Marx Brothers special material for the show, but the script for the classic "Napoleon Scene" was probably supplied by Groucho. On January 16, 1977, the Marx Brothers were inducted into the Motion Picture Hall of Fame. With the deaths of Gummo in April 1977, Groucho in August 1977, and Zeppo in November 1979, the brothers were gone. But their impact on the entertainment community continues well into the 21st century. Many television shows and movies have used Marx Brothers references. "Animaniacs" and "Tiny Toons", for example, have featured Marx Brothers jokes and skits. Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) on "M*A*S*H" occasionally put on
A Night at the Opera (film) Night at the Opera" but "A Day at the Races". Another idea of Thalberg's was that before filming would commence on an upcoming picture, the Marx Brothers would try out its material on the vaudeville stage, working on comic timing and learning what earned a laugh and what did not. He was keen to plant gags accordingly so the laughs could be timed correctly. The famous "stateroom" scene was nearly eliminated because it was not getting any laughs. One evening the Marx Brothers threw away the script and ad-libbed the whole thing. As a result, a weak scene was transformed