Customer Reviews

Groucho Marx - You Bet Your Life

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There's some classic Groucho on this DVD. If you've never seen or heard Groucho before, this is a great place to start.

This DVD is released by Echo Bridge entertainment and published by Platinum DVD. The cover incorrectly states there are 12 classic shows over 4 hours. Actually there are 14 shows and 6 hours of entertainment. The picture quality is quite good for the most part and includes all those DeSoto commercials. They are an interesting novelty at first but it wasn't long before I found myself fast forwarding through them.

This DVD contains one of You Bet Your Life's most side splittingly hilarious episodes, the one featuring Albert Hall, the printer's devil from Kansas. It's included in Scene section 5. Groucho's ability to maintain control of often awkward situations was truly remarkable.

There are not a lot of extras included in this package, but what is here is classic Groucho and is more than enough to warrant the price of admission. So sit back with some popcorn and enjoy one of the all time great comedians, the one, the only...GROUCHO!!

Excellent shows, fair transfer. Overall an excellent value with only one duplicate from the 2 much more expensive Groucho collections. Get it.

I think this is the set I recently bought. It contains 12 episodes with good picture quality and sound. And it also contains vintage commercials that are worth the price of admission. See rare Desoto commercials with Groucho and even some commercials with Harpo and Chico. This is a great way to get 12 episodes of You Bet Your Life at a low price.

"You Bet Your Life" was one of the first television game shows to have been filmed in advance, allowing it to become the first game show to have it's reruns syndicated to local stations after it's network run ended in 1961.

Perhaps the best part of this DVD is that only two of the thirteen episodes included were from the syndication package (which was known as "The Best Of Groucho"), and that most of the other episodes were not only in their original NBC broadcast format, but also included vintage commercials for the show's longtime sponsor DeSoto, a long-gone automobile make that was manufactured by Chrysler Corporation.

For the most part, the shows in this collection are presented the way millions of viewers saw them in the 1950's.

Fans of Groucho, the Marx Brothers, classic television and/or TV game shows in general will want to pick-up this DVD. It is an inexpensively-priced introduction to one of the most hilarious programs from the "Golden Age Of Television". If you like this DVD, you can then come back to Amazon and order "'You Bet Your Life': The Best Episodes" and "'You Bet Your Life': The Lost Episodes".

I'm so glad that "You Bet Your Life" is on DVD. From what I've heard, NBC was gonna destroy the masters in the early 1970's but Groucho convinced them to preserve them. I'm so glad he did. This is a wonderful show, and a charming reminder of the days when TV didn't need fancy sets to be entertaining. Groucho Marx may of been in his 60's when doing these shows but he still has a quick wit, coming up with funny jokes in seconds. It's easy to see why this was a top 10 hit in the ratings. In my opinion, the DeSoto commercials add historical context to these episodes, allowing modern day viewers to see the show as people in the 1950's watched it.

Whether you enjoyed this show back then or are interested in what people watched in the 1950's, this show is a Joy.

The Tournement of Roses Queen, Korean survivor of that war, 18 year old Swedish gal, Pastor who adopted several children of differing ethnicities, or a hippie living off the land. Who would you rather see trading quips and often being honored by Groucho? You can see them all here, and many more, in this fore-runner to Jeopardy!. Groucho admits his job here wasn't easy as we laugh at him as much as with him, but proved was a true comedian by taking verbal gags in stride regardless of who the 'butt of the joke' was. Oh, and the questions are quite interesting and challenging too. If this show had continued into the 60's, Groucho would surely have bet his sweet bippie too!

I work with Alzheimer's patients and at the same time am a fan of the Marx Brothers. I had always wanted to know about "You Bet Your Life" and it was great to watch this DVD with them, including the DeSoto commercials that came with it. Additionally, these people smile when they see Groucho and hear his ready wit in his one liners. Definitely this DVD is a must have.

The Marx Brothers in their movies are fantastic,but this is a great insight into the early tv skills of Groucho. For any up and coming young person who would consider a career in TV or comedy they will learn alot by watching the pure skill and timing of Groucho. Recomend it, can be funny!

Groucho was a funny man, and so were some of his guests. I love the fins on the old DeSoto's in the commercials, and the push-button gear shifter on some models.

I have to admit to not being a fan of the Marx Brothers movies, but Groucho is brilliant as the host of the game show "You Bet Your Life".

Now, it isn't much of a game show, but it is a vehicle for Groucho to riff on the contestants, and occasionally, get it back from them!

It's a cheap buy, and if you haven't seen the show before, give it a try.

Love the classic commercials also!