"Why a Duck?" is a

comedy routine Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and is ...

featured in the

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) ...

movie ''

The Cocoanuts ''The Cocoanuts'' is a 1929 pre-Code Musical film, musical comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, and Zeppo Marx in his first starring role). Produced for Paramount Pictures by Walter Wanger, who is not cre ...

'' (1929). In a scene in which Groucho and Chico are discussing a map, Groucho mentions the presence of a

viaduct A viaduct is a specific type of bridge that consists of a series of arches, piers or columns supporting a long elevated railway or road. Typically a viaduct connects two points of roughly equal elevation, allowing direct overpass across a wide v ...

between the mainland and a peninsula. Chico, who is playing the role of an immigrant with poor English skills, replies "Why a duck?" This leads into a long schtick with Chico responding "Why a no chicken?", "I catch ona why a horse", and so forth. "Why a Duck?" is a

touchstone Touchstone may refer to: * Touchstone (assaying tool), a stone used to identify precious metals * Touchstone (metaphor), a means of assaying relative merits of a concept Entertainment * ''Touchstone'' (album), a 1982 album by Chick Corea * T ...

scene for Marx Brothers fans, as evidenced by Richard Anobile's book of the same name (featuring a foreword by

Groucho Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, stage, film, radio, singer, television star and vaudeville performer. He is generally considered to have been a master of quick wit an ...

) which focuses on the minutiae of the Marx Brothers' routines.

Duck as a theme

The duck is a recurring reference throughout the Marxes' and especially Groucho's career. His signature walk was called "the duck walk" and on Groucho's television program '' You Bet Your Life'' a stuffed duck made up to resemble Groucho would drop from the ceiling to give contestants money if they said the day's secret word. Reportedly, when asked about the selection of a duck, Groucho answered "because a duck is such a silly animal". Ducks are the only animals that perform lines in the song "Everyone Says I Love You" in the Marx Brothers' film '' Horse Feathers'' (1932). Their next film was called ''

Duck Soup Duck soup may refer to: * ''Duck Soup'' (1933 film), starring the Marx Brothers * ''Duck Soup'' (1927 film), featuring Laurel and Hardy * Oritang, Korean duck soup * "Duck Soup", an episode of '' Even Stevens'' * "Duck Soup", a song by Baba Broo ...

'' (1933), although no ducks or soup appear anywhere in the film except in the title sequence. In '' A Night At The Opera'' (1935), Groucho orders a duck egg for breakfast.

Cultural references to the "why a duck?" routine

*"Why A Duck?" (radio program)

References

Comedy sketches Marx Brothers Quotations from film 1929 quotations Comedy catchphrases Ducks in popular culture {{comedy-stub

Duck as a theme

Cultural references to the "why a duck?" routine

See also

References