What Cigar Does Groucho Marx Smoke?

Groucho Marx, an American actor, comedian, writer, singer, and television star who also enjoyed a prosperous career in the radio industry, was widely recognized as one of the country’s best comedians.

Apart from that, Groucho is also well-known for leading “The Marx Brothers,” a group that includes his brothers, as well as for his bushy-browed appearance, painted-on mustache, and cigar-smoking habit. In fact, he can be seen in a lot of pictures, either with a cigar in his mouth or his hand.

In an interview with Cigar Aficionado, Groucho Marx’s son, Arthur Marx, claimed that despite his father’s lesser vices, he had been a dedicated cigar smoker since he was 15, performing in small-time vaudeville.

Additionally, he claimed that his father developed the habit of smoking cigars after learning that it was the most helpful prop an actor could have on stage from an experienced vaudevillian.

“If you forget a line, all you have to do is stick the cigar in your mouth and puff on it until you can think of what you’ve forgotten,” he said as he remembered his father’s words.

Furthermore, Groucho enjoyed smoking cigars so much that despite Eden, his third wife, complaining about the smell and demanding that he put it out, he didn’t seem to mind, leading to her refusal to sleep with the comedian.

He even happened to quote a line from Rudyard Kipling which reads, “A woman is only a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke!” Also, Groucho would smoke milder cigars after lunch and stronger ones after dinner.

La Preferencias Cigars

When he first entered the entertainment industry, Groucho Marx reportedly smoked only nickel cigars since he couldn’t yet afford a quality one. Later on, he started smoking “La Preferencias,” a brand of Cuban cigars.

Groucho was drawn in by the cigar brand’s advertisement because it promised “30 Minutes in Havana,” but he was let down after the cigars barely smoked for 20 minutes and returned the cigars to the shop. His persistence paid off because he was able to visit the shop five times and obtain a replacement cigar before being asked to leave.

You can buy Cuban cigars here.

Groucho Marx's Favorite Cigar: Dunhill 410

In a separate event, Groucho Marx kept expensive cigars in his humidor, especially Dunhills, and specifically smoked a Dunhill 410, which was his favorite, when he requested his son Arthur to get one, as Arthur reflected in the same interview.

“Trot upstairs to my humidor, Big Feet—he always called me Big Feet because he claimed my footsteps on the stairs outside his bedroom woke him up early in the morning—and bring me a Dunhill 410,” Arthur recalled his father’s words.

Belinda Cigars

Arthur, Groucho’s son, didn’t hold back while discussing the cigars his father smoked. In the same interview, he claimed that Groucho also always had a box of extra-large cigars on hand called “Belinda.

The long, thick Belinda cigars resembled a tiny Scud missile in appearance, according to Arthur. He also confessed that his father kept the cigar as mentioned for special events, giving it to important guests only.

Maria Morales