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What Marx Bros. production does Manhunter watch in "New Frontier"?

Science Fiction & Fantasy Asked by deco225 on December 22, 2020

In DC’s New Frontier, J’onn watches the Marx Brothers on TV. Is it an actual movie or show, and if so, what’s the name? I’m trying to match the quote (specifically, who’s speaking to Groucho), but finding nothing.

MAN 2: Well, I don’t know, Groucho, that’s not really what I meant.

We keep our farm animals in the farm, not in the house.

Not in the bedroom, certainly.

2 Answers

I suspect that this was just created for the film. However, what it is clearly trying to sound like is a clip from the television quiz show Groucho’s hosted, You Bet Your Life. There are several reasons for coming to this conclusion:

  • The person addresses him as “Groucho.” In the Marx Brothers’ movies and other narrative productions, their characters always had names. Only when appearing as “himself,” in an interview or hosting You Bet Your Life would someone address Julius Henry Marx by his stage name.
  • The voice is clearly not the voice of one of the other Marx Brothers, not even Zeppo.
  • No Marx Brothers movie would have a laughter background like that, whereas a television show like You Bet Your Life could.
  • Part of the appeal of You Bet Your Life was that they got rather unusual people on the show. (I remember one episode with a very knowledgeable pickpocket.) Groucho would chat and laugh with his peculiar contestants, riffing on their entertaining oddities and getting them to tell their own strange stories. The quote Martian Manhunter is listening to sounds just like a contestant’s answer to one of Groucho’s silly questions.

Answered by Buzz on December 22, 2020

The dialogue is meant to mimic an episode of "You Bet Your Life." Groucho was the host. He wasn't called Groucho in any of the movies. But the "reflected" figure has Groucho wearing a fez, which is a nod to A Night In Casablanca.

Notice the Native American Chief at the end of the clip, as the station is signing off for the night. A lot of stations used run an image of a native American in large headdress, with feathers of every color in the spectrum.

Answered by Frank on December 22, 2020

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