

[@albertful1967]

These days were gold. Nothing in today’s world comes close . Notice no swearing ,no filth . Just lovely people .

[@lorenzomagazzeni5425]

As a New Yorker who lived with tons of Italians, why would he pretend not to know how to pronounce an Italian name ?

[@robertholman8730]

They were considered lower class back then, Irish also

[@nikmills]

$10,000 back then would buy two houses.

[@m42037]

10k that was like 100k back then. I could buy 4 fully loaded DeSoto's AC, PW everything for that loot!

[@robertholman8730]

Desoto were under a hundred dollars then

[@robertholman8730]

It wasnt considered insulting, back then 1950s

[@barbecuecity138]

If Groucho had not been insulting, crude and disrespectful he wouldn't have been so popular and you probably would not be watching him insult a fat lady on youtube! Thank you for sharing this, I enjoyed it.

[@AceripXF]

yah but hes funny when he does it this day ppl are mean n crude n not being funny

[@BradSaintGeorge]

15:59 what name is she saying? Veona Bias? Biona Vias? Leona Byas?

[@annodomini7887]

Theona Bryant, she became an actress.

Duck.

[@iamjedi06]

...@ ------> 13:05 ~ nuff said; )

[@frankjuster8726]

why does it say " the four marx brothers" ?

[@rogerlamprey5673]

It doesn't. It says "the four Marks brothers."

[@robertholman8730]

The contestant and 3 Brothers were the Mark's. Marx Groucho

[@marcco7947]

"Built" BILT

[@loissimmons109]

Groucho was right that the Dodgers first season in LA (1958) was terrible. They finished seventh out of eight teams. But in the season that started shortly after this episode aired, they turned it around to win the NL Pennant and the World Series.

[@joeambrose3260]

No shit Sherlock, it was a very lucky season for them

[@ecmcomichael1]

At 15:35, when Pat said the secret word, "hand," down comes "the duck" to give away the $100. Seeing how she is dressed, like a woman ought to dress, I'm reminded once again of how wonderful it used to be. Now, you are hard pressed to find any woman who wears nice dresses and heels, and are forced to look at two extremes -- young girls dressed as whores or young girls dressed like boys. AAARGH! I hate both! I cringe every time I see a young woman, otherwise attractive, who is basically dressed in boy's clothing, baseball cap cocked sideways or backwards, man's shirt, torn skinny jeans, and wearing either tennis shoes, hiking shoes (or combat boots) or Ugghs! UGH! Likewise, I cringe at the so-called fashions of this day, if you can get a girl into a dress, they reveal WAY too much and the young girls today wear these gawd-awful platform heels and sandals. My God, they look just like streetwalkers. And then the hair. Shaved, sometimes, poofed here and there, outrageous colors, or looking like freaking Mickey Mouse -- pierced body parts, hardware installed in their skulls and faces, pierced tongues so they can't even speak properly. What the hell? Nope, I loved the modest sexiness of what women wore in this era -- classy, but seldom whorish, entirely feminine, arousing every red-blooded man into wanting to know more about her. Manners, class, dignity, natural beauty; most women actually had those then. Today, not so much. I am so sad for what we have become and we can thank leftist feminism for blowing up our society in the manner it has, feminizing men and masculinizing women, blurring the genders in every way possible and even leading to thousands of mentally ill people "changing" their gender, although in reality they really don't. They still are who they were born physically -- boys and men will always be boys and men, girls and women will always be girls and women no matter how some surgeon has removed or added. I hate the way our country is today. Watching these old shows reminds me of just how it used to be, and a kinder and gentler time. How I wish we could turn the clock back.

[@ahboaz]

Some nostalgia kick in the shins that is entirely bogus. First of all, there never was an "order"... Diversity is the general rule. The scotts wear kilts and the pants are perfect for no-testicle persons... If you are only comfortable with one form of sexual expression, then most of the human history is irrelevant to you

[@michaelswanson1105]

Delusion is the world we live in today with your ilk being far too populous. Evidently order and classiness is some kind of threat to you. Thank God there are some people who still embrace those. You’re obviously not one of them. Enjoy your chaos!

[@ahboaz]

@@michaelswanson1105 You know where order and classiness reign? Military and prison. The most repressive human inventions. I am sure some like them and wish everything was like them... But good grief the world is unlike the military and prison. Enjoy your subjugation.

[@michaelswanson1105]

Hey Einstein, anarchy doesn’t work, as has been proven over and over. Look at nature. Is there diversity? Of course there is. But there is also order. A duck doesn’t try to become a giraffe. It is only humans, in their pridefulness, that fail to fulfill what they were placed on this earth to do. Want to live strictly for self and live like hell? Well guess what, you will certainly get there. Our world, our country, was largely a better, more civilized place in the past. We have devolved despite technological “advances.” And your responses have certainly affirmed that. Want to imagine that there’s 58 different sexual choices for gender, well go ahead and believe that. But who is living in dilution? It’s not me.

[@michaelswanson1105]

Delusion.

[@steffybabes]

Am I right?

[@MrDuds1984]

Built BILT

[@marilynwillett804]

You're 250 plus what 250?

[@iamjedi06]

...now this is the definition of a "zinger" -> the audience went silent (fact)