Groucho Sells Bonds

Who would buy anything that Groucho was trying to sell? I can't imagine this campaign moved too many bonds.

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Posted By: Paul - Tue Dec 31, 2013
Category: Government | Money | Advertising | 1940s

Comments

Groucho was noted for being both smart and successful so I imagine alot of people would listen to him

Posted by F.U.D. on 12/31/13 at 06:56 AM

F.U.D.--you have a good point--if we're talking about the real man and actor. But when presented in character, as here, he was always a con man and shyster and prankster. Hardly someone to take advice from!

Posted by Paul on 12/31/13 at 07:14 AM

Can't believe there hasn't been a Marxisim joke yet.

Now imagine Karl trying to shill bonds...

Posted by crc on 12/31/13 at 07:34 AM

Ah yes, the six Marx brothers: Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Gummo, Zeppo and Karlo. Karlo didn't have the same success on the vaudeville circuit.

Posted by Harvey on 12/31/13 at 10:02 AM

Paul - You´re not giving people credit, that or you think the general population is too stupid to breath. 99.99% of us understand that a cartoon picture of him still represents the man himself.

Posted by F.U.D. on 12/31/13 at 11:06 AM

Well, I am indulging in some hype. But picture a modern analogy: Jim Carrey appears in full DUMB AND DUMBER regalia and offers stock market tips.

Posted by Paul on 12/31/13 at 11:39 AM

Think of the dumbest person you know and then remember half of the population is dumber than that!

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 12/31/13 at 12:17 PM

Recall that Groucho famously said "I don’t care to belong to any club that will have me as a member."
Similarly, I don't think he would want to buy anything that someone like him would be selling.

Posted by tadchem on 12/31/13 at 12:57 PM

Excellent point tadchem! :lol: :lol:

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 12/31/13 at 02:04 PM

@Paul
"Well, I am indulging in some hype. But picture a modern analogy: Jim Carrey appears in full DUMB AND DUMBER regalia and offers stock market tips."

Considering the Global economy of the past few years, after following the 'experts', you might be better off!

Posted by Captain DaFt on 12/31/13 at 10:40 PM

Jim Carrey? That guy really is dumberer than he acts in character.
And yeah, I spelled that the way I meant to.

Posted by charles1682 on 01/01/14 at 08:53 AM

I certainly wouldn't buy something just because Carrey advertised it, in or out of character. Groucho? Maybe.

Posted by Richard Bos on 01/01/14 at 09:05 AM

Jim Carrey "may" be dumberer than mineself, but he is richerer.

I'm not sure if it was W C Fields who said:
"Money can't buy happiness, but it can be rented at Mary Maud's seaside emporium!"

Posted by Bmn on 01/01/14 at 09:40 AM

Richerer... meh. So is whatserface off Jersey Shore. Neither of them is rich because they're clever, and whatserface is rich because she isn't. (Sic transit mundus 😖 ) Groucho was rich, at least partly, because of his own cleverness. I'd consider - not take blindly, but consider - his advice, and not theirs. (I might consider their managers'.)

Posted by Richard Bos on 01/02/14 at 05:59 AM

:-) I thought the sales were rather good during Grouchos' run as con artist. Comedy is sexier than sweat. But I confess I went and looked and wrote the numbers down here as much as anybody. If only there was a way to instill our "brilliance" into the masses eating this stuff up as it still spews forth for our spending enjoyment. I love that "Uncle Sam never fobbed off a bum IOU" , there's a punch line.

Posted by John Church on 01/04/14 at 11:04 AM

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