November 17, 1933 –
…Well, that covers a lot of ground. Say, you cover a lot of ground yourself. You better beat it – I hear they’re going to tear you down and put up an office building where you’re standing. You can leave in a taxi. If you can’t get a taxi, you can leave in a huff. If that’s too soon, you can leave in a minute and a huff. You know, you haven’t stopped talking since I came here? You must have been vaccinated with a phonograph needle.….
Unbelievable, but, a box office flop (at the time), The Marx Brothers’ Duck Soup opened on this date. (This film marks the last appearance of Zeppo Marx in a Marx Brothers film.)
Screenwriters Harry Ruby and Bert Kalmar were standing on the set one day when an extra standing next to them said, “I don’t know who wrote this stuff but they ought to be arrested…they should be in a different business.” Kalmer, who was known as a rational and calm man, said to Ruby, “I’m going over to hit him. Who does he think he is? He’s just an extra!” But before fisticuffs erupted, Kalmer and Ruby were informed that Chico Marx had paid the extra to rib the screenwriters, just for the hell of it.
The Haus of Dcaligari 