AMERICAN MASTERS: Groucho & Cavett

By Jennifer Robinson / Web Producer

Published December 16, 2022 at 2:06 PM PST

Groucho Marx and Dick Cavett on the Dick Cavett Show, June 1969.

Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 / stream now with KPBS Passport!

AMERICAN MASTERS “Groucho & Cavett” explores the enduring friendship between Emmy Award-winning television personality Dick Cavett and iconic comedian Groucho Marx. Cavett, a writer for Jack Parr on THE TONIGHT SHOW, met Marx at the funeral of playwright George S. Kaufman in 1961. When Cavett made the transition from writer to comedian in 1965, he was encouraged and mentored by Marx.

Discover the enduring friendship between television personality Dick Cavett and his mentor iconic comedian Groucho Marx. Their relationship is chronicled through interviews with Cavett, archival footage and interviews with George Burns and others.

In 1968, Cavett became the host of his own talk show and Marx became a frequent guest capturing what Cavett calls, “the last of Groucho’s greatness.” This film chronicles the pair’s relationship through new interviews with Cavett, footage from Marx’s visits to THE DICK CAVETT SHOW and other rare recordings.

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ABC aired "The Dick Cavett Show" three times a week during primetime, considered an unusual schedule at the time. "In fact, when Groucho came on, he said, 'You know you need a secretary to know when this show is on,'" said Cavett.

Archival footage and interviews from THE DICK CAVETT SHOW:

Groucho Marx, comedian, actor and writer
Jack Paar, comedian and television host
George Burns, comedian and friend of the Marx Brothers
E.Y. Harburg, composer
Woody Allen, comedian, filmmaker and friend of Groucho Marx
Erin Fleming, Groucho Marx’s companion and manager
Dan Rowan, comedian and actor
Phyllis Newman, actress and singer
Shelley Winters, actress
Truman Capote, author

When Dick Cavett first started doing standup, he quickly learned that performing comedy yourself and writing comedy for another person are two very different ventures. In this outtake from "Groucho & Cavett," Cavett reflects on the trial and error in his early days of standup and the lessons he learned along the way.

Watch On Your Schedule: This film is available to stream with KPBS Passport, a benefit for members supporting KPBS at $60 or more yearly, using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn how to activate your benefit now.

Groucho was a prolific writer with "a genuine intellect," according to Cavett, despite not finishing public school. His proudest achievement was having a book of his letters published at the Library of Congress.

After Jack Paar left and before Johnny Carson replaced him, "The Tonight Show" had a fleet of guest hosts, including Groucho Marx, who brought on Dick Cavett as one of his writers. "I wondered if he would use anything I wrote," said Cavett of that time.

Credits: A production of Cavalier Films in association with Daphne Productions, Inc. and American Masters Pictures. Written, produced and directed by Robert S. Bader. Allan Falk is co-producer. Frank Ferrante is associate producer. Michael Kantor is executive producer for AMERICAN MASTERS.

The Four Marx Brothers with their father, Sam "Frenchy" Marx, 1931.

AMERICAN MASTERS: Groucho & Cavett

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