DS, signed “Arthur Harpo Marx,” “Herbert Zeppo Marx,” “Leo Chico Marx,” and “Julius Groucho Marx,” two pages, 7.25 x 12.25, March 28, 1933. Headed “Minutes Of First Meeting Of The Organizers Of Marx Bros. Inc,” reads, in part: “The first meeting of the Organizers of Marx Bros., Inc., was held at 1125 Board of Trade Building, 111 West Seventh Street, Los Angeles, California, on the 28[th] day of March, 1933. By agreement of all present, Arthur (Harpo) Marx called the meeting to order and acted as temporary Chairman. He appointed Leo (Chico) Marx to act as temporary Secretary. It was ascertained that all of the Organizers were present, to-wit: Arthur (Harpo) Marx, Herbert (Zeppo) Marx, Leo (Chico) Marx and Julius (Groucho) Marx. Thereupon Arthur (Harpo) Marx and Leo (Chico) Marx were unanimously elected Chairman and Secretary of the meeting. The Chairman stated that Articles of Incorporation had been filed with the Secretary of State at Sacramento, California, on March 11th 1933…The Chairman then exhibited the book of By-Laws of the corporation and stated that the By-Laws had been entered therein and that they had this day by all of the incorporators of this corporation. Thereupon, it was moved, seconded and unanimously carried. Resolved, that said By-Laws as entered in said By-Law book be duly adopted and declared to be the By-Laws of this corporation. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.” Signed on the second page by all four brothers, all signing their full names, and signed again on the first page, “Arthur Harpo Marx,” as Chairman, and “Leo Chico Marx,” as Secretary. Both pages are double cloth matted and framed with an unsigned vintage 10 x 8 photo of the brothers playing saxophones to an overall size of 31 x 18. In very good condition, with toning to both pages and some light damp staining to first page.
There was no love lost when the Marx Brothers fulfilled their five-picture contract with Paramount and struck out on their own, forming "Marx Bros. Inc." Artistic and financial differences raged in pre-production for their final Paramount film, Duck Soup (1933), and both parties knew that their imminent split was long overdue. The Marxes continued making madcap comedies like A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races, but most aficionados agree that those first five films—The Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, and Duck Soup—showcased the Marx fraternity at its zany pinnacle, later imitated but never surpassed. This seminal document in the second phase of Marx movie madness: the actual typewritten minutes from the first meeting in the history of the newly minted corporation! Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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