Humor Risk (1921) was the first Marx Brothers film, although it was never released, and is listed by the Internet Movie Database as a lost film. The print may have been accidentally thrown away when left in the screening box overnight, or Groucho, unhappy with the film's quality, may have intentionally burnt the negative after a particularly bad premiere screening. (Groucho was reportedly unhappy with their 1929 film, The Cocoanuts, however The C...
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Humor Risk (1921) was the first Marx Brothers film, although it was never released, and is listed by the Internet Movie Database as a lost film. The print may have been accidentally thrown away when left in the screening box overnight, or Groucho, unhappy with the film's quality, may have intentionally burnt the negative after a particularly bad premiere screening. (Groucho was reportedly unhappy with their 1929 film, The Cocoanuts, however The Cocoanuts turned out to be a smash hit.)
The four Marx Brothers are known to have been in this short film. It was directed by comedy film director Dick Smith (1886-1937), and was the first film written by Jo Swerling, who later co-wrote films such as It's a Wonderful Life, Gone with the Wind, and many others. Jobyna Ralston was the female lead, however, some sources say that Mildred Davis -- star and later wife of Harold Lloyd -- was also in the film. The Marxology entry for Humor Risk (see external links) also states that the leading lady...
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