Talk:Margaret Dumont

Minor Point

 * Dumont: Oh, I'm afraid after we're married a while a beautiful young girl will come along and you'll forget all about me.
 * Groucho: Don't be silly. I'll write you twice a week.

is not actually touching. Perhaps the author missed the joke?

It would be good to have an actual example of consideration, though, if any exist. -114.91.65.203 (talk) 11:14, 16 July 2010 (UTC)
 * I agree, it's not touching. I am going to take it out. I rather doubt there are any real examples. TwoTwoHello (talk) 23:50, 17 May 2015 (UTC)

Year of birth
Different sources give different years of birth - 1882 or 1889. It seems to me that most reliable sources now suggest 1889 - such as here, here and here - as well as, I assume, the book referenced by the IP editor in this edit. If other editors can make an alternative strong case for 1882, the article should in my view mention both alternatives - otherwise, I think WP should go with 1889. In her case, because of the type of roles she played, I think it's quite plausible that she claimed to be older than she actually was. Ghmyrtle (talk) 12:41, 17 April 2010 (UTC)
 * The headline of the New York Times obituary says she died at 75. (The rest is not free to see.) Clarityfiend (talk) 01:55, 18 April 2010 (UTC)
 * My deadtree NYT subscription lets me see the article. It doesn't give a date of birth. PhGustaf (talk) 02:35, 18 April 2010 (UTC)
 * That suggests 1889. I wonder if she can be found on census rolls anywhere (under her real name, of course). ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 08:08, 18 April 2010 (UTC)
 * In my experience this site is usually reliable, as they have access to interment and gravestone information. Their article also contains a lot of biographical info which I'll use to edit the article here in the next few days, unless someone else gets in first.  Ghmyrtle (talk) 08:21, 18 April 2010 (UTC)


 * Searching at http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/IGI/individual_record.asp?recid=100280233544&lds=1&region=11&regionfriendly=North+America&frompage=99 I get born 20 OCTOBER 1882 with father William Bake and mother Harriet Anna Harong with information derived from Brooklyn birth certificates, 1866-1909  Department of Health.  There is nothing for 1889. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 09:33, 18 April 2010 (UTC)
 * That's interesting and possibly definitive. Whichever date we go for in the main article (it's now been changed back to 1889), I think we need a footnote explaining that there are differences between sources. Ghmyrtle (talk) 12:02, 18 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Yes, when the sources conflict, we need to present both. Reminds me of the Chief Bender article, which I haven't looked at for awhile, but as I recall even Bender himself wasn't sure what his birth year was. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 14:28, 18 April 2010 (UTC)
 * I've now changed the article to state 1882, with a footnote. Ghmyrtle (talk) 09:43, 22 April 2010 (UTC)

The 1882 date was publicly confirmed as most recently as the 1990s, certainly in Simon Louvish's 1999 book Monkey Business: The Lives and Legends of the Marx Brothers, in which chapter 19 is devoted entirely to Dumont, and acknowledges her correct birth place/name/date, based on family history archives. Crisso (talk) 10:53, 28 October 2023 (UTC)

Dumont laughing at Groucho's joke on The Hollywood Palace TV show
The full episode is available for viewing on the DVD set "Groucho Marx TV Classics" from Synergy Entertainment. I watched it myself! A clip from the show (usually containing the scene in question) is often available on youtube. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.252.240.157 (talk) 16:51, 1 June 2014 (UTC)

Hollywood Palace episode air date
Reference: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0603004/?ref_=ttep_ep14  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.252.240.157 (talk) 16:57, 1 June 2014 (UTC)

Filmography
I feel it would be appropriate for this article to possess a filmography section. Is there any reason why it isn't here? --Xcuref1endx (talk) 18:42, 5 October 2014 (UTC)

The 1974 honorary Oscar bit
As is evident from the actual footage of Groucho's acceptance speech, he does in fact mention Fleming. ("And last of all, I'd like to thank Erin Fleming, who makes my life worth living and who understands all of my jokes.") See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1YsAxiiH98 at 2m35s. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Saavik256 (talk • contribs) 07:25, 19 May 2016 (UTC)

External links modified
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Friendship with Groucho
...longtime best friend Groucho Marx
 * This is stated in the lede, but not supported at greater length in the article. I had gathered that they were not especially friendly in real life, however successful as a comedy team. Valetude (talk) 15:08, 30 May 2022 (UTC)