Groucho Marx? Alan Gale? George Oppenheimer? Sidney Skolsky? Anonymous?
Question for Quote Investigator: When I am at a party I sometimes have trouble recalling the name of a person I have met before. But my recalcitrant memory has no difficulty remembering the line credited to Groucho Marx:
I never forget a face, but in your case I’d be glad to make an exception.
When I performed a search I found some other versions:
I never forget a face, but I’ll make an exception in your case.
I never forget a face—but I’m willing to make an exception in your case.
Is this a genuine Groucho joke or is it just a quip with a fake nose and glasses?
Reply from Quote Investigator: The earliest match known to QI appeared in “The Hollywood Reporter” in December 1935 within an article titled “Harpo, Chico, Groucho and Scenario” by screenwriter George Oppenheimer. The piece contained a Groucho-like fictional character named Lyons. The first line below was spoken by the narrator of the article who was a fictional version of Oppenheimer. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:1
“It’s funny. I’m sure I know you. I never forget a face.”
“Neither do I,” answered Lyons, “but I’m going to make an exception in your case. Horsefeathers, second reel.”
It was useless. The man was a maniac and then I looked again. There was pain in Lyons’ eyes … real acute suffering.
“Horse Feathers” was a 1932 Marx Brothers movie, but QI has not found this line within that movie script. Oppenheimer was one of the three writers of the 1937 Marx Brothers film “A Day at the Races”.
The next match found by QI appeared in the syndicated Hollywood gossip column of Sidney Skolsky in November 1936. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:2
Groucho Marx, on meeting a prominent actress, said: “I never forget a face – but I’m going to make an exception in your case.”
QI believes Groucho Marx is the most likely creator of this jape.
Below are additional selected citations in chronological order.
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