"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 movie '' The Cocoanuts'' (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